Steve Friendship
MM 2004 Film MakerWhat was your experience of the Pitch day?
My main memory is that it was very tense. The waiting, oh, the waiting. We had an indecently early start from Nottingham with the EM crew and it felt like the afternoon when we got there. There was a long wait to the first pitch, and a wait to the second. We went from nervous, to tense, to over hyped, to hyperventilating, to having too much coffee, to 5 seconds of calm, and in you go. 10 minutes later, it starts all over again.
In the end we were elated and jubilant, as we proceded to the next round, had too much to drink, and had to stop the bus for a wee-wee on the way home.
What tips would you give prospective pitchers?
Story, Story, Story. Sod the rules, forget the locations, ditch the look. Story: beginning, middle, end. What happens to whom? Go in with energy, with enthusiasm, sell it, beleive in it. Go in with a friend, it keeps the energy levels up, if you dry they take over and you have someone to discuss how it went, make revisions & devise strategies between pitches. Practice your pitch a few days before - in an ideal world ;-) - and keep the story clear and simple (even if it isn't).
How can film makers get the most out of Mini Masterpieces?
Forget the restrictions and make the best film you can. Think of what you could make, rather than what you can't. The four films made last year have set a good standard in terms filmmaking and production values, because all the filmmakers felt they could go beyond the limitations of the rules, and make something brilliant in spite of the rules.
No one is going to help you. You won't get nannyed through the process, if you want some extras, if you want a location, if you want an actor you will have to find them. It is up to you to make the film work. The edit & post production facilities were fantastic, with a very skilled operators,don't worry about this; worry about the shoot and whether you have got the footage.
Work with creative people you know and trust. Know what you want and don't back down. Be prepared to adapt and be flexible. You will know when and where to apply these previous two tips.
Go to the parties, but beware of the Death Of Parties, who is the bloke who talks bollocks to you, well after the real party has finished.
What was it like being at Brief Encounters?
Well...I didn't see many films!
Overall it was a fantastic experience, and like anything worthwhile, you will have to put a lot in to get a lot out. Work hard, play hard, have a sense of humour, and when this fails, the delegate's room has free wine. I met loads of interesting and committed people, and being part of Mini Masterpieces means you can talk to anyone as everyone is interested in what you are doing - or maybe that's how it seemed to me! The teams from the other regions were great, and there was a good spirit of comeraderie, some even appearing as extras in my film - for a few beers. The best moment was having my film shown at the award ceremony, and the audience laughed at the right places...Phew!
One downer; if the Mini Masterpiece's crew T shirts were cooler, you could cut more of a dash in and around Bristol.
What did the experience mean to you? What are you doing now?
Being a filmmaker means there are good and bad times. Before Mini Masterpieces I was having a bit of a dissapointing patch, and nothing I was involved in seemed to be working out; shit happens. I think making a film under these tough conditions gave me a lot of confidence in my ability, confidence in the people I was working with, and confidence with what I can achieve. I now have good relationship with EM Media, have a wider set of contacts, things are generally working out and Coda won an award at the Houston IFF. Since making Coda I have contributed to and made 14 shorts, including one as part of the 48 Hour Film Challenge (if you think Mini Masterpieces is tough, try this one!), next up is a music video which is going to be quite out there, and I have been shortlisted for DV Shorts (regional DV scheme) and am developing the script as I write.