Uncompleted Works

For those keeping score, I attended a DCTV/Shooting People event  “How Not to Make a Short Film” with Roberta Munroe former Sundance Film Festival programmer. Here are my notes from the event. I’ve tried to faithfully re-create my chicken scratch. Enjoy! UPDATE: Roberta Munroe has linked this post on her website. UPDATE 2: Roberta Munroe will be back in NYC at NewFest on June 5th, if you missed the DCTV event go to see her speak! UPDATE 3: Roberta will be in NYC on September 26th for “The Best Short Film Workshop Ever.”

Left Ingrid Kopp of Shooting People, Right Roberta Munroe

What is the Point of Making a Short Film?

Many filmmakers have different approaches and reasoning behind creating a short. As Munroe put it “making a short film is a really luxurious form of film making.” The best place to start when making a short film is to ask yourself the following question “What is your career goal?” or “Why am I making this?”  Is it a  ‘calling card’ for a feature script you aim to produce or get produced? Is it simply to gain traction and recognition on the festival circuit?

Munroe commented there is money to be made as a short film, but it’s not the norm. People don’t make short films because it’s lucrative. They make them because it’s their passion.

I’m making my First Short Film, Help!

According to Munroe, you can produce a competent short film with a budget of approximately $20,000. Higher end short films get up into the $50,000 range. Certainly there are exceptions to this rule such as The Duplass Brothers and their short “This Is John” which was made for about how much change I have in my pocket.

So, it’s your first short, then “don’t spend your own money.” Munroe says to be smart about your budget (more on that later) and leverage on your networked support system of family and friends to help you get the first one of the ground.

How Can I get the most Mileage out of my Short Film Production?

Start with the script. (Merrel note: I’ll forgoe the whole “what makes your script special” speech. Yes, It should be good) Send your scripts out to peers or mentors, people you trust and respect. Quite simply: you need some “serious vetting” from people who will not blow smoke up your ass.

Think about the medium. Would your script benefit from 16mm/35mm film? If you have a quirky comedy that takes place in an apartment you may want to go the digital route. If you have a narrative that takes place on the countryside use of film may to your benefit. (Merrel Note: I believe you can create very beautiful images using digital mediums, don’t get too caught up in film vs digital. Just know it matters to some people on the festival circuit.)

How do I find a Good Producer?

It is important to find a producer who matches you as a filmmaker.  Munroe said “Have the self esteem to find the right producer.” Don’t settle! As eager as you may be to get your project rolling, make sure your interests line up.

Do your homework. Have you seen a short film you liked? Check out the credits. Don’t be shy about contacting other filmmakers and asking questions. If the short had two producers, ask the question “which producer carried their weight?” or you might end up with the wrong one.

In the book there is a great chapter called “How to Avoid Kicking your Producer in the Throat” which covers some very important ground. Another important point is, avoid producers who lie. Easier said than done. Munroe mused it is pretty easy to spot a lying producer at a party. “Their details are a little to vague, you know something is up.”

Can’t I Just Cast my Friends?

“Casting is so important! It is the place that most filmmakers fall apart.” Munroe cautions against getting you friends or non-actors to play roles. Take the time to find a Casting Director or more likely an Assistant Casting Director, who will be eager to prove themselves. “You will be surprised at the quality of actors they can get you.”

Again, look at the credits of other short films. Who was the casting director. An audience member asked: “What do you pay the Casting Director?” Answer: “As much as you are able. $300-$500″ is a good range.

Budget? We Don’t Need No Stinking Budget

There’s some great stuff in the book about budgeting, and some sample budgets.  $20,000 is a daunting dollar amount to make a short. Where does this money come from? As mentioned above, a chunk of your initial capital is likely to come from friends and family who support your vision and goals.

Other ways to key ways drum up support are grants. As a filmmaker you have to do some footwork to make grants work for you. If you’re film is socially-conscious or educational you may be eligible for certain grants. Same goes for minority or women filmmakers. The grants can provide you equipment, or film, or capital.

You can raise some money creatively other ways too with sites like JustGive.org which allows people to donate money on a smaller scale.

How do I get into Festivals? What is my Festival Strategy?

Munroe has tirelessly compiled an exhaustive list of film festivals in her book. As a former programmer for Sundance and other festivals, she’s seen a lot. Here are some key points:

• See what’s been done before you go out there. There is nothing worse than having a well made short which is just too similar to something else. Call it what you will, unfortunate timing, bad luck, but it doesn’t bode well.
• Target genre or culturally based festivals. LGBT, African American, Horror, even Noir. You may get better traction and have your entry fee waived.
• Choose festivals that have a market. Even if your film isn’t programmed at the festival it can still make it into the market and have a chance of being picked up for distribution.
• Some personal advice from Munroe: “That super glossy PDF kit is a waster of paper… The programmers usually don’t see it anyway.” In the same vein, she cautioned about sending overly produced high-quality DVD cases with inserts. “The case is opened and immediately popped into a duplication machine and then slide into a 300 page binder.” Of course, this is her anecdotal advice. I’ve heard others say to make your discs stand out as much as possible.
• Though not covered during the Q&A, I recommend everyone check out Withoutabox.com – the easiest way to bulk submit your film to festivals.

Pitfalls

• If your work is licensed or distributed remember this word Non-Exclusive. “Nothing is worse than signing away exclusive rights to your short and then seeing nothing happen to it.”  Be mindful of the stipulations in a distribution agreement, and be sure to read everything.
• “Shorter is Better.” If you set out to make a 40 minute documentary that clocks in at 20 minutes after the rough cut, don’t stretch it out to another arbitrary length. Then you’ll just end up with 20 minutes of good content in a 40 minute short.
• Speaking of arbitrary, don’t rush to the festival submission date. Too many filmmakers sprint to the end of the process in order to get a submission in by a certain date. A rule of thumb: “Editing should take twice as long as it did to shoot.” If you rush it will show.

What now?

There is enough stuff here to write a book. Thank goodness Roberta Munroe bottled her experience and know how into How Not to Make a Short Film. Pick up the book on Amazon. Use it as a resource, and then get out there and start making a short film. I know that’s what I’m doing.

-Merrel