'The Indie Film Rule Book' Is A Must-Read

If you make movies outside of the studio system, a must-read is Heidi Van Lier's "The Indie Film Rule Book." 

Van Lier is the writer/director of such films as "Chi Girl" and "Monday." She has also served as a programmer for the American Cinematheque and the Slamdance Film Festival.

In "The Indie Film Rule Book," Van Lier offers the inside scoop on how to make quality, well-received films on a shoestring budget and how to make the most of the festival circuit.

In the early chapters, Van Lier breaks down the process of making an independent film, providing an actual sample budget, outlining the casting process, and taking you through the post-production process.

She also shares how she parlayed the attention she received from making her own movies into getting directing and writing jobs at mainstream studios. She emphasizes that while the mainstream gigs can help pay the bills, filmmakers should continue to make their own movies in order to hone their skills and tell stories they're passionate about.

"As a filmmaker, you should be making films," Van Lier states, "not just having meetings about making films."

In the latter part of "The Indie Film Rule Book," Van Lier interviews other filmmakers  and festival programmers who offer secrets of success. Here are a few quotes that I found especially poignant:

"I've seen filmmakers say bad things about other films or filmmakers at a festival. This is never a good idea because you never know who's listening." - Film festival programmer Gabe Wardell

"The key to a great [pitch] meeting is enthusiasm (without losing your cool), confidence (without arrogance; look up the difference) and preparation. If you are pitching a project, keep your story points simple, punchy and short." - Filmmaker David Hayter

"I've seen amazing movies play to almost empty theaters because of zero promotion and I've seen awful, but heavily promoted movies play to full theaters. ... You have to work to get asses in the seats! Having a good movie is not enough." - Film festival programmer Nubia Flores

The one caveat about "The Indie Film Rule Book" is that it was published in 2008. I found a used copy on Amazon, and I don't know if Van Lier has ever published an updated edition. Some of the technical jargon is slightly out of date, such as sections about digital video vs. film, but otherwise, all the advice in the book is timeless.

Chris Bournea is a writer and filmmaker. He is the co-author of "All Jokes Aside: Comedy Is a Phunny Business" and the novel "The Chloe Chronicles." He also directed the documentary "Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring." 

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