The More Hurdles You Go Looking For, The Harder It Seems – Indie Filmmaking Tips
As an indie filmmaker, you may face criticism from others who believe you’re ignoring sensible advice, taking on too many roles, or even burying your head in the sand. However, that’s not the case. What you’re doing is looking for solutions instead of focusing solely on the obstacles. Here’s a very quick look at why the more hurdles you look for, the harder everything will seem.
1. Seek Solutions, Not Problems
Some may argue that by wearing multiple hats and attempting to do everything yourself you’re trying to be a control-freak and even suggest that you are taking job opportunities away from others. But the reality is, you’re actively solving problems and finding ways to get your film made with the resources at your disposal, instead of waiting for the so called right tools, perfect situations, connections and money to show up. Focusing on solutions rather than fixating on the challenges allows you to maintain a productive mindset and push forward. It is much better to have a rougher version of something than a perfect version of nothing.
2. Acknowledge, But Don’t Dwell on Hurdles
It’s true that the more hurdles you look for, the harder everything will seem. There will always be reasons not to make a film—budget, crew, timing—but those are external factors that can become excuses. By acknowledging these obstacles without letting them paralyse you, you’re more likely to keep a “can-do” attitude and find creative ways around them.
3. Take Action with What You Have
At some point, you’ve likely realised that nobody is going to hand you the opportunity to make a film on a silver plate. Of course, there has to be a stage of planning, that goes without saying, but you can’t sit around waiting for the perfect time, the ideal budget, or the perfect circumstances to align as well. You’ve probably reached a stage where it’s about taking action with what you have right now and moving past the theoretical stage of filmmaking, also, a lot of other aspects that will help you along the way will not present themselves until you make a start and get going, there is a lot to be said about momentum.
Final Thoughts: The journey of indie filmmaking is full of hurdles, but the more you focus on them, the harder it all seems. By embracing a solution-oriented mindset and taking action, you can overcome the obstacles that might otherwise hold you back from making your film.
Do I Need a Professional-Grade Cinema Camera to Make a Film?
Like most dedicated filmmakers, I shared similar equipment concerns when I set out to create my first feature-length film. This topic is a common point of discussion among fellow creators. Dive deeper into equipment considerations by downloading my free, concise 4-page PDF guide, available here.
Steve Conway Films 