Lessons I Learned About Indie Filmmaking

As an actor I favor playing characters who are leaders, powerful people who are sensual, intelligent, and independently minded. In the 5 years I've been freelancing as an actor I've only come across a handful of roles that meet that description. I'm grateful for the times I've gotten to play such characters, but I want to create more opportunities for myself and other female actors to tell stimulating narratives. I'm interested in taking on more of a leadership role in the generation of creative content, moving my creativity further up the production chain, and well before the audition room. 

To help further that interest, for the past year I've been doing social media & writing the blog at Tribeca Film Institute (TFI), a non profit that empowers storytellers with funding for their independent films, teaches film to public school students in NYC, and facilitates film screenings in prisons. Working at TFI I've been able to observe the independent filmmaking world, films produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system, and have learned a ton to guide me in my pursuit of greater roles for women.

Photo credit: Benny Krown

​​The following are 10 observations I've made about independent filmmaking in the past year along with lessons learned from them. In no particular order of importance. 
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• Getting the first grant, the first organization to believe in you, is the hardest step. Once you've been awarded a grant by one institution, such as TFI, you've been vetted so to speak and it's a lot easier to get other organizations to open their doors. Lesson learned: Keep at it, all you need is one grantor to say YES we believe in you and then you're on the path to being a working independent filmmaker.

• The people reading over your application, actually read over your application. Lesson learned: What you write at the top of your application - like your logline - really matters because it's the first thing they'll see and it's the first impression you make.

• Super successful filmmakers who have won Academy Awards are still out there applying for grants for their films and going on retreats to hone their craft. Lesson learned: Going to a retreat & becoming a grantee isn't only an opportunity for your current film, it's an opportunity to meet new similarly-minded professionals and grow your creative community. 

• Film festivals that have accepted your film as well as organizations that have supported it want to help spread the word because it helps them generate more content as well. Lesson learned: Make it easy for them by providing  eye-catching production shots and photo stills from the movie. 

• ​Organizations that have supported your work in the past did so because they believe in you and want to be part of your journey moving forward. Lesson learned: Keep grantors updated on how your project is doing and provide opportunities for them to shout you out on their social media sites and websites.

• Filmmakers can often be awarded multiple different kinds of grants from one granting institution. Lesson reinforced: Develop a relationship with the organization that's given you money, that can lead to more money & career development in the future.

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• Filmmakers need to seek out multiple sources of funding, money from non profits such as TFI are only a drop in the bucket for most film budgets. Lesson learned: Filmmakers need to get good at asking for money, or partner with someone else who is.

• The independent film world is FULL of stories that aren't being given vehicles in more mainstream media, and that need support. Lesson learned: I'm not alone, many people are seeking to express their stories through independent media, and in addition to creating my own stories I can support other people's visions as well.

• It can often take several years for a film to go from receiving a grant to finishing production to premiering at a festival. Lesson learned: When you're a filmmaker you are in it for the long haul, make sure you care enough about the project to really dedicate years of time to it.

• Successful independent films are made by teams of people. Lessons learned: Gather talented creative people around you, and value other people's artistry.

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While these observations and lessons learned happened during the last year while I was doing social media for TFI, they in no way are meant to reflect the views and opinions of TFI.