Discover the 4 Habits of Successful Filmmakers

What separates successful filmmakers from others who continue to struggle along, wishing and hope that fate will give them an opportunity?

I like what Elliot Grove the founder of Raindance Film Festival & Raindance.tv had to say about this topic.

Elliot has produced 150 short films, 5 feature films and teaches screenwriters and film producers in the UK, Europe, Japan and America.

He is a filmmaker's filmmaker and practices what he preaches...4 habits of Successful Filmmakers:

1. Goal Setting

"If you want to make a film in one year's time, target to
increase your work rate and break down your goal into manageable steps." - Elliot Grove

Setting goal is something I talk about often on my blog and I know from firsthand experience the powerful results it can produce in your life and for your film career. I wouldn't get all Dr. Phil on you about the importance of having clear, written goals with deadlines but I really like this quote from the late J.C. Penny.

"Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk." - J.C. Penny

2. Investing in Learning

"Invest in learning and discovering new filmmaking techniques is the next keystone to success. Film is changing rapidly right now. The last big change was the introduction of sound. This time around it is movies on th internet and mobile telephones." - Elliot Grove

Continuous learning is so important for those who want to be in the top of the chosen profession. I usually spent at least 30 minutes each day reading books, articles and websites to build specific knowledge about the art and business of moviemaking. I'm sure you've heard the saying "knowledge is power" and usually the most successful filmmakers are experts (extremely knowledgeable) in at least one area of filmmaking.

For example, James Cameron has become an expert on the topic of using 3D film cameras to make movies. After Titanic he just didn't go off, get fat and count his money...ok...maybe he did? Haha. But seriously, he as been spending the past 5 to 6 years researching, learning and developing state-of-the-art 3D filmmaking. Avatar becoming December 2009, I'm excited.

He didn't just rest on his laurels but continued to learn, grow and educate himself.

3. Investing in Good Tools

"Treat your career as a business. Invest your earnings into good tools that can enhance your business. Film businesses are the same as non-film businesses. Ploughing part of your earnings back into your filmmaking business would grow career exponentially." - Elliot Grove

This is so important and I'd like to even take it a step further. Invest in great people. Successful filmmakers treat filmmaking like a business and the best investment you can make is the people you chosen to hire to work on your film. I know that as indie filmmakers sometimes we're working with a micro budget for our movies but spending a few extra hundred dollars here or there for the services of professional,experience people i.e. cast and crew will pay off long term dividends to the success of their films and your career.

4. Apply What You Learn

"The most successful filmmakers are not always the most knowledgeable ones. They are the ones who put action to what they learnt. They do, not talk about doing." - Elliot Grove

Earlier in this article I mentioned that knowledge was power. Well, knowledge is only half power. The other half comes from taking consistent, determined action until you've reached your goal.

Just keep in mind that you shouldn't compete or compare yourself to other filmmakers to measure your success. You define your own success through your individual goals. It can be something simple like wanting to make a 5 minute short film with some friends to making socially conscious documentaries to the desire to win an Oscar.

"Anyone who is on course towards a worthy goal is successful." - Earl Nightingale

Well, enough talk. I have to go now and work on my next movie.

Are Two Heads Better than One?

As I continue to do my "read one good book a week" route I read a book that once again tested my beliefs and has changed the way I think about certain things. Don't you love those kind of books?

The book is called Mentored by a Millionaire:Master Strategies of Super Achievers by Steven K. Scott. The book talks about how there are 15 important strategies that superstar individuals like Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg all use to experience uncanny success in their career and business.

The chapter that had the most influence on me was the strategy of "effective partnering". Basically, effective partnering is when you work closely with a mentor, advisor, key employees, consultants, lenders, legal partner who compliments your weaknesses with their strengths towards achieving a goal. Based on decades of research about success, this is a quick explanation from the book:

Below-average person

Someone who tries to achieve success all on their own...when obstacles appear, they quit.

Average person

These people pursue modest, realistic goals for their life and only partner with others when its absolute necessary. Most of these people believe that the only way to get something done is to do it yourself.

Superstars

Someone who sets and pursue goals that are so lofty that the only way they could possibly achieve them was to partner with other people.

Once I read this, my mind started racing. For virtually all my life I have adopted the mindset of the "below-average & average" person. But now I've changed.

What about you? What category do you fall into?

To further prove the truth behind effective partnering. Take I look at the background of any super successful filmmaker (or person) and I'll be willing to bet that the moment they effectively partnered with others was the moment their careers began skyrocketing towards greatness. I look at my mentors and see Ang Lee who was a struggling, unknown filmmaker until he partnered with writer/producer James Schamus. Since their partnership Ang Lee's films have been nominated for 27 Oscars, winning 8 including Best Director.

It is clear that when two or more people work together in harmony towards a common goal...magic happens.

How to get your film listed in IMDb (part 2)

I was searching around on the Without a Box website the other day and I came across another way for filmmakers to get their films listed on IMDb. This method will cost you some money (roughly $20 to $65) but I am sure you have probably spend that amount of money on less important things than your filmmaking career.

This part is straight off the Without a Box site:

Get your own IMDb Title Page

---

IMDb wants to help you publicize and promote your movie as soon as it's ready for the world, not just after you've won recognition for it. Now, when you submit your project to a Withoutabox Partner Festival, you will be invited by email to create a Title Page on IMDb, the most recognized and trafficked movie site in the world.

Please note that certain festivals and types of films are not eligible for IMDb Title Pages, but the great majority are. You will be notified automatically if your submission is eligible, once it has been received by the festival.

If you already have a Title Page for your project, that's great. Just enter the URL in the Publicity: Website form when setting up any project on Withoutabox - and the "match" will immediately be made.

If this method (which is much faster than the one mentioned on one of my posted in Feb.2009) interests you then you just go to the Without a Box website, created your free account and then look for the IMDb Qualifying section which by submitting to one of a list of film festivals qualifies your film to get an IMDb Title Page!

How to get your film onto IMDb

Hey fellow filmmakers. I'd like to share with you how you can get your film listed onto IMDb. First,go to www.createspace.com, which is an on-demanding self-publishing platform and setup an account (for free). They will require you to mail to they a DVD copy of your film. Once they review your film it will go into their inventory database.

With your film registered with createspace it will also be available for sale on Amazon.com. Now any film available on Amazon.com is eligible for listing on IMDb. Then click here to list your movie on the IMDb service. This entire process takes about 30 days and the cost you'll incur are a few dollars to mail your DVD to createspace.