Professionalism Isn't a Lost Art

We started the weekend with unexpected auditions for a new sci-fi series pilot with a local indie film writer and producer. Local. Indie. I wasn't expecting much but figured the audition would be good experience for my little actress who wants to make the leap from stage to film just like her momma.
    From the start, though, this producer caught me by surprise. Instead of the usual "home studio" you often see with indie film around Houston, he had a real office. It wasn't much, but it was clear he and his partners took their business seriously. Yes, there was even a name plate on the door and a small reception area. So what if he was the one who came out to greet us? Presentation counts.
    Even more surprising, he had actually bothered checking out our IMDB pages before we arrived. He had sides ready and a plan. He was careful to ensure my under-age daughter or the friend she brought along were never alone with him or his partners who were also there. He sat down with my daughter and I before we auditioned and went over what he wanted from each of us. Once he put us through our hoops, he sat down with us again and "sold" his plan for the series, explaining exactly where he was in the development process (still writing the initial episodes) and what he planned to do next. He asked relevant questions and, though he said he was excited, never crossed that bridge of inappropriate language or TMI that so often happens in the film world.
    I'll admit, I'm usually reticent to work with personal unknowns in the indie world. Especially when it comes to projects I allow my daughter to participate in. But this producer/writer excites me, not only because he has a clear vision and the passion and means to get his projects done, but because he was very professional.
    Let's step back a bit to explain why this is important. For the last several months I've been stalled on what looked to be a promising, maybe even awards-worthy feature project with an established, if not small, studio. Despite the high level of interest from backers and other industry pros, this project has really never gotten out of the gate. It's not for lack of creative effort nor for lack of an amazing story, but it is definitely due to an intermittent lack of professionalism. In this case, one that involves too much alcohol (not on my part).
    I've noticed a lot of people who seem to try very hard end up failing despite mounds of talent. Often it is because their professionalism fails behind drinking too much, getting high, making inappropriate sexual advances or treating their project as a dating service, speaking like a high schooler, ("LOL" is not a word, youngsters), unpreparedness/unplanned, film-ignorance, egoism, obstinance or just plain acting the diva.
    It just brings to light how important it is to ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL. No matter how creative, smart, experienced or passionate you are, your professionalism will make the difference in whether actors, producers, CDs, DPs, editors, or any other potential crew member will want to commit their time to working with you. You can have a casual look, be unique, and still be professional. You just need to have a plan, be respectful, and behave like an adult. This will bring credibility to both your project and your name. Without it, well, good luck getting anything off the ground.

How to Ruin a Good Screenplay

As filmmakers, we're always getting great advice about how to do things right. Having recently encountered some great new talent stalled by amateur mistakes, I thought I'd talk a little bit about how we do things wrong in the film world. Earlier, I shared some of the worst abused film conventions that need to go away. Now, let's look at things we can do to ensure we never sell our screenplays to a major studio. Here ya go!

• Non-standard formatting. Just because you buy Final Draft or some other over-priced software (Word and a decent template will do), doesn't mean your screenplay follows industry standards. Invest $25 in a decent, recent book like "The Complete Screenwriter's Manual." Glue it to the back of your PC if needed, but keep it nearby when you're writing. Always. Check it often if you haven't been writing, and selling, screenplays for decades.
• Use the phrase "is ----ing" throughout your scene descriptions. Do it regularly. Okay, really you should use it seldom if at all. Screenplays are written in PRESENT TENSE. They should instruct your actors just like you might a group of kids in a classroom. "John walks to the blackboard," is always preferable to "John is walking to the blackboard," which indicates this action was already happening when the scene started.
• Throw timelines into a blender. Directors are always eager to guess at what you meant by starting a scene in one time frame then suddenly switching it to another. Here's a great example:

INT. JOHN'S CAR - DAY

John is texting and driving. 

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

John's car crashes into the back of another vehicle in front of him.

A simple "CONTINOUS" would rescue this series of scenes from certain disaster. 

• Include tons of secondary characters and extras but never capitalize them upon introduction. Or just don't introduce them at all and give them a line or two. ANY new character, even extras, should be included in their first scene description and capitalized. For example:

EXT. SKATE PARK - DAY

JOHN, a lanky teen in slacker clothing, and a group of SKATEBOARDERS gather around the half pipe and watch as LOIS, much younger than the others, prepares to make her first run.

Notice how key characters get descriptions and extras are introduced as a non-descript group. Even though the skateboarders in the crowd are extras, they need to be called out so the director can plan for them in the shot and the CD can cast them. They're also going to possibly need costumes and would affect how the shot is staged. 

• Go nuts with the slug lines. Personally, I think if you're using more than two or three within a master scene, it's time to "INTERCUT AS NEEDED". It's way too easy to lose track of where your characters are or what the camera is focused on when you over-complicate a scene with intricate slug lines. I was recently polishing a festival-winning screenplay that couldn't be sold and noticed that frequently the writer gave dialogue to characters he'd forgotten were off-screen based on his last slug line. No bueno! 
• Abuse the Caps-Lock key. Only new characters and important sound effects should be in ALL CAPS. (This does not include incidental sounds like footsteps created by characters walking on screen.) Just remember, the point of ALL CAPS is to get the attention of your casting director or sound editor. (Okay, you can use it for special effects, too.)
• Give lots and lots of shooting directions. Most amateurs precede each scene with "CUT TO," "FADE IN" or "DISSOLVE TO". If you're planning on selling your script, don't do this. FADE IN at the very beginning then let the DP plan his or her shots based on the awesome scenes you describe. All that fluff will also cost you an extra 5-10 pages, too.
• And, by all means, write in real-time. Here's a great example of marketability-destroying writing:

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING

John is asleep in bed when the alarm clock suddenly BUZZES. He sits up and rubs his eyes, then reaches over and hits the top of the clock, silencing it. He scratches his head, yawns, pulls the covers back and slides his legs over the side of the bed. He stands up, almost trips, then slips his feet into his slippers that are by the bed. He looks at the clock, reacts with panic, then runs to the bathroom, opens the door and goes inside... 

That scene description could be a lot simpler and more interesting:

John is in bed, sleeping peacefully. His ALARM goes off, sending him flying out of the bed. He nearly trips over his slippers, then stops to slide them on. He runs into the bathroom and slams the door.

• Use dialogue to explain everything that happens in your film. Be sure and have your characters talk about things that happened in earlier scenes to remind us what happened, just in case we've forgotten ten pages later. Also, tell us how your characters feel about everything through dialogue. In fact, have the characters explain their feelings to each other constantly. (You get where I'm headed here, right?)
• Over describe your characters with exact heights, weights, skin, hair and eye color. That will make a casting director ecstatic! (Just remember, character descriptions are to help the casting director find the best actor to play the part and the actor to understand who they're portraying. If the character's height isn't central to their behavior or motivation and has nothing to do with the story, leave it out. Same goes for all those other physical traits. And remember, not every character in your film needs to be attractive. That doesn't happen in the real world and shouldn't happen in your screenplay, unless you're writing "Zoolander 3.")
• Finally, make sure you completely ignore the three act standard when planning your film. Add lots of scenes that have nothing to do with the over-arching story simply because you want to use a specific prop, location or character. If you write an inciting incident, don't worry about the 10-page rule: just plug it in somewhere. It's all good. Yes, I'm being facetious. Your story should have an inciting incident - something that gets the ball rolling. It should have a discernible beginning, middle and end. Every scene should move the main plot or a key subplot forward. (Subplots should at some point have an impact on the main plot, too.)

Okay, that's quite a bit to digest in one sitting, so I'll shut up now. If you're a screenplay reader, polisher or writer and have a favorite rookie mistake or pet peeve to share, be sure and leave a comment. If you're new to writing or honing your craft, let me know what you think. Overall, remember that writing screenplays is more than the art of simply telling a story. Screenwriting is a professional skill that requires education and tons of practice to perfect.

 

5 Cool Film Collaboration Tools

Let's face it, with the advent of the digital age, the world of filmmaking has been dragged, sometimes kicking and screaming, right along behind it. While the world seems to continue to shrink, this is a massive advantage for the aspiring screenwriters and would-be filmmakers out there. Ten years ago, situated in Houston, TX, my film habit would be sorely under-served. Today, however, I am able to somewhat easily connect with others in the independent film world and keep my acting bug at bay with active voice and on-camera work.
     The magic connection? Aside from persistence, constant personal/professional growth, and a modicum of talent, I chalk it up in large part to these five collaboration tools. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Meetup.com - Once a place where lonely singles and bored twenty-somethings created online forums to plan outings with similarly minded individuals, Meetup now features many thriving film communities. You may have to try a few out before you find the right one, but there at least four pretty decent groups in any major city. Not one near you? For a few dollars a month, you can start your own and pay for it by collecting small membership fees from those who join. (Fees recommended if you want to filter out those who aren't really serious about their film careers.)
2. behindthevoiceactors.com - Whether you're an aspiring or experienced actor or filmmaker, this is a great place to connect with talent. Actors - perfect your vocal performance and audition skills from your couch. (Even if a part isn't a fit, submitting an audition and getting feedback is a great way to hone your skills.) Filmmakers - find some outstanding unknown voice-over and musical talent to aid you with narrations or bring your animated/CGI characters to life. Sure, there's a lot of subpar projects and talent on the site, but you can easily filter through the noise with just a little bit of effort. Some of my favorite lines to perform have come from  original audio books/plays and cartoon projects I've encountered on this site. To get a taste, check out my member page here.
3. Skype - There is a misconception out there that you have to be an Apple fanatic to make films. Get over it. Today Android is taking over the small device market place and Windows remains present on over 80% of the world's desktops. If you want to communicate with your collaborators, FOR FREE, over video and IM, Skype is the only reliable tool today that works on all four of the major platforms (iOS, OS X/Mac OS, Android and Windows). I love this as a way to collaborate on everything from screenwriting projects to voicing cartoons. Filmmakers, got a screenplay you want to test/table read before you move forward? Skype it.
4. Create50 - Created and owned by the London Screenwriters' Festival team, this unique concept brings together writers and artists from around the globe to create collaborative short stories, screenplays and films. There is a good deal of structure around the projects, so you may have to check back if you first step in at the wrong phase of a project cycle for your particular talents.
5. OneDrive - I know, I know. Another Microsoft tool. Shoot me. But hey, this is the same storage technology James Cameron leveraged to house the mounds of 3D data it took to produce Avatar, so it should be good enough for the rest of us, right? Platform agnostic (as of late 2015), OneDrive is the ultimate of shared storage out there. Sign up for a Microsoft account (you can use your current email), and you automatically get 15 GB/month for free. If you have an Office365 subscription, 10 TB is included. The service features near-military-grade security and encryption and syncs to any Windows or Apple device to provide offline access to your files anywhere, anytime. I keep all my in-work writing, resumes, headshots and voice-over recordings on this service, in addition to hundreds of photos. If I'm recording lines for an active project, all I have to do is share my folder out to the filmmaker and s/he has immediate access to all my audio files. (I control who has read only or full access.) Working on a screenplay? Combine this with Microsoft Word's shared editing capabilities, and multiple writers can simultaneously edit the same document without tripping over each other's changes. (I love the comments and review features in Microsoft Word, which even sports a free screenplay template that conforms to industry standards,)

     I think that's enough geeking out for now. Happy filmmaking! If you have a favorite collaboration tool of your own (other than the standard Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo), leave a note in the comments. Like my grandmother used to say as she handed me a dustpan, "Everything is better when we work together."

Biting the Hand

Ah, film students. Like any college kid - ahem - "young adult," they know it all. They've spent a semester or two under the skillful tutelage of a sage-but-untenured professor and now are ready to show the world they're in charge.
     Snark is often the first skill we'll see leveraged by these lovely young up-and-coming film moguls. First, they will troll social media and fire off shots at everyone who expresses anything to which they do not agree with sniper-like accuracy. Seriously, didn't you know that those 524 Twitter followers, 387 of which are spam accounts, and that project film they shot in six weeks qualify them as experts? Second, they will blog, expounding at length why the producer with thirty years of experience working with big Hollywood studios is completely clueless when it comes to modern filmmaking. Oh, and those well-known but sketchily documented industry standards mean nothing since our young upstart has plans to prove them irrelevant.
     Tsk-tsk, sweet babies, did no one tell you in your six months of collegiate enlightenment that the use of snark is a privilege earned through vast experience and a proven track record of success? Unless you need only be mentioned by one name for the A-listers to jump onto your latest project, you should probably leave the snark buried in the bottom of your sock drawer.
     I'll probably never fully understand why the current generation thinks being cocky and obnoxious will get them anywhere. Although I guess one could say they're right: it will get you to the exit door faster than a pair of well-greased roller skates and a turbo jet strapped to your butt. Somewhere along the line most of the people currently under the age of thirty got brainwashed into thinking that being disrespectful will gain them respect. (I suspect this has a lot to do with the continued over-indulgence and current cultural wave of demanding everyone bend to children's every whim, but who am I to say?) Here's a fine example for you:
     I recently forwarded a tweet recommending an article describing how one well-experienced filmmaker applied the first 10-minute rule to his own personal viewing of films released in the past year. (If you're not familiar, this rule is commonly applied by readers in evaluating new screenplays, but is also commonly used in evaluating film festival submissions as well.) "Get an attention span," another user replied, as if this 10-minute thing was my idea. (Should I have been flattered that he thought it was?) He doesn't know me. He obviously doesn't know the industry well enough to realize that understanding this little rule will be critical to his future success. I hovered over his name to find the title "Film Student." Ah. I was no longer surprised. Film school may teach you processes and technique but only experience or a really well-aged mentor will enlighten you to the realities of the film industry. This young man probably thought that his snarky response would catch my attention and convince me to change my stance.
     Sadly, what really ends up happening in these situations is that those of us who have tread the long hard road before the cocky film student (or recent grad) smile quietly and nod our heads while the youngster in front of us lambasts everything we learned and accomplished before him. We listen politely as he insults the rules we all must play by and the methodology we all know works, having already tried and proven lacking many other ways of getting things done. If he shows promise, we MIGHT feel compelled to take him aside and guide him to try a different approach when speaking to people he may not know well but who likely can make or break his film career before it has even started. Given the number of hateful know-it-all twenty-somethings out there today, that's rarely going to happen. Instead, the group of older, more experienced filmmakers will shake their heads after he walks away and make a mental note to avoid hiring his obnoxious ass in the future.
     So, listen up film school kid! If you want to make it in film, the first thing you need to accept is that you don't know jack, and won't for many more years. Whether you like it or not, there are people out there who have forgotten more about making films than you will ever learn, no matter how pioneering your professors proclaim you to be. Your best bet is to learn to replace that cocky attitude with a whole lot of humility, a healthy dose of respect and just the right amount of confidence. You will get much further by listening and asking questions than by flatly rejecting the advice of your predecessors. Watch what you post, tweet, pin or whatever. When your name appears on a producer's desk for a critical position on a project, rest assured that producer will search the Twitter-verse and all related digital entities before he or she waists their limited budget on you. That blogger you slammed on Facebook just might turn out to be the producer's favorite niece.
     Now, zip it and go share this advice with your friends before they accidentally bite the hands that may soon be feeding them, too.

Casting in Color

The way things are today, you can't be too careful when it comes to racial sensitivity and attention to diversity. There are no rules, per se, yet everyone seems to be breaking them on a daily basis. In this overly PC, continuously offended world, how do you make the right decisions when it comes to casting roles? Do you cast based on audience draw or lean toward inclusion regardless of the story you plan to tell? Is there something in between? Will making the wrong choices hurt your film or does it even matter?

The answer to all of the above is YES.

There is a lot of noise out there about making movies to attract multi-racial audiences, and there certainly is some logic to that theory. If I'm a casting director working on a big Hollywood studio project, I'm naturally going to be sensitive to two huge facts: 1) more than 70% of Americans identify as Caucasian and 2) 18 of the top 20 grossing films in 2015 featured Caucasian leads. While item one is indisputable, it's easy to say fact #2 could be driven by the plethora of films featuring purely Caucasian casts or at least white leads.

That aside, several of the top 20 films this year have shattered traditional blockbuster casting molds. Okay, let's face it: Will Smith shattered those molds years ago. But is that repeatable? The jury is still out.

The truth is, when you're casting a film that includes time-tested characters, your first loyalty needs to be to your existing fan base. Does it make sense to cast Idris Elba as James Bond? No, it doesn't. Why? Because there is no way to "explain" the change to loyal audiences, no matter how awesome Idris Elba may be. (And we all know he is.) Every Bond in the history of Bond has been similar in look and feel. It makes no more sense to cast a black man as James Bond than it does to cast Tom Cruise as Wonder Woman. Iconic characters generally need to be left alone. Consistently we have seen "progressive" filmmakers attempt to recolor classic, well-known characters only to fail miserably. (Anyone see "Fantastic Four" lately? Yeah, I didn't think so.)

From a psychological perspective, audiences develop an "image" of a character based upon how they're used to seeing that character. Cinderella will always be a pretty blond white girl, assuming Disney wants to keep making hundreds of millions at the box office on Cinderella-based fare. Seeing a major change in a beloved character causes watchers to experience a kind of psychological dissonance that simply makes them uncomfortable. They may go see the movie, but those first viewers won't feel good about it, won't know why, but will tell their friends to stay away. Even a brilliant movie may bomb because of this.

Your second loyalty in casting needs to be to your story. If your film is a coming of age story about a boy growing up in China and dealing with the conflict between tradition and modern life, casting a person of any other race isn't going to make sense. Audiences will get stuck on that rather than seeing what an awesome story you have to tell. The recent backlash over the casting of Mara Rooney as Tiger Lily in "Pan" is a great example. Ms. Rooney did an amazing job from an acting point of view, but it was completely overshadowed by the fact that she just didn't fit the character. Her father was clearly Native American. She clearly is not. Even children pick up on these things. (My child is no Tiger Lily loyal but quickly realized that she and the band of natives didn't look like a tribe.) Casting choices should fit the story at all times, regardless of how badly you want to be inclusive. Now, that DOESN'T mean you cast to stereotype. There is a major difference between stereotype and character, and all good filmmakers can sense the difference.

Finally, you need to be aware of the character. Suppose my story is about a Southern girl who wants to be the belle of her high society ball in Redneckville, USA because it's a long-standing family tradition. I HAVE to cast that girl and her friends as Caucasians. Now, suppose my Southern girl wants to BREAK tradition and become the belle of the ball? Now, I can cast any race I like in that role and may even lean toward African American because of the natural conflict that will arise from that choice. If my character wants to play basketball professionally but must overcome the fact that he's short, again, race won't matter. I can cast black, white, whatever, and be successful. I might even cast the character as Asian to make the character stand out even more than his height alone. Before I cast the role, I need to understand the character: history, motivation, and how s/he fits into my story.

Let's face it: Hollywood's practice of casting white actors in non-white roles is a long-standing and irritatingly senseless tradition. However, audiences are more outspoken and sensitive to Hollywood's attempts to dupe them. So, if you want diversity vs. travesty, make sure you first tell a story where diversity makes sense, then cast based on the characters and the stories they have to tell, not upon whether or not it will make you appear to be politically correct in your choices. It's always PC to stay true to your story and character and audiences will appreciate your choices.

FYI - SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS COMPLAIN. There is nothing you can do about that, so just accept it and move on.

In the end, a typical cast in a modern American field shouldn't be monochromatic, but your casting choices should always serve the story and the characters foremost. No actor should ever be placed in the cast to serve as a racial token, nor to fulfill a stereotype. If the character is race-less as written, then cast the person who does the best job auditioning for the role, regardless of color. Audiences appreciate a film that feels true, not just politically correct.

Deadlines Matter, Even for Indies

For me, one of the toughest things about independent film is the complete lack of studio-imposed deadlines. I know, you're thinking I'm completely nuts and you're just about to click that little "x" to close the window. Before you do, consider this:

1. Projects that take years to complete suffer issues of relevancy once they finally wrap. I had a friend who started a wonderful story about the Cold War in the 1980's. I heard from her recently: it was finally finished, could I read it? Sure! The writing was brilliant, for 1985. It now needs a complete rewrite because younger audiences won't connect and it's no longer relevant to those who lived through that era. While it could have a cool retro feel as a film today, the story has to include more exposition than it did when the writer started it because of the loss of relevancy.
2. Casting can become a major issue. A filmmaker friend obtained the film rights to a book and went to work writing his screenplay. He was able to find the perfect lead, a local unknown, to star in his project, and shot a few scenes to garner interest in funding the project. However, he kept putting the finished screenplay on the backburner as he worked on other projects. By the time he was ready to start filming, that perfect actor had been cast in a TV series and was no longer available. He's now having to start over with casting and still, more than a year later, doesn't have a completed screenplay ready to shoot.
3. Actors' appearances change over time. The headlining film at our local festival a couple of years ago took several years to complete. This might have been okay except that two of the main characters were young girls when the project started, teens when it finished. The story itself covered less than a year of elapsed time, so the change in the younger actors' appearances was jarring and left audiences confused.

     These are just a few real-world examples where the lack of a hard deadline undermined what might have been successful projects otherwise.
     As an independent filmmaker or screenwriter, it's important to set deadlines for yourself to ensure your project remains relevant, you keep funding you've secured and you don't lose resources attached to the project. Make sure the deadlines you set are reasonable - you don't want to rush the project and produce something crappy, but you also don't want to take so long to get it done that six other people beat you to the punch.
     If you're not sure what makes a reasonable deadline, I recommend choosing a film festival or contest to which you'd like to submit your work. (Don't pick one that closes entries next month.) Alternatively, figure out the pace at which you best work and approximately how long it would take to finish your project at that pace. (Tip: it shouldn't be more than a year out.) For example: if you're a writer, setting a goal of 10 to 20 pages per day would set the goal of first draft for you in approximately 1.5 to 2 weeks out. Factor in time for your detailed proof-read and three or four review passes, and 2 months may be a reasonable deadline for you to have a copy ready to pass around to others to read before your final copy is complete.
     All in all, a deadline should give you a reasonable goal to work toward and put just enough pressure on you to get the work done before completing the project becomes impossible or pointless. It will also show others you want to bring into the project that you are serious about getting it done and that you are a true professional, improving the odds that they will commit the time and effort you need from them to produce quality work.
     So, get to it! Whip out that smartphone and add an appointment, as well as a few reminders, to get that project done. As we all know, once it's in the smartphone calendar, it's real.

Review: The End of the Tour

I am only slightly embarrassed to admit that I was expecting a comedy when I first walked into the theater, bucket of M&Ms and popcorn in one hand and a giant soda in the other. I like to avoid any pre-conceived notions regarding movies I plan to review, to ensure perfect candor, so I'd only read a three-line synopsis that basically told me it was about the road trip Rolling Stone journalist David Lipsky (played by Jesse Eisenberg) took with professor/author David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) at the end of his Infinite Jest book tour. Given Joan Cusack's appearance in the cast list, "comedy" was a natural assumption.

It wasn't long into the film that I realized it was pretty much a drama about two guys sitting around talking to each other. Sometimes they walked around and talked to each other. Briefly, they talked to other people or Wallace's two adorably overweight Labradors. By most measures, the movie should've been incredibly boring.

It was not.

Before we'd even gone in, my friend and I had vowed to sit on the end of the row and quietly depart if the film turned out to be below our expectations. Instead of sneaking out, we forgot to eat our popcorn, even with the unhealthy dose of chocolate we'd dumped inside. My soda remained nearly full. Not only was this little film about two guys talking to each other vastly interesting, it was entertaining and moving. I forgot to eat.

As expected where Segel and Eisenberg are present, there were moments of humor and awkwardness. Eisenberg's delivery was his typical tic-laden quirky nerd. No real surprises there. Segel, on the other hand, disappeared and was replaced by someone who easily could've been mistaken for the 90's era Wallace. (Okay, his hair wasn't quite as awesome, but we can overlook that.) Segel's performance was not only believable, but nearly invisible, and that is the perfection every real actor should strive to achieve. Thanks to that perfection, it was easy to understand how people could form the type of bond toward Wallace that his "DFW" fanatical followers seem to possess. (Many have vowed to skip the movie because they believe DFW would never have sanctioned such a narcissistic endeavor. Wait, didn't he agree to the original interview, book tours, speaking engagements...? Never mind. I don't want to stir up trouble.)

In the end, this film WILL tug at your heart strings, if they are there to be tugged. It will appeal to those who want to get insight into Wallace through Lipsky's eyes without taking the time to read the book (Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself). It will appeal to indie film lovers, bio and book lovers, and anyone who simply enjoys a good drama. It won't make tons of money, but the best films rarely do. If you're not one of those previously listed folks, go see it for the outstanding cameo performances by the inimitable Joan Cusack and Mamie Gummer, looking more like mama Meryl Streep than ever before.

If you're over 18 and have half a brain, seek this film out. Order a small popcorn and soda, sit down and watch it with a pal, then feel smarter and a little more human when you walk out. For you DFW fans who refuse to see this film because you don't believe it can possibly do him justice or may conflict with his wishes, get over it. Unless you knew him personally, you really have no more right to claim knowledge of what he would've wanted than the filmmakers, who, by the way, honor his memory very well while helping us understand why he both savored and avoided the spotlight. (He might have even been ashamed of your arrogance and uninformed pre-judgment, being such a fan of moving pictures and overall open-mindedness himself.)

During his life, Wallace may have avoided the camera because he struggled with the trappings of fame and the dangers of inadvertently branding himself, but this film absolutely does everything possible to paint him as human as he'd want to be, and as brilliant and wonderful as he was. It treats his foibles and wishes with every bit of the deference he would've wanted and deserved. It also serves to introduce a whole new generation to him, drawing them toward his amazing work. If anything, DFW fans should be happy he is finally getting the type of widespread respectful treatment he never allowed himself to receive. So what if it's only a snippet of his life? It's a work of art and rare insight into a brilliant but (mostly) reclusive artist.

The End of the Tour opens in Houston on August 13, limited release.

4 Ways Social Media is Changing Independent Filmmaking

About two years ago there was a rush by independent filmmakers to jump on the social media bandwagon for low cost film promotion. (Just search "social media independent film" for a rash of blogs, how-to's, etc., generally circa 2013.) Today, it's almost impossible to get your film seen without "posting" incessantly about it across a range of social media outlets, and it works.


There are more ways to leverage the power of social media to improve your success as an independent filmmaker than simply promoting your finished product. Here are some of the coolest/most creative uses of our social world I've seen recently (in no particular order):

1. Group story-building: As modern creative geniuses like Joseph Gordon-Levitt have proven, your followers on social media are a great source of creative, collaborative story-building. Check out his #MonthlyScriptWorkshop on Twitter. From developing an idea to finalizing a screenplay, there are hundreds of talented writers out there willing to contribute their time and energy if you just ask.
2. Fund your project: Crowd-funding is definitely the word of the day not only for independent filmmakers, but for many industries. Sites like Indiegogo and Kickstarter are excellent sources of funds for those with a project that's ready to go but needs a little extra kick to get started. (Most crowd-funding sites have rules around setting and making goals, so plan your campaign carefully.)
3. Meet your cast & crew: Creative independent filmmakers are expanding their reach to find locals who are willing to help make their dream a reality. I'm personally part of two Meet-up groups specifically targeting the local film community - one a general film-making group, the other targeting actors to cast current and future projects. (Make your group successful by including an educational element for newbies and networking with agencies, studios, etc.) The usual "casting" methods can be pretty difficult to navigate, and even harder to leverage effectively, when the pay for your stars is publicity (maybe) and peanuts. The promise of residuals will draw un-carded, experienced help, but we all know that's more a hope than a guarantee with most indies.
4. Test screening safely: With the increased focus on privacy, security and data protection, filmmakers now have several options to share their projects without losing their rights to them in the process. (Beware of user-agreements that hand your film over to the host. The most popular video-sharing service, to remain unnamed, is of particular concern if not used properly.) I personally like services like SmugMug and OneDrive to set up private shares that prevent download and duplication while providing support for comments and that social media feel. Instead of waiting to test the whole finished project, take advantage of social media and your circle of trusted friends to test specific scenes, different endings, even costumes, make-up, effects...you get the idea.

The digital age is a great thing for independent filmmakers. Take advantage of it!

10 Tips for Film Fest Success

I help out with a local film festival and every year I'm sad to see new, brilliant film-makers hobbled by the same mistakes. Here are 10 things I wish every film-maker/screenwriter would consider BEFORE they submit their entries.

1. The first 30 seconds are critical. Your film may be brilliant, but with thousands of submissions, if the first 30 seconds are hard to see, suffer sound problems, are unoriginal or just plain dull, screeners won't go any further. Your masterpiece will more than likely end up in the reject pile. (Tip, most festivals use a panel of pre-screeners before your entry ever sees a judge.)
2. Win in the first 10. That's right, whether it's a film or screenplay or anything in between, the first ten pages/minutes matter most. Again, most screeners/readers will bail out if that first 10 doesn't win them. Hook us, then worry about explaining who your characters are. We won't care about exposition if we're already interested in finding out what happens next. If your short film is only ten minutes long, make sure that first minute is brilliant.
3. Plan for the big screen. One of my (current) all-time favorite film festival entries (Republic of Rick) could've been a box office success if only it had been shot in the right format. 24 frames per second is a bare minimum (48-60 preferred), as is making sure you've selected the correct widescreen format and are ready to package to DCP. Once upon a time, you needed a bevy of $100,000 cameras to get there. Today, I can get pretty close with my $850 Canon Rebel Digital SLR and a stack of top-notch SD cards. In other words, budget isn't an excuse. Between the low cost of storage, (check out services like Microsoft's Azure, which actually hosted the data for Avatar during production), and the ease of converting your film onto Blu-Ray from almost any PC, there's no reason your film fest entry shouldn't be ready to hit theaters should it catch the attention of distributors.
4. Pay attention to light and sound consistency. As an independent film maker, keeping conditions the same over a period of time can be pretty tough on a shoe-string budget. However, post-production software is fairly low cost and can be used to level out both audio and light differentiations. Consistency in general can also be a real killer in an otherwise good film. I remember one film last year that was pretty decent overall, but suffered terrible consistency issues that left audience members shaking their heads. (I.e. a car driving through the rain but being completely dry when shot from the exterior, female actor's hair colors changing drastically between scenes, you get the picture.)
5. Skip the effects. Unless your digital effects are outstanding quality, they can really detract from an otherwise excellent film. Of course, student film categories are far more forgiving than the other categories at most festivals. If you can't afford the time, effort and/or talent to produce at least mediocre quality effects, skip them. We may not really need to see that space ship to know it's there, and might actually even be more intrigued by a film that cleverly avoids showing it to us.
6. Follow submission guidelines. Enter your submission in the right category and make sure it's complete and ready to go. If the film festival requires "premier" or "first run" in a particular category - don't submit a film that's already been shown at other festivals. (Usually there are categories for both types of film.) Submit in the right format, too. This varies by film festival. Some require printed screenplays, others PDF, others Word. For films, most prefer DVDs or Blu-Rays these days. Some may require you upload directly to a streaming service they use. Make sure your entry doesn't violate any intellectual property laws, either. Plagiarism may only get you kicked out if you do it in school, but it can result in a law suit when it comes to your film festival submission.
7. Stock footage should be unfamiliar or used in new, creative ways. Everyone has seen MLK's "I have a dream" speech over and over, along with "One small step for man..." Find other ways to get your point across if at all possible.
8. Skip the corny, tired dialog. Every time I hear a character utter the words "He is the BEST <insert description> I've ever known," (or any variation thereof), I dismiss the film right away. (Yes, big budget films make the same dumb mistakes, but they have 7-figure ad budgets and 8-figure stars to help them overcome bad dialog.) The key to a great screenplay or film is a modicum of originality. I don't need you to tell me he's the best cop ever. I figured that out the minute Will Smith's "Jay" ran down the insane alien in the early minutes of "MIB." Not once did you hear Tommy Lee Jones' "Agent K" tell us he was the best ever, even if he does reference the successful chase. Watch a few popular films in your category. If you hear similar lines, avoid them like the plague.
9. Submit early. While you may make the deadline with a last-minute entry, there's a good chance judges will have already formed an attachment to early favorites.
10. If you get accepted, show up to the festival and "sell" your film. Festivals are not only attended by the other entrants, but other industry insiders. I've often attended viewings of films I hadn't intended to see simply because the film maker was at the opening party and sold me on his or her film. If you're an artist in the industry, whether it's an actor, writer, sound mixer, effects artist, producer, whatever - show up and do some hand shaking. You just might actually find your next great collaborator or even a paid gig on an upcoming project.

I hope you find this information useful. Best of luck with your next festival entry!

Indie Life: Spark Session

I recently decided to leap back into acting/filmmaking after a VERY long hiatus. Thanks to the magic of the internet, it's been pretty easy to connect to others in the industry locally, and that's a wonderful thing.

Just this week I got to spend a few hours with a group of filmmakers and actors, some experienced, some aspiring, to discuss a joint project. Nothing big, just a little music video, but what joy the whole creative process brings! Unlike a typical corporate sales planning session, we were all naturally marching in the direction of the same goal. No idea was ignored. Everyone was positive and supportive, and within 2 hours we had a solid, scriptable outline of our video on paper and next steps to keep the project moving. We were all there for the love of the art form. That's how great art is born.

Granted, no funding was involved. No one to demand we earn back our production costs within xx weeks of release. And that is exactly why working in the indie world is such a gift. Sometimes money can really get in the way of the creative process. But not today. Not in Houston, TX where most films are made by non-union-members and nameless independent "studios."

Now, to find a sound stage, 3d animator and some decent lights on a $0 budget...