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fact checking is an excellent task for volunteers.) When you do more research, and fill in the blanks, you can answer these doubts and press forward.

      Remember, as your project moves beyond where you started, and as you get new insights and information, to let the production evolve. The core idea will have a voice of its own, and this voice will tell you which direction to go.

      The new direction might involve filming different interviewees, shooting more B-roll footage for cover or doing more research or adding certain stills. The new direction may even mean releasing someone who has been on the team for a while, and bringing on someone new. Be open to change, and stay flexible.

GETTING STUCK

      Input about what to do next, as you proceed, will come from many sources — what you see as you watch your footage and your edited cuts, what you read, input from others, and from your own intuition. Make plenty of notes as you go. Keep notebooks and/or files of all this new information.

      To take full advantage of the ideas and opinions of others, you need to be willing — at different times — to hold the reins and take over, while sometimes you will need to let them go and let yourself be guided. Stay open to this back and forth, as you learn to recognize when you need help and how to use it well.

      Being willing to change direction when you get new information is not a sign of weakness. Be ready to accept input, if it improves the work, and protect your idea if you sense that feedback will weaken it.

      When you find an idea that “has your name on it,” these challenges along the way give you a chance to do reality checks and learn what you need to know to carry out the vision.

RESTORING YOUR ENERGY

      If you begin to lose your “juice,” there are ways to get refreshed. Some of these are so obvious they may seem cliché, and get overlooked.

      For most people the best thing to do is to take a break, at least a couple of days off. On those days, sleep until you wake up naturally (no alarm clocks) and take naps.

      Give yourself “a real break.” If you’ve been indoors too long, just going outside more often will refresh you. If you enjoy hiking, biking, gardening, or anything physical, those activities help restore a balance.

      Give yourself time to do these things. When you feel physically rejuvenated, it is much easier to tap back into your goal and remember where you are headed.

FINISHING THE PROJECT

      Finishing an independent film is one of the most difficult parts of filmmaking. Only an idea that captures your attention will be strong enough to carry you through to the end. Without a strong connection to your subject, it’s almost impossible to sustain the drive to complete a film. The will to carry on to the end will be generated from merging your intention, your willingness to learn and reflect on what you are learning, and your own passionate sense of purpose.

      At every point along the way, a balance of passion and reflection comes into play. How to turn that mix into action is between the lines on every page of this book.

      You may be the only person in the world who can tell a certain story in a particular way. Remember this: An idea that brings you to life means that the way you make that film will be unique.

KEY POINTS

       You need passion to make (and finish) your own movie.

       When you choose a subject with life for you, you tap into a wellspring of energy.

       Filmmaking requires that you trust your intuition.

       Films that emerge from your own knowledge, experiences, hopes, and concerns will be of interest to others.

       The strength of the core idea, and your commitment to it, will carry you through the challenges it takes to make a film.

       As you go forward, your energy may diminish. This dip in interest is natural and happens to everyone.

       Learn to differentiate between input that makes a contribution, and input that becomes a distraction.

       The core idea, and the elements related to it, are continually changing and evolving.

      CHAPTER 2

      FOCUSING YOUR ENERGIES

      1. Set limits on your project from the beginning.

      2. Let the project inform you about which way it wants to go.

      3. Look for, and find, the key idea in your project.

       4. Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish?”

      5. If you don’t frame your idea, the project may become unmanageable.

      6. Create a one-sheet description to define the project.

      If you don’t set limits on your project from the beginning, you may never finish! One of the main challenges filmmakers face is going overboard: doing too much research, shooting too many interviews, coming up with too many ideas, spending too much money, and taking too long to edit the film.

      To finish a film, you have to decide how best to use what you have to work with. You cannot predict that your resources will grow. You may or may not raise more money as you go. You may attract more volunteers, but you can’t count on it.

      So, be realistic. Don’t expect miracles, and put together what you can — without going into debt, cutting yourself off from friends and family, or getting sick.

      I’ve learned all this the hard way.

      The magic words are focus, focus, and focus. If you can focus, you can pace yourself. And if you can pace yourself, you will have time for a relatively normal life as well.

      Ideally, a good film can be described in one strong sentence. Writing that sentence will help you focus. The sentence should include:

      1. Subject;

      2. Verb (action);

      3. Purpose.

      Funders, for example, expect you to be able to say what you are doing and why, succinctly. For example:

      1. Radiance (subject);

      2. brings together the light in nature with spiritual illumination (what the film does);

      3. to create a tapestry which connects the day-to-day world with the infinite (why).

      This chapter is about focusing your energies and setting limits, so you can finish — and finish without exhausting yourself and your resources.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF FINISHING YOUR FILM

       At the beginning of the film, focus on the subject and set limits. Without a focus and a goal, you can end up shooting, raising money, interviewing people, and tweaking scenes forever.

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