10 MPH DIY Manual: Keep Making Films

Keep on keepin' on. I notice a lot of filmmakers in the festival circuit that have spent an arm and a leg both in terms of time and money to make a film. They are reaching the point of burnout and don't have any idea how to make another film. So, they don't. Josh and I realized we had to keep making films, otherwise we would have probably faded away too. When we launched plans to make 10 Yards we were pretty burnt out, but it was refreshing to see how this film re-invigorated us and gave us a lot of new energy around developing this career. We were also amazed at how much easier it was to raise some of the money we needed to make the film. With the success 10 MPH was having on the festival circuit, people were more apt to support.

Whatever it takes, if you are into filmmaking because of the career, you have to find ways to keep making films. That job I took between 10 MPH and 10 Yards was fast becoming too comfortable and I could see how easy it would have been to slip back into that world for good. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It'll happen to many of us and someday may still happen to me, but I really do hope it's a clear and conscious choice if it does. Not something that is the result of a bunch of dead ends.

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DIY Resources

Other DIY films
+ Four Eyed Monsters
+ Tijuana Makes Me Happy
+ Head Trauma
+ The Talent Given Us
+ Guatemalan Handshake
+ Book of Caleb
+ Black Gold
Film Festivals & Distribution Books
+ The Insider's Guide to Independent Film Distribution (Stacey Parks)
+ Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide
+ The Complete Independent Movie Marketing Handbook
+ I Wake up Screening: What to Do Once You've Made that Movie
Filmmaking & Production Books
+ Planning the Low Budget Film
+ The Complete Film Production Handbook
+ Clearance and Copyright: Everything the Independent Filmmaker Needs to Know
+ Film Scheduling: Or, How Long Will it Take to Shoot Your Movie?
+ Film and Video Budgets
+ Filmmakers and Financing, 5th Edition: Business Plans for Independents
+ The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers: A Legal Toolkit for Independent Producers
+ Independent Feature Film Production: A Complete Guide from Concept Through Distribution
Key websites
+ IndieWIRE
+ Greencine
+ Spout
+ Workbook Project
+ cinematech.blogspot.com