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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

No Budget Filmmaking - The Film Festivals

Director Jack Truman & Writer/Star Opal Dockery
World Premiere of THE OUTHOUSE
2008 Slamdance Film Festival 


Over the years, from all of the experiences I've had making movies, there's one thing I've learned. It's hard as hell to become a somebody in Hollywood. When I was a film and stage actor, I was a star and known around the country in theatres coast to coast. And people in theatre cities I worked knew of my film work. But in Hollywood, I couldn't break in for shit as an actor. As a stage director, I've made some great plays over the years around the country with killer performances from actors. And crossing over to the film directing stage, my independent films have taken the indie world by storm. But with all these independent avenues....little to no money made. No breaks in Hollywood when I'm there. And of all the people I've worked with over 25 years in stage and film, only a small few have found both fame and fortune with the big film studios.

That's why I have to say, as a filmmaker, if you want to make a movie, just make your movie. Don't care about it making any movie. Make films that you're passionate about, are important to you, that you would want to watch, and make films that others cannot make. Make films that others are afraid to make. You may make money. You may not. But you will make a movie that's important to you, and that an audience will see. It doesn't get much better than that.

In my opinion, the best avenue for a filmmaker to screen their film is via the film festival circuit.

Hands down.

With film festivals, you have complete control. Self-distribution via film festivals let you choose the places you want your film to screen. When your film screens at a film festival and you're there for the screening, in most cases, you're treated like a rock star. You have people coming to see your film that are passionate about independent film, independent filmmakers, and independent moviemaking. You get to really be in your element.

There's thousands of film festivals out there in the world to choose from for letting your film screen. In different cities, small towns, countries....you name it. There's Black film festivals, Queer & LGBT festivals, Women's film festivals, Environmental film festivals, Comedy film festivals.....you wouldn't believe the different genres places create for a film festival. If you make a movie, there is a place for it to screen. You just have to do your research and find the best places to screen your movie.

In my experiences, my films have played a lot of places. The best festivals I've experienced out of the hundreds my films have played include:

Slamdance Film Festival
Cucalorus Film Festival
Atlanta Underground Film Festival
Florida Film Festival

There's a lot more, but these are definitely standouts.

Make your movie. Whether it's 3 minutes or 100 minutes. Start it on the film festival circuit. And let nature take its course.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to Be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time
By Jack Truman
Copyright 2013 Dixie Publishing


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