123 Film!

 

FAQs

Question: Is this a good time to be in the filmmaking business?  

Answer:This is a very exciting time ahead of us in Hollywood and the world when it comes to filmmaking.  There are a lot of clever independent and studio filmmakers out there and sometimes I think that if they got some guidance and clear no nonsense advice, they would have an easier time trying to “break-in”. The bottom line is no matter your experience you all have to start at the bottom and work yourself up.  Yes, each case is different but the rules are fairly simple in Hollywood and the filmmaking community.  You have to as a filmmaker understand the foundation and ground rules of making a film.  This can be applied to any creative endevour that you undertake as an artist.

Question: What can novice filmmakers do to protect themselves when they arrive in Hollywood?

Answer:  Hundreds of filmmakers arrive in Los Angeles all looking to make their dreams come true.  Many have attended some of the really great film schools and think that their diplomas will immediately open doors and that once they have arrived it will be easy -- that they won’t have to get their hands dirty or start at the bottom and work their way up. Sadly, the reality is that like any other business, it takes time, effort and a learning curve.  There is no such thing as an overnight success.  Most assistants working in Hollywood for a production company are college grads.  Some work as interns or mail room clerks and others end up pulling cables for other filmmakers.
This is a really competitive business.  I see more and more filmmakers becoming disillusioned and leaving Hollywood because it isn’t as easy as it seemed in the safety of film school.  They don’t compromise what they want and in the end don’t get anything.  I always tell the ones who ask, you know, Alfred Hitchcock didn’t have Final Cut or Final Draft software.  What you do need to have is an imagination, stamina and a will to succeed.

Question:  Do you need to be in Hollywood to make a good film?

Answer:   I strongly encourage young filmmakers to stay put and learn.  Shoot a few features before heading out to Hollywood.  Create a great reel for yourself and learn the craft.  Hollywood is expensive and a hard place to crack.  You have to understand that no one is going to put you in charge of a multi-million dollar project until you have proven yourself.  So bring some work with you. Show what you can do and then make your move.  Hollywood, like any other business or community, is a place of supply and demand.  You supply a great film and the public will demand it.  No one can predict what films will hit and which will miss – if we did know that, we would all be superstar directors and producers.

Question: What does a producer actually do?

Answer:  Producers are by and large the hardest working people in Hollywood.  Why would I say that? Well, you have to understand that producers are like generals.  First they have to believe in their film more than anyone else and then they have to strategize how to get the film made when hundreds of others are thinking the same way about getting their film made!  Producers have to be really great at networking and working a room.
Pitching a film is a key function.  A producer has to be able to synopsize a film in such a way that a studio and/or funder will open the wallet and pay to have the project funded.  Producers need to be able to spot talent, and bring together all the disparate people to work a project and make it successful.
A typical day in the life of a producer normally starts off with reading the trades – this helps determine the trends and informs him or her what is happening throughout the film community.  Then a lot of time is spent returning phone calls, answering questions, taking meetings and doing whatever it takes to get a film made.

Question: What should filmmakers do when they arrive in Hollywood?

Answer:  What most filmmakers forget and what they learn in a hurry when they get to Hollywood, is that most films take quite a few years to come together.  That is the reality, so you have to be in for the long haul.  The producer of a film is the person who keeps the momentum going.  Even if you have an A-list talent attached and the best director and writers on board, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a hit on your hands.  No one can predict the future – which is why there are so many remakes in Hollywood.  I personally think it is time for a change and the introduction of new talent and material to shake up the status quo.

Question: Do they need an agent to help with all of this?

Answer: I get asked this question a few times a week and the answer is simply this.  The agents only make 10%, so unless you are someone who has a hit, and that they can introduce around town, they will be spending more of their time with their money-making clients.
I strongly suggest that at least for the first few years or until you get a major opportunity, be your own agent.  It’s a great way to learn about selling and pitching your film and you will make valuable contacts.
Another great place to network is your local film festival and film events.  Go and introduce yourself and start building your Rolodex.  I get into this in one of the lectures. Like I said,  this is a business first and foremost and you have to treat this seriously – and no one will ever be able to sell you as well as you can sell yourself.

Question:  What makes a good story? What makes you want to produce a film?

Answer:  The first thing I look for is story.  Is it original? Can this be made on a fairly decent budget?  Can I see the big picture?  One of the lessons I teach is that you should look at the end result before you write a word.  Of course everyone has his or her own ideas for this.
But at the end of the day, the hardest thing to do is to find distribution for your picture.  You have to ask yourself “Will this be for film festivals? Am I going to sell this outright?”
I also need to point out that in today’s digital age and with the proliferation of outlets for distribution, I say go for it.  Anyone with an imagination can make a film.   What we can’t say is that it will be a great film.  No one can teach talent and your own strengths – all we can do is offer guidance and techniques.

Question:  What are some of the traits of successful filmmakers?

Answer:   First and foremost is passion. Filmmaking is hard work and entails very long hours. You have to want to succeed more than anyone on the planet does. You really must understand the history of film. I suggest that since it is barely 100 years old, go, do research and learn and understand film. Watch movies. Examine them. Feel them. You have to really know and love the medium to succeed in it.
Another thing I tell young filmmakers – learn how the whole process works.  It doesn’t matter if you are a director, producer, screenwriter – take some time and work a few films in different departments.  This will teach you to appreciate the entire process and understand how it all holds together.
One other thing I want to point out – All filmmakers must understand STORY and where words come from.  Read the Greek tragedies and comedies, Shakespeare, other great playwrights – and understand the subtext. If you need help – get the cliff notes, but learn what is beneath the surface.  We get into this in the screenwriting lecture.
Bottom line though – without tenacity and passion it simply will not happen, and that is a reality.

Question: How are the 123 Film Programs different than what is already on the market?

Answer:  This is a very simple question and probably the easiest to answer.  We are a hands-on mentorship program.  We are based in Los Angeles and we simply arm our filmmakers with the foundation that they need to have a fighting chance to navigate the waters of Hollywood.  We have no ‘Handbook” in Hollywood as each person is unique and have there own strengths and weaknesses.  That I believe is the key difference.  We guide them with whatever they have chosen to specialize in.  You have to master each creative endeavor separately.  If you want to be a producer then you at the very least should write a few screenplays and read as many as you can.  Think about it.  If you don’t understand the fundamentals of what a screenwriter goes through than how can you possibly give constructive notes to a screenwriter?  No matter what you specialize you must understand how all personnel above the line and below the line function.

We all started somewhere most of us at the bottom of the mountain and worked ourselves to the summit!  That is where the joy of creativity comes from! We all have a Mount Everest that we would like to conquer The fun is climbing it!

So what’s stopping you?  Have fun!