9 to 5

As I sit here putting the finishing touches on the production binder for Don't Russian, I realize one thing...

There is not much time for sleep.

I'm not really bothered by it, since this is a profession that I am choosing. If I wanted plenty of sleep I would go work a 9 to 5 job.

The thing is, we don't do that as filmmakers. I am constantly in contact with my group, and other groups, (and for some reason everyone calls me at the same time!) I am up many hours of the night, sending and recieving e-mails from anyone throughout the day. I think my phone bill will be rather high this month...yuck.

If you are a passionate filmmaker, you think about a project all day. You constantly tweak and improve the concepts. You make plot and character changes that alter the experience. Then, when all is said and done, you go back home and you think about it some more.

We are on the ball 24/7.

Am I a workaholic? Say what you will, but I am constantly on the move, and I am finding it very rewarding.

Before I get back to my work, I must recommend the film Gone Baby Gone. A pleasant surprise of Ben Affleck's directing abilities, not to mention that his younger brother Casey had a solid performance in the lead role. It is ultimately a moral story that will leave you guessing until the end of the movie, and thinking about it long after the credits have rolled.

DM

That's a Wrap

There isn't much time for sleep when you produce. Last night we wrapped the second Flashpoint film project and celebrated a successful shoot. I don't really have the energy to give out a lot of details, but I will post a few pics. Hope you enjoy them, and I'm sure we'll be having more soon.

It feels wierd not seeing the crew. It's awkward not talking to the director every hour. A bizarre feeling indeed.

Get some rest, gang. You did fantastic.

DM

Take your job seriously, not yourself

With the second film project underway for Flashpoint, students have been bustling about trying to fill their various roles to make each film a success. I have been selected as a Producer, which perhaps you can gather is why I haven't posted here in several days.

A producer's job is endless. You are always adding, changing, doing more to keep things under control. You are the boss. The buck stops at you. The nice things about it is that you have a great degree of control over everything that happens. Since you run the show, you have the final say regarding just about everything.

Just don't screw it up.

Being a producer has opened my eyes to many new ideas of how to make successful films. I can have more of a creative impact on a film. The lesser exciting part is the business aspect, but I'm not saying it is enormously impossible. It's time consuming, daunting, and sometimes very aggravating. But it gets better as time goes on, and trust me, nothing is more rewarding to a producer than getting clearance successfully.

I feel it legitimizes what we do. With all the red tape, and all the legal issues, it's nice to have permission to film somewhere.

Just don't get too wrapped up. Keep yourself in check and don't get angry with others. You may be the boss, but ultimately that means the film is your responsibility, so pissing off the crew isn't going to get the job done.

Since most of the people who read this are filmmakers, just remember this. Have fun with those long hours, don't forget to laugh, because people can be so easily frustrated with all the tedious work that goes into filmmaking.

You do it because you love it.

DM