How to make a feature film in 2018
2. Don’t take creative notes from discouraging people or professional note-givers. Take the advice of fellow or successful independent filmmakers.
3. Focus entirely on using the language of film to compel your audience at every moment of the movie, anything else is secondary. (Also, see DOGTOOTH)
4. Make a short film of your feature first. Also actually make 10 short films before your first feature.
5. Don’t look to Hollywood as an example of what film production should look like, look to other independent filmmakers’ sets:
6. Make a podcast of your screenplay. If it’s easy for someone to misinterpret a text message, don’t let them misinterpret your script. It will take you 3 days to make, and will show that you actually care about making your movie an audiovisual experience. Also, I hate to break it to you, but nobody will ever read your screenplay.
7. Hire people based on their talents and enthusiasm alone.
8. Run a Kickstarter campaign. Build targeted ads to people who like similar movies, and who also like Kickstarter.
9. Start an LLC for your film and sell percentages of it to anyone who will buy them.
10. Find and work with competent and talented producers who have an axe to grind like you do.
11. Never feel alone in this. You aren’t. :)
Jim Cummings is a writer/director/actor from New Orleans.
