MMT_Castings

Friends,

the time has come to stop thinking traditionally. You probably know that by now - the information is all around us and the changes in technology, economics and audience cannot be ignored. While times like these hold a lot of insecurity and fear, they also offer endless opportunities. If you have identified some of those opportunities, read on.

A few weeks ago I posted an ad on craigslist. Like many, I too cruise online discussion boards to find things of interest and was amazed by the amount of productions trying to materialize. True, many of them cannot be considered seriously, but here and there there were serious professionals trying to lift something off the ground. So I posted an ad, addressing those professionals only and offered to connect and work. The ad addressed the wealth of junk that exists on craigslist and the despair one can feel in these times. I also wrote, however, something I strongly believe in - that you only need to surround yourself with the right people, and you will have a fighting chance against the rest of the problems.

The response to this ad was overwhelming. I received many replies from producers, directors and other unexpected professionals such as actors, screenwriters, photographers and more. They all had one thing in common - they were entrepreneurs, not willing to give up because the times are tough. Many of them were established in their fields, a fact which was surprising to me. Nevertheless this kicked off a process which continues in the page you are reading now.

The time has come to seriously think outside of the box. The traditional ways of playing this game have changed, and the immediate future belongs to those who can move quickly and efficiently. The roles have changed as well. You now need to understand in marketing as a producer, in production and its limitations if you are a director, and everyone needs to think about distribution. You cannot afford too many employees anymore, you need partners - people who will feel they are in the boat with you and care enough to invest much more than what the job description says.

This is possible. An idea, or a good story, is worth today much more than before. The wealth of communication methods (distribution methods actually) means more content is needed. Yes, its harder to get money - but the technology allows us to shoot cheaper. You no longer need to be a multi-million dollar corporation or studio to reach millions - you just need internet access.

This is a game of creativity now. I started as a DP, and this is still what I mainly do. But I believe the roles have changed, and that I need to be involved, not hired. The same creativity which is used to find new camera angles to tell a story can be used to find new ways to look at an idea and push it forward. I have started doing this for a few projects, and found this to be a far greater advantage than offering a camera or any other piece of equipment to a production. Lets work together.

http://www.talazar.net

View the full version of this California Craigslist casting here...