Examine your heart and consider the things you really care about. There is no wrong answer and your plans may change over time but it is vital to attempt to arrive at an answer to this simple question. Then tape it up somewhere that you will see it often.



Becoming a filmmaker requires much time and dedication and you can't do it unless the goal is something you really want. You should probably write it out as a "mission statement" as some filmmakers recommend.

Discover Your Filmmaking Plan

Now that you know where you want to go with filmmaking you possibly can start to plan how to get there. On 4Filmmaking.com I assume that you want to learn how to be a successful independent filmmaker creating films that are both artistically satisfying and financially rewarding. I am now going to describe the classic plan that has been used in some style by most of the well known independent filmmakers in Hollywood. You can use it as a beginning point to develop your own plan.

The Awful Truth About Filmmaking

I would be dishonest if I didn't begin by warning you that your odds of succeeding in being a famous and successful independent filmmaker are . There are many other students wishing they could do it and only a few are going to make it. You will have to be relentless following your filmmaking goals, make the most of your abilities, keep going despite setbacks and hope for some luck along the way.

The Not-So-Secret Plan for Succeeding as an Independent Filmmaker

Step 1 is to make a series of very short films while you study, take classes, read books, network with other filmmakers and always do everything you can to get knowledgeable and hook up with filmmaking collaborators. Your films will be three to ten minute short movies that you possibly can film in a day or two on a weekend, starting using only your friends and the promise of free food and drink at the end of the shoot.

Making movies involves many skills and many helpers working together. That is why you must be seeking out collaborators, other sharp and clever people who also have your filmmaking dreams and add to your skills. The first step is where you learn the nuts and bolts of filmmaking.

Step 2 is to create better and better short films until you finally have one good enough to get you into film festivals.

This will begin to get you noticed, give you more chances to network with fellow filmmakers gaining more collaborators, and get feeling for audience reaction to your films. You'll observe that acquisition agents follow the festival circuit to negotiate for the best indie films from the very best filmmakers. This second step is about expanding your artistic filmmaking education and learning how indie films get marketed.

Step 3 is to keep developing better and finer story ideas until everyone you know is convinced you have a Great Idea.

The Great Idea has to be a story that can be filmed inexpensively. You script it into a compelling feature length screenplay. You will also make a brilliant short version extracted from the feature screenplay that can be made for what you possibly can afford out of your own pocket. You'll show this short version at film festivals and to anyone who might be talked into financing the feature length version.

This short film is a calling-card, a teaser and marketing tool to show investors how wonderful you are so they can pay you to turn your Great Idea into the Great Movie.

Step 4 is to produce the movie, show it at film festivals to great acclaim, sell it to distributors, and experience it becoming a huge success. At the same time you will need to be developing additional ideas so you always have an answer to the query, "What's the next project?"

After step 4 you will be on the map and you will get phone calls from people who wouldn't have given you the time of day last week but now they want to discuss paying for your next film. A different take on this plan is to not make the short film version by coming up with a brilliantly clever feature film that you can shoot so cheaply that you don't need a lot of money.

Does This Plan Work?

If you look in the Internet Movie Database you will see that George Lucas began by making five very short films that almost nobody has seen. Then while in film school he made a 15 minute science fiction short by the name of Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB. The film got him first prize in the National Student Film Festival.

That allowed him to win a scholarship to work with Francis Ford Coppola at Warner Brothers. They soon were friends, made a company together and the first film they made was the feature length version of THX 1138. The small success of this film helped him get financing to make American Graffiti. The larger success of American Graffiti got him money to make Star Wars.

Now George Lucas is the most recognized independent filmmaker in the world.

© 2007 Copyright, Jerry Anderson