And How

So, how does one get to Hollywood?

Well there are several theories, each with its own benefits and problems:

1. Method #1 – Mad Connections

This is arguably the most successful method. Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette) is connected to her father: Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather). Orson Wells (Citizen Cane) was connected to gobs of money.  Either way, these people were (more or less) born into the American Aristocracy. The good: it usually works. The problem: Not everyone has connections.

2. Method #2 – Move to L.A.

Many people who want to make it in the film industry pack their bags and start busing tables in L.A.  The good: It is brave, and has been known to work.  The bad: There are only so many tables to bus (and even fewer real jobs).  The Hollywood system takes advantage of optimistic free labor and gives little opportunity for advancement.

3. Method #3 – Dream

You can spot a practitioner of Method #3 by the use of phrases like “When a studio picks up my film then I’ll pay you”.  Alternately, they may view success in the movie industry the same way they view the lottery:  “if I stick around long enough maybe I’ll get lucky.”  The good: It feels good. The bad: It doesn’t work.

4. Method #4 – Learn the Craft, Work Really Hard

Film is more than good ideas.  “Loving it” is not enough.  Being driven is not enough.  It is an insanely technical and difficult art form. It requires instincts and disciplines that take years to develop.   The good: It’s real. The bad: It’s real.

Our Plan:

1. Get a few demo pieces –  No one is going to fund our projects if we haven’t already made something good.  We need a few short pieces that demonstrate or ability to pull off several genres of film.
2. Get a killer idea – Perhaps it will be a mini-series that takes the internet by storm. Perhaps it will be an art film that gets everyone talking.  We have several ideas, but the important thing is that they are doable and marketable.
3. Find investors – Once we have the demo pieces and the killer idea, we’ll need money to make it happen.  This is where it gets scary.

We are currently in phase one.  Our first demo piece is a short comedy entitled Wine for Three.  We’ve just finished casting and will be shooting on June 17th.  Check back for updates on our progress.