Funding
I was going to talk about TIFF a little bit but I figure there are several other, more interesting, blogger who have that under control.
Instead I’m turning my thoughts to funding in regards to film making.
Funding is important. Funding comes from many places. Funding allows you to feed your crew, or hire a crew to begin with! It pays for the equipment and the media and the time people spend on your vision. And it pays you so you can live on and make another film! Funding is important.
But what happens when you can’t secure it? What happens when you apply to every possible grant or fellowship and are rejected? Well, you get no funding. That sucks. I know. You know. We all know.
But be not afraid! Funding is important, yes. Crucial, even. But there is something else. Something more fundamental than funding (ha. What a strange sentence). Something that you need more than money or fancy cameras.
Passion.
Can’t buy it. Can’t bottle it (maybe you can. But I don’t wanna hear about it). Passion is the word I use to describe that drive, that feeling deep inside of you that comes from the core of who you are. It makes you do crazy things. It demands action. Usually it demands you fill out stacks of grant applications at first. But when those fail and you have no money? That burning drive is still there. It demands an outlet. So what do you do then? You give up? You say ‘I wish I knew the right people so I could get some sweet cash money’ while eating a bucket of strawberry ice cream? No. No you don’t do that. And if you do…hey, I’m talking to you! If you do, put down that damn spoon! Now is not that time for that.
Passion means that things move forward no matter what. Funding or no funding, ways are found. Favors are exchanged. Time is begged, borrowed and stolen. You find a way to make your film because you are passionate. You are invested. You have something to say or show the world that is important. Something no one else can say. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 2 minute film or a 2 hour film. People might call you crazy, but if that gnawing, insatiable drive is there you’ll do it.
If on the other hand, you eat that entire bucket of strawberry ice cream and then go to sleep, waking up just in time for your day job, well. Maybe the drive isn’t there. Only you can tell. All I know is without that interest, that primal investment in what you’re doing, you might as well give up.
Or make Transformers 4.
The answer then, is yes, try to get funding. Do it as best you can and pour your passion into your projects. If you get money to film, then that’s awesome. If not, then push ever forward. Never give an inch. You will find a way.
B.
