My 1st movie – Misdirected

Let me tell you about my first movie, Misdirected.

I grew up idolizing the likes of Kevin Smith and Robert Rodriguez for their talent and their ability to make a career based on one well made independent film. I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Before I even had an idea for a script I knew I was going to make an independent film. I was very enthusiastic; very young; just out of college. I told my best friend–a fellow filmmaker. His advice was very clear, “You can’t do it.” He wasn’t trying to kill my dreams. He just knew well enough to know how hard it is to get a production together when you don’t have any money or resources. But I was not to be deterred.

In 2002 I wrote a script called Misdirected. A comedy about a college student who–after a night of hard parting–wakes to find himself in a hotel room with a dead body. When a mysterious woman threatens to blackmail him for murder he’s forced to retrace his steps and discover the truth before he’s arrested.

The script’s conception was simple. I knew I wanted to start with a question. So my question became: What would you do if you woke up in a hotel room with a dead body on the bed, a gun in your hand, and no memory of the night before?

Of course it would be a comedy.

How to make an independent film… or die trying.

Movie making always seemed like such a distant unattainable idea when I was a but a lad in the 90′s.  Then one day I saw Clerks.  I couldn’t believe something like was at my local video store next to Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington movies.  Don’t get me wrong – I love Clerks.  But the production value looked like something… well… I could do.

I began researching and learned the story of how Kevin Smith used credit cards to fund his $28,000 movie.  Then I read about Robert Rodriguez and how he made El Mariachi.  Still more accounts of low-budget filmmaking: The Evil Dead, Blood Guts Bullets & Octane, Open Water. They make it all seem so attainable.  And yet, it’s not.  Making a film is tough enough but you better have made the right film or you’re going absolutely nowhere with it.  And after making two independent films of my own, I’ve got some tips to help you get there.

First, a disclaimer.  I’m talking about actual independent movies.  I’ll qualify that as under $100,000.

1. Read everything you can on distribution

Start at the end.  Seriously.  Before you even start writing the script.  If you want to make a great movie that does absolutely nothing for your career, ignore this step.  If you actually want to have a career you will start with this.  The only reason you’ve heard of any of the movies mentioned above is because they got distribution.  If a distributor doesn’t think they can sell your film they won’t buy it from you.  It doesn’t get much simpler than that.  I can’t stress this point enough.  In fact all my following advice stems from this one idea.

And don’t just trust that you’re movie will be so good that it will get into Sundance and some random distributor will be there to buy it.  Sundance ain’t what it used to be.  It’s full of “studio indies” staring famous people, made by famous people.  You’ll be making the rounds a many festivals, if you’re lucky.  Many of them won’t be attended by acquisition people.  But you can use any festival attention as P.R. later to attract distributors.