Daniel J. Harris on making money vs passion projects…
As filmmakers we all start out with grand ideas of making the next big hit at Sundance or becoming the new Tarantino, maybe even getting a studio offer. Some are in it for the art, some for the glory, others for the money. Or so they say.
The reality can be very different. We all need to get paid! I can’t pay my rent with pats on the back I’ve received at the latest round of Chapter Moviemaker in Cardiff, and my mobile phone contract provider doesn’t accept Facebook likes from my latest video posted as currency. It’s a shame really, but a reality.
So… we all need paying jobs in order to work in the industry. Or we work a regular day job and use our spare time for filmmaking. When you’re pulling in a wage from within, or the fringes of, the industry you tend to find you are afforded more opportunities and you make more connections. Actually working and earning money gives you a lot more credibility! “Hi, I’m a filmmaker”, you say, “Wow, what have you worked on?” they reply. Cue blank expressions from both. Awkward silence. You muster up… “Uh, nothing”. You have instantly lost the credibility and excitement that you earned only seconds earlier.
So, we all need to work. We all need to make money. And, often that means taking on a job that you don’t really care for, have very little interest in or have been told by the powers that be to do as ‘it’s your job, don’t argue with me!’ – which is something I’ve heard plenty! Getting dragged into the mire that is making other people’s films can be soul destroying. You try and do the best you can, but sometimes when it’s raining, it’s cold and it’s already 8.30pm on a Friday and you’ve missed beers with the boys it can be tough to give a flying thingy about the job. It’s just a job!
This is the worst position in the world for a filmmaker! You’ve no doubt studied, worked hard, made films for free and bust a gut to get yourself an opportunity in the industry. And now, you’re making a promotional video for an egotistical businessman who is absolutely certain his new brand of dog food is going to take the world by storm because his neighbour’s dog loves it. And so… camera rolls… action…. and…. yep… he fluffs his lines again and you need another take! It’s going to be a long night!
Boys and girls I’m afraid this is an inevitable truth for most of us. We need to make the bucks to pay the bills and Mr Big Business is paying top dollar for his online promo video. Make him happy, get it in the can and get out of there! Don’t let it grind you down!
To balance the scales every filmmaker needs to keep a passion project going in the background. Find a little time here and there to put something into it. Work with others who are passionate about the same subject and feed off each other’s energy. Make sure that your passion for filmmaking and telling a story burns bright still.
I’ve made my fair share of videos that I’ve not really cared about, or have no interest in and it’s no fun a lot of the time. Nothing compares to your own project! I’ve recently made a change of direction with my career and left my previous employment to begin my own production company with two friends and colleagues. Under the FOCUS SHIFT FILMS banner we have begun to get several new projects moving, and although we still need to do the normal jobs, get the money in and pay the bills we can manage our time better and spend more time on our passion projects. They may not pay off immediately, but letting them tick over on the side and throwing your extra time and energy into them helps keep you motivated and that passion burning.
We have recently begun filming a promotional video for a new project with the Blaenavon Male Voice Choir in Wales. Being a patriotic Welshman and hearing the enchanting choral sounds of the guys makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It’s something I’m passionate about. And, it’s for a good cause. The BMVC, like many choirs across the UK, are struggling to bring in new, younger members to their choir. As the average age rises and the old classical choral songs get further away from contemporary youth culture the Welsh male voice choir could be under threat.
Choirs need help to communicate with young people today. And so, that’s where we come in. We’ve created a Facebook page for the BMVC and we are looking to run a crowd funding campaign supported by BBC Radio Wales, Wales Online, choirs across the UK and Welsh communities across the world. Welsh people everywhere are behind us. With some initial funding, more support and hopefully a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund we are looking to help the BMVC record several new music tracks that are a mix of classic choral and contemporary, we will create several music videos for those tracks and document the entire journey in a film. In that film we will be exploring what choirs need to do to communicate with and appeal to young people and what other choirs are doing to address this situation. We will also be making the connection between why young people enjoy their music today with why men joined their local choir 100 years ago. We’re not so different after all!
We hope our project will help the Blaenavon Male Voice Choir to find new support, new members and ensure their survival for future generations, but also we hope that choirs across the UK take influence from the film and apply some of it themselves to aid their own choir.
The support and gratitude we have felt from Blaenavon and other choirs has been amazing, and the project is still very much in its early stages. Not only are we telling a great and unique story, but we are also helping to save a key part of Welsh culture and to enrich lives.
What more could you ask for from a passion project? I’m enthused, and the guys I’m working with are too. And… when Mr Big Business calls for his next shoot it’ll make standing in the rain holding a brolly over our camera a lot easier knowing that as soon as we get away from this… we can plough some time into our passion project.
You can follow Daniel J. Harris and FOCUS SHIFT FILMS by heading to the FSF Facebook page or by following the blog on the website.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszFLSgML6ddazw180SXMvMz5&feature=player_embedded&v=ONsp_bmDYXc
Originally published April 4, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
