C Edward Stewart
I’ve always been driven to create stories, in one form or another. Last year, with the help of an amazing crew of people, we created The Case Of The Missing Brother, a film noire piece set in modern times. You can watch the film, for free, right now on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzLq5vim2NM
It was a new experience in many ways, and that’s saying a bit, since I’ve been making films since I was 11. But this time out, I had the help of some amazing people, both on and off camera, in ways that I had not expected.
Lesson One – You Need Insurance
Insurance is the bane of an indie filmmaker’s life. Many a negotiation for a location ends with that question – Do you have insurance? Danute Dorion, a fellow indie filmmaker, was able to secure me not only the bar location, but the office location as well. And he found insurance for around $250. That figure, it turns out, was within our budget. Insurance is not out of reach for the indie filmmaker. You just need to shop around.
Insurance can pave the way to locations you otherwise can’t get. But remember, you can find insurance for just that one day; shop around and you’ll find companies who want your business and will work with you to get it. Arrange insurance only for the days you absolutely have to have it. If you’re terrible at the insurance side, find someone in your crew who can do it for you.
Lesson Two – The Gear is Always Worth It
I tell you, it was such a slow process going to a one camera system, but HD forced me to upgrade, and one camera was the limit of my budget. Another new experience, IndieGoGo, gave us the funds needed to get a second camera, which I had not had for several years. Getting the second camera sped up the shoot considerably.
Lesson Three – Collaborate
Bringing Danute on added another bonus: a second shooter. Many indie filmmakers are solo operators. It takes time for them to be able to collaborate. After the disappointment factor of missing volunteers, I realized Danute gave me freedom to concentrate more on directing, with the added bonus of a second pair of eyes watching the scenes. More filmmakers mean more assets.
Another addition to the team was T W Green. He’s an actor, but stepped in as the sound recordist. He’d happily wedge himself into tight corners to get the boom in the correct place for great audio, and he delivered every time. Again, collaborate. You’re not the only one with a passion for film. When someone wants the job, let them have it.
I also run a teaching set, in that if someone wants to try on a job (be it sound, camera, set dressing or editing), I’ll let them give it a go and help them to blend what they are doing into the overall scheme of my production. I’ve got a list of people who got their start on my sets and went on to create great films of their own.
And now, a year later, I’m in pre-production for the next chapter in the Carmichael P I series. I’m expanding the scope of the project in terms of locations, costumes, props, gear and craft services, pretty much every aspect. I’m taking what I’ve learned on the last one and all the wonderful, creative people who started out with me a year ago. We’ll make another film that we will all be proud to say we were a part of.
If you were to take anything away from my experiences, think on this: Indie filmmaking doesn’t have to mean you settle for what you can get.
Shoot for the moon!
C Edward Stewart
http://mysteriousvoicemovie.t15.org/
@FBN_Multimedia
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Congratulations C Edward Stewart on reaching your Kickstarter goal for The Case of the Mysterious Voice insurance, props and costumes:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/carmichael/keep-carmichael-clothed-insurance-props-and-costum
Good luck with your current IndieGoGo campaign:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-case-of-the-mysterious-voice