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Getting Your Stuff Out There with Q&A

We're gonna talk a little bit about getting your stuff out there you finished everything started is perfect the effects work made everything better himself that you will do and not d'oh in my opinion we talked about how the landscape has changed radically there's so many avenues to get your stuff out there so we're not I'm not going to say what is the one right way to do it? You could go festivals, you go straight on line you could send it to agents if you want but there's a few big do's and don'ts that I've experienced when people trying to send stuff to me but mohr of done things that I have done trying to send something people and also what I hear from some of my friends that are way further along than I am about the things that they hate and don't so especially some producers they have some massive pet peeves there do send the blog's and relevant website relevant website a cz muchas you want just sent as many places you want to do that is such a great idea especially if you're doin...

g it before they have a story obviously within which we talk about in a second but before your film comes out try to just layer as much to all of these blocks as you possibly can websites anybody who has reached that might want to post your thing but put it give it to them for you posted online, give them like that sneak peek of it toe where they know when it's coming out and maybe they'll be the first one to hit it if they really, really like it, just put it on video or youtube and shout out there. I've done it with every short film that we've done, including proximity and worked out really well for us and that when we got a lot of articles from that have a story behind the making of your film, you got a lot better chance of getting your stuff seen on a blogger or somebody writing a story of any kind for that if you do have a story that's interesting from behind the film so it's not just the film itself, but they're writing about what went on behind the scenes of that film. People love that stuff be tss massive nowadays, there's no such thing as a blue ray without some kind of behind the scenes anymore and proximity got written up. Ah lot. We got a lot of block articles because we had this big story of were working on something else that felt through we were like stir it we're not going to take a failure we're just going to go out there and do it anyway people love that we got it blanketed everywhere really worked out for us for fun finding whatever it is the story don't manufacture some b s people can smell b s don't do that but if you have an interesting story to your film, find what that is and help pack the package that to help get people interested in telling your story, getting your film out there as much as possible tweet facebook and so on all of that is good to go but you're not going to get their name wrong and the blog's or the email when you send these e mails out this happens all the time agents love this so you're going out you're blackening people as much as all right and you're going to copy and paste the emails because you're probably going to be sending out a hundred of them that's totally fine and they understand this I have a couple of friends and that you do some of the higher up you know film blog's and they're told maybe even told them we don't we know their copy pasting that's fine, but when it starts out with their names ryan and it says dear jim probably not going to read anymore so copy paste the rest email that's fine make sure you're getting the name right don't ask for re tweet everyone hates that I have done it any way I don't hate it as much as others, but it's just it feels entitled when you're saying hey, retweet this I haven't even seen it. What if it's terrible you're following, you know that's, it's, your living room that's sort of your family, these people that are looking to you to curate things so everyone holds their following very, very precious they don't want to pump stuff out there following that they're going to hate everybody's very protective over that sort of thing, so if you have somebody who has, like a million people following them, hundreds of thousands people following them, they're not trying to lose followers by shelling out things that they're not interested in, so don't just feel entitled being like a re tweet me just give him the thing hey, check this out, it could dig it, you know? Cool don't even expect a thing, but when you tweet them, just hey, check this out, maybe they will maybe they won't that's what I always do, and when you do it that way and you come out from humble angle, you're usually going to get some kind of response in the way of maybe just a critique that'll be really helpful or maybe they'll retweet it. Copy paste spam on twitter I am so guilty of this I have got it and I'm ashamed of it again twitter, you gotta make that stuff personal every single one you can't copy paste that stuff if you copy pasted, everyone can see it and you called out on it. It was just spam central and then no one's going to pay attention to what you're shelling out, so those are the main do's and don'ts those of the core things, they're very, very simple, but when it gets down to it, so many people do these things just keep in mind not to do them go the opposite route when you're sending your stuff out don't have an entitled attitude to it always come at it humbly and people we'll check out your stuff if they dig it, cream rises to the top, as they always say, and if they don't well keep chucking do the next one you know, that's been the route that I've taken since square one, you know, sometimes people well, my body has a story of somebody sent him a short film and he didn't check it out and he said to him again and check it out because the first time we sent it, it was very like you're going to love this is gonna blow your mind and he's like that's, okay? So he didn't even watch the thing and then about five times later the guy starts cursing at him, you know, called him all sorts of names calling him out on, you know, you don't care about your fans and what not don't be that guy I know none of you are going to be that guy know you guys know you're not gonna do that, but any level of that, uh, you're just going to get, you know, nothing good out of it, and that stuff is going to get around quickly because the further along you get, the more you realize made everything's connected and everybody knows everybody that's, why you don't burn any bridges ever, even if somebody gives you a script and you're like, this is the worst thing I've ever read, you just turned them down politely, you never burn a bridge because you don't know whose son that is its true stories behind that one, too, but let's jump into questions before we wrap up any questions on pretty much anything for the past four days. I don't even know what day it is none of us do. It seems to me that you know, kind of the overall theme of what you guys have been talking about his shooting smart paying attention to details, and it seems to me a lot of filmmakers, especially the indie ones they're in a mad dash to get to the end that they forget all those little details, what would be your advice? The best way for them to slow down and pay more attention? You really hit the nail on the head there that is one hundred percent true. Stark has something that he'll say now again, that it frustrates him that it feels like everybody just wants the fame with none of the work the fame comes from talent from, you know, great creativity, great storytelling, that's where that comes from, and you shouldn't want it if all you want is for people to look atyou and look who did that, I did that, uh, you know what? How great of a thing that you're going to make you just trying to get to the finish line like you're talking about, start raising his hand over here so it's about wanting to make the very best thing you possibly can, wanting to perfect your craft as much as you can? And for me, it's always been a matter of my family keeps me grounded and doesn't let me get a egotistical and that's when a lot of the race of the finish line stuff happens, and you just want to get seen, you want your stuff to get out there. But if you just keep you know that tempered and, you know, keep working on your stuff, make a bunch of things and start pumping them out slowly if you have a ton of time, put a town of time into it, make make a ton of things, and slowly but surely work your way up there uh, just the worst part of it is is when you're just you're just doing it to get famous. Filmmaking is not something to do just to get famous because it is very difficult and time consuming, as you can see from the little shot we did one shot and that's how long they set up when you got a crazy day, you know, you've done some crazy shoots, you really gotta love it. So if the love isn't in it it's, just because you think it's great, glandular, glamorous and that's where all that comes from, what did you say about there used to be this company called freestyle collective, and they did motion graphics, and they did they do this thing called like artist siri's, where they're just interview different types of artists and there's this one video it's you know, the cartoon, the boondocks within his interview, the first sense he said that stuck with me because I save and I always already tweeted a lot, he said but if you're sleeping or when I'm sleeping there's someone drilling away at it there's always someone practicing so it's like like you said they're trying for the mad dash but it's something you can't just there's no point we're like I know it all like theirs it's always con every single day there's something new out there you have to constantly practice you're not like till if you do till the day you die you're still not going to know everything so it's like you have to constantly I know that sounds sort of terrifying but it's just the truth like if you're not working away someone else's that's gonna pass you right by so just keep that in mind yeah, I mean even here the best of the best directors like spielberg, scorsese, all these guys saying that they learn something new every trying to shoot a film so you never start sub lose clearly they haven't stopped learning we won't any other questions, bill and then, uh if you had to pick one really big mistake that you made I don't know maybe financial or maybe just with your craft that you learn the most from you think you would have something in mind that you learn the most from that would be shot I agree, I don't know, so we went about I've done a very big safety net sort of approach at things we've taken things very slowly, slowly but surely because we don't do investors we want to make sure everything is ours we own everything ownership is power I mean, we don't have the most followers out of you know some of people that are similar to what we do, but we own absolutely everything and that's what gives us the power to continue doing what we dio at whatever level we want to do and whenever we want to do it no one's telling us how to tell a story so we we've gone about it in a very slow manner bit by bit so there's been a lot of small mistakes along the way I would say trusting people too soon I tend to be a very trusting person and give people the benefit of the doubt and off the bat they're just a good do that wouldn't screw me over and that's something that unfortunately had to learn to, you know love people be kind treat everyone with respect but hold them at an arm's distance, especially when it comes to this business because a lot of people unfortunately will screw you over if you let them on the other would be always get it in writing there was they will try to sue you luckily we've had a bulldog of a lawyer our entire career but there are people that will try to take advantage of you I can't go into specifics for obvious reasons but there has been things that we have done where there was a shaking of hands on dh you know we've made very clear of what we're doing they made very clear of what they wanted we're all good to go thankfully we had a paper trail and email and that held up enough but never trust a shaking hand fortunately it's so sad that it has to be that way it's such a shame why can't you yes b s and you know be no is my opinion but it's just not that way unfortunately so always have it in writing and you know let them prove themselves first before you trust them in ways that could bankrupt you is hope for the best but expecting the worst that's a friggin lutely yeah to know you have yeah so you know myself being a young filmmaker and I know a film that has a large following those as well what could you recommend that could help us one specific thing we could really go for that wood the most impactful for really getting out there maybe on the internet one thing we could try to really focus on that we can say like if I do this specifically I think that will really help me stand out uh to get your stuff seen yeah I think it's a matter of looking at it in terms of following your passion what you're doing right now you're on the right track how many fourteen year olds do you see in this room right now? One so you're ahead of the curve as is it's a matter of not trying to copy anyone it's a matter of just doing what you absolutely love on following that and then just making something making something, making something, making something after your fifth thing you look back at the first thing and you realize how far you've come and then just continuing that path like I said the cream rises to the top. They told me that when I first started and I'm like this naturally and then slowly but surely we started using there's not many short films online that that are amazing that don't have a solid amount of you, so if you haven't hit that audience, keep talking, keep putting out stuff and slowly but surely you'll get that traction. I want to add to sam's question carl mason said I'm a young filmmaker like sam I was wondering whether you had any tips from when you were young trying to set an impression, working with clients and actors and crew and trying to be taken seriously when you're still young and trying to work as I know this is a worry for people in a similar position to me that is very difficult because people will put assumptions to age unfortunately but having your work speak creates for itself is really great one you know how you present yourself you present yourself incredibly well very professional very articulate that's how you want to be your not going to come in with him and I'm gonna make a thing bro what's up cool you know that's not going to help you so much but if you're very professional very mature and your work speaks for itself often times you know for me like you know going back to even the film school thing it's all the same thing I don't care how old you are I don't care if you went to film school or not and everybody else that I've talked to says the exact same thing is are you talented? What are you creative let me see your work can you do what you say you khun dio are you actually going to deliver these are the things that really matter on so if you present yourself well and your work is good than should be solid and I agree with him sam I think you're a good role model for all the young people that are watching thank you really cool alright any other questions from you guys I have a couple from the go ahead you film right in and of itself is a very transparent show and the way you guys do things very open and honest how do you deal with the aspect of filmmaking where you guys got to keep things close to the vest like you really want to talk to people about this project, but you really can't because you don't want it, teo, you know, you don't want to spoil the story or the surprise, or you don't want someone to run out and make it before you. How do you deal with that kind of secrecy? That's kind of just inherent in the business? Yeah, I mean, most of stuff that that that we stay super secret about it because there's like a sponsors on them like that involved in we can't quite announce it yet, but somebody was like, what do you, christopher nolan? I don't like no there's, just a sponsor, and I can't say anything yet, but as far as like, you know, nobody wants to. He told the plot ahead of time. What did you tell me that now it's ruined eso you just get around that, you know, you show the onset stuff for what you're doing without giving any specifics, so I'll still show how I'm prepping for it. I just won't say exactly what I'm prepping because I mean, I doubt you want that. You want to have an experience later on then watch the bts of how has made in me show everything it's like the trailer that shows too much so annoying why do we need a five minute trailer give me thirty seconds maybe we want to see it I'll say it so that you know we just we just talk about what we're doing without exactly what you know ones and zeroes are exactly did you like that one ones and zeros nerd a couple quick questions when I want to give a shout out to ronnie and kate fox were watching from india for thirty in the morning I think there's like ten people in the room with them so they have a big crowd watching cat that's a lot of shots that's a lot of red bull that's good god they're dedicated their hard working they're ready to do this, he said people are sleeping waiting to keep watching and cool all right let's have a couple quick questions before we wrap webster wanted to know what are your two or three go to book references on filmmaking or do you have anything that you read a recommend you go to after the workshop to learn more? I think I like practical examples a lot like the script notes podcast from john august and craig mason is freaking amazing you've got two people who were in the industry and entirely honest they just I don't care it's amazing and they're talking about stuff about the industry that nobody else is talking about it's one hundred percent accurate and super helpful they're not pretentious about it and all they called b s when it's b s that's incredibly helpful, his his blawg is the same what vincent law for is doing on his block and the beatles stuff that he puts up philip bloom shame hurl bits inner circle if you don't know what that is, google it and do it immediately it's basically shane's doing this thing it's like seven bucks a month I think he's putting up all like this behind the scenes type things what he's doing is a cinematographer how he preps films the whole nine it's kind of like being meant toward from afar by him, which is amazing so those are the things that I love most a lot of these books you'll find are for people who aren't doing so they wrote a book and I want to bash him because I liked the books there's a lot of really good books. Um walter murch has a really great editing book, I think in the blink of an eye anyone yes that's fantastic book really recommend that there's a screenwriting books that I recommend but also after that you know don't hold fast to it just take the ideas and then craft them to your own but for me it's always who wrote the book build from there if it's somebody who's just they've never done the thing what are you talking about? All right, well one final question go ahead yeah, well there's this book he might find it interesting it's this book about writing it's a really small it's called writing down the bone I wouldn't recommend that anyone who's writing anything like novels, poetry, scrips anything like that it gets you in the right mindset for writing emotion, you know and that's super difficult any of us know yeah, I definitely wouldn't discourage reading books I've read a ridiculous amount the boosters handbook that's a good one reflections is a great book for cinematography it's just interviews with different cinematographers that's a fantastic book and it has examples of even how I believe that peggy sue got married example that we emulate it is in that book as well. So I mean read as much as you want just make sure you're not letting that construct exactly what you think filmmaking is because, like we keep saying in my opinion to my style to my taste depending on what you're doing, it really does depend on these things just a matter of tried to try teo do over no that that wasn't good fix it go again just over and over and over right shoot repeat