This is powerful. And I feel this probably says most things, probably everything about the current state of the film industry. I respect your truth and personal/professional authenticity Ted. It partly reminds me of Daniel Day Lewis not wanting to act in movies anymore, due to the lack of quality and oversaturation of mediocrity. As an actor, writer, producer...as well as embarking on my directorial debut, for my sins I'm still going, I'm still fighting the good fight. Still fighting for quality over quantity. To aspire for the highest standards I can possibly achieve. But everything you so rightly say Ted, we are all up against. I don't know what the answer is yet...but my passion, love and light keep me going.
I’m interested in hearing what you feel the gap is between when you wrote this and now, if any? By the way, I know I’ve been silent, but I’ve been on vacation for two weeks and haven’t even gotten back to the US. But I’m still reading.
That is a shame Ted cuz lord knows we Indy writer directors need someone like you. Finding a development producer before you have financing or talent attachment ( which is why we need a development producer) is virtually impossible these days. We’re on our own and forced to make micro budget films financed out of our pockets or with crowdfunding that only our friends and families and a handful of rinky dink film festivals will see unless it somehow gets into Sundance which is less than 1%. Why do we do it? Cuz there’s nothing else I want to do. :)
Ted, I agree with everything you say in this post. Are you open to sharing what you will do for a living? I work a production adjacent branded content job for a big corporate company M-F and then work on producing my passion projects on the weekends. But it's really tough. I'm also a single mom to a 4 year old, so by the time Saturday rolls around I sometimes just want to relax. I'm always curious as to how others make it work.
I can very much understand where you are coming from. I think it's a sound and healthy decision. I hope you still get to make the films that bring you joy and make you feel proud. Also, sorry for the loss of your friend - such an apt doodle.
Wow. Thank you for re-sharing this post. I really appreciate your observations Ted. I feel seen and less alone with the puzzled and wtf feelings I'm having coming out of pitches and festivals as of late. I've recently stopped taking on roles field producing and directing documentary projects that I fundamentally don't agree with. Ones that can get completed quickly, but not very well or honestly in some cases. I have also just recently been spit out by the revolving door of (mostly free) development work. The project died because the company would have required us to do EVEN more unpaid work without any indication that there was a potential for future success or even a sale. They gave us the choice to dissolve the option deal. I've always appreciated that there is a lot of up front work, uncertainty, periods without revenue... but even still it's all feeling pretty dysfunctional right now. I might also be done with the type of producing I've done for the past six years. And I am going to try to continue making documentaries. So Ted, I'm dying to know... what are you doing instead? What can people with development, research, writing, interviewing, scouting and directing skills do instead? I'm thinking about it, and trying things. Trying to avoid going back to newsrooms, which are also hurting. Appreciate hearing from you and the community.
Hi Ted, your comments are brutally honest. I have created a love story that I am sure this would have been a winner. It takes place at Road America racetrack in Wisconsin, the town just north of me. My angel in the crowd a family and town story. After reading your comments I see my story might as well go into the wind, and never get legs under it. I might just as well write for my friends and cancel my film hopes. I don't think you meant to create a downer, but you have opened my eyes to your industry. Thanks for your thoughts. Richard mylivinglegacy@earthlink.net
Okay, this is more like it. Ten years ago, much less of those acronyms that you have become so fond of. Much straighter and to the point. Maybe the fear of T2P causes you to use so many acronyms today. I always like to say that I want to make films that can change the world for the better, not MFTCCTWFTB.
"I have decided I am no longer going to produce films for my living." "Don’t get me wrong. I will produce movies." I am trying to work out how these two statements are compatible?
I wrote this in 2013 as I state twice at the top — which many folks seemed to miss. What I did then, is find other ways to make money and support the films I loved, which then led me to Amazon. Today, I think a great deal of the cinema I love will not get funded to the level I need to earn a living —- so I will make money doing other things (most likely mostly consulting).
.. much of my ‘perception - re the ‘Film Biz is outdated or even ‘sheer fantasy Ted - but as a Canadian artist now recognize I’ve created what I choose to see as ‘Legacy Properties.. Do they meet your Indy Values / Standards ? If so - will take that ! Have always envisioned / written / designed - in the spirit of ‘steal this idea - if you can !’ & it’s very possible that already occurred many years back.. & that story is here within my Site. Another am determined to ‘donate in some weird way to Newfoundland & Labrador - Canada. And finally have come to the 3rd & likely Final Legacy Property - currently underway here !
I say ‘Legacy now.. by accepting all three may thrive or remain somewhat stalled.. c’est la vie ! On the plus side though ! ‘Turk’s Grift may perfectly ‘Mirror what you’ve been writing about from such a powerful & human perspective .. someday soon Ted - you may be gratified that even a 50 year veteran of Media Production & Post is listening - hearing & taking great confidence from you - per the radical evolution of ‘Film MEDIA’ as an entity .. hell.. I’ve ‘just begun to write !’ Lean mean - stripped to the bone - take no prisoners >> re any aspect of Creativity - Development - PrePro - Production & Talent - even Post
BUT ! Who are the HyperPatrons ? The Guerrilla Developers ? Rad Distribution Gurus.. who can ‘Recognize Doable at 25% the Budget/Risk of ‘standard belief’ International - Hollywood or New York Cinema ? A vital aspect or presumption of my ‘creative approach is that I’m capable of ‘writing not just for camera & talent - production to post ‘reality .. but ‘Evolving Standards of Risk & Budget’ - Can one ‘Conceive / Create a virtual BluePrinted cinematic engine that may cost 10 million - not 40 million ? Or 500 thousand - not 2 million ? And what would be the ‘entity’ aside from one like myself - required ? And ‘what’s in it for them ? I could start with Talent alone & ‘what’s in it for them ? And on through all Production & Post Departments.. Am I now talkin or thinkin - Cooperative Entity & Gold Pieces of Eight ? er.. The Action ? 🦎🏴☠️🇨🇦
This is powerful. And I feel this probably says most things, probably everything about the current state of the film industry. I respect your truth and personal/professional authenticity Ted. It partly reminds me of Daniel Day Lewis not wanting to act in movies anymore, due to the lack of quality and oversaturation of mediocrity. As an actor, writer, producer...as well as embarking on my directorial debut, for my sins I'm still going, I'm still fighting the good fight. Still fighting for quality over quantity. To aspire for the highest standards I can possibly achieve. But everything you so rightly say Ted, we are all up against. I don't know what the answer is yet...but my passion, love and light keep me going.
I’m interested in hearing what you feel the gap is between when you wrote this and now, if any? By the way, I know I’ve been silent, but I’ve been on vacation for two weeks and haven’t even gotten back to the US. But I’m still reading.
That is a shame Ted cuz lord knows we Indy writer directors need someone like you. Finding a development producer before you have financing or talent attachment ( which is why we need a development producer) is virtually impossible these days. We’re on our own and forced to make micro budget films financed out of our pockets or with crowdfunding that only our friends and families and a handful of rinky dink film festivals will see unless it somehow gets into Sundance which is less than 1%. Why do we do it? Cuz there’s nothing else I want to do. :)
Ted, I agree with everything you say in this post. Are you open to sharing what you will do for a living? I work a production adjacent branded content job for a big corporate company M-F and then work on producing my passion projects on the weekends. But it's really tough. I'm also a single mom to a 4 year old, so by the time Saturday rolls around I sometimes just want to relax. I'm always curious as to how others make it work.
I can very much understand where you are coming from. I think it's a sound and healthy decision. I hope you still get to make the films that bring you joy and make you feel proud. Also, sorry for the loss of your friend - such an apt doodle.
Wow. Thank you for re-sharing this post. I really appreciate your observations Ted. I feel seen and less alone with the puzzled and wtf feelings I'm having coming out of pitches and festivals as of late. I've recently stopped taking on roles field producing and directing documentary projects that I fundamentally don't agree with. Ones that can get completed quickly, but not very well or honestly in some cases. I have also just recently been spit out by the revolving door of (mostly free) development work. The project died because the company would have required us to do EVEN more unpaid work without any indication that there was a potential for future success or even a sale. They gave us the choice to dissolve the option deal. I've always appreciated that there is a lot of up front work, uncertainty, periods without revenue... but even still it's all feeling pretty dysfunctional right now. I might also be done with the type of producing I've done for the past six years. And I am going to try to continue making documentaries. So Ted, I'm dying to know... what are you doing instead? What can people with development, research, writing, interviewing, scouting and directing skills do instead? I'm thinking about it, and trying things. Trying to avoid going back to newsrooms, which are also hurting. Appreciate hearing from you and the community.
Hi Ted, your comments are brutally honest. I have created a love story that I am sure this would have been a winner. It takes place at Road America racetrack in Wisconsin, the town just north of me. My angel in the crowd a family and town story. After reading your comments I see my story might as well go into the wind, and never get legs under it. I might just as well write for my friends and cancel my film hopes. I don't think you meant to create a downer, but you have opened my eyes to your industry. Thanks for your thoughts. Richard mylivinglegacy@earthlink.net
Okay, this is more like it. Ten years ago, much less of those acronyms that you have become so fond of. Much straighter and to the point. Maybe the fear of T2P causes you to use so many acronyms today. I always like to say that I want to make films that can change the world for the better, not MFTCCTWFTB.
"I have decided I am no longer going to produce films for my living." "Don’t get me wrong. I will produce movies." I am trying to work out how these two statements are compatible?
I wrote this in 2013 as I state twice at the top — which many folks seemed to miss. What I did then, is find other ways to make money and support the films I loved, which then led me to Amazon. Today, I think a great deal of the cinema I love will not get funded to the level I need to earn a living —- so I will make money doing other things (most likely mostly consulting).
I looked at available films in near by theaters yesterday. I am not sure I want to go to the movies anymore 🤷♂️
.. much of my ‘perception - re the ‘Film Biz is outdated or even ‘sheer fantasy Ted - but as a Canadian artist now recognize I’ve created what I choose to see as ‘Legacy Properties.. Do they meet your Indy Values / Standards ? If so - will take that ! Have always envisioned / written / designed - in the spirit of ‘steal this idea - if you can !’ & it’s very possible that already occurred many years back.. & that story is here within my Site. Another am determined to ‘donate in some weird way to Newfoundland & Labrador - Canada. And finally have come to the 3rd & likely Final Legacy Property - currently underway here !
I say ‘Legacy now.. by accepting all three may thrive or remain somewhat stalled.. c’est la vie ! On the plus side though ! ‘Turk’s Grift may perfectly ‘Mirror what you’ve been writing about from such a powerful & human perspective .. someday soon Ted - you may be gratified that even a 50 year veteran of Media Production & Post is listening - hearing & taking great confidence from you - per the radical evolution of ‘Film MEDIA’ as an entity .. hell.. I’ve ‘just begun to write !’ Lean mean - stripped to the bone - take no prisoners >> re any aspect of Creativity - Development - PrePro - Production & Talent - even Post
BUT ! Who are the HyperPatrons ? The Guerrilla Developers ? Rad Distribution Gurus.. who can ‘Recognize Doable at 25% the Budget/Risk of ‘standard belief’ International - Hollywood or New York Cinema ? A vital aspect or presumption of my ‘creative approach is that I’m capable of ‘writing not just for camera & talent - production to post ‘reality .. but ‘Evolving Standards of Risk & Budget’ - Can one ‘Conceive / Create a virtual BluePrinted cinematic engine that may cost 10 million - not 40 million ? Or 500 thousand - not 2 million ? And what would be the ‘entity’ aside from one like myself - required ? And ‘what’s in it for them ? I could start with Talent alone & ‘what’s in it for them ? And on through all Production & Post Departments.. Am I now talkin or thinkin - Cooperative Entity & Gold Pieces of Eight ? er.. The Action ? 🦎🏴☠️🇨🇦
Thank you for your insight. I hope the next phase of your producing career is more fulfilling!