Tonight was the most enjoyable networking night I’ve ever organised. Why? I think it’s because we had four great people talking with great passion about their feature film – their dream – and how they are going to realise it: in a mere three weeks time; when principal photography begins…
Whatever success the finished film enjoys, ‘Eliminate: Archie Cookson‘ is a project born out of a genuine love for filmmaking and a burning desire to make a stunningly entertaining film that is proudly independent in its attitude but thoroughly inclusive in its outlook.
I came away feeling incredibly inspired – filmmaking can feel like a massive uphill struggle at times, but after a night like this anything seems possible.
The Elminate peeps present were: Rob Holder – Writer / Director, Ioanna Karavela – Producer, David Packham – Line Producer, and Richard Cambridge – Actor / Webmaster.
That's me (Oliver) in the red, Ioanna to my right and Rob to hers
Among the topics discussed were:
- the need to build a solid core team who will help each other through the highs and lows of the whole project, share the overall responsibility for the project and can be trusted to ‘have each others’ backs at all times.
- how the best filmmakers have tremendous self-belief, are incredibly reliable, and try to think in ways that are wiser than their experience.
- how -especially regarding budgetary constraints- what’s not on the frame doesn’t matter.
- how to not always to take heed of other people’s advice about what’s best for your career if that conflicts with what you think you are capable of. People who have followed a traditional career path will often try to advise you that your ambitious plans are ill-advised and can often be quite critical in their evaluation of what you are capable of (especially if it doesn’t fit in with their career path ideals)(that reminds me: James Cameron once told me: ‘people will always be ready to tell you you can’t write or direct – there will kind of always be someone out there with more experience or skills or talent – you just have to delude yourself that you can do it, and just go for it, and remember that you are the only person who can make it happen for you, so whatever you do: don’t bet against yourself’ wise words indeed).
- how, when you need something, you can never know what will actually help you get it, but you only have a chance of getting it if you make the investigations and knock on the doors in the first place.
- the need to start building a fanbase for a film even before it’s shot.
- how anything that makes your film be different and interesting and credible e.g. having X thousand fans on twitter etc is crucial in order to have good sales/distribution prospects.
- how finding professional-minded interns/runners is like finding needles in haystacks sometimes…
Awesome stuff…
I’m knackered.
Oli
Eliminate: Archie Cookson – website
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