Producing

It is impossible to imagine just how much hard work is involved in producing a movie, or how stressful it is. It involves stupidly long, anti-social hours and the work is generally unseen (and therefore thankless). Having written, directed and produced our first film I know for a fact that there is no comparison in the work-loads. I would direct and write again in a second but if I can avoid producing again, I will be very thankful. It takes a certain sort of personality type to do it and the main attributes are not necessarily complimentary. You must have the ability to get things done and have a thick skin but also be sensitive to people's wants and needs. In addition, you have to have a decent business brain, have good attention to detail/be organised and have the most massive desire to see the film made. So, not much to ask for!

Without a really good script it is pointless to start shooting your film. The script doesn't have to be perfect - it is a tool, not a work of art -but it does have to be as good as it can be. Making the film will drain and test you to such an extent that it would be soul destroying to put in so much effort knowing in advance that the end result was going to be mediocre. If you get a good script, cast and director then the chances of making a special film are dramatically increased. Don't hope that the script will improve during shooting and in the edit. It won't. You really can't turn a cow's ear into a silk purse.

Robert Rodriguez has said that once you turn on the money hose, you can't turn it off. And he is so right. If you start paying for one person's time, how can you say no to another? It is crucial, if you do a profit share film, that everyone is treated as evenly as possible, i.e. if you say that no one is to be paid up front, then that rule must apply to everyone - without exception. I have calculated cast and crew's profit share according to the overall time they will have personally committed to the movie. Some expenses are inevitable, eg camera, catering, insurance, tapes, props, locations, etc but always think long and hard before you spend on something. Boy, how I wish I hadn't spent money on those light filters!

Buy yourself one big, strong notebook and put everything in it. Make it your 'bible' and never, ever leave it anywhere. Mine is with me at all times. Plan like crazy, try and see problems in advance. And seek professional help when you need it... beg, steal and borrow favours from lawyers and accountants. Always remember that this is a business, so keep the costs low, make a good little movie which turns a profit and you will be making plenty more (and bigger) films in the future.

It is inevitable that you will have problems and how you overcome them will determine if you have a future in film making or not. Be flexible; learn to think on your feet. Some of the problems you will have would be solved by more money (which you don't have) so learn to be creative... think laterally at all times. And above all, shoulder the blame when things go wrong. If you try and off load the blame on others the good will which the project is built upon will instantly disappear. All of the people on the project are there because they believe in you and the story. Don't disappoint them.

Casting is crucial. For me, it is one of the most satisfying areas - when you get it right. Whenever you can get professional actors, do. If you can't, then take your time getting the right non-pro, try and adapt the script to them, don't give them loads of lines to learn, rehearse if you can, and if they don't perform on the day and are doing it as a favour to you, appreciate it... you really don't want to fall out with your friends and family.

Realistically, there will be many times when you are working 14 plus hours a day, seven days a week. I don't think it's possible to hold down a permanent day job and make a film. It helps massively if you can create a little cash cushion for yourself. Also, if you can do flexible work it means that you can work during the lulls in the process and then live cheaply during the full time movie making months. It isn't difficult to live cheaply then, as you'll be too busy to socialise, shop, eat, sleep!

After the shoot, many of the cast and crew will be finished on the project. But your work load will still stay high. Post production is just as time consuming and trying to get assistance is hard when the 'glamour' of the shoot is over. In some ways, this is the worst time because everyone is impatient to see the finished movie but now have gone off to other things... while you sort out the business side, get the web site up, supervise the editing, look for distributors, get festival plans together... and start planning the next movie!