To Learn more about Scriptwriting check out my Indie Filmmaking School    When creating characters, a common mistake many new writers make is to create characters that are too similar to one another. I made that mistake countless times myself. If the characters we have created are too similar to one another, they will act in the same way, will wear identical clothes, or will order the same place in the same place. Your reader will quickly get confused, often too confused to carry on reading your screenplay. In your, the writer’s, mind you might be seeing your characters very differently than you describe them on paper. However, your reader will not see what is in your mind. For the reader to know what you see, you need to include the differences between your characters in your script. It can be anything from the way they wear their hair to the type of tea they drink in the morning. If your characters are too similar, you will lose your reader pretty quickly, and your screenplay …

You worked incredibly hard to complete your film; you spent years editing and begging people for favours, especially when your project had no budget for anything; the years of hard work have finally paid off and now your film is finished. You believe in your project and your talent, and deep down in your heart, you know that your film is going to be the toast of countless film festivals, which will make finding a sales agent to represent your film much easier. Well, in the old days of gatekeepers and pre-Internet days that was surely the way to “make it” in our industry and to be noticed as a talented filmmaker. But since the Internet revolution, a lot has changed for everyone in the industry. And having an agent to represent your film is not a must any longer. However, some filmmakers still would like to find a sales agent to represent their perfect work. Before you embark on your research, read my short text below: Patience. It takes a long time to find …

As filmmakers, we work hard and put a lot of energy into developing, shooting and completing our projects. The whole process of putting a film together is so intense that it often leaves us with very little energy and shrinking financial resources to properly market and promote our film. Every time I finish a film, I hope that merely by the touch of a magic wand it will become huge, massive, gigantic, and successful. Unfortunately, it is just wishful thinking and has nothing to do with reality and often keeps us stuck in the same spot, year after year. I have decided to put together a short list that could help you get started on the journey of putting yourself and your projects proudly out and feeling no shame for what you have created.   Start building the brand awareness for your film while you are still developing the project. There is no shame in showing your audience how the inspiration for this project came your way or how you are progressing with your project. …

I realise that this romantic notion of a suffering and starving filmmaker is still firmly imprinted on a lot my fellow filmmakers’ minds. But unfortunately, in our global, on steroids, changing market place, this idea only can harm filmmakers, not bring anything positive to their long-term careers.  In reality, it doesn’t matter how great your project is, how much time you spend making your film or show, and how much it cost you (my guess is that with an indie production your funding will be pretty limited). If you have no way of showing and screening your film to the audience, you are screwed. You need an audience, and it doesn’t matter if you made your film for the cinema release, film festivals, or online platforms. You want and need eyeballs to watch your work. However, marketing, promotion and getting your film in front of the audience is not an easy task and throughout the world young filmmakers are being taught that this job should be done by the marketing and promotional departments. Of course, …