What gave you the idea for the “Perfect” original story films that you’ve produced?

Producer Mark Castaldo

I had a colleague that was a development executive at another production company and they were looking for a few woman in jeopardy type thriller scripts to do. I was a big fan of the film ”The Hand That Rocks The Cradle” and thought if I can twist that concept some, I can come up with a story to fit. I wanted to disguise the motivation of revenge and loss for the antagonist in “The Perfect Tenant” and ”The Perfect Nanny” was a little more straight forward in its approach,with the antagonist having an extreme need for love and desire to give love to a family in her own twisted way. I brought writers on for both projects and began working on the scripts from the story outlines that I developed. Once the scripts were written, I went back to that company and we were lucky enough to make both films.

Is there anything in particular you look for regarding  potential projects you want to develop?

I try to find projects that I would like to go see. I try to vary the genre, do different things that I believe will be entertaining as well as commercially successful. There is a fine balance making movies you really want to make, but always keeping in mind, can this movie make money. Finding material that an audience can connect to and get invested in emotionally, as well as keeping in mind the business and financial aspect is not easy.

You’ve been a judge for the Nicholl Fellowship for seven years now, so what advice would you give screenwriters who are thinking of applying?

Polish up your scripts and go for it. The Nicholl Fellowship is the most prestigious and well respected screenwriting competition around. If you’re lucky enough to advance into the finals or win a fellowship it could change your career. Many successful writers got their break being recognized from the Nicholl Fellowship, Ehren Kruger, Mike Rich, and Raymond De Felitta to name a few.

Aside from being on this Fellowship panel do you work with emerging screenwriters through any other channels?

Yes, aside from the Nicholl Fellowship, I’m always trying to connect with upcoming writers. I do this by attending a lot of industry showcases where writers and/or directors will have staged readings of their scripts. I also attend many student grad short film screenings from USC, Chapman, and Loyola. I’m also fortunate enough to be invited to speak on industry panels where I get to interact with budding writers and directors.

What have you found to be the pros and cons of collaborating with other production companies the way you did with “My Run”?

I won’t say that I’ve never had a bad experience collaborating with another company or another person, but if you do your homework, you can avoid it. I know pretty much early on what to expect. The signs are there during the discussion period on a project and it begins to be clear if I want to move forward with this company/person. If I decide to move forward, it usually is a good experience collaborating. This is a business you can always learn from someone, don’t ever begin to think you know it all. “My Run” has been a terrific experience, for the most part Tim and I are usually on the same page creatively and are able to implement things in unison.  

What specifics can you share about the upcoming feature based on Terry?

We’re very excited to be exploring the upcoming motion picture that is based on our multi-award winning documentary MY RUN.  We have created a huge fan base and made many strategic alliances during our festival run playing to sold out audiences and thunderous standing ovations. We always knew that Terry’s story will make a great film and after the reaction to the documentary, there is proof in the product. Being able to tell Terry’s story with actors, locations, and to convey the story visually will be amazing.  

Are there any other projects you are planning to develop at this time?

Yes. In addition to the ”Pushing Life” project (The Terry Hitchcock Story) next up I’m going to produce ”Dose Of Reality” a Hitchcockian type thriller and then the comedy “It Ain’t New Yawk” about a group of New York transplants trying to adapt and fit in to the ways of the west coast. The script is based on the play and adapted by award winning playwright Michael Arturo.

People can help support “My Run” by choosing ‘LIKE’ at http://www.facebook.com/myrunmovie and FOLLOW at http://www.twitter.com/myrunmovie.

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The role of Co-Producer is to work with the Producer(s) in any phase of the film from pre-production on to marketing, what advice would you give others who handle Co-Producer needs for a film?

Drink a lot of Chamomile tea to calm your nerves, pray, be grateful and breathe deeply  (ha-ha). You have to communicate and know that it is a team effort and it should not be a competition. It does help that I am working with two of the most dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable Producers I’ve come across (thank you Tim & Mark!) We each are sometimes the student and the teacher, because someone may have more knowledge in one area vs another.

You have to be strong and be resourceful. You have to have patience, a lot of patience and be able to reprioritize at a moment’s notice. I suggest that you know a little bit about each phase of production, so you are all speaking ’producing language’.  As a Producer and Production Executive, I have worked a little bit in all areas of production, so that is very helpful when we discuss the work for “My Run”.

Did you and the other Producers have a specific marketing strategy for this film?

Christine Redlin

Yes, we have discussed that it is best to hone in on “My Runs” primary/core niche target markets/audiences, which are runners (marathoners) and audiences that gravitate towards inspirational stories and cause related themes, such as breast cancer, cancer and single parent issues and that are hero and family stories.

Our secondary audience is faith based and baby boomers. We have learned through a successful film festival circuit, audience reaction and through our social media presence that many of these individuals that are in one niche market are also in another, which reinforces and makes a more powerful impact when marketing to our “core audience” of “My Run”.  I strongly suggest seeking at least one part time intern from a college media or film department to help with some basic marketing research and support needs.

Are there any avenues you’ve pursued that you’ve found particularly helpful, such as social media?

Yes, social media is a key marketing arena today. We have aligned ourselves with multiple strategic alliances that have direct access to hundreds of thousands of followers, subscribers and members. We utilize YouTube, Facebook, Twitter. In an effort for awareness support, we have asked organizations in our primary target audience, to post a ”My Run” banner ad on their website that has hyperlinks to our main film website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Also organizations that are interested in supporting and carrying the message of “My Run”, have sent out e-mail blasts to their databases asking their members to join the ”My Run” Facebook fan page and follow the film updates on Twitter. (and we invite all that are reading this article today to please do the same  — the links are as follows:

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/myrunmovie
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/MyRunMovie

Also please visit the main ”My Run” website at:  www.myrunmovie.com

By successively utilizing social media we can connect directly with our audience, which increase our impressions, and help us build momentum and spread the positive word of the film.

What has been your favorite moment so far on the film festival circuit with “My Run”?

There are many, but one that comes to mind is that I am a true romantic and at the Sedona International Film Festival in 2-2010, ”My Run” had two special screenings that helped to kick off the Sedona marathon. At one of those screenings, we received one of the greatest compliments from someone in the audience – Ultra-marathoner Bob Redwanc stood up and he said, “I’m a marathoner and I’m running the Sedona marathon in couple days. I came here to be inspired to run, but instead was inspired to love my wife more”. Wow…I thought of the love story that Terry shared with his wife Sue, who tragically was lost to breast cancer, so it reminds me to love your life partners and be gentle with them for all we can really depend on are the moments of each day. (I thank Patrick Schweiss Executive Director, Sedona International Film Festival for treating us like filmmaker royalty!)

I also love that we get standing ovations at festivals, I love that the macho men get a tear in their eye at the end of the film because, they hear the letter that Sue wrote Terry before she passed away (I had the great honor to read that letter in the film). I love that single father’s just stand up and say thank you to Terry for doing his great achievement and sharing his story.

Finally, since you’ve done promotion for both film and music projects,  how are your responsibilities in these areas similar and different?

With music promotion (mostly that of songwriters & composers that I have worked with), you reach out to the business person that does that job, to hire that composer or songwriter and will use their music, so it is direct contact. Whereas with a film, you can reach out to many different types of people that will be moved and do something for support of the film – it’s direct to them, yet a diverse outreach. With marketing for film and music, you still have to do the outreach, speak to people about the person or project you are promoting, utilize social media, attend functions, be social and network. Both approaches require constant follow up and research for new areas of outreach - you are always casting your net to catch the opportunities.

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Terry Hitchcock from "My Run"

One of the most beloved documentaries that has been winning both festival awards and rousing audience support has been “My Run,” based on the true story of Terry Hitchcock, who in 1996 at 57 ran 75 consecutive marathons in 75 days to draw the public’s attention to the plight of single parents.  An only child raised by his grandparents, Terry’s story actually began 12 years before his trek from St. Paul to Atlanta when his wife Sue died of breast cancer leaving him alone to raise three small children.   That happened in 1996 and afterwards Hitchock wrote a book about his experiences called A Father’s Odyssey inspiring the acclaimed documentary, which was produced by Indiewood Pictures in association with Destiny Pictures in 2009.  Now the story is continuing to the next phase as plans are underway to produce a narrative feature film about Terry called “Pushing Life”.  I had the opportunity to meet the Co-Producer of “My Run”, Christine Redlin, during the Las Vegas Film Festival last spring and would now like to introduce you to her, Terry and a few other members of the team behind the film, Producer Mark Castaldo and Producer/Director Tim VandeSteeg.  The first blog post with Hitchcock  is below, so read on to find out more about the man behind the movie.

How does it feel to be the subject of an award winning documentary that’s received so much positive attention?

I feel blessed and so happy to be surrounded by such magical and professional “film makers”.

With all of the people you’ve spoken with during your travels is there any one story someone has told you about his or her life that stands out?

At one of the showing of the documentary, “My Run”, at the Sedona International Film Festival, a man stood up during the Q&A and introduced himself as an ultra-marathoner. It was obvious that he was some sort of athlete by his chiseled physical appearance.  He said he came to the showing of the film to see if he might learn something new about running from me…but instead learned something even more important.   “I’m a marathoner running the Sedona marathon.  I came here to be inspired to run, but instead was inspired to love my wife more,” said ultra-marathoner Bob Redwanc.  She was sitting beside him and got up and hugged him.

How has writing your book and the documentary made you a better parent?

Well, I’ve always felt that I have been a pretty good parent, at least I have tried to do my best. As far as being a better parent, having the book and the documentary as part of my life now allow me to share my message and life experiences with others, many others, thus allowing me to be a better parent if you will. My book, A Father’s Odyssey, I use to give the proceeds to various causes and non-profits. The book and film also provide numerous speaking opportunities in corporations, churches, colleges and general community events that allow me to share my story and help other parents explore their own lives and hopefully I can give valuable advice and support to them.

In hindsight is there anything you’d change about what you’ve done?

If anything, I would have shared my story much sooner than I have. I would have challenged our Senators and Congressmen and women to stand up and be counted. We still need a Secretary of Children, if truly our children are the future of our country. There sometimes is much too much apathy in our country regarding the pain of others. I saw the inside “guts” of our country as I ran my 2,100 miles and I could spend all day telling stories of the fragile lives that I saw and experienced.

People can help support “My Run” by choosing ‘LIKE’ at http://www.facebook.com/myrunmovie and FOLLOW at http://www.twitter.com/myrunmovie.

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Peter Rallis

Getting noticed on YouTube is much harder today than it used to be.  I got lucky enough to start my show when there wasn’t a lot of traffic to the site, so my shows would pop up more around the webpage.  I was able to generate a large enough audience that by the time YouTube took off publicly, I could sustain my show without disappearing from all the new content creators.  According to the New York Times, YouTube now has 20 hours of video uploaded to the site every minute, which is the equivalent to 100,000 full-length movies every week.  So, newcomers to YouTube have to compete against that.  The best advice I can give is to not be intimidated by the other competition on the site and just start uploading videos.  ou never know who will find you, what video of yours will take off or what new contacts you can generate. The longer someone waits to start publishing their work, the harder it will get for other people to find you.  It’s also very important to stay consistent with your work or uploads. You don’t want to lose the audience that you created.

Would you recommend that filmmakers starting production companies start a You Tube channel for the company and put their productions under that umbrella or do it a different way?

I strongly suggest companies start a YouTube channel.  YouTube is one of the top most visited websites on the internet and with Google owning YouTube, the traffic to your content is opened up even further.  I remember seeing that someone used a Google search to find one of my videos on YouTube.  If you have content that you know people will be looking for, Google is always linking to videos with their search results, so it’s a great way to have your content be seen.  It’s always good to have your hand in major sites with large numbers of traffic.  If you want to be seen, you have to put yourself out there for people to find you and YouTube is the best place for that.  You can still have your own blog site, but you need to build an audience in different networking sites to really get your name out there.

What is the best way to strategize when planning a campaign?

If you’re working on a campaign, it’s best to advertise yourself in every way you can.  The internet has become so large that you can no longer just post something to your Facebook.  You need to make a video for YouTube and use Twitter to reach out to all of your followers.  If you create a large enough following through these various sites, you never know who will be able to help you down the road.  So, in the future, if you need a graphic designer for something, you can simply tweet “Is anyone good at Photoshop?” You’ll be surprised at how many people respond.  Everything is at your fingertips if you know how to communicate on the web.

People talk about rating systems and I’m not familiar with them.  How do they work and is there one that you think is best?

The rating system for content on the internet used to be on a scaling from 1 to 5 stars.  Now everything has turned into ‘liking’ or ‘not liking’ something with a simple click of the mouse.  The biggest way ‘liking’ works best is on YouTube.  If your video generates enough ‘likes’ it will appear higher up in searches.  A simple reminder to your audience to like your content is a good way to make sure people are using that rating system to promote your work.

Should you identify people on You Tube who have similar interests and subscribe to their channels?  Is that an effective way to build collaborations?

It’s a good idea to subscribe to people on YouTube who you have similar interests with mainly to see how they manage their channel and how they produce and promote their work.  I’ve learned a lot from just seeing how other people have promoted themselves, but, the best way to build collaborations with someone is to send them an email.  Most YouTubers post their email addresses to be contacted at. Just make sure you have a solid and thought out idea to present them.  If you send an email just saying, “Hey, we should do a collab together!” it will most likely be ignored.  You have to come into it with a great idea.

You’ve talked about the partner program and growing a strong subscriber base.  How the program work and produce income?  How would this benefit filmmakers and their projects?

The partner program on YouTube has become a great way for people to generate income from their videos.  If someone wants to become a partner, they need to apply to become one.  The basic rules for becoming a partner are 1. You need to have at least 1,000 subscribers, so that advertisers know that somewhat of an audience will see their ads.  2. You need to upload videos to YouTube regularly.  You can’t upload something every two months or so if you want to become a partner.  Consistency is key.  3. You have to make sure your work is copyright free.  Being a partner means that you can start generating revenue and YouTube will not put advertising with your content if you don’t own 100% of it.   The income comes from your audience clicking on the advertising that runs next to your videos.  The more viewers you get, the more likely people will be clicking on the ads.  This can be very beneficial for filmmakers if they are looking for some extra money to spend on their projects whether it is equipment or paying for permits.

Any tips from Vidcon 2010 you’d like to pass along?

All I can say about VidCon 2010 is that if you weren’t there, you missed out. YouTube gatherings are the absolute 100% best way to make connections.  It’s a great place to meet the people who you have been watching online and an even better way to make friends and connections.  It’s a great opportunity to shake hands with future people, who you might be working with.  Vidcon 2011 is currently in the works and I strongly suggest going to that when it is finally set up because if you ever wanted to share your great ideas with someone, gatherings are the best place to do that.

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Peter Rallis

A few months ago I heard a wonderful interview on Film Courage with Peter Rallis, who is perhaps best known for his entertainment show on You Tube called Movie Buzz.    A young man in his early twenties, Peter is combining his passion for films with the power of the internet and has created a dedicated following for his show.  Since so many filmmakers are interested in utilizing You Tube as a way of promoting their work and Peter has developed such expertise in this area, I thought he’d be a wonderful person to interview for a Q&A, so read on for Part 1.

I understand you’re a film buff who believes in people following their passions, which led to your starting Movie Buzz.  Taking this into account, where do you want your passion for film to lead after you finish college?

My passion for film has taken me places I never thought I would be.  Growing up, I always wanted to be a movie director.  I learned everything I know from watching a ton of movies.  I learned what to do, what not to do, what was cool, what was lame, character development, pacing, etc.  I picked up a little piece of knowledge about movies and movie making with every film I saw.  This passion for movies also made me become a critic.  I love talking about what makes movies good or bad.  While I was in Film School in NYC, I noticed that YouTube had become a large market for content creators. Whether it was comedians, actors, commentators, athletes or directors, YouTube was a place to promote yourself and you were able to get instant feedback on your work.  I decided to start making videos about my opinions on upcoming movies and this is where Movie Buzz was born.  After a few months of doing the show, my passion for filmmaking turned into a passion for critiquing filmmaking.  Two and a half years later, Movie Buzz has taken me to a level that I never thought existed.  Online media has become its own business now and people from around the world have turned it into their careers including myself.  My passion for film has led me into a career I never thought was possible.  With all the work that I have put into my show and will continue to put into my show, I know that this will take my career and me to the next level of becoming a legitimate and reliable source of movie news and reviews.

Aside from school and Movie Buzz what other interests do you have?

Even though Movie Buzz has taken up most of my time now, I’m still interested in making movies.  I’m constantly writing down new ideas for videos that I think people will find funny or interesting. Writing is very important to me and I’m always looking for originality and humor.  I have a few story ideas that I want to create into short films,  but I just need the right group of people around me to make the videos the way I want them to be done.  I never like to rush projects or scripts.  I’m not done with an idea unless I’m 100% happy with it.  If you’re not passionate about what you’re making, it will show in your finished product.

What have you been studying in college and what attracted you to doing business on You Tube?

I just finished school at Emerson in Boston where I majored in Broadcast Journalism.  With the contacts that I generated, I’m moving to Los Angeles to take advantage of the opportunities there to make my show even better, whether it is interviewing celebrities or broadening my audience.  I take what I do very seriously and I’m always looking to improve.  When I originally started making videos on YouTube, I did it for fun and didn’t really think of the possibilities of it. I just enjoyed talking about movies and was excited to see my audience grow.  But it wasn’t until about a year ago that people have started using YouTube to launch their careers.  People now are uploading videos to share their talents with the world and big companies have started to take notice.  So, YouTube is not only a place to be creative. but has now become a launching pad for many people’s careers.

You have mentioned the need to keep the conversation going and connect with the community.   What methods work best for doing this?

If you want to keep or broaden your audience, you have to stay in contact with them.  The best way to do this is to respond to comments, messages, or tweets.  It’s a good idea for your audience to know that you care about them just as much as you do about your work.  If your audience feels neglected or ignored, they will simply go away.  I always try my best to keep up with my audience’s responses to let them know that they are just as important as the work that goes into it.  It’s important to be social in social networking, or you will just end up trying to do everything on your own.  You never know what doors will open for you if you take the time to give that extra effort.

You’ve said that networking is the key to success, so how do you recommend people starting out approach others they want to connect with or hope to get as subscribers?

Not only is it a great idea to have a YouTube channel, but having a Facebook page and a Twitter is also a good idea.  You want to make sure you can build up a name for yourself and having a presence in major networking sites can always help you in one way or another.  If you’re really looking to build a YouTube audience, it is very important to reach out and do collaborations with other YouTubers.  If you have a great idea, YouTubers are always welcome to new ideas.  If you have something that is really good, you can make a video with them and then it will get your name out to their subscribers and audience.  Don’t be afraid to go out of your way to talk and connect with people on YouTube.  Every video is a collaborative process, and if you can get your name attached to something great, people will take notice and will start looking more at your work, which will eventually lead to more opportunities for yourself.

Coming later this week in Part 2 Peter offers information on how you can get started.

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Tracy Garner with Screenwriter/Director Rich Ragsdale

Many people who visit Filmmakers Notebook may be aware that I have recently become Marketing Director for a new e-commerce and social networking platform called NOMOSA, which is designed to benefit all independent artists.  The website provides tools and support for filmmakers, musicians, photographers, writers, artists and other creatives looking to build a fan base for and self distribute their works.  To further understand how it works read this Q&A with NOMOSA’s CEO, Filmmaker Tracy Garner.

Q. When did Nomosa officially launch?

A. Sunday, May 23^rd.

Q. In a few sentences sum up the premise for NOMOSA.

A. NOMOSA’s business model is designed to help artist make a living doing what they love. While other businesses and online platforms make a living selling art, NOMOSA sells art so that artists can make a living.

Q. How did you come up with the idea for it?

A. I posed the hypothetical question, how can I build a sustainable business model that allows artists to keep 100% of the profits from the sale of their creative work?  

Q. Why do you think an independent artist should choose this distribution option over others that are out there claiming to give back 100% of sales?

A. First, it’s important to note that we don’t believe that artists should choose just one method of distribution.  We actually encourage our artists to post and sell their work in as many places as possible.  Artists need to make their work available to the public.  Second, many claim to give back 100% of the profits, but actually don’t.  They use semantics to mislead and misrepresent what the artist actually ends up with in the deal. We believe in full disclosure and transparency.

Q.  What are your short and long range plans for the platform?

A. In the short term we simply want to change the way artists see themselves.  For so long they have been led to believe that being broke is part of their job description.  It doesn’t have to be that way. In the long term, we want to be the leader in the distribution of arts and entertainment where the art world is run by artists, where the film industry is run by filmmakers, where the music industry is run by musicians. We want to be the vehicle that allows artists to achieve the goal of living a creative lifestyle.

Q. How do you plan to get the fans involved with the site?

A. True fans want to see their favorite artists succeed.  NOMOSA gives artists the best possible chance to survive and excel during this transitional period and in the future.  We actually have a new concept launching this fall that actually allows fans to play an intricate role in helping their favorite artists find their audience and ultimately sustain themselves enriching all of our lives though their music, movies, books, paintings and so on.

Q. What made you decide to become a filmmaker?

A. Someone dear planted a dream seed in me when I was seventeen years old.

Q. Where did you grow up?

A.  I was born in San Diego, started junior high in the Los Angeles area and completed my last two years of high school in a little town called Hurricane, Utah.

Q. How did you get the idea for your feature “Return with Honor: A Missionary Homecoming”?  

Tracy at Koffeehouse's 4th Annual Evening of Independence

A.  By nature, I have an overactive imagination and ideas constantly pop into my head.   Where the initial idea came from I really can’t recall.  Making my protagonist a returned Mormon missionary was influenced by many things: Living in Utah was one.  My first potential investor was LDS (Latter-day-Saint, Mormon), that was another. One thing people don’t realize is that I am not a Mormon and this is not a propaganda piece for the Mormon Church. On the other hand, it wasn’t written to defame or criticize the church either. I could have chosen anyone from any religious institution, who is zealous about their faith.

Q. Start to finish how long did it take to film?

A. Two years from the time we started shooting to seeing it in theaters.  The entire journey took 19 years from the time I went out and bought my first book on how to write a screenplay to going into production.

Q. What was the most gratifying aspect of making your film and the most frustrating?

A.  You have to see the film to understand what makes it so gratifying for me as a writer.  Seeing how the film affects people in such a positive way, is the most gratifying.  On a personal note, having my kids see me achieve a dream that took over twenty years I think has given them the belief that if you put your mind to something and never give up you can accomplish wonderful things.  What has been most frustrating is dealing with dishonesty, arrogance and incompetence throughout the distribution process.

Q. Do you have any other film projects in the works?

A.  I have three other scripts that I can’t wait to get into production, but I refuse to make a film under the old system of distribution. I will begin shooting my next film once NOMOSA can run efficiently and effectively without me being there. 

You can check out the site at www.nomosa.com or find us @nomosa on Twitter and on the NOMOSA Facebook Page.

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In terms of being filmmakers what have you learned the most from doing your radio show?

Jeff and Blaise visiting Film Courage

What I’ve gained from many of our guests’ stories is that the journey to do and be more is never smooth.  Set-backs are inevitable.  Things will get canceled, locations will fall through,  you’ll order more dvds then you will sell.  I believe it’s the ability to keep going regardless of the pitfalls that determines success.  It’s so easy to throw up your hands and say “what I’m doing doesn’t matter.”  I think that’s what the naysayers did once.  They saw it was too hard.  They felt their work wasn’t effective.  So they threw in the towel and now they sit around criticizing others’ work.  Consistency at anything is crucial, but it is so terribly hard, especially if you are not getting paid in monetary terms.  Because then you have to work another job for money and this extracts energy from you. If you can find some way to keep going and achieve balance, you might just break through. We’ve listened to our guests and people at our Film Courage Interactives speak about continuing despite setbacks.  Sometimes when things get stressful, David will remind me “this is why most people quit” and it puts things in perspective.

Since “Goodbye Promise” is such a personal project for you, where do you see yourselves going as filmmakers?

As filmmakers, we are moving into the selling and distribution phase.  Our immediate future will put to use our business skills.  Additionally, we’ve been jotting down ideas for a pure comedy piece that will be our third feature.  However, we can’t focus on it until we are selling “Goodbye Promise” and “Night Before The Wedding”.  “Goodbye Promise” is about an actor (Matt played by Gregor Collins), who comes to LA and feels the years tick by without success.  In saying “goodbye” to the people he’s close to, he sees his own life reflected back to him through pieces of their lives.  David and I hope that “Goodbye Promise” strikes a chord with the audience.  It’s a story close to our hearts as we’ve lived it and been surrounded by people who’ve embodied its characters.

“Goodbye Promise” is essentially a film that was shot for no money. It’s not going to wow you with its technical aspects.  But it’s a highly personal story that we believe we can all relate to.

Where would you like to see Film Courage be a year from now?

We’d like to continue gathering new fans and engaging the listeners we’ve already teamed up with. We’ve been so blessed with very supportive fans.  They have kept us going.  Maybe they listen to the show for what our guests bring.  We keep doing the show for them.  Sometimes when I’m in a creative slump I gain strength knowing Film Courage has inspired people whom we don’t even know personally.  Maybe one of our guests said something about overcoming a challenge that some listener just happened to hear and is experiencing the same thing.  And from that point on, that listener views their life differently.  That’s a great feeling to know we’ve provided a platform for an artist to be heard and for another artist to receive this message. We just want to keep communicating with our growing listener base and monthly Film Courage Interactive attendees, as well as develop interviews with older names in the business who can inspire younger listeners.  We have an emerging audience in the UK and Germany that we’d like to expand upon.  Along with Cinefist and Cinema Speakeasy, we want The Film Courage Interactive to be part of a developing core film culture in Los Angeles.

When  you think about all of the interesting guests on your show, has there been one person’s story that you’ve identified with that has offered new perspective on your own film projects?

Director Patrick Hoelck with David and Karen

All of our guests have had some nugget of wisdom that I’ve gained from.  I really resonated with Director Patrick Hoelck’s interview.  He directed “Mercy” with Scott and James Caan.  Patrick is a celebrity photographer and has directed music videos in addition to “Mercy”.  Hearing his story of being a kid on the streets for a short time, battling drug addiction inspired me because he didn’t give in.  It would have been so easy to.  Patrick’s spirit was alive.  He said he looked forward to waking up in the morning and greeting each day.  Just seeing that someone had an opportunity to quit where the odds were stacked against them, but didn’t, encourages me.  It’s hard to come up with excuses in life when you hear a story like this.

Aside from Tom Cruise, whom I know you have mentioned before, who else would you like to have on your show and why?

I would love to interview Jason Patric and Robin Wright.  Their work is amazing.  Both are so real in front of the camera.  I’d like to know their processes on becoming a character, if they are critical of themselves on screen, and how they pick their roles. Robin shows a great range of emotion.  Jason can be very stoic at times, but you can feel the fire brimming below the surface.  Neither one of them gets enough credit as artists.  I like people who are slightly off the beaten path.  I don’t think the mainstream audience can handle their depth.  That being said, I’d love to interview each of them.  I think actors like that are born, not made.

Taking everything you have learned from doing the show and the networking events you have been holding what is the best piece of advice you can think of to pass on to other filmmakers?

I think it goes back to being deliberate and consistent in your actions to promote your work, hone your talent, etc.  I think interviews where people mention spending their time wisely in working toward something stand out to me.  I’ve noticed that the successful ones guard their time as a precious resource.  When I’m frittering away my time, I look at what’s coming up for me, which is usually fear.  Dave and I have discussed that so many people are talkers and so few people are actual doers.  It’s scary to do things to be a doer because you might have to break away from the group and risk ridicule.  One of my favorite quotes is from writer Hugh MacLeod (of the book Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity).  MacLeod says, “The price of being a sheep is BOREDOM. The price of being a wolf is LONELINESS.  Choose one or the other with great care.”

You can email Karen and David at filmcourage@gmail.com or find them through any of the websites listed below:

http://www.latalkradio.com/Film.php
http://filmcourage.podbean.com/
http://www.facebook.com/FilmCourage
http://www.twitter.com/FilmCourage
http://www.youtube.com/FilmCourage

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Julie Keck and Jessica King visit Film Courage

One of the best shows for filmmakers to grace internet radio is Film Courage, which airs every Sunday at Noon PT on LA Talk Radio.  Co-hosts Karen Worden and David Branin have been building a supportive and devoted following by featuring  informative and entertaining guests on their program, so I thought it would be fun to turn the tables and interview them.   Unfortunately, David was unavailable because of his current time commitments to the duo’s two movie projects “Night Before the Wedding” and “Goodbye Promise”, but Karen graciously shared some of her thoughts in Part one of my Q&A with her.

Q – How has meeting and interviewing so many different filmmakers affected the way you look at your own projects and what are the most valuable lessons you have learned in this area?

A – I’ve read so often that other people are mirrors of ourselves, the good and the bad.  When I view someone who is doing incredible things, I say “how can I model myself after this person?” I guess the saying applies “if you can’t beat them, join them.” On the other hand, when I stumble across someone and my first inclination is to criticize, I also have to wonder am I being critical because I feel their work is lacking or do I see a quality in myself which I dislike reflected in this person?  So watching other artists, whether I support them or not makes me measure myself.  Sometimes I cringe and sometimes I applaud them.

A valuable lesson I’ve learned from our interviews is that nothing is as easy as it looks.  One must put forth lots of effort and sometimes endure sheer pain to get where they want to be.  Maybe not pain in a physical sense, but an emotional pain of comprising values or their self in some way.  And even in doing this and reaching success, a sense of satisfaction may not be felt. I’ve always heard that’s an affliction many successful people struggle with and that’s why they’ve propelled themselves.  They were just never content with their current level.

Another thing I’ve learned from merely living in Los Angeles is to remain humble, although this is not always achieved.  The ego can and does flair up in delusions of grandeur and delusions of being the greatest “worst” of them. When I remain as neutral as I can, I’m better at hearing out a guest during the show, being creative, or completing various items of business for The Film Courage Interactive.

Q – Crowdfunding is a major issue right now with indie filmmakers.  Do you have any thoughts regarding what motivates them to support one another or what inspires fans to want to donate to a project?

A – Outside of people who donate to a project, such as family, friends, and peers, I think when there’s an emotional connection to a project, it causes strangers to contribute.  When people see a video on Kickstarter, IndieGoGo or some other crowdfunding site where the director or actors play on emotion, it draws people in.  They become curious about the project.  It makes them cheer for the filmmakers and pull out their credit card.  Whether the director makes a plea that tugs at peoples’ heartstrings or the subject matter is compelling, it doesn’t matter.  People want to support something that is meaningful to them, not just another project.

Q – Considering the different topics you have covered on your show, is there one area you feel filmmakers have benefited most from – social media, anecdotes, marketing, distribution, funding? Do any of these seem to be the most critical to your audience?

John Paul Rice Puts in an Appearance on Film Courage

A – I think the insights our Film Courage guests have shared on marketing their films have been helpful to listeners, however painful to implement. I think people know they should promote themselves, but so many creative people are not hard wired to do this.  We are dealing with imaginative people who are great at telling stories and projecting them onto a screen, but the marketing aspect is challenging.  Creating art and selling art are two different skills.  So the film sits.  Nothing happens with it.  Maybe they move on to another project.  Maybe they give up.  I think it’s wonderful to talk about art and its process.  But the real work for so many artists comes in selling it to people.  You risk rejection and failure.  So we avoid it.  We’ve had wonderful guests on such as Jon Reiss, Sheri Candler, Marc Rosenbush, John Paul Rice, and more who’ve discussed social networking, building an audience before the film is finished (or even shot), so that you have people who care about your work.  We’ve also had interesting examples of filmmakers gathering contact information of niche groups catering to the film’s demographic because the filmmakers themselves were in that demographic (i.e., a hobby or sport) and were later able to sell dvds to those individuals.  Our audience has definitely responded to funny anecdotes on success or stories of legends someone has worked with.  However, I think many of our listeners are fascinated by steps a filmmaker takes after the film is made.

Q – Building a community seems to be the best way for filmmakers to not only survive, but to thrive in making indies. You are contributing with the radio show and your Film Courage Interactive.  Are there any other steps you’d like to be able to take to help move this concept along?

A – We’d love to have a monthly meeting of just a pure support group for filmmakers and similar artists, where the group is dedicated to discussing issues that arise from being creative and building more of a community.  This is inspired by a component of The Film Courage Interactive, which I like to call group therapy for filmmakers.  It’s great when someone lets down their guard in a room full of strangers.  It’s equally great to foster a sense of community, which is rare these days as we’re all behind our laptops and other gadgets.  There are electronic communities out there, but being face-to-face with someone still carries more power.

We are currently constructing a website and are looking for user generated content.  The site will have our radio show, The Film Courage Interactive information, videos, and will also have an area for guest articles/guest blogs. We are looking for material in the same vein as our show, pieces which are informative and inspirational.  People can e-mail us at filmcourage at gmail if they’re interested in participating.

You can also connect with Karen and David via the links below or come by their  monthly Film Courage Interactive at the Downtown Independent.

http://www.latalkradio.com/Film.php
http://filmcourage.podbean.com/
http://www.facebook.com/FilmCourage
http://www.twitter.com/FilmCourage
http://www.youtube.com/FilmCourage

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