The Producers Lab with Kristin Fairweather

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The Producers Lab with Kristin Fairweather

UPDATE: Since completing the Producers Lab, Kristin Fairweather and Jenny Deller participated in FIND’s 2010 Fast Track financing market and are now in post-production on their debut feature, Future Weather. The film also participated in the IFP’s 2011 Narrative Rough Lab, and has received several Alfred P. Sloan grants, from Film Independent and the Tribeca Film Institute. Future Weather stars Lily Taylor, Amy Madigan, William Sadler and Perla Haney-Jardine

Fighting the Good Fight: Producer Kristin Fairweather on Future Weather, the Producers Lab, and the Journey

The times they are a-changin’…

As a producer, I’m still getting accustomed to the highs and lows of producing. My producing partner, Jenny Deller, and I have seen many peaks and valleys over the past few years developing our first feature, Future Weather. Our project was selected as a finalist for major film contest, the script won a best screenplay award from the Nantucket Film Festival, and we’ve entered into talks with an Oscar-nominated actress to star. But for every one of these achievements, we’ve had ten times as many disappointments and rejections. I guess it goes with the territory.

A definite high was the day I found out Future Weather was selected for FIND’s Producers Lab(2009). Little did I know that this victory would bring me face-to-face with another harsh reality: indie filmmaking is a lot more treacherous than it used to be. Keep reading to find out why despite all the challenges, I still want to keep climbing the mountain (and think you should too)…

First stop: The FIND Filmmaker Forum. At this three-day conference that precedes the Producer’s Lab, the mood of the panels reflected the uneasiness that accompanies any period of intense change and uncertainty. The film industry is undergoing a metamorphosis from development on through to distribution and marketing. So the Forum was littered with horror stories ranging from Minimum Guarantees not covering production costs to selling your film only to have it never see the light of day.

As the bad news kept coming, I began wondering: how do we stay motivated and optimistic as indie filmmakers today? The seeds of an answer were sitting right in front of me: by pooling our knowledge in forums like this. Other lessons offered that weekend encompassed the same fundamental wisdom: educate yourself as a filmmaker. Come to the table armed with information. Once you get your film made, know your options. If you find yourself in the fortunate position of getting into a big festival, then hire a publicist. If you find yourself in the enviable position of having distributors interested in your film, know what a good deal is. It’s no longer enough to make a great film; if you want to sustain your career, you need to understand how to market, sell, and distribute your film.

Next stop: the FIND Producers Lab. I found myself in the company of a talented, ambitious and diverse group of people and projects. The focus of the scripts ranged from tales of kidnapping, murder, immigration, and a gold rush action feature to a very cool and unique take on cloning. The scripts all had well-drawn characters and strong narrative voices. As I sat in coffee shops reading them, I found myself doing the things I often do in the theater when a film inspires and challenges me: laughing, crying and rooting for the characters. It reminded me of why the fight to get good films made is such a worthy endeavor.

The focus of the Lab is to help the participants get to the next step: getting our films made. Tightening financing and production plans and getting insight from seasoned producers was the perfect way to put the idea of becoming an educated and prepared filmmaker into action. Each week our Lab instructor, Naomi Despres (Chapter 27, Winged Creatures), regaled us with stories to teach us how to persevere through the obstacles that will inevitably come our way. For the second session each week, we were visited by guest speakers that shared expertise on everything from budgets and crewing up to foreign sales and distribution scenarios. The willingness of these filmmakers to share their own ups and downs, mistakes, victories and heartaches was another reminder that independent films are made through communities.

As we got to know each other and our films, the lab developed a sense of camaraderie. We bonded over the scary reality that the blood-sweat-and-tears poured into our first films doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be able to quit our day jobs. So it was good to have people to laugh with when we got more terrifying news: we were going to pitch our scripts in front of a live audience – a live audience of two hundred people. On a stage that was lit, mic’d, and broadcast on giant TV screens.

Our pitching session was a featured panel at the American Film Market. We had three minutes to sell our projects to a trio of seasoned producers: Peggy Rajski (Bee Season, The Grifters), Gail Mutrux (Kinsey, Nurse Betty) and Caroline Barron (Capote, Monsoon Wedding). Jenny and I had to go last, and all I can say is the experience will forever after make pitching in an elevator a piece of cake. In the end, everyone did a great job. The panelists were constructive. I learned that above all else be prepared walking in and be genuine in your delivery. As a producer you are selling the director’s vision and what unique talents they will bring to the picture. Don’t bog your pitch down with details. Begin your pitch with any good news you have like notable talent attached or industry kudos for your script. Know the answers to the likely follow up questions: the status of funding, casting, target audience and marketing and distribution plans.

Throughout my time in L.A., I wanted to absorb every ounce of knowledge I could about how to navigate the new reality facing independent filmmakers. I walked away with a feeling that indie film is returning to its true Do-It-Yourself roots. To survive as a producer today you have to be able to work with less financing while inventing creative ways to market, produce, and distribute your film.

So my parting message (one I will be using as a mantra as we continue to work to get Future Weather into production) is: Don’t. Give. Up. At the close of the Lab Naomi sent us a note reminding us to fight the good fight and feel the highs and lows of the process. We will get our films made. These are beautiful stories that are going to move audiences. Whether that audience is sitting at their laptop or in a theater or scrolling through choices in their living room, they will continue to seek out meaningful content. So to all of you fellow filmmakers out there, don’t give up. Apply for grants, and then apply again, submit your scripts to contests, apply for filmmaking labs, create a traditional distribution plan along with a self-distribution plan. The times are a-changin’, and that might not be such a bad thing.

- by Kristin Fairweather for Film Independent

There’s still time to apply for Film Independent’s Producers Lab! Application deadline is July 11!!