Considering I took a 5 month hiatus after leaving Indiewire, there were a lot of posts on Hope For Film in 2012, many by me and many by a great group of collaborators and contributors. Today we present the 25 posts from 2012 that got the most traffic this year. What’s important about all of them is that they’re a dialogue, about film and with the film community. As always, please add to that dialogue, contribute your voice. Without it, the independent film community doesn’t exist.
1. Film Production Methods: The “Better” Way Vs. The Easy Way (In 15 Steps)
A sequel to my 2010 post Ten Things We Could All Do On Our Productions, I decided to crowdsource a new list. I provided the first 7, and you stepped in with your suggestions.
2. 10+ Things To Think About If You Want To Make A Better Movie
Sometimes we need to think about what matters in life, what are our values. Holding them near and dear can elevate the art of what we do.
3. Why Make This Movie? 15 Answers To A Question That Should Be Asked More Often
15 questions I ask myself — and you should ask yourself — about why you’re making your movie.
4. Will the internet free motion pictures from the old ways of telling stories?
Randy Finch runs through the history of movies and ponders whether the internet will change storytelling as we know it.
5. Twenty Tips For Packaging Your Project Successfully
In September, Jay Van Hoy and I had a public discussion for IFP’s Independent Film Week on how to package your film. I wrote this to help prepare me for the discussion.
6. Everything I Know About Producing, Part 1 and Part 2.
I was in Sydney, Australia courtesy of Screen Australia to do a Two Day Workshop on Producing. Screen Hub journalist Andrew Einspruch took careful notes and here they are.
7. 7 Reasons To Release Your Film For Free
Todd Sklar explains why you should release your film for free.
8. The Elephant In The Room: Indie Filmmakers Can Not Survive As Things Are
IFP’s Independent Film Week in NYC left me thinking about a pivotal issue, what Indie FIlmmakers need to be able to do to survive.
9. The Best Way For An Independent Filmmaker To Make Money?
More of my thoughts from my workshop with Screen Australia.
10. A Partial Letter, Catching An Old Friend Up To Where I Now Am
A letter to a friend about where I am now became a rumination on the state of film that seemed like something to share with you all.
11. Ten Rules On The Producer’s Role In Development
“On one hand there’s the methods we use to develop scripts, and on the other there’s the process….”
12. Diary of a Film Start-Up Part 1: Every movie ever made…
Roger Jackson started a great series for us — Diary of A Film Start-Up — documenting his own creation of a platform for online distribution. The entire series is a great read, and this is where it all starts.
13. 12 Questions Toward The Future Of FIlm Festivals
I gave the Keynote Address at the International Film Festival Summit in Austin, Texas, and ended the talk with a host of questions — 12 to be exact, and here they are.
14. What Is The Great Hope For The Future Of Cinema?
What do you think can really change and move things forward in both the near and distant future?
15. Who Is Making The Best Short Films Out There?
There are a lot of great shorts and directors out there, as I got to see when I judged TopFest NYC this year.
16. Why Our (Film) Elites Stink
The debate around Christopher Hayes’ book “Twilight of the Elites” got me thinking about how the film industry suffers from some of the same problems as our government and the banking industry.
17. There’s Nothing More Important Than The Third Act
Scott Meek discusses the most important part of a film — the third act.
18. Five Reasons I Have NEW Hope For Film
Some things that have inspired me.
19. Crowdfunding: Getting Beyond your Family and Friends
We had a lot of great posts about Kickstarter and crowdfunding this year on Hope For Film, and all of them are worth reading for anybody considering their own options. This one is by Antonia Opiah.
20. Why I Chose To Lead The San Francisco Film Society
In case you missed it, I took the role of Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society. Here’s my explanation as to what interests and excites me about the position.
21. Kickstarter for Filmmakers — Is Crowdfunding Right For You?
James Cooper wrote an Ebook all about Kickstarter, called Kickstarter for Filmmakers and was gracious enough to give us several great excerpts, including this one.
22. Saving Indie Film With Facebook
Reid Rosefelt has started to give us regular articles focusing on Social Media, marketing, and Facebook. Here’s the first of many.
23. Independent Distribution In America Is Seriously Threatened
A frank discussion about the problems with independent film distribution.
24. 16+ Thoughts On Picking A Producer’s Rep
Advice on what to look for in a producer’s rep.
25. Don’t Hide. Declare You Are Here & Plan To F*ck Sh*t Up
What are you waiting for? Don’t ask for permission. Don’t wait to be discovered. And don’t expect to get any help. Who needs it?
