3 Of The Qualities That Every Independent Filmmaker Should Have For A More Peaceful Production

The drama should be on the screen, not behind the scenes.

Photo by Gordon Cowie on Unsplash

Making any film can be very stressful. However, working on an independent film can sometimes include the additional stressors of having to work within a very limited budget and having to work with a cast and crew that may not be the most experienced in whatever it is that they’re doing on the production. When working as an independent filmmaker, especially on a passion project, most of the time, you and your team aren’t doing it for the money, but because you really believe in the project that you’re working on.

Here are 3 important qualities to keep in mind while working on an independent film production, everything will run so much smoother when these 3 qualities are involved. And, these qualities aren’t just important on a film set, but everywhere in life. The mastery of these qualities will create less drama for you in all areas of your life. Leaving the drama on the screen and not behind the scenes.

1. Teamwork — It takes a whole team of people who are committed and passionate about the project and getting it done. The team members can also be a great resource to answer questions. If you don’t know how to do something, ask someone on your team who you think knows more than you about whatever it is that you have a question about. Most people are happy to help someone out by sharing their knowledge. And, when someone has a question for you, be patient with them, and answer their question as best as you can.
2. Honesty — Be honest and upfront about exactly what everyone will or will not get paid. If it’s a passion project where everyone is volunteering their time and donating their resources, make that clear to everyone from the beginning. Also, be honest about the time commitment, and if you’re unsure of exactly how much time you will be needing someone for, be honest about that too. And, Be honest and clearly communicate your expectations of the film and what exactly you are and are not expecting from everyone working on the film. Honest and upfront communication can eliminate a lot of misunderstandings.
3. Flexibility — Sometimes while filming, changes have to be made all of a sudden. Sometimes those changes are for the better, sometimes the changes are just in the interest of completing the film, and don’t necessarily make it better or worse. However, things may not always go as planned, and sometimes a creative solution needs to be quickly discovered. For example, one time I was producing a film and the sound person never showed up, so the director decided that we would just turn it into a silent film. We then really leaned into the silent film genre by having all of the actors purposefully give very exaggerated performances, and then in post production, the film was edited to be in black and white with subtitle cards and music reminiscent of the silent film era.