Good Advice! 8 Documentary Dos & Don’ts From a Vet Programmer

“Making Smarter Movies” or “I Need the Eggs!”

When I left school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I immediately started working in theater in New York City. I lived on a steady diet of MSG-laced Chinese food in a studio apartment on the Upper West Side about the size of this lectern. Then I kicked around in the real world, eventually went to a fancy business school, and after graduating promptly refused to take any job that would have me - because all I could think about was producing and directing. In other words, I needed the eggs.

Rule One: Make Smarter Movies!
That’s not the same as making better movies. Everyone says make better movies, and everyone wants to. But that’s like a director telling an actor to act better. Sounds good, but what does it mean?

Rule Two: Respect the money!
Not just the talent.

Rule Three: Before Rolling Cameras… think ‘Market.’Most businesses have a complete plan from the start of a project, which includes the whole chain from manufacturing through distribution.

READ MORE by James D. Stern - http://www.indiewire.com/article/james_d._stern_making_smarter_movies_or_i_need_the_eggs_-_now_what/