Devoloping A New Strategy

Not getting development money is a funny thing. Basically a company is saying we are not going to pay you to do something that you are already doing and will most likely continue to do without getting paid. I just got turned down for twelve grand that I was planning on putting towards a couple of research trips and using to give myself a little more room to sit down and write. But financing or no financing I'm still gonna write another draft of "Living-Room War" and then another, and another until it's finally a screenplay that I feel is ready to produce. The fear of failure is incredibly high and it's easy to get bogged down and think, "well if they won't support the project financially, it must be no good." But that's just a game of hope and fear.

I made a decision before finding out the results of the grant that I would try some diversification tactics and so I'm going to spend the next couple of months writing the first draft of my second feature length screenplay, "Ten Years In". I've by no means given up on "Living-Room War," but I have lately realized that the plan to raise 2.5 to 3 million dollars in the next three years is a very tough goal, so with that in mind I've decided to make a five to seven hundred thousand dollar Super16mm feature first. I don't want to crush "Living-Room War" into a little box in order to make it for super cheap, so now I'm thinking that it will have to be my second feature. It's difficult to make decisions like this. I feel very ready to make a 90+ minute theatrical film as opposed to pouring more time and resources into more shorts and documentaries, so it's time to step things up and get one off the ground. I'm applying for another development grant next month for "Ten Years In" and I'm feeling really freed up by my new plan.