Why Would Anybody Make a Movie?

It's a pertinent question considering how hard, expensive and otherwise frustrating it can be to make a film. I guess the reason I made LOST IN THE FOG is that I had been a producer at CBS for several years and I just got sick of working for a show that was on every night. Don't get me wrong, it was a great job. It was fun, interesting, challenging, and had great perks but it was a grind. Any daily show is. I still wanted to tell stories somehow, so when LOST IN THE FOG presented itself, I jumped at the chance. 

They say the American Dream is owning a home. I would argue that the American Dream is being your own boss and, for better or worse, independent filmmaking offers that. But working for yourself is no picnic. As it turns out, LOST IN THE FOG was the hardest job I ever had. I worked every day and many nights for close to three years. That said, it's been the most rewarding thing I've ever done and the most humbling. 

Taking on any story - particularly one that turned out to be as epic as LOST IN THE FOG - is daunting. Can you get access to interesting, charismatic people? Will they open up? Will there be a payoff? Will anybody want to see it? In addition to the difficulties of making a film, getting it noticed might be even harder. It all starts with the festivals and getting into a major festival is a crapshoot at best. Aside from festivals, getting theatrical distribution is even more unlikely. As a first-time filmmaker, I've actually had decent luck with festivals but I've also received a mind-numbing number of rejections from places both big and small. The big ones - Sundance, Tribeca, etc. - are longshots. You know that going in but it's the small ones that are the confidence killers. When even seemingly rinky dink festivals turn you down, you really start to question yourself. The problem is there's nowhere to hide. When you make something on your own like this, there's nobody to blame but yourself. Ultimately, though, it's probably good to be humbled on occasion. 

Next time: I Didn't Know I Had A Gambling Problem