Another film finished

Another film finished. Not sure what is next. Everything is wide open right now. I know of only one film in production in New Orleans. Now is the time to come and make a movie here. Crew are ready to work.

So far this year I have worked on a TV series and two indie films (both dark thrillers for some reason). My job title has gone up, but my rate has gone down. I am still not doing what I want to be doing which is producing, directing, and writing my own films. Or at the least producing other's shows.

It is an exciting yet scary time to be working in Film and TV Production in New Orleans. We are at a lull that we haven't seen since 2008. Back then we had five indie films all about the same size pop up together and compete for crew. Right now there are two films in pre production that I know of in New Orleans: Homefront and Oldboy.

This is a great opportunity for indie filmmakers, especially local indie filmmakers, to get movies made. It is a time for local producers, writers, and directors to really step up and take a chance on making a feature or a pilot. Crew and vendors are out there and willing and wanting to make deals to go to work.

The lull we are in is a clear example of why we need to foster and embrace more local productions. We cannot sit back and depend on studios or outside productions to keep our local Film and TV industry running. We have to be generating and creating productions and content.

We have the crew. We have the vendors. I know we have the writers and directors and even the producers. Now we need the funding for local productions. Funding is always the key. And we need to find a way to get locally created and produced films and TV shows funded, from both private resources as well as grants for smaller indie films.

I am not sure of the "how" when it comes to funding. I am like a lot of others who want to be doing this trying to figure out the question, "How do we get this project funded?" But, I am not willing to sit back anymore and hope someone comes in with a production to save us. I know myself and others are always trying to find the answer to that question.

I am not going anywhere. I said after Katrina I was staying here until the Gulf washed us away. I stand by that. So I have to figure out how to create a true local film culture, as do the others who want to stay here and who love films like I do. I have to help make this a city where films are not just made, but they are created here. And I have to help make this a city which loves films and filmmaking as much as we love music, writing, art, food, and drink.

There we are. As I said, things are wide open. And if you have a film or TV project you have always wanted to make, now is the time to jump in and do it. This doesn't mean it will be successful. But this is  the time to get it made. This is our time to rise up and become true filmmakers.