I had the pleasure of participating on a producing panel at the Athena Film Festival back in the second week of February. For once I got to be the token male. It was an excellent group with Mary Jane Skalski, Nekisa Cooper, and Susan Cartsonis. The moderator was Lisa Cortes, and she was one of the best moderators I have ever had (festival programmers take note!).
I started tweeting out the advice that was said by all on the panel. This was about both how to get your movie made and how to survive in these times. They got tweeted and passed around by others but I have collected them here for you now too. Sorry for the delay in posting!
1. Set the agenda
2. Beware of their unexpressed agenda
3. Use passion to open doors
4. Find your community & activate
5. Create tools now for use later
6. Be honest in your communication
7. Walk on tightrope w/ conviction
8. Be strategic
9. Don’t ask for permission
10. Embrace fullest definition of cinema
11. Help ppl envision themselves as a force of change
12. Know the someone u make the movie for
13. Find a way or make 1
14. Let the audience ripple wider
15. Create atmosphere of inevitability
16. Must hv great intention
17. Be authentic to yourself
18. Be distinct in marketplace
19. Make sure you have friends to support you emotionally
20. Look beyond the feature film form
21. Support each other
22.
23. Do your research
24. Build a coalition
25. Establish your brand (what makes you unique)
