Slate and Lens

In this episode, Sara Elizabeth Timmins talks about producing during these uncertain times. She's organizing the Filmmaker Workout, a four-week series of classes to support independent storytellers, held online in April. Learn more at slateandlens.com.

The pandemic is causing massive interruptions to our daily lives and the film industry. School is out, most things are closing (including the cinema), film festivals are cancelled, and breaking news inundates us daily. For the Oh Crappy Day team, however, the coronavirus (COVID-19) is one of many hurdles faced while crowdfunding and making a movie. We talk about how they've pivoted to get the green light on Seed&Spark, and what they're doing to stay focused during chaotic times.

Step one is figuring out what you want. From there, it's pretty easy to reverse engineer your success. This is true no matter what your experience level is or the dream you're interested in chasing. You can do it! I hope this episode helps.

Steven P. Neilson is the executive producer of Oh Crappy Day, a film featuring a character with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He talks about building a budget and long lasting relationships while making a feature-length film in the South. The team is currently in the middle of a crowdfunding campaign on Seed&Spark. Remember to join our podcast community for free to introduce yourself, share your work, and potentially land your next gig.

How do you break into the film industry? How do you take your career to the next level? These are questions I think about a lot. Here are some suggestions to help you think through it, too. As always, I don't claim to have all the answers but you can join our podcast community to keep the conversation going long after the episode ends.

Jon Lance Bacon is the writer-director of Oh Crappy Day, a romantic comedy about a young man looking for love while trying to keep his OCD on the down low. It's based on his firsthand experience with OCD, and the award-winning short film by the same name. What is it like to write, direct, and crowdfund for a feature film in the South? Listen in and find out. Check out their crowdfunding campaign on Seed&Spark to see clips from the film, and make a contribution to help them bring the film to their target audience.

In episode seven, Kimberly Best talks about being a one-woman show. She has shot, edited, and distributed more than 40 short films following her career in print journalism. Kim has traveled a lot as a filmmaker, and drops knowledge on how to do that without losing your sense of humor – especially when things don't go according to plan. Watch her film What a Scientist Looks Like on Sunday, March 1st, in Durham, N.C., at Alice Fest.

Building an audience for your film might feel like a daunting task. Let this episode clear any overwhelm you're feeling. I break it down into two very simple steps you can take right now to start building an audience today – to save time, frustration, energy, and money. Let me know if you have any questions about it. Join our Facebook group to speak up and meet your fellow filmmakers.

Lana Garland is the director of the Hayti Heritage Film Festival. It is held in Durham, N.C., and begins on Thursday, February 13, 2020.

Jess Barbour is an actor – who has defined success for herself – with more than 100 credits to her name on stage and screen. She has lived and worked in places like New York City, and is currently based in Raleigh, N.C., where she stays busy as an actor, teacher, and choreographer. She is one of the lead actors in Oh Crappy Day, a feature-length film about a young man looking for love while trying to keep his OCD on the down low. Jess earned a B.F.A. in theatre from Elon University.

While launching this podcast, I have had all sorts of tech troubles. Here's a story about picking my major in college, and how it's helped me deal with all kinds of challenges in my film career. I hope this episode inspires you to overcome whatever challenges you're currently facing. If you're struggling with something right now, reach out to see if I can help you. Look for @slateandlens on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Ian Jordan is producer of Brownstone, a short film that is currently in post-production. He sat down with writer-director Shawn Pinner in 2019 and said, "Shut up, let's make the movie." In this episode he talks about wearing many different hats on set, getting support from our families, and making a movie within a few months.

John Wilkins III is an actor living in Atlanta, G.A., and working as an actor. In this interview we discuss what the industry is like for actors, film incentives, and balancing income while honing your craft. We gush about watching movies on DVDs back in the day, which helped us fall in love with film. Fun fact, he also happens to be my cousin and starred in my first scripted film, Trophy, in 2013.

Are you waiting for the stars to align? Stop hesitating and start working towards your dreams right now. It's 2020! We're going to go big – together. Are you ready? Go to slateandlens.com to get the free download mentioned in this episode.