How to build network?

theauteur

theauteur

Hi,

Many people have told me that if you want to become successful in this business, you need to have contacts. So how does one exactly make contacts when you're just starting out? Festivals? Local film club? My college has a film program, so I think my first stop should be there, right? Also, people say that it's business at the end of the day. How should I approach my career by keeping this thing in mind?
 
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You have to spend A LOT of time and effort to build your network. You go to:

Seminars
Trade Shows
Screenings
"Meet and Greets"

You participate in all of the internet forums and discussion groups you can.

More than that, you have to present yourself in a professional manner. That means that you do not party excessively when you are out meeting people - or even better, you be the person who drinks soda and can take care of those who partied too much.

You do not inflate your experience or importance.

You don't B.S.; if you don't know you say that you don't know - "The admission of ignorance is the first step towards the acquisition of knowledge."

When you meet someone take a minute to write down a few quick details about the encounter (where you met and what you discussed) on the back of their business card. People are impressed (and flattered) when you remember them. Keep up with your "tickle" file, just an occasional "bread and butter" email to say hello and update them on what you are doing, and inquire about their life and projects. However, don't bombard them with emails; just enough to let them know that you're still around.

Most of all, when you do work you WORK HARD. Be there early, leave late and go "above and beyond the call of duty." That way you become the "go-to" guy/gal. Keep your mouth shut and learn. When you absolutely have to make a suggestion think it through, take a deep breath, and very calmly and professionally offer your suggestion for the betterment of the project, not for the gratification of your own ego. I won't go into the whole story, but a PA who worked on a project with which I was involved did just that, and now works on major projects.

It's going to take time. I meet only two or three people worth knowing (if I'm lucky) when I go to events. I participate in quite a few film forums like IndieTalk and spend hours every week keeping up with my growing network.

"Life has been made for you to enjoy, but you won't enjoy it unless you pay for it with some good, hard work; this is one price that will never be marked down." - Harpo Marx

Good Luck!
 
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Well, I'm looking forward to make a career in movie direction and scriptwriting. So I want to write and direct my own movies. Any tips regarding that?

@Alcove

Thank you for your wonderful advice. I'll certainly follow it.
 
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Write scripts and direct them. Seriously...we have the technology.

Submit to festivals you can attend in person. There are at least three festivals within 150 miles of anywhere in North America. Meet others at said festivals. Find out who are for real and who are hanging on. Suggest and complete collaboration with those who are for real.

Rinse...repeat...
 
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Typically no minimum. Some have a maximum of 15 minutes, some 20, a few 30, even fewer 45. Conventional wisdom holds the quicker you can tell your story the better chance you have of getting it selected (because festivals like to cram as many as they can into programming blocks).
 
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Write, re-write, re-write, re-write. Sit down with other writers and actors and read through the entire script. ( BTW, you should be reading your script out loud yourself - what looks good on paper sometimes doesn't "translate" well when spoken.) Then re-write some more.

You need more motivation than "I want to write a great script." You must have something to "say", even if it's only "I want to make people laugh." On the other hand, audiences do not appreciate being preached to - they are either intelligent enough to get your message when subtly portrayed, or they are too stupid to get it or appreciate it no matter what.

When you finally get around to actually producing your project don't rush into it; pre-produce, pre-produce, pre-produce, pre-produce, pre-produce, pre-produce. The smaller your budget the more pre-production you will need to do; you have more obstacles to overcome if you want to produce a quality project.


As far as length is concerned, five to eight minutes for a short and under 90 minutes for a feature is what most festivals look for. The "trick" is, again, preproduction. How much information can you convey with images and sound? Hone the dialog down to a razors edge, make every word and every scene count. You can, of course, go over those limits as long as you have very high production values. Your audience has very high expectations so "short, sweet and to the point" is important when working on a micro budget.
 
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Navio

I was going to say.... In today's world, there really is no need to break into the industry. You can do everything yourself practically.

The industry is moving towards being a "Middle Man". Nothing more, nothing less...

People spend their entire lives trying to write that perfect script to sell to Hollywood. Well, while those people spend 10 or 15 years doing that, spend a fraction of the time writing a script that can be shot on a limited budget. Buy some equipment and shoot it yourself. Make the film, print it to DVD and sell it on your website.

Now applying what I mentioned above. Sign up for a twitter account, facebook, etc. etc. etc. Sign up to filmmaking forums. Networking doesn't necessarily mean connecting with "industry people" or other filmmakers. In my opinion, networking with a non-filmmaker is just as important as networking with a filmmaker. I don't even like to use the word networking. Networking sounds like such a business word. I'm going to use Meet in replace of network.

It's all about meeting people. It's all about what you can do for them. Obviously adding value to their life is pretty high in the priority list. Just so happens the value they are looking for is entertainment. So, it all comes back to write... write...write... you can meet "network" all you want but at the end of the day, if you don't have a good story to tell and show people, what value are you really adding to their lives!?

That's why I don't understand the independent filmmaking community today. Always asking about cameras, how to get a film look, what camera can be purchased for less than 400 dollars but do the same things a 3,000 dollar camera can do.... It baffles me really. Instead of asking about cameras and how to get certain looks, throw down a feature script for people to read... If people can make it past page 10 without being bored then move onto the next steps and ask about purchasing a camera.
 
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@Uranium City

Yeah, I get your point. The shorter, the better, without compromising on the narrative. Thanks again :)

@ Alcove

I agree with every word of yours. Writing and then re-writing is very important. I know I've a lot of ideas, which will turn into a great script, but the main problem that I'm facing is the negative perfectionism. I was researching about it online and found that a lot of writers suffer from the same problem. I really have to find a way to get rid of this.

@TheOpusFuller

Yeah, getting people interested even beyond page 4 is a difficult task. I believe that in addition to a great script, good actors are also important. I've seen many short films online, with great script, great camera, awesome lightning, but the actors were really bad and it totally ruined the movie.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice. I've noted them down :)

One last question, how important is a personal website for a director?
 
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One last question, how important is a personal website for a director?
Click to expand...

I would say it's completely irrelavent until you've got a couple of shorts or a feature done. Then, it's useful... up until that point, you might come across as just another hack trying to look professional with a website about themselves.

Take all the time, energy and money you would spend on the website and plough it into an epic project, even if it's only 3 minutes of epicness.

As a compromise; having a nice looking bio you can send on request might be a good idea. A blog can't hurt either...
 
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Most filmmakers don't know this part. Go to real estate seminars, and make connections that way. Most of those people have a ton of money, and most of the time they hang with the big boys. It will take more effort to peak there interests, and thats why you have a solid plan.

Example:
create a USB PEN where on the top of the pen is like a jump drive you can buy these online anywhere. In that create files of your script, marketing dist. plans, and a trailer. It's innovative, and peaks there interest.
 
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TheOpusFuller said:
That's why I don't understand the independent filmmaking community today. Always asking about cameras, how to get a film look, what camera can be purchased for less than 400 dollars but do the same things a 3,000 dollar camera can do.... It baffles me really. Instead of asking about cameras and how to get certain looks, throw down a feature script for people to read... If people can make it past page 10 without being bored then move onto the next steps and ask about purchasing a camera.
Click to expand...

Bam!

Corollary to that for when you have that script that keeps people's attention:

Instead of dropping money to buy a camera, find one of those people - the ones you met while following Alcove's impeccable advice - who really nerd out about things like cameras, and hyper-focal distance, and light, and color temperature, and t-stops, and composition, and architecture, and so on. Show that person your script and get them on board as your DoP. Focus on writing and directing. There are hoards of aspiring dp types with varying levels of experience that are dying to shoot their first feature at that position.


Just a thought.
 
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* Work on productions

* Shoot your own productions

* Facebook with people, films, production companies, etc...jump around and surf the network. Look up ppl on IMDb and see what they are all about...find them on FB...friend them. It's amazing how fast you can branch out in a network of contacts and find talented working cast or crew.

* Go to local screenings and shows. Support local filmmakers, and meet them. Find a professional and friendly way to work on their sets. Don't be annoying or awkward.

That's a start.
 
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Networking is field agnostic. The same techniques work regardless of the desired perfect connection. Participate in activities that draw the demographic of people you need in your network. Not just "movie" people. Like LFO above said, hit OTHER activities, seminars, etc. for people who have the resources you'll need. Since making movies takes about every resource available, from money, to construction, to food service, just about any organized group gathering will have some potential for building your network.

Get out of your comfort zone and you will be richly rewarded with new contacts.

Don't expect anything to change if you never leave Kansas.
 
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