"Well organized"? You mean, "BORING AS HELL!"

Last week I mentioned the name of my current project “American Dachau”; a short documentary about the Atascadero State Mental Hospital, and the mistreatment administered to homosexuals during the first 30 years of its existence. Since I am currently in pre-production, I thought it would be beneficial to discuss how I approach this important aspect of the filmmaking process and the benefits of being well organized.

Being an “independent filmmaker” means wearing a lot of different hats throughout the entire production, especially in pre-production. Even if you are blessed to have a dedicated research assistant along with a producer, it is up to you to guide their efforts in a way that is efficient and productive. This means having a clear understanding of the information you need to tell your story, and where to get it. While the Internet has made these tasks infinitely easier, do not be surprised if you find yourself mining such antiquated resources as microfiche at the local law library. In other words, we now have even more information at our disposal, making it of even greater importance that we remain well organized.
People have asked me if it’s possible to be “too organized” and my answer is, “of course”. The purpose of organization is to facilitate the decision-making process. From the first day of pre-production to the last festival you submit to, you are going to make about 10,000 choices. It is vital, therefore, that we do all we can to make it easier to make good decisions. Good organization is the key and it can’t be “faked”.

This is probably the most challenging discipline to teach an artist. As artists we are far more interested in the creative aspects of our medium. Thus, “well organized” is just another expression for “boring as hell”. Here is where the rubber hits the road for many who wish to join the “independent filmmaker” ranks and fail. I have been the unfortunate witness to countless productions that started with noble intentions, but later succumbed to a lack of discipline. Again, I cannot stress enough that good organization is the key.

So what do I mean by “good organization”? For me this means a great deal of planning and forethought before you even pick up a camera. It also means finding a method for expressing my ideas and then having the ability to examine and modify them later. The photo above is of an item that I have come to regard as indispensible in my work as a filmmaker: the whiteboard.

As you may notice, the level of detail ranges from the specific to the 30,000ft level. This is one of the many reasons why I love it. It allows me to get a fairly comprehensive viewpoint of my project and the stage that I am in as it relates to the whole. But maybe the whiteboard isn’t for you.  Perhaps you prefer something more discreet. It really doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you find something that will allow you to see the path ahead clearly. The same goes for your methods of saving contacts, making appointments, keeping notes, setting milestones; in short, anything related to your research. Your methods should make it easier for you to make sound decisions and stay the course. If you find yourself constantly stubbing your toe against unforeseen circumstances, it’s likely due to poor organization. So while it may be possible to be “too organized”, my recommendation is that you over-compensate until you find the right balance; in this case too much is better than too little.

Next week we will discuss more pre-production duties, including where to look for information and how to get it. Until then, here is a link to a behind the scene’s look at the making of the documentary “Witch Hunt”.  Pay particular attention to the kind of research the directors had to do.