Sometimes you do things that make you feel like a right bastard, I've been reading 'The Writers Tale' finally got round to picking it up again. He talks a lot of sense, it's real insight and almost like finding a kindrid spirit with a similar work ethic. Although I'm not for one second kidding myself that Russell T. Davies and I would ever be friends.
If you find a project that you believe in, you will push whatever you can to get it made. Sometimes you have to take charge and walk over people. I hate that thought, steamrollering your way through people to make a change and a difference, but in hindsight that's the only way small people get started. Believe in yourself and make others believe in you too.
When I contacted the directors the first question was "can you make a short film in 5 weeks." his answer ended with "Nothing is possible, I always believe :)"
In reality there was a lot of pressure on that question. Without the right answer things could've been different, storylining and scripting would probably still be ongoing, I'd be sitting back and writing and fretting about my day (or night as it is at the moment) job. Because he believed it could be done, I believed it could be done. I became obsessed and almost possessed. E-mailing people and sending messages when I got home at 5:30 in the morning. Hunting down locations I knew would be possible and practical, really wanting to get as much sorted as soon as possible.
It is now 4 weeks until deadline day.
We have a script,
We have a location
We have a schedule
We have a shooting script
We have directors
If we can get an actress within the next three days then start to film next week. That leaves 2 weeks for editing and post production. At this point I have to put things in the hands of talented people, but I have faith that they will come through.
The second point that has dawned on me, is that I am for all intents and purpose this is partly mine. I can take it away, claim ownership, take all kinds of praise... Or be the punchbag if things fail. My dad has always tried to protect me from failure, but his way has always been to tell me to step back and not get too deeply involved. I hope that with this he can understand that it's ok for me to take these risks and get deeply and passionately involved.
I feel more relaxed, because I know that if for whatever reason we fail to make Sundance:London. Then the project doesn't stop or die or fade away. It still gets made, it enters other festivals, because I and the execs will all have a piece of this and have the power to push it wherever we like as hard as we can.
