The First Movie Is The Toughest: A Filmmaker's Story Of How It Was Done

Your first movie is the toughest. Even more so when dealing with smaller budget movie projects. It's a creative fight where you're nose will get bloodied and you'll learn what humility means. To go from movie idea to treatment to script to completed movie is an accomplishment at any level. I make movies under the banner of Slice of Americana Films that go straight-to-DVD. Many of us have read or heard an Hollywood backed movie getting bashed for not making it into theaters and going straight-to-DVD. The straight-to-DVD label is a meant as an insult. I guess considering the amount of cash spent a well funded movie with name actors going straight-to-DVD isn't a victory. There's also viewers that put down straight-to-DVD straight away. Which is cool. When you make movies you're putting yourself out there for people to say your movie, "sucks."

Working in the trenches outside of Hollywood I think a smaller budget movie that can land a straight-to-DVD or video-on-demand release is a success story. A lot of smaller budget film shoots fail at different stages. I always try to avoid using the term "independent film" because some movies made for a million or more are considered independent in some industry circles. I prefer using "smaller budget film." The smaller budget film community who make movies on budgets from $10,000 to a $150,000 is where making that first movie can be disastrous. It's usually due to a lack of experience, money, time, or unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved with limited resources.

Before making my first movie Consignment I thought I knew what to expect from reading well known books. I learned the hard way that I knew a fraction of what it takes to make a smaller budget movie (having read books on making movies Hollywood style). I respect the attitude and passion of guerrilla filmmaking, but I was able to secure enough funding to pay for production insurance to protect cast and crew. Able to secure permits to avoid having filming stopped and feed cast and crew well.

There's a huge difference between physically shooting a movie, seeing it completed and finding a larger audience than your friends and family. Bottom line is nobody sets out to make a movie and fail. Making a smaller budget movie is not for everyone. It may sound exciting and glamorous at the start, but those feelings quickly fade as the amount of work gets overwhelming before you even begin to shoot. After a couple of well meaning production meetings and cast rehearsals, some people will drop out of the movie when it becomes clear the time and energy involved.

Others will drop out because they landed a bigger part, higher paying gig, or lost interest in being involved making a smaller budget movie. There is no glitz, star power, or money to burn when making a smaller budget movie. It comes down to a group of hungry actors and crew that want to pay their dues as they work their way up the movie ladder. Surround yourself with people that share your passion and drive to make movies. Everyone has to make a living, but until Hollywood calls you have to show you can make a movie. I've taken so many lumps chasing my dream it inspired me to write a book.

The book The First Movie is the Toughest grew out of the tough lessons I've learned making independent movies with limited money, time and resources. Taking a lead from the Abbie Hoffman "Steal This Book" manual of survival. Steal The First Movie Is The Toughest is a manual of survival for independent filmmakers.

You can't wait for the perfect time to make your movie, because there will never be a perfect time. "Now" always beats "soon." The book is packed with no nonsense advice, help, and entertaining stories about making movies outside of Hollywood on limited budgets.

This book is for aspiring screenwriters, directors, and producers along with the casual movie viewer with their own great story idea for a movie. No hype, no bull on making and selling movies. The information shared was not learned in a filmmaking workshop, movie boot camp or film school. It was learned the hard way by making movies and learning the business by doing.

There are tons of books on making movies, but not many are as personal, entertaining and informative as this one. This is one filmmaker's story of how their movies got done and distributed. Nothing is held pack. Save yourself real money and grief before shooting your movie. The First Movie is the Toughest is available at Amazon in paperback and online in a PDF download. Good luck with your movie.