9 Routes to Breaking in as a Film Director

By Elliot Grove

There are nine routes to consider when launching your career as a director. Before you decide which route to take, research the careers of directors you admire and see if you can see which route they followed.remember,that there is no such thing as a route - only a route that is good for you: one that allows you to maximise you abilities and talent.

The 9 Routes

The Pixar Script Suite

Their crews are huge and their budgets are even bigger, jumping up to almost $200 million a few times and are all animated, a few things most indie filmmakers never deal with. Well the main reason their films are so successful isn’t the size of the crew, or the big name director or the ridiculous budget, it’s the story.

Pixar is able to, time and again, craft compelling stories, which strike us in a very emotional and pure way and take us on a journey most other films don’t even come close to offering. The stories repeatedly appeal to both young and old and never seem to disappoint.

Whether you are working in the same league as Pixar or on an independent level there are many things you can learn by studying Pixar’s craft.

Read a Pixar script!

Is Michael Bay The New Hitchcock?

We have a new filmmaking student in from the States as an unpaid intern - Mike Ellis. He has written a short, sweet article: Is Michael Bay the New Hitchcock?

Hope you enjoy is as much as I did.

How Filmmakers Annoy Journalists

I was having a morning coffee in Soho, London today with one of the country's leading film critic. He was waiting for a preview screening across the road at Mr Youngs (now called Soho Screening Room).

We were discussing how filmmakers approach journalists, or not, when this journo launched into a tirade.

I made notes as fast as I could and then typed it up:

10 Ways Filmmakers Annoy Journalists.

Enjoy

Music and Filmmakers

We all know music plays a vital role in the movies and how we perceive the protagonist rise or fall. In a scene in Office Space three computer programmers take their anger out on a fax machine in an open country field with a baseball bat. The slow motion drop kicks, homerun swings, and punches that gut the inanimate object are punctuated by a song by the 'Geto Boys'. It's the contrast between these nerdy white collared 30-somethings and a hard-core rap song that make this scene forever burned in moviegoers minds.

Raindance has some truly great takes on movies and music. Here are three that describe what goes into those magical scenes that make you laugh, cry, and fear for the characters on screen.

1. James Burbidge: 5 Things I learned about Film from Song Lyrics: Its a look at what a filmmaker must think when hearing meaningful songs on the radio and how those little memorable lyrics could fit in his next movie.
2. Sarah Romeo: Music Rights: The costs and licenses needed to put a great song at the right moment of your movie. Includes some low-budget options.
3. Charlie Burroughs: Top 10 Songs Performed by Music Characters: The best scenes where characters become artists and belt out the lyrics of famous songs.

"There is no paper jam why does it say paper jam":

Manage Your Online Reputation

Source: Elliot Grove, Raindance Founder

Filmmaking as a career is difficult enough without having to constantly be looking over your shoulder to see what others are saying about you on the internet.

There is no escape from the internet and what people say about you. A filmmaker's online reputation is fast becoming almost as important as the films themselves. Another factor frequently overlooked by filmmakers is that the internet and social media has become a powerful marketing tool. 

The nightmare scenario is that a negative comment about you or your film will spread through search engines and social media sites like wildfire. Managing your online reputation correctly will enable you to take control of your reputation yourself. You can never erase negative feedback or comments. It's about creating, maintaining and managing the reputation you want people to have of you.

Step 1 Read the advice

Elliot Grove Signs onto 'Boogie Nights 2: Down With The Indie'

Raindance Film Festival founder Elliot Grove has found his second calling as an actor. After signing a lucrative contract with Boogie Entertainment, he has agreed to play the role of Rick Bulauch in the much-anticipated sequel, 'Boogie Nights 2: Down With The Indie," due in theatres early next year. Raindance founder Grove, is ecstatic about the opportunity: "It's a dream come true," he said. "Boogie Nights is a cinematic gem, and I am thrilled to work on the sequel with such a powerhouse team."

Full details and photo