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Hey dude, why does DIY filmmaking suck?

  • Yes Beavis, DIY filmmaking literally does suck.

    Let me tell you about my experience producing Quality of Life.

    Each day, I worked a full-time day job and then put in 4 - 8 hours more on the film at night. I still declared personal bankruptcy during pre-production.

    Then I was fired from my job for focusing on the film too much instead of my work.

    My girlfriend nearly left me since she never saw me.

    My friends stopped returning my calls for fear I'd ask for favors for the film.

    And in the end, the entire "indiewood" film industry basically ignored us. Sundance, the speciality distributors, the major indie film press outlets and of course just about anyone with money couldn't be bothered.

    And that was all before we decided to self-distribute the movie and things really got rough.

    So listen up: DIY filmmaking is not for the faint of heart. It sucks.

« Royalty-free music for indie films | Main | List of Film Festivals »

May 14, 2010

Comments

Lee Vervoort

I couldn't agree more. No one has heard about my film, because I haven't shoved it in their faces.

Connor Lehane

alright I need to know if it is possible to sell your music to indie filmmakers to make some small pay?

Bad Vegan

Conner: It's possible, but not likely. Most DIY filmmakers can't afford it and "indywood" movies (that have budgets in the low millions and get distribution via Landmark Cinema and similar art-house theaters) are generally targeting signed musicians. Anyone who is hoping to make money off the indie/DIY film community has to get their head examined.

Most us aren't DIY because we love it above all else -- we're DIY because we have no money.

That's not a good target audience for any business venture.

Good luck out there, regardless.

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