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If you are making your film yourself without the benefit of traditional backing you will probably find yourself writing, producing and acting in your own film. But that is not to say that you won’t need help. You will have to be completely active in all phases of the production. Such are the joys of the independent filmmaker. However, you will need help. You will need other actors, sound people (someone has to hold that boom), camera operators, and so on.
If you are in school studying film you have a perfect group of people to draw from to get your film made. It is a “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” situation. Students help each other to get their films made. Each of us has a specific talent and we can contribute that to the production at hand. If you are not in school you may have to convince your friends to help you with your film. It shouldn’t be too difficult because it is exciting to be involved with making a film.
Of course you can’t get all the help you need from you friends and family. You will have to go with associates that have the same desire to make film that you do. This means you have to find social events that allow you to network with others that have a similar interest in film. Networking is going to be important from start to finish with the production of you film. It would be wise to make a business card with your contact information on it, maybe even make your own website.
Make contact lists of people you might be able to gain assistance from in the various fields of expertise. It doesn’t matter if this is you first film or you 21st. You may begin to use the same people as you learn whom you work best with. Some of the disciplines you may need are: electricians, carpenters, camera operators, audio engineers, make-up artists, set designers, locations scouts, script supervisors, costumers, publicists, and finally craft people for your food service.
Once you make a list of these contacts remember to keep careful track of them. Make copies of contact lists stored in a number of places. It will make you crazy if your computer crashes and all the info for your crew is on it, so make back up contact lists.
You may learn to live without some of these positions on the production of your film, but chances are you will be picking up the slack for that position. You may find yourself directing a film and doing make-up or wardrobe at the same time. Multi-tasking is the name of the game and you get better at it as you go along.
Many new filmmakers are actually in film school and they use what and who they have available to them. This means working with people that may be a little flaky in their punctuality. However, each filmmaker has their own film that they want to make and they will give you good work with the expectation that they will get it in return on their film.