Time is Your Greatest Resource: Writing in the No-Budget, Independent Film Industry
I have identified an issue that boils my blood as a writer, producer, and filmmaker. Whether it be time constraints, lack of support structure, or sheer laziness, scripts never seem to be ready. In the world of Indie films, this should be wholly unacceptable.
We owe it to the God we serve to take our jobs as creatives seriously, to ourselves to do our jobs right, and to our audiences to tell the truth. Over the past few months, I have been given the honor and responsibility of reading through several scripts, watching several films, and producing Forerunner's first short film. Throughout that process, I have identified an issue that boils my blood as a writer, producer, and filmmaker. Whether it be time constraints, lack of support structure, or sheer laziness, scripts never seem to be ready. In the world of Indie films, this should be wholly unacceptable.
In short films, Indie films, and no-budget projects, the one resource we have in abundance is time. Yet, for some unknown reason, we tend to squander this commodity as though we will always have it. No, I am not referring to time on set. I am referring to time spent in the writing room.
For those less aware, indie films are made by filmmakers independent of major studios. Everything Forerunner Productions produces over the next 5-10 years will be considered 'Indie' because of our budgets and the crews we will be working with, as well as the fact that we as a company will not be funding many of these projects out of pocket, but instead seeking out investors or otherwise crowdfunding our projects. All of these tactics are hallmarks of an indie project. However, because we don't have a significant studio breathing down our neck with cash in hand and a deadline for release, we have the most extraordinary luxury an artist could ask for: time.
Whether it be impatience, inexperience, or a lack of eye for quality, too many Indie filmmakers settle on or attempt to sell scripts that are not ready. This was brought to my attention in two ways; first, I took a good, feature-length script and pitched it to a major studio before it was truly ready. Though the authors have done their research, and by that, I mean they submitted to me several pages of biblical reference on which the script was grounded, it was still only in its first draft. As an eager producer, I read the first twenty pages, fell in love, and decided to pitch it even though I knew it would need copious rewrites to strike the magic I know it can achieve. Second, I read a script recently where the theme is solid, and the premise is sound. However, the pacing is horrible; the dialogue needs serious work; the religious themes aren't just heavy-handed; they don't seem believable, and it's evident by some of the dialogue and actions taken that the author has no idea how to treat a character coming through the trauma that they have just incurred, or the fundamental rules that would dictate how the other characters interact with this traumatized individual.
Now that I've ragged on myself and the script, I need to stipulate that I plan to work with the authors of these projects. Both ideas have substantial merit. However, both situations highlighted a continuing problem that I see specifically in the Christian community and Indie projects at large. It takes nothing but time and a little effort to reach out to someone who does the job you're writing about to figure out realistic circumstances that will truly immerse your audience. It takes nothing but time and a little effort to reach out to specialists and ask questions about the rules of engagement when recovering a person from a traumatizing experience. It takes nothing but time and patience to read through a full script and give sufficient notes to the author so they have something more refined before pitching the project to a major studio. Once the major studio is involved, your control and your time disappear.
Many problems we see in the Christian and Indie worlds, from corny dialogue to poor pacing, can be fixed if we take our time, find good counsel, and put in the work. If we genuinely wish to replace a broken system, we cannot play by that system's rules. We must look back at the positives that built that system, like creativity within restraint, meticulous attention to detail, and nigh-on cut-throat competition, and mimic those qualities while maintaining an unwavering service to a Higher Power. Too often, the entertainment from Indie films, and especially Christian films, suffers at the hands of messaging over content. If we proclaim to be true artists, the opposite should occur. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard, not just of the content and messaging but of the entertainment value. This journey to being better starts with a script, and when we have the abundance of time afforded to us in this Indie world, there should be no excuse for some of the mediocrity we see.
We can do better. We must do better. Here at Forerunner Productions, we will do better. Join us in that pledge.
