Getting Help Producing Your Independent Film

The independent film industry is fast growing in every state in the United States as it becomes easier and easier for young filmmakers to rent or purchase equipment. It also helps that state and local film commissions and film groups are also getting involved with the production of independent films and high schools and colleges are offering more classes for students and young filmmakers interested in this growing industry and art. As a writer, producer, and director of several films I've managed to consistently work in the Georgia independent film industry which continues to grow from year to year. My debut feature film "House of Secrets" could not have been produced without the help and assistance of several other companies.

I worked with a young instructor of child actors - Keith Kelly on his debut short film "The Gift." This relationship went so well that he offered to put up his lakeside home to film "House of Secrets." One of the biggest hurdles for the film was finding a location that was located on a large lake because the lake was a metaphor for the characters in the film. Kelly donated his home for the use of the film in exchange for an Associate Producer credit on the film and any fees or payments on deferred payment (which is how all the cast & crew were paid), which means that they would not be paid until the film itself was purchased by a distributor. Without Kelly's assistance my screenplay would have simply remained as a screenplay that I would try to sale.

Blud D FX contributed all the makeup effects on the film. Makeup supervisor Renonda Anderson and her crew were required to do a variety of beauty makeup and special makeup effects on the film. The film required a lot of beauty makeup for the five major stars and special makeup effects for the death of one of the characters at the climax of the film. Blud D FX contributed all these effects at cost instead of their normal fee because they believed in the screenplay. The requirements of this department could have easily reached in the thousands of dollars in labor alone and been out of the budget of the film but we received a huge discount. Also contributing to the film's effects was director Ron McLellen, who had been responsible for all the effects on his own film " Jack O'Lantern ," and who contributed to the climax of the film as well.

McLellen also came on board the production as editor. Having edited many short films and features through the production company Southlan-Films, McLellen was the perfect person to take on the duties of editing the film. I am not an editor by trade and without someone I could trust to bring my vision to the screen there would be no film. Editing a film also takes twice as long as any other part of the production so finding the right person to dedicate their time was a hard and long task.

Another aspect of the production that could not have been accomplished without the help of outside sources is the fact that equipment was borrowed from several different companies and people for the film in order to get the look that I wanted. Videographer Vernon Mui donated his camera equipment to the production as did McLellen (who later came on board as a consultant for the film), who donated his dolly and dolly track in addition to other camera accessories to help make the production look as professional as possible. Bren Allison and her company Beijos Productions provided lighting equipment.

The biggest contribution to the success of "House of Secrets" is the cast whom all were on deferred payment. An asset for the film is that we had a script read through with real stage and screen actors who all expressed interest in the film prior to it ever going into production. Because of this script read and the dedication of the original actors (and all other actors involved) the production was able to convince everyone to work on deferred payment instead of being paid up front. This could have never happened without the prior script read through and the cost of production was greatly reduced. Asking actors to be part of a film's production on deferred payment is easier when they all love the script beforehand.

Because the independent film industry is such a close group it was pertinent to ask my contacts how they might want to contribute to the production of my debut film. Therein lays the biggest asset to any filmmaker - making contacts with other filmmakers. Many of these contacts came out to work on set as boom operators, camera assists, production assistants, and other major departments, to name a few. People in the independent film industry want the opportunity to work and expand their knowledge and experience on film sets and feature films give them a bigger opportunity and it provides a better credit on resumes. I've learned over the years that most independent filmmakers want the opportunity to build their knowledge, resumes, and make more contacts because sooner or later they'll get the opportunity to do their own film. When the time comes and I get the call, I'll be ready to donate my own time and equipment wherever it is needed.

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