TAMPA BAY FILM

NETWORKING

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10/07/25/2127/ - WARNING: DO NOT NETWORK WITH OTHERS UNTIL YOU ARE AN ESTABLISHED FILMMAKER. IT IS TOO RISKY, AND MAY LEAD TO PROBLEMS. It only takes one filmmaker to spread rumors and lies about you to other filmmakers who they know, filmmakers who don't know you, to create a lot of undeserved problems for you; you don't want a mob of filmmakers ganging up on you and the rumors getting out of control.
This has happened, and will happen again.
You HAVE to have filmmakers in any group who know you, already, and can vouch for you; if you know other filmmakers already and it is known that you do, this WILL DETER the unethical filmmakers from spreading lies about you and from trying to sabotage you. It's easy to make yourself a target and to allow everyone an easy way to identify you if you show up for an event not knowing anyone and an unethical filmmaker who already knows the others pointing you out and bad-mouthing you. If they can see you, everyone knows who they are talking about.
This is how networking can be weaponized and used against you.
Do not allow other “filmmakers” to become gatekeepers, and to limit you.
Do not trust anyone until they have earned your trust. The local independent film scene in Tampa Bay is full of insecure, unethical amateurs calling themselves filmmakers and misrepresent themselves as professional. Many of them are in it for the wrong reasons, such as trying to get damaged women with no self esteem to take their clothes off, or even something as simple as ego. They have no desire to improve their skills as filmmakers, will make videos in the name of exploitation "films" or tacky, one dimensional, trashy, superficial horror films, will not even attempt to write good scripts or make good films, and will lie, cheat, and steal, as well as spread discord among others. This is toxic, and is bad for the local independent film scene.
If you wish to get started as an independent filmmaker, and survive, you need to start simple, learn every aspect, or job, of making films, invest in the minimal gear that you need to make films (smart phones are enough), and start out by making videos at no cost to experiment, practice, learn, and get better at making films. The gear that you need to make videos that are good-enough are also what you need to make independent films, films which are good enough, to become established. You do NOT have to go into debt or take out a second mortgage to get the gear that you need and to begin making films; it doesn't have to be expensive.
Because of technology, you have options, and the barrier to entry is what you want it to be.
Write stories.
Write lots of stories.
Write scripts (screenplays) for short independent films with practical, efficient, cost-effective filmmaking in mind (use what you have available to work with), and work your way to writing for feature films (don't be too ambitious starting out. You will become overwhelmed and will become discouraged. Start simple and work your way up; start small, work your way up. DO NOT attempt to make a feature film for your first film, or your first few films; you have to know what you are doing before you attempt to make a feature film. Start by making, no-cost short films in a wide variety of genres to establish yourself as a diverse filmmaker. You can start out by making a horror film, but realize that you can make much more than horror films with the resources which you have; avoid the trap of making low quality horror films, don't concentrate on them, and focus more on the story, the character development, and the script. Don’t accept less than what you can actually do, and try to make a good film and tell a good story. Filmmaking is about story and it is a visual medium for telling stories. Also work on capturing high quality, white-balanced (Saves on unnecessary color correction if you don’t have to correct mistakes which didn’t have to be made) video, audio, and on editing.
Don’t try to compete with Hollywood movies. It raises your costs, it is a case of diminishing returns, and you will make films that look like cheap wannabe Hollywood movies. Focus on making independent films, allow independent films to be their own thing, and play to the strengths of independent film.
Independent films can be the same thing as a Hollywood movie, but more often than not they are not, although the result can compete with Hollywood movies if you play to the strengths of independent film and make films which Hollywood won’t, or can’t, make. The single thing that you can most compete with a Hollywood movie is with the script. The script, or screenplay, is their weakeness.
The independent filmmaker who has good screenplays has the advantage.
Also, don’t make independent films the way that a Hollywood movie is made. You have options. There is more than one way to make films, and there are many different types and formats of films which you can make. Feel free to experiment and make the films that you want to make.
You don't need permits and you don't need a crew to make short films; you can pick up a camera and simply start making films. Also, vertical integration is critical. Do NOT allow yourself to be dependent upon others, upon other filmmakers, and on crews to make films. You also need to know what you are doing in order to, one day, communicate what you need with your crew and to effectively delegate. Don't rush into filmmaking too fast, and don't cut corners.
Get everything that you need to make your films. You don’t need the latest, best gear to make good films. Get a good-enough camera (a smart phone is enough if that it all that you have. You can also edit on them with a good app. An older, refurbished, inexpensive iPhone such as the iPhone 8 Plus with the Filmnic Pro app for shooting video and Lumafusion for editing will do. iPhones are better for this than Android. The Phone which you already have is probably more than good enough for what you need to get started. I used to laugh at the idea of using phone to make films with, until I found out that good movies have been made with them, and I did research), a good digital audio recorder such as a TASCAM, a Zoom H6, or a Wireless Lavalier such as the DJI Mic 2 for audio, appropriate cables to import files into other devices, and a decent video tripod, C-Stands, and Rode Shotgun Microphones with a windscreen or a Blimp are also good investments. Lights? You will need flat panel RGB lighting, batteries, stands, and light modifiers such as softboxes and bounce cards for most interior work. Lighting is actually optional if you learn how to use natural light or if you make films with exterior scenes.
It’s possible to make a film with just a phone, an ND filter, and an external digital audio recorder with a microphone. I’ve done it with just the phone and an ND filter, using the microphone on the phone, and it worked well.
Need instructions on how to use this gear? There are lots and lots of Books, many of which are available on Kindle, for you to study and learn from (we will be listing some of our favorites on Tampa Bay Film).
Avoid film schools (there are no local film schools or courses which we would recommend. I don’t take any of them seriously. You don’t need them), filmmakers who will offer to train you (yeah, right. Why risk paying someone who may rip off your ideas while teaching you bad habits?), and workshops (collaborative filmmaking workshops may be considered once you become established and once you already know some of the filmmakers involved. You need to already know what you are doing, and avoid running your mouth and sharing ideas with everyone; loose lips sink ships. Don’t use workshops to learn independent filmmaking if you can help it) to get started in filmmaking. Not only will you risk learning the bad habits and advice of others (most who actually make films are too busy making films to teach; those who don't do, teach), but it's often a waste of money and time.
The best independent filmmakers learn how to make films on their own, get a feel for what they are doing, learn about what they are doing, reach out to other filmmakers on an individual basis to get to know them (save that for when you have made several films, they are out there, and you are established. If you don’t have any films to show, other filmmakers won’t take you seriously, and it will hurt your credibility. Don't get ahead of yourself, and avoid other filmmakers when you first get started, as you don't need them to make films. That said, you don’t work for other filmmakers, and you don’t answer to them. Just make your films, and don’t worry about what anyone thinks). Read a lot of books. Learn how to make films by making them.
Oh, and don’t be a fanboy. Avoid expending resources to make fan films. You need to own the rights to whatever you make, and fan films infringe upon the copyrights of others. Tip? If you really, really like a movie to some other property, and are inspired by what you love, take the premise and write your own story based on that idea. Actually, you never have to be short on ideas of films that you can make if you look around and think about premises.
Go make your films, have fun, and worry about networking later.

01. Establishing Yourself
02. Collaborating
03. Events
04. Film Festivals
05. Workshops
06. Film Schools
07. Reducing Risks
08. What To Support

UPDATED 03/08/23/0410/ - 10/07/25/2129/

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