This week I got struck with sudden deadlinitis. A film festival I have entered before (see earlier posts about Films for the Forest) moved their deadline forward unexpectedly, by a number of months. Now instead of having time to prepare and schedule to work on it for three weeks, I must scramble and do it in only two with no pre-planning. For many people that would mean they simply do not participate, and those people are reasonable and sane. However, I have taken it as a challenge and have begin to furiously put together a production that will force me to edit, direct, and write in ways that I never have before.
The most important thing is that I am doing it. I am scheduling time and making it happen. Rather than waiting for people to maybe be available I am pushing forward, even if not a single actor is available and not a single crew person can come, I am going to make this movie. Under these time constrains my usual producing skills are of limited help. Most films I prepare with people for months in advance, scheduling my shoot dates far in advance. With this I have to do it right now and do not have time to wait on schedules. The shoot date is the shoot date.
This should suck. But what it really does is remind me how important film making is for me. Even when no one else is there and I am alone setting up a green screen in my basement right next to the washer and dryer, I am making a movie, not excuses. Taking this approach is critical to being successful. Once you let yourself make excuses that 'this is too hard' or 'my crew is not available' you are dooming yourself. When you see those as obstacles to be overcome instead of barriers that you cannot traverse you are doing it right. It is a lot like exercise. Say you decide to run two miles every morning. Then one morning it starts raining. You have two options, exercise anyway, or take that as a reason to take a break that day. The person who puts on their raincoat and goes for their run in the pouring rain is going to get into shape, the person who decides hot cocoa and a blanket are an acceptable alternative that day is going to falter and eventually give up entirely.
Set your goals. Set your deadlines. When no one comes to help you, keep going. The ability to make a project happen even without support and under harsh conditions is a key to real success. Find your solutions as they come. My largely solo productions have been the most enlightening of my career. They force me to come up with new solutions to old problems, and I take those answers with me when I work on a bigger production.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have a deadline to meet. And these 11 puppets are not going to green screen themselves into the scene.
This should suck. But what it really does is remind me how important film making is for me. Even when no one else is there and I am alone setting up a green screen in my basement right next to the washer and dryer, I am making a movie, not excuses. Taking this approach is critical to being successful. Once you let yourself make excuses that 'this is too hard' or 'my crew is not available' you are dooming yourself. When you see those as obstacles to be overcome instead of barriers that you cannot traverse you are doing it right. It is a lot like exercise. Say you decide to run two miles every morning. Then one morning it starts raining. You have two options, exercise anyway, or take that as a reason to take a break that day. The person who puts on their raincoat and goes for their run in the pouring rain is going to get into shape, the person who decides hot cocoa and a blanket are an acceptable alternative that day is going to falter and eventually give up entirely.
Set your goals. Set your deadlines. When no one comes to help you, keep going. The ability to make a project happen even without support and under harsh conditions is a key to real success. Find your solutions as they come. My largely solo productions have been the most enlightening of my career. They force me to come up with new solutions to old problems, and I take those answers with me when I work on a bigger production.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have a deadline to meet. And these 11 puppets are not going to green screen themselves into the scene.
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