It’s very gratifying to get to a point in a film/TV career that you are invited to be on a screening jury for a film festival or industry competition. What a wonderful opportunity to see new work from all over the world while playing a part in helping talented filmmakers find their way in the world.

All the glitter and hoopla aside, what does it entail and are all selection committees equal?

There are hundreds of film festivals and competitions out there so before you proceed with serving on any juries or screening committees, please do your due diligence in researching the particular festival, what their mandates are, and how they align with your own strengths and talents as a filmmaker or viewer. See if you can find out who’s served on their committees previously, and try to reach out to see what kind of experiences previous jury members have had. Their stories can run the gamut from absolutely wonderful to somewhat abusive and frustrating.

I’m not going to name names due to confidentiality agreements but believe, me anything is possible when it comes to juries.

The one common element that all screening committees have is they are a LOT of hard work. From large and well known to small and seemingly insignificant, film festivals all receive thousands of submissions (it’s big business for them -all those submission fees ;)), and it takes an army of volunteers to get through the screening process, give helpful notes, and rate the submissions fairly so that (in most cases), the actual best films will win.

Reasons to do it?

Don’t consider it a gig. They are mostly volunteer but occasionally you will receive an honorarium or gift certificate, depending on the size and budget but you will never be compensated fully for the countless hours you spend viewing and/or reading.

The real compensation is having the ability to screen films (often from around the world) from emerging or experienced filmmakers that you would otherwise never get to see. Even though you must always be exercising your critical faculties, it is an amazing opportunity to learn about new cultures, points of view, and different filmmaking styles. And if you’re a filmmaker who’s interested in submitting to a particular competition in the future, it’s a great way to learn the criteria of that particular festival.

It’s also a wonderful feeling to know that you can impact the (always) struggling lives of  talented filmmakers who can really use the leg up in shark-infested distribution waters (those laurels on posters mean a lot). And if feedback is required, you are able to provide constructive feedback to someone who can really benefit from your point of view. For filmmakers on either side of the screen, it is a win-win situation for sure.

What am I Getting Myself Into?

I always ask a lot of questions before I take on any kind of jury or screening duties. Number 1 is what kind of festival is this?

• Does it focus on screenwriters like the Austin Film Festival? Or short films like the Oscar-qualifying Hollyshorts?
• What skills/experience do I bring to the table in order to help raise the filmmaking bar for this focus?
• What kinds of films or screenplays do they focus on? If you’re going to be a doing a LOT of screening and/or reading, make sure the subject matter is of interest to you. If you love comedy and are skilled at creating it, do you want to spend your precious time reading/watching intense drama? Fantasy? Action thrillers?

Time is Precious

Before you agree, make sure to ask what the time commitment has been in previous years. It will always vary but try to get a sense of how many days/hours you’ll have to be glued to your computer, slaving away into the middle of the night. PS Don’t believe everything they say. Chances are they will underestimate your time commitment in case it will scare you off. If at all possible, see if you can get a list of past jurors/readers and reach out to them enquiring as to their time spent.

Who are these people anyway?

Every festival or competition has its own kind of process. Make sure to get as much information about the people who are asking you to serve. Most often, people are very nice and appreciative of your time and effort. From time to time, I’ve found folks who, are used to doing things in an unusual kind of way. If they are able to communicate that way to the newcomers, then great. If not, then they can become defensive and difficult to deal with and things can get off to a rocky start. This is difficult to recover from.

So make sure your vibes and ways of functioning align well from the start. I know people who have sensed too much drama/trauma down the road and pulled out before jumping in and I believe I have learned some important lessons from them.

Recusing Yourself

You may find that you know some of the filmmakers who are being judged. It’s usually on an honor system, but most competitions appreciate it if you recuse yourself from that category, or just ask that another juror watch that particular film.

Most competitions ask you to never divulge any information about the vote or process but even so, lean into your highest self when approaching a situation that could impact a filmmaker’s life and career positively or negatively, depending on that vote.

The Devilish Details

Make sure the system of reviewing films or screenplays is going to work within your schedule and bandwidth for screening brand new projects every few hours/days/weeks.

It may seem obvious, but make sure to learn the judging criteria from the festival and how quickly they need your responses. What their goals are, how tough they want you to be, and the kinds of award-winners they are looking for. One of the bigger festival competitions I juried on gave me a sample short documentary to judge and then critiqued my responses. I was vetted several times and given feedback on my critiques at the beginning. This particular festival gets thousands of entries so they need to weed out as many as possible as quickly as possible. They need you to be tough.

But (and it’s a big but), Just because you have to be tough, make sure you’re coming from a place of knowledge and helpfulness, not doing it to show off how smart you are or because you’re trying to please the festival. Just because you don’t tend to like a particular filmmaking style or genre, or even have a grudge against a filmmaker whose path you might have crossed in the past, every entry deserves a fair shot and it’s up to you to give it its due.

Okay, so you’ve checked everything out, have decided that the ways and means of the system will work for you, and you are ready to jump in. Now what?

Check Your Ego at the Door

If you’re a filmmaker, being exposed to so many films (and a lot of them very good), can tend to set off triggers for you as a jury member because as we all know, most filmmakers are always struggling to make ends meet and/or finding resources to make a film. My advice is to relax, sit back, and enjoy seeing some of the many films/scripts that you have the privilege of seeing. Keep an open mind, and, especially if you’re a filmmaker, keep learning from how others are doing things.

Process

Some competitions are happy to set you up with their criteria, start sending you films/scripts, and let you get on with things. They will have told you how many films to expect so you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed. And if that does happen, make sure to discuss the situation with your supervisor so they know what the situation is. There’s nothing worse for them than if you just grin and bear an untenable situation, which can lead to you dropping out in the future, if your own scheduling needs have changed. Speak up and make sure you are communicating well with the people in charge. They have been through it before and will often have good suggestions.

Some competitions are happy for you to submit your responses and won’t need to hear from you again. Others want you to keep checking in and giving your updates on how things are going.

Others result in a coming together with all of jury/committee members to discuss their favorites and why you feel this or that project should win. Although this will be based on a numbering system set up off the top, this is where things can get interesting (did I say tense?). If every jury member has a different favorite and their ratings are close, an agreement has to be struck so that eventually only one winner emerges. Yes, this is very similar to the criminal juries you see on TV, where everyone gets together and keeps pitching their ideas and why they think so and so should be a winner. This is where there is usually a festival founder or supervisor who can jump in to smooth out the arguments and guide the jury towards a decision that is in keeping with the goals of the festival and what kind of filmmakers they are currently wanting to support.

Worth It?

Serving on a festival jury or screening committee is an excellent way to traverse the broad spectrum of filmmaking offerings from around the world. It’s a chance to assist other filmmakers while continuing your own growth in our ever-changing industry. Even though some of the situations have been challenging, I still highly recommend the experience. Just try not to do too many in a row so you can, indeed, stay fresh and helpful.

All of us progressive, mindful, climate-change advocates in Film/TV careers know that our industry is one the most energy intensive in the world. But you might not know exactly how much energy we gobble up every day in the production of a single hour of TV content. According to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), around 28,660 pounds of CO2 are emitted in the production of a single hour of TV content. A blockbuster film with a $70m budget produces 2,840 tons of CO2 and it’s the equivalent of 11 times a trip from the moon to the earth. (it takes 3,700 acres of forest to absorb the equivalent in a year). Often filmed across several countries, 51% of these vast CO2 emissions are transport-related.

Think about that for a second.

If your one second is up and you have finished picking yourself up off the floor, be thankful that there are activists among of us who figured this out a few years ago and there are some great strides taking place in the international filmmaking world. Of course, much more needs to be done, but this is a start of consciousness-raising and resources for some of the amazing and impactful sustainability initiatives and organizations happening right now. 

By following sustainable practices, filmmakers can reduce their environmental impact, save money, and create a better world for future generations. One of the most significant ways to make film production more sustainable is to reduce energy consumption.

It’s happening, baby!

Accelerated by the pandemic, virtual production technologies are reducing and sometimes eliminating travel associated with film and TV productions. Virtual production studios and sound stages, powered by virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), use LED walls and green screens to transform  many locations into a given set, which replaces sets and physical props of all shapes and sizes to help reduce material waste. I recently directed on a Volume Wall and any concerns I had about jobs being replaced evaporated when I saw that all departments were fully engaged and we even had the addition of the Pixomondo ‘Brain Bar’ – approximately 12 computer programmers hard at work on a daily basis.

The Netflix smash hit Bridgerton was able to reduce emissions on Season 2 in part by piloting a GeoPura emission-free, green hydrogen power unit in place of multiple diesel generators. Power from the unit was enough to replace several diesel generators, while by-products included clean drinking water and silence. Silence on a film set? Whodathunk it?

All this is great news for eagle-eyed Production Managers, always anxious to save money and deliver on budget.

The blockbuster ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ reportedly saved $400,000 by implenting  a recycling program started by the wardrobe department who sourced textiles from farmers’ markets every week and over 49 tons of materials were recovered from its sets for donation or reuse on future films. All that left over food we always have?  5,862 meals were donated to local shelters. From biodegradable snow and water-based smoke to eliminating plastic water bottles and using eco-friendly detergents on set, the filmmakers achieved a 52% waste diversion rate from landfills to become the most eco-friendly and financially successful film in the history of Sony Pictures. Kudos!!

In Canada, the CBC has hired a sustainability coordinator to oversee sustainable practices in filmmaking. Using the Albert Calculator (more info below) on all CBC shows is now a requirement.

The national funding source, Telefilm Canada, has updated its production budget model through the lense of sustainability and EDI (equity, diversion and inclusion). The updated budget model stems from consultations with various industry stakeholders, which have resulted in changes to the names of budget item categories, the addition of jobs, and the insertion of lines that serve as reminders for more sustainable and inclusive film shoots.

And there’s more…

Makeovers, property and consumer programming provide a good platform for spreading the word. The BBC’s Shop Well for the Planet ; Channel 4’s Grand Designs, abd  Fremantle’s Naked have been praised for highlighting the use of recycled materials. Eco-friendly behaviour is increasingly being knitted into popular programming. Even Jeremy Clarkson’s softening views about climate change have been shown during Amazon hit Clarkson’s Farm, from Expectation. As The Handmaid’s Tale screenwriter Dorothy Fortenberry has said, “If you’re making a story about anything, in any place, and you don’t have climate change in it, that’s a science-fiction story.”

Drama production has some of the biggest production challenges around emissions. At Carnival Films, head of production Charlotte Ashby has been a leading force behind the development of a Green is Universal production toolkit, which is used across the Universal International Studios group. The toolkit, which includes guidelines, start-up slides and templates, is aligned with the Albert Calculator and shared with the industry through Creative England. The approach helped the team to achieve Albert certification for both season 5 of The Last Kingdom and the new BBC drama Dodger.

What can I do?

Measure Twice, Cut Once

This old saying definitely applies to achieving sustainability in our industry. If you don’t understand exactly how much energy you’re consuming in the multiple layers and departments in the filmmaking process, how the heck can you figure out what to do about it? From research through pre-production, production, and post, it’s necessary to figure out a way to measure the carbon footprint of any production in order to come up with a plan to lower impact and increase sustainability. 

There are several measuring systems out there now but Albert’s Carbon Calculator, originally developed by the BBC in 2011, has been critical for the TV industry. The next step is for all productions to be Albert-certified. “We’re there to hold the industry to account on science-based targets,” says Katy Tallon, Albert industry sustainability manager, “the certification is a good thing to strive for on the route to net zero.” In 2020, while certified production numbers were up to nearly 500, this was just one-quarter of the number of shows using the calculator.

For more information on Albert:

https://wearealbert.org/production-handbook/production-tools/

In Canada, the National Climate Action Sustainability Committee (NCASC) created a website called DGC Green. DGC Green has produced one of the first Emissions and Generator Usage Calculators to reduce the use of diesel and encourage alternative choices of green energy. The Calculator calculates Fuel Used, Fuel Costs and Emissions. 

More information:

dgcgreen.ca

In Europe, the Green Film pre-assessment tool provides a simulation of the score an audiovisual project can achieve on the Green Film checklist and allows a production to predict the economic and environmental costs or benefits.

https://www.green.film/

Energy Use Begone!

One of the best ways we can make film production more sustainable is to reduce energy consumption. Start by significantly reducing energy use lighting to energy-efficient equipment and practices. Using LED lights, for example, can reduce energy use by up to 90% compared to traditional incandescent lighting. You can also make use of natural lighting as much as possible, reducing the need for artificial lighting. For example, shooting scenes during the day or in locations with large windows can reduce the need for artificial lighting. Where appropriate, make the most of our natural assets.

Here’s a video on sustainable practices by Production Manager Mary Anne Waterhouse with the Director’s Guild of Ontario’s Sustainability Committee:

Make Great Choices

The call has gone out and the materials industry is responding to the need to use sustainable materials for set design, costumes, and props.  Plastic and synthetic fabrics are not biodegradable and can have a significant impact on the environment. So, if props are needed, try using sustainable materials, such as bamboo, recycled materials, or natural fabrics like cotton or wool.

Looking for ECO FRIENDLY WALLPAPER? At Spoonflower Inc., all of their wallpapers are made with water-based pigment inks and dyes. Spoonflower offers three different types of eco-friendly wallpaper. Both the pre-pasted and peel and stick options are formaldehyde-, phthalate- and PVC-free and do not contain flame retardants. https://www.spoonflower.com/

Here’s a great list of vendors in Canada and the U.S. who provide alternative sustainable services to the TV/Film industry:

https://dgcgreen.ca/resources/green-vendors-suppliers/

In the U.S., The Good Plastic Company is just one example of a company providing products that are good candidates to replace Sintra, which are used prolifically for sign manufacturing.

The Art Directors Guild in the US also has a list of sustainable vendors, which you can obtain by reaching out to them: https://adg.org/

Reduce, reduce, reduce!

Think about all the waste film production generates:  plastic water bottles, food packaging, and materials used for set construction, to name a few. Imagine what would happen if you stop using disposable items like plastic cups and plates and instead use glass and ceramicware or biodegradable or compostable alternatives from companies like Reusables.com. The results are huge. 

Film sets go through a ridiculously high amount of water for personal consumption. Though you can’t ask people not to drink water while filming, providing them with reusable or recyclable water bottles can make a significant impact. 

A new company that is providing a unique recycle/reuse service in the industry is Urbanjacks. Not only do they remove wood products from movie sets (so it doesn’t get burned, buried, or fill up landfills), they then treat and repurpose the wood into stronger, straighter, more sustainable lumber than virgin that can be used over and over again on your next project. 

Their wood is perfect for a wide range of non-structural projects, from crafting exquisite sets and cabinets to designing intricate wall paneling, DIY crafts, and so on. The possibilities are endless and remember, practical sets and props are still part of the Volume Wall experience.

For more information: www.theurbanjacks.com

Construction waste is a huge generator of the carbon footprint produced by Art Department and Construction crews. Ontario Green Screen has developed a list of resources for material sharing on the website

https://digitallibrary.ontariocreates.ca/DigitalLibrary/OGS/LinksandResources.aspx

Habitat for Humanity is happy to offload your construction materials https://www.habitat.org/ and several brands of recycled paint are now available at Home Depot and other suppliers.

Brilliant: DGC Ontario  Sustainability Committee is working on providing material exchange for film students who require materials for making their films.

https://thewiderlens.ca/series/members-making-waves/members-making-waves-stacy-morris/

Location, Location, Location!

Where you shoot can impact sustainability in several ways. For example, shooting on location in a city can mean less need for transportation, reducing emissions from vehicles. Conversely, shooting in a remote location could have a significant carbon footprint due to the need to transport crew, equipment, and supplies. We also suggest where possible limiting the number of locations, so that there is less of a need for transport. Shooting in a controlled environment like a sound stage studio can also increase sustainability. Do some cost comparisons between location and studio shooting. You might be surprised, depending on the size and scope of your needs. 

DGC Ontario Sustainability Committee has supported Ontario Green Screen to create a Grid tie-in Map similar to British Columbia. Knowing where Ontario locations can tie in to existing energy sources reduces the carbon footprint. The Map is currently being upgraded to provide more accurate data.

https://digitallibrary.ontariocreates.ca/DigitalLibrary/OGS/AboutUs.aspx

Fly? Train? Drive? Bicycle? Walk?

Film productions require a lot of transportation, from moving equipment to transporting actors and crew. By using sustainable transportation, like electric or hybrid vehicles, and traveling by train, we can reduce emissions and save on fuel costs. Carpooling is another way to reduce emissions and save money. In some cities pre-production teams can bicycle to work or use public transit.

Education is the Key

In order to keep making strides forward on this important issue, It’s essential to educate the cast and crew about sustainable practices and encourage them to participate in sustainability efforts. 

By following sustainable practices, filmmakers, whether you are part of a social enterprise or not, can reduce your environmental impact, save money, and create a better world for future generations. Heck, I think there should be awards given for the most sustainable departments or productions (we do like our award shows ;))

There’s lots more going on out there than I could cover in this article. Here are links to more information:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sustainability-film-production-inside-job-productions/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353652694_Sustainability_and_eco-friendly_movement_in_movie_production

Thanks to:

Astra Burka, Andrew Gainor, and the DGC Canada/Ontario Sustainability Committee, and Dawn Snyder at the Art Director’s Guild for their invaluable help and research. Both organizations are constantly updating their lists of sustainable vendors and new ideas. 

Finally, I leave you with a link to a great video about a great straw experiment that Director/Host Auri Jackson created at Buzz Feed. It’s amazing how something as small as replacing plastic straw usage with more sustainable practices can have an amazing impact:

This doesn’t have to be painful. It’s important to keep the ball moving forward so stay light, informed, and proactive so we can keep growing our industry and keep our jobs in sustainable ways forever. 

Then the strikes/layoffs/show cancellation torment began and after being out of work month after month after month, my perspective began to shift as I realized that there might be nothing better to do with my time than sit down, put my nose to the grindstone and begin the fundraising/grant writing tap dance I had tried to avoid for so long. 

‘If they can do it, I can do it’ became my mantra as day after day I scoured what’s available out there in the business of funding the creative world and how I might convince an organization that I was worthy of their limited sources of funds. 

And business it is. Even if you’re dealing with a non-profit, you’re still dealing with a mindset that often feels totally contrary to the intuitive, imagination-flowing world we are used to happening in our minds and processes. When you’re dealing with non-creatives (though I believe everyone is a creative at some level), you need to put yourself into their brains which will have more to do with numbers, bottom line, representation boxes, and people above them who are warding off the hordes of writers, producers, directors etc. constantly hurling themselves at their feet, trying desperately to collect a few crumbs so they can pay their rent, put food on the table, and somehow keep their blessed/cursed beings from crumbling into mush at the foot of a cynical, nay-saying, you’re-not-good enough world. Omigod – it sounds so depressing! But if you do manage to convince the pen-pushers that you are worth the investment of their hard-earned money, the exhilaration and joy (Good Heavens – someone believes in my talent! I am worthy!) make all of the handwringing, depression, and desperation disappear in a heartbeat. 

It’s never been easy to be an artist and right now, it’s harder than ever. What was called Patronage during the Renaissance, where an artist was supported by a wealthy personal funder,  has evolved into a system of arts-funding organizations (mostly private but some public) and in the last few years, a lot of that funding has been shrinking and disappearing. 

According to a 2020 Forbes Magazine: “Recently released data paints a sobering picture about the state of funding for the arts. While overall giving by the approximately 86,000 private foundations in the United States rose by 12 percent in 2017, the most recent data available, funding for arts and culture organizations actually decreased by 1 percent, according to Candid, which tracks financial trends in the non-profit sector.”

Sobering indeed for American artists and even in Canada and Europe, where the arts are state-supported, budgets have been tightening and it’s getting harder and harder to access funds. Obviously, there are no guarantees, and there are way more rejections than acceptances, BUT it’s still possible. 

So…. if you think you want to jump into the frigid waters, let’s talk about what/where/when/how, etc. 

WHAT?

Finding grant or foundation support is like panning for gold. You need to make sure you’re looking in the right ‘river’ and you need to research what is available and for whom. 

In the olden days, there was a Research Library in Manhattan (it’s probably still there) where you could park yourself for the day and look up every manner of companies, foundations, governments, etc. that have funds to share with those they deem worthy. 

START…

With online research, it’s so much easier. Start by making a list of everything you bring to the table and how you might qualify for a given grant. There are many factors that can influence what you might be eligible for in both the private and government worlds. 

• What nationality are you? What is available in your country federally? Regionally?
• Do you have any other citizenship? Do your parents? (there are often scholarships and aid available for immigrant communities that can be looked at).
• Do you have a company or are you an independent artist? (sometimes it helps to have a company and sometimes it doesn’t matter)
• How old are you? Some grants have caps or limits on particular demographics. 
• Here’s an interesting one: Did your parents work for a major company? Attend a certain university? Sometimes there are educational grants available for the children of workers for a major corporation or graduates of a college. 
• Are you part of an underrepresented community? Now, more than ever, there are organizations helping artists from all sorts of backgrounds so do your homework and find out whose grants can apply to you. 

RESEARCH

• Attend webinars, workshops, and social events with relevant organizations. You never know what kind of inside information you might find out while networking and schmoozing at these events. 
• See who they have awarded previously. Try to get a feel for what’s important to them. 

HOW

• Once you’ve identified and sourced whatever organizations or communities you want to target, join those organizations, or at least get on their mailing list so you know when and what kind of grants will be coming up in the future.

ACTION

• When you’ve found a grant or fund, competition, or scholarship you believe you are eligible for, read the requirements VERY carefully paying close attention to eligibility, dates and exactly what you need to send in with your application. 

DEADLINES MATTER

• Make sure you begin your application well ahead of the deadline. If you’re technically challenged like me, chances are you will run into difficulties, so don’t wait until the last minute when many others are submitting to the same organization and things can get jammed up. 

READ THE FINE PRINT

• Again, don’t go to the trouble of filling out a long application only to find out there’s some small detail that you missed that makes you ineligible for the grant. 
• Make sure not to write over the word limit in your boxes. Even more important, make sure not to go over the character limit if that’s what’s stipulated. Easy mistake to make (I’ve made it too many times!). 

BACKUP, BACKUP

• Look for the Save button on a long application form in case you don’t finish it all in one go. You don’t want to close your computer only to find out that everything has disappeared when you return. If you can’t save as you go, make sure to back up your words on a Word document that you can refer to. 

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY

• If you’ve done your research, make sure you are addressing what’s important to the targeted organization when you answer the questions or make a video. You need to convince them that their money is going to a deserving recipient, and they will be proud to advertise that they supported you. 

PITCH TO WIN

• Present yourself in the most positive light possible. People like to give money to those they believe will be successful. So, shine a light, baby! And get that grant!

PATIENCE

The wheels of bureaucracy turn VERY slowly. Don’t keep yourself up at night by worrying about whether you got the grant or not. Remember that most funding organizations receive way, way more applications than they can grant so chances aren’t great that you’ll receive funding. BUT, and it’s a big one, many of these organizations routinely never give a grant on a first try. Some of them want to get to know you better and would like to see improvements in your work over time. So, if you get refused, ask them:

1. If they will give you feedback on why they refused
2. If it’s alright to come back to them in the future, once you have created more work or advanced on the work you first applied with. 

GRATITUDE

• If you are successful (and I hope you are!), you’ll also need to read the fine print about the requirements after you have spent the money. Many require a final cost report or written materials, or even examples on what your costs are. And if you spent it differently than what you thought you were going to, you will sometimes have to justify it. So…

• Keep receipts!!! They need the information for their bookkeeping so are usually pretty clear about the consequences if you don’t fulfill these requirements. (like they won’t give you money again!). 

• Also, remember to thank them publicly in any social media posts or articles that are written about what you are doing as a result of their help. They (like everyone else) like to be appreciated. 

It seems like a lot of work, and it is, but the benefits of receiving financial assistance in your chosen field far outweigh the tedious effort it takes to climb these particular mountains. Once you are a recipient of a grant, it often makes it easier to get more grants, either from that organization or others, when they see it on your resume.

There are a lot of grants out there and, of course, they change all the time. But here’s one that could get you started: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/film-grants/. 

And if it all becomes too much and you happen to have lots of cash floating around, there are professional grant writers out there who are happy to take your money and do it for you. Good luck, and keep going!!

My last experience of Helsinki, Finland, was during a Saturday evening stroll after a lovely (expensive) meal in the downtown core many years ago. My afternoon had been spent socializing (somewhat awkwardly in this largely introverted culture). Now, surrounded by high-end clubs and restaurants and upwardly mobile individuals and couples, I suddenly began seeing these same well-dressed middle-class people lurching drunkenly down the streets, vomiting into the nearest sleek garbage bins and slumped over discreetly placed chairs and benches in medieval town squares. What was going on? 

Turns out that Finland had, at the time, the highest alcohol consumption in Europe. They also conveniently had the highest coffee consumption, so it all kind of worked out.

Returning all these years later, I was curious to see if this was going to be a similar experience while attending the Women in Film International Summit in the beautiful Finnish-Swedish hotel/conference center of Hannaholmen. Was the hotel’s lush and gorgeous natural environment, full of art (and saunas), going to be turned into a lumpy beige spew during the conference?

Luckily, the Finns seem to have gotten it together and no longer seem to have this level of alcoholism or rowdy behavior. I was able to attend the conference, thanks to a Canada Council for the Arts travel grant, and it was wonderful (no lurching or puking anywhere to be seen); full of amazing panels, breakout rooms discussing topics of major relevance to this hard-working committed group of over 100 female or female-identifying industry professionals from every continent. 

Women in the film industry around the world face very similar issues that we do in North America: gender inequality for opportunities, pay, and growth. Much has improved over the past decade, but there are still communities experiencing the same old same old in every country. We watched panelists of non-binary, transgender writers, a woman producer/director from Botswana, and writer-directors from Israel, Jamaica, Greece, and Italy. Academic researchers from the UK, a producer and director from the Sammi Indigenous people of the Arctic region of Sweden, and many others from around the world sharing stories. 

One group that particularly interested me was called “Greater, Later.” This group of very experienced women directors and writers fought for years to be let in the door and have a seat at the directing table. After Me Too! And Time’s Up!, the doors finally opened, thankfully! – but only for younger women who quickly flocked through the door. The older women who had started the fight have consistently found themselves left out in the cold, and it’s become abundantly clear that this underrepresented group needs to be heard and acknowledged. Susan Liddy, the incoming WIFTI President, is leading the charge for awareness and equity for this emerging group and the room was charged with joy and gratitude for finally being heard and recognized.

The other nice surprise was meeting Wade Channell. Wade is a total ally and has been working in the HR field of Gender Equity for the past 10 years – something both his gender and ethnicity belie – but an ally he is indeed, and we all welcomed him to the front lines of the struggle. 

In between two packed days of panels and discussions, we were treated to lovely meals, an impromptu opera performance by Lotte, the inevitable Finnish saunas, fresh air, beautiful trees and water, and art and architecture that we all loved and appreciated. 

Because Finland has become a techy hangout for many companies, including Nokia, I thought there might be some events for tech-nerds but, unfortunately, none were to be found. We did, however, have a great panel on AI and what it holds for our future.

Definitely no puking this time – only a desire to return and explore further. If you ever get the chance to go, there’s a jazz festival in the northern part of Finland during the summer – so it’s 24 hours of sunshine, great music and food. – highly recommend – even if you can’t pronounce the names. 

I had two weeks to kill before heading to my second reason for being in Europe: the Series Mania Market in the North of France. With all the travel complications that Covid was providing, I decided not to country-hop between Santorini, Greece and Lille, France. I needed to park somewhere safe that would give me the solitude necessary to write and prepare for the grueling pressure a pitching festival can put you through. But where?

Luckily my good friend, Bettiena offered me her photography studio to live in for two weeks near in central Amsterdam. It was a terrific idea. I had many fond memories of this warm, welcoming city from my touring dance days and it did not disappoint. I put myself into a lockdown next to the calming essence the canals provide, and drilled into the writing process.

The smart Dutch government was giving out free 10-minute Covid antigen self-tests. This meant that when I wanted to get together with friends for dinner in their homes, we were all able to test negative before arriving and could relax and simply enjoy ourselves. The weather was beautiful, so we sat outside simply taking each other in after almost two years of forced isolation. Fabulous!! Despite wifi problems and several overnight tech support calls (which ended up costing me – check your plan before travel!), I got a lot of work done and could now concentrate on the trip to Lille and Series Mania. This was the last of the Telefilm Canada RDV pitching events that I was part of and I was eager to get there and meet my fellow team members.

One reason I chose Amsterdam was that it is close enough for a train ride via Brussels and I wouldn’t have to jump on yet another plane. I had very fond memories of European train rides. But…no pleasant memories this time. I wasn’t expecting to be squashed in like a sardine, no one to ask for help when the door in Brussels wouldn’t open and I missed the stop, only to find I had been sent to the wrong station in the first place.

Three trains later, and finally on the right train to Lille, France, I found myself in the chilly northern town, only to find that my google maps app didn’t work properly (I wasn’t alone it turned out), and I wandered in circles for an hour trying to find my hotel which was ten minutes from the station. And my phone didn’t work when I tried to call the hotel. All of which to say, give yourself LOTS of time when you’re going places in another country. I was glad I did, and was finally able to settle into the cute and efficient Hotel Chagnot where I had lovely outdoor breakfasts on their terrace before taking the daily plunge into many meetings at Series Mania (they don’t call it Mania for nothing ;)).

Series Mania was the usual three-day jaunt and hustle where Broadcasters and producers anxious to show their wares come together to meet, discuss, and hopefully form mutually beneficial relationships for future broadcast possibilities. This time was different though. As one of the first in-person markets after over a year and a half of lockdown, the thrill and excitement of being physically together was in the air from the moment we arrived. Lines were long the first day because security teams were enforcing proof of vaccine upon entry as well as market credentials. As 2,000 people had come from far and wide, every type of vaccination proof had to be strenuously investigated and, as everywhere, enforcers were grappling with policy changes everywhere. Series Mania provided on site rapid testing which was excellent at providing a sense of security for entering the event.

The Palais is huge and people felt free to go mask-free and intermingle in all of the large meeting spaces. I wasn’t comfortable with that so kept my mask on when I was indoors but was excited to discover an outdoor terrace next to the business lounge on the 11^th floor where I happily held almost all of my meetings over the three-day period. The weather is changeable in Lille and some of our meetings were held with a bit of shivering and me making jokes about being Canadian and tough. It all worked out and when I went to get yet another PCR test at the end of the event, I happily tested negative before my trip south to the Loire Valley and then on to Paris to catch my plane home.

I kept one of my Dutch rapid-test kits with me so was happy to return and be able to test negative and be able to attend family events shortly after arrival.

All in all – there was a lot to learn, the necessity to stay alert and continuously pivot as various challenges kept turning up, but persistence and flexibility reigned supreme and I’m so thrilled that I took a chance and had one of the most exhilarating, productive, and exhausting months of my career. As always, determination and smart thinking are the only way to fly in our whacky and always amazing business I feel privileged to be a part of.

Would I do it again? You bet! In fact, I just booked my flight for MIPCOM coming up in Cannes in three weeks…Guess I’m just a sucker for this kind of punishment

PS Followup: I DID go back for MIPCOM. It was a wonderful, Riviera, sun-soaked trip during which I had wonderful meetings and even made Variety Magzine:  https://variety.com/2021/tv/spotlight/canada-mipcom-1235082403/

Was the whole two-month schlep back and forth to and inside Europe worth it with all the excess stress due to Covid? Even though I’ve had more sticks up my nose than I could count and ended up spending an overnight in the chilly Copenhagen airport (best airport to sleep in :)),  it WAS absolutely worth it. The world isn’t quite ‘normal’ yet, but learning to travel safely with all the restrictions was as close to my normal as I could make it on these trips. Not for everyone for sure, but for an intrepid traveler, I say Go for it!!

Film Festival Mayhem. What’s a Filmmaker to do?

Why go to a film festival or competition? Filmmakers submit their films and screenplays to film festivals and competitions for many reasons. Sometimes it’s the prestige or prize money. Sometimes it’s the coverage notes that come back that help illuminate the path forward. Other times it’s the opportunity to network and make connections. Filmmakers often work in their own silos and being able to connect with other filmmakers as well as potential buyers or distributors is a huge bonus. Then there’s the great press that being a Finalist or Winner contributes to a PR campaign. (I was once told that producers love to see those little laurels on posters). And sometimes (for those of us with Wanderlust), it’s located in a particular part of the world one has always wanted to visit.

Let Me Count the Ways

I usually make my decision on whether to attend based on all of the above factors. In one case, the Jogja Int’l Film Festival in Indonesia in 2018, I had won Best Screenplay for The Bride’s Wedding, a feature film (as-yet unproduced) based on my father’s life story. My decision to attend the festival in person was very influenced by their description of being able to meet and visit with the many Queens and Kings still functioning in this island nation in the South Pacific. What an opportunity I couldn’t miss! It was an incredible few days, and I did manage to get in some networking while the rich cultural experiences shown to me by the festival just couldn’t be experienced any other way.

The past informs the present

In 2018, after winning Best Screenplay for The Serpent Queen in Oaxaca, Mexico (another amazing cultural experience), I was told about a magical festival called Santorini. A colleague whose eyes glistened over as he described it, advised that if I ever had the opportunity to attend it, I should absolutely do so.

So when we received notice that the screenplay for another feature film The One You Love by Jagjiwan Sohal, had scored Finalist in Santorini’s first live, in-person festival since the pandemic descended, I jumped at the opportunity to attend, to be followed up with the first live in-person Series Mania Market in France a few weeks later. Both events promised to provide a safe, secure atmosphere for their attendees.

Network the night away

The 4th annual Santorini Film Festival did not disappoint. The magical atmosphere and warm welcome given to all attendees under the star-filled skies on such a beautiful island was very impressive and enjoyable. Given the Covid protocols and small size of the festival very capably run by Kleio Kenanoglou and a group of volunteers, they could only concentrate on a one-day event with restrictions in place.  I was pretty much on my own for accommodation choices, any kind of exploring (some festivals organize tours), and finding my way around the island. We didn’t win but it was still wonderful to be a Finalist amongst so many great films and screenplays. I did manage to network a little, although there were only two visiting filmmakers including me! I did meet some wonderful audience members, though, and really enjoyed hanging out with them.  Who knows, maybe they’ll turn up for my future screenings if they can

Exploring a new old world

I thoroughly enjoyed my two-day explorations of the island. I used local buses – always fun to get a sense of the people. In this case, the buses (and everywhere else in Santorini), were packed with European tourists – happy to be free after 18 months of lockdown and not intent on masking up or social distancing AT ALL. So – halfway around the world – I found the same thing and here I was playing dodge ‘em once again. The views from the Caldera in Thira were astonishingly beautiful and I’d like to go back when it’s out of season and crammed with tourists to fully take it all in.

Some tips and pitfalls to avoid:

It’s a foreign country.

Be sure to research, check reviews, arrival protocols (especially during Covid!). Get recommendations and be flexible and ready to adjust to big and small cultural differences from where you come from. Try to learn some words of the local language if at all possible.

I was traveling on a very small budget so I chose a medium-priced hotel which was a 4-minute walk from the amphitheater. This eliminates the need for a car  or taxis and I always try to take local transit wherever I go. In the past, this strategy has worked out very well. In this case, not so much!

Beware the Fine Print

Unfortunately, the long, parched wait in the hot sun for the promised hotel driver, only resulted in several long-distance phone calls (it was 10 minutes away) and was the harbinger of one of the worst hotel experiences of my life. Thankfully it was only for a few days and I managed to survive drinking water I shouldn’t have (no warning from the hotel), non-functioning wifi and TV, being yelled at whenever I tried to bring anything up, and being misinformed (and again yelled at) so I almost wasn’t able to get a drive to my very early flight out of Santorini. So always check as best you can about everything – and then do your best and remember to breathe and laugh! S**t always happens.

Strength in Numbers

Travel with a buddy if possible. I actually really enjoy traveling by myself – simple, straightforward and totally on my own terms. In some cases (like this one), it might have been good to travel with a friend who could have helped me navigate the many hotel negatives with a smile on my face. When I attend longer festivals and markets by myself, I often hook up with other filmmakers to either stay together or at least meet up during the events. It helps to form a ‘posse’ to navigate the ups and downs and share information and tips learned along the way.

Such was the plan for the next stop on my journey: a 2-week writing retreat in Amsterdam and then on to the Series Mania Market in Lille, France.

Don’t go! You’re crazy! You’ll get sick! Stay home! Are you nuts??

These were the concerned warnings my friends and family were giving me before I left for Europe in the midst of a huge Delta Variant wave sweeping the United States. With only 50% of the country vaccinated and many still resistant to taking it, the Coronavirus variant was gleefully having its way with humans across the globe. And almost everyone I knew had declared, they weren’t ready to travel yet.

So why did I make this apparently rash decision? After being locked up for 18 months and not able to follow my wanderlust inclinations, I looked at the facts of the situation and decided that, being fully vaccinated, extremely experienced with mask and social distance protocols, and armed with the knowledge that airplane travel is actually very safe at this point with its ventilation systems refreshing the air every 12 minutes, I could make this work safely.

My motivation was strong. An independent filmmaker enters competitions to test the waters after being in the cocoon of either writing or making a film for a very long time. Since what we make isn’t just for ourselves, it’s important to get feedback before launching our ‘baby’ into the world. Most film festivals and markets had been online for so long and I was frankly just zoom/pooped out. My digital brain fog was increasing and I knew I needed to stay engaged but I also knew I was craving real person-to-person contact.  So far, I had spent the pandemic writing, pitching, and submitting scripts and treatments to various film festivals online around the world. They were doing well, accolades were coming in and one of our projects, a feature film written by Jagiwan Sohal had been selected as a Finalist at the Oaxaca Film Festival and we had just heard it was also a Finalist at the Santorini Film Festival in Greece in early August 2021.

This was a festival I was told by anyone who had been, was insanely magical and impossible to miss, so when they announced it would be one of the first live, in-person events (it’s an outdoor amphitheater), my mind began to ponder the possibility? Should I attend in person as a Finalist? The thought made me giddy.

Earlier in the year we had been selected as one of 12 production companies for the Telefilm Canada RDV Meet the Series Team and had been pitching our projects quite successfully throughout the year. We had online meetings at the European Film Market in Berlin, MIPTV in Cannes, and several other online pitch sessions. One of our series was 40% funded when they announced that our final market, Series Mania, was going to be held in person in Lille in the North of France at the end of August/2021. I was practically salivating at the chance to spread my wings and head to Europe for both events.

Let’s do it!

Both festivals guaranteed Covid protocols would be in place, and I had an airline travel voucher from a canceled European flight a year and a half ago due to Covid. We were now hearing that in a few months our vaccinations were going to wear off and we’d all need booster shots. Remembering the Hunger Games atmosphere trying to get the vaccine in spring of 2020, I decided it was now or never. Let’s do it!

Booking a complicated series of flights to Europe from the US via Canada during Covid takes the determination of an army tank. Phone wait times are over two hours and airlines are flying at reduced capacity so one is forced to do a lot of transiting in and out of various countries. This is even more complicated during Covid because every country has its own rules and requirements for entry, vaccinations, negative tests with expiry times. Though I was finally successful in booking a series of flights, the paperwork involved was enormous and I ended up with over 18 documents to keep track of throughout my journey.

With the world in an unpredictable start-stop mode, there are a lot of system problems at every level. As I needed to get up very early to catch my first flight from LAX, I remembered I hadn’t used Lyft since upgrading to a new phone. No matter how many hours I tried and with an exhausted Lyft support team, we could never make it work and I ended up calling a new taxi service which got me to the airport but would only take cash (something I was saving for Europe). I made it on time but the chaos and wait at the airport was only exacerbated when they found an internal problem with one of my flights and it took the check-in agent an hour to fix it on their end. Finally,I got my begoggled, double-masked self onto the airplane.

Here we go!

It was a 24-hour journey. Even though all of the countries displayed their own stereotypical characteristics during transit: the nice Canadians, the precise Swiss, and the adamant Greeks, I was gobsmacked at how many travelers were either not wearing masks or wearing them incorrectly (noses hanging out spewing thousands of potentially loaded droplets). My heart went out to the beleaguered flight attendants who repeated themselves over and over again about the importance of correct mask-wearing but it seems to me that people are either fed up, just don’t care anymore, or still think it can’t happen to them. I had no choice but to stay begoggled and double-masked the whole trip as people next to me would snore directly at me, their mask around their chins, or yell, unmasked to their family members via my face. You get the picture.

Gratitude.

On the other hand, I was delighted to be in the clouds again. Clearing the Swiss Alps out of Geneva was breathtaking, and seeing the Greek islands emerge out of the wildfire smoke was stunning. I concentrated on the privilege and joys of the journey.

Finally, after a very long and full day of travel and very little sleep, I landed at my final destination, Santorini, Greece and was delighted to feel the hot breezes and excited faces of kids from different families playing together in the airport while exhausted parents waited for luggage. I was very happy to collect mine and make my way to the busy area where eager drivers wait with signs for even more eager travelers.

And then…

I stood in the hot sun, so looking forward to finding my pre-arranged hotel transfer and the next part of my adventure. I waited. And waited. And waited…

Join me for Part 2 of my journey through Europe during Covid-19.

When the way has been paved.

In a fiction series, the director will often do a “director’s cut” but then it will be taken over by the showrunner or producer to shape it into what they want to see in the overall series. If you look closely at episodes of a series directed by different directors, there are always subtle differences in choices of shots (hand-held or tripod, use of cranes, jibs, etc.) to allow each director to bring their own creativity to the series. These differences must be smoothed over by the editing team, showrunner, and producers to ensure continuity in the episodes. Once in the editing suite, choices are made on using a wide, medium, closeup, or special shot and the editor applies him/herself diligently to the final creative storytelling layer. As the episode or feature film goes through the approval process by producers, distributors, networks, etc., these creative choices can change many times before the viewer actually sees it on the screen. Occasionally test-viewing groups are brought in for feedback which can also result in changes in the edit.

Music, special effects, sound mixes, and other layers are added in at this point. All very important, and somehow, even more important in the Unscripted world.

When there’s no roadmap…

Editing is important in both ends of the industry but reigns supreme in Unscripted. When there’s no script to follow, it’s totally up to the editing team to create the show in post. In recent years, the number of cameras being used in docu-series shoots has increased and there are often up to 7 cameras being used on shows like Ice Road Truckers, Storage Wars, and large reality show competition formats because:
1. There is so much action going on in various places at the same time,
2. You never know where a new story point is going to bubble up and happen.
With so much footage to go through and delivery schedules being tighter than ever for multiple episodes in a series, it’s no longer possible for one editor to scan all of the footage and decide how to tell the story.

A story is a story is a story…

A new position was created to fill a new Unscripted post-production need, and it’s called Story Editor (in Canada) and Story Producer (in the US). It’s often credited on the show as Writer. This person works in partnership with an editor and they are usually amongst a team of 4 or 5 such “couples” who work simultaneously on several episodes at once. The Story Editor’s job is to scan through hours and hours of footage, On Ice Road Truckers, I believe we looked at 700 hours of footage per episode. Much of this footage was a forward-facing camera focused on miles and miles of snow-covered roads, and the in-cab cameras were focused on a truck driver who was often capable of rambling on for hours and hours without providing anything worth creating a show from. With so much numbing footage, it was actually hard to stay awake sometimes in the dark confines of a small editing suite! But awake I stayed, and gradually I was able to piece together stories from what these wild “cowboys” went through in often harrowing circumstances trying hard not to fall through the ice and other nail-biting cliff-hanger situations.

Once I discerned there was a story to be explored, I put together either an Avid string-out or paper edit that was given to the editor to work with the story. In a good team, the story editor is the first line of defense in culling down the footage into something that can be an exciting story for the viewer. On that same show, I had to watch footage of truck repairs that often went on for hours and my job was to try to understand the repair (try that with a 3% mechanical aptitude!) and reduce it to simple enough strokes so it was understandable to the editor who could then shrink it down, even more, to make it palatable to the viewer. Obviously good communication is essential here, as everywhere in the filmmaking process.

Though editing in Unscripted is often more challenging than in Scripted, it’s just as rewarding and is an incredibly important building block in the filmmaking process. Once the edit is approved, the episode moves on to the other final stages listed above in Scripted.

Is that all there is?

There you have it. Thanks for joining me in my journey through the Scripted and Unscripted worlds of our always fascinating and evolving industry. Filmmaking in either space is a complex interaction between dozens, and sometimes hundreds of collaborators that can take months or years to accomplish. The screen image that the viewer eventually gets to see has been hugely impacted by each and every one of those contributors, from the Production Assistant to the biggest Star Celebrity.

Filmmaking is always evolving and I can’t wait to see what comes out of the post-Covid world we are about to inhabit. However it goes, I’m thrilled to be a part of it and am looking forward to seeing you out there on the playground. Stay safe and well, everyone!

I want to thank Jeremiah Karpowicz and Scott Simmons at PVC for their interest and patience as I navigated my way through their system! Also a big thank you to all my friends in the biz who gave me permission to use their photos. And of course, my eagle-eyed sister Susan Cole for her acutely precise editing notes. They were sometimes painful but she was always right!

Unscripted vs. Scripted:

• Writing and Directing
• Research
• Casting
• Writing
• Pre-production and Production
• Post-production

Everything depends on Prep!

“A stitch in time saves Nine” is equally agreed upon in both Unscripted and Scripted. Whether it’s scouting locations/permits, organizing shooting schedules/ crews/editors staff, deciding on cameras and shooting style, juggling actor/participants’ schedules (harder in Unscripted because they are not paid so we always have to work around their schedules), finalizing scripts or beat sheets, it’s always the same: the better the prep, the better the shoot/edit. And of course, the opposite is true.

In Scripted (with more time and money available), there is a greater emphasis on production design, wardrobe, script analysis, makeup/hair, actor prep, and rehearsal, shot lists, camera, and lighting plans and the coordination of sometimes over 100 crew and cast. In Unscripted it’s usually under 40 crew/cast, and sometimes under 10, depending on the show or project.

One of the greatest joys for an Unscripted director transitioning into Scripted, is to be able to expand the above elements and develop scope and depth in character and story during prep. Again, it’s like Picasso moving from doodling to painting with oils. The flexibility of the short, fast, spontaneous shoot with fewer moving parts (and people) is sometimes more simple in prep (though definitely not easier). But having time to really develop the prep process with various department heads gives more opportunities for shared creativity and can heighten the chance of a great show. Everything of course, depends on the collaborators involved. Personally, I love both spaces for all of the above reasons.

Production – at last!

Production, whether in a studio or on location, is where Scripted and Unscripted execution really differ! In both worlds, directing is where the second layer of writing occurs after the actual scriptwriting.

Once the prep is completed (of course it continues behind the scenes throughout problems, challenges, pitfalls, etc.), an Unscripted crew hits the ground running at a wild gallop. Where a Scripted director will have had weeks to analyze the script and actors, and prepare shot lists and will have had multiple meetings with Showrunners, Directors of Photography, Wardrobe, Production Design, Sound, Hair/Makeup, etc., an Unscripted director for hire and their team have days/hours/minutes to meet, discuss, prep participants and get their shoot moving.

In Unscripted, directions to camera crews are often given en route to the shoot and the director and their team need to develop a short-hand to convey and understand what and how they are going to shoot a particular scene. Because there’s no script per se, a lot depends on the director’s beat sheet which will indicate what production thinks is going to happen.

There are, however, no guarantees for what will happen, so my crew instruction is often “Here’s what we’re going after and what I think is going to happen. However, if something golden lands from heaven and takes us in a new direction, we’ll drop all that and spontaneously follow the new storyline.”

As you can imagine, this requires a lot of flexibility and the ability to pivot. FAST. I once was hired on a show about a woman who was terrified of barking dogs and her sister-in-law was constantly bringing her two pets over when she visited. As a guest director, I arrived at the shoot to find that the normal camera operator wasn’t there. I didn’t know it at the time but he and the usual director refused to take the job out of fear. The sound mixer was new and the host of the show was there but refused to go into the house. I had a couple of hours to shoot the interviews and b’roll and nobody I was working with had experience on the show or knew what to do. Did I have to fly by the seat of my pants? You bet!

Between managing the fears of my team along with that of the participant and host, I had to get shots of crazily barking dogs while trying to keep my camera operator safe. I was directing and designing shots on the go and, as always, in Unscripted, I had to rely on the quick-thinking abilities of my hand-held camera operator and sound crew. Was it a nightmare? Yes. Was it ultimately exciting, safe, and did it produce a brand new look for the series? Yes. The showrunner was so taken by the “breathless” fast-paced (we were running!) “hunt and pecking” style, that nervously captured the action, he reworked the rest of the season in that style that we had created out of necessity. Now that style is often used in Scripted movies and series as a particular style to keep the audience guessing and on edge.

This was an extreme example but the Unscripted shooters often have a lot more freedom (and responsibility and fun) to grab their shots on the fly and still bring in quality footage.

As a director, I always use a small portable monitor so I can see what’s being captured. Interrupting non-actors can really destroy their attention and flow, so this is where I develop silent codes between myself and the crew in order to signal closeups, wides, pushes, swish-pans to something going on on the other side of the room. But the camera crew often has to make split-second decisions on their own as the twists and turns of the situation reveal themselves. Teamwork, skill, and trust are vital to the success of the shoot.

When the Script is the thing…

Where I might lose some of the immediate connection to the action in Scripted when I’m forced to be a distance away from the actors and crew in “video village”, this can be made up with the use of walkies for crew and the “god mic” for the cast so I can issue instructions via a “floating” voice. Personally I prefer to be closer to both but time and the wishes of the production company need to prevail in some instances.

While directing actors in Scripted, I can really delve into the character and intentions during a scene. Even if rehearsal is limited, having good actors who understand their jobs is an absolute joy for a Scripted director. If time permits, I can shoot various angles of an important scene and a good actor can monitor the peaks and valleys of their performance with continuity so I don’t have to worry about “draining” them as much as I would when directing non-actors.

Additionally, when directing Scripted on a set with a budget that allows it, I can work with wardrobe, hair/makeup, and have more “toys” at my disposal for camera moves, design, and choreography. I get to “wild a wall” or remove something like a mirror so I get to shoot from an angle that wouldn’t be possible shooting on location. Heavenly!

I would say I have more options as a director for hire in Scripted but I also may have to give up flexibility and spontaneity that I might have on a small “run n’ gun” shoot. Production methods in Unscripted and Scripted can be drastically different but the ultimate goal is the same of course – a great, compelling show that viewers want to stay with.

Sound, how I love thee!

On set or location, sound mixers are the unsung heroes in either world but mixing sound spontaneously, and being responsible for making sure people are heard through a lot of chaos and noise makes me deeply appreciate Unscripted sound mixers and all the anxiety they have to go through. No one knows the quality of their work until post-production and then, it’s only if it’s bad and everyone screams at them. I’ll say it again: Sound mixers are my heroes and I maintain eye contact with them at all times so they can alert me if there’s an airplane noise or someone jumps on someone else’s line – this happens all the time in Unscripted with untrained “actors” because they don’t understand how talking over each other can screw up editing. In Scripted I don’t get to have that same close contact with Sound as they are often in another part of the studio but regardless, I admire and respect their work in either genre!

A skill is a skill is a skill

I’ve found times that my experience in Unscripted can affect how I approach a scene in Scripted and vice versa. In traditional Scripted shooting, one shoots a wide master shot first for eyelines, continuity, actor placement, etc. Then you move in for mediums, closeups, and specials.

Often we shoot Unscripted in the opposite order. For example, when a homeowner is coming into their house for the big reveal and we want to see their reaction of surprise, shock, joy, or whatever, we will start to shoot the scene in closeups.

It’s rare to get the same reaction in a second take with non-actors so it’s vital we’re there as it happens the first time. Then we can follow up with mediums, wides, etc.

In my Scripted short My Father, Joe, I wanted that same raw reaction from our 10 yr. old actor, Jamie Mayers as he saw his father’s real role in life for the very first time, shattering his image. So I never let Jamie read the script and I wouldn’t let anyone discuss the scene with him. I told the crew we were starting with his closeup and they looked at me like I had 3 heads.  The shoot came off beautifully and that raw moment borrowed from my Unscripted toolbox was wonderfully caught forever in the film.

Something else I often do in Unscripted is to not call Action as it can put the participants on edge and suddenly they start “acting” (badly). So I have a code with the crew where I signal to them to quietly pick up their cameras and start rolling which can often ease the participants into the scene and it just goes from there. I’ve used that “trick” in Scripted directing too.

I’ve often transferred many of my actor-directing techniques from Scripted to working with Unscripted participants. People are people and many are terrified to be on camera. Actors hide it better but my role as director/sister/mother/daughter/friend/psychologist/ally is very challenged in both worlds. I may use different words that will be quickly understood depending on who they are. A non-actor won’t understand the word “intention” for example in a scene, but if they are, let’s say a carpenter, I’ll try to find an image or a word that they can apply to what they’re saying/doing. Words like “shave it off a little”, “grow your feelings into a house from a studio apartment”, etc. By constantly observing and listening to both actors and participants, one learns a lot about how to direct them.

I always try to keep a “light” set in both worlds. Both actors and crew can become distracted if things become too raucous or sullen after days/hours of work, travel, and workload, but with non-actors in particular, a pleasant atmosphere is often the only way to keep them fresh during long, arduous days which are totally new and foreign to them.

The team and teamwork are crucial in both worlds. We are all storytellers and are only as strong as our weakest link. We’re there to produce the best show possible, script, or no script.

Unscripted vs. Scripted:

• Writing and Directing
• Research
• Casting
• Writing
• Pre-production and Production
• Post-production

Definition of writing: the act or process of one who writes such as:
a: the act or art of forming visible letters or characters specifically;
b: the act or practice of literary or musical composition

Sorry Mr. or Ms. Merriam Webster, but I don’t think you go far enough. I’m glad you include “musical composition” as one of your definitions of writing. I would venture there are many languages of expression in all art forms which “write” or tell stories through actions other than words on a page.

As a choreographer, I used body movements as my first “language” of creation. Artists use paint strokes, placement of objects, and a myriad of other storytelling techniques to get their message across.

You can extend that to architecture, sculpture, mask-making, food creation, photography, and any other means of human expression to heighten, inspire, or otherwise lift the viewer or participant.

Which brings me to the difference in “writing” in the Scripted and Unscripted worlds.

How do you write in an unscripted world?

The word Unscripted is, in fact, misleading. There is a lot of “writing” in the factual or unscripted world. Some of it happens before we shoot, some of it during, and a lot after. Contrary to the scripted world, where a lot of writing happens in the script before a project is even greenlit, there are a series of documents in the unscripted world to alert the production company, broadcaster, and crew, about the intention of a show, episode, segment or participant, and how the team is going to go about capturing the moments.

Gone are the days of documentary filmmaking where one could simply follow a person, family, tribe, or community, around for a year, documenting what happens to them, pointing the camera at whatever happens, and then deciding later, what of the story is going to be told and what is not. The brilliant documentarian Allan King made wonderful films such as DYING AT GRACE and A MARRIED COUPLE that took years to make, and many of today’s brilliant documentary filmmakers like Ric Esther Bienstock and Ann Shin are able to take the time and somehow find funds to make fantastic work in this genre. But in the “time is money and we have to deliver!” world of doc/reality TV series, this kind of time and approach simply isn’t possible. So what’s a dedicated filmmaker to do?

It is in fact writing and forming guidelines for the intentions of the show or series that allows the filmmaker to condense the process and hopefully not drown out spontaneity and creativity, which are the essence of filming real people in their real lives. This is the joy of it. Again, in Unscripted, it’s all about “intention” – what are we trying to say? And what is best to film in order to say it?

Here’s where writing in Unscripted occurs:

1. Casting – If the most important person on set is in front of the camera, then the casting team needs to know what kind of participant and situation the show episode requires. Is it someone who is desperate to sell their house because they got a job in another city and for some reason, their house isn’t selling?. Is a marriage on the rocks because of the debt one of the spouses has run up and they are constantly battling over this? Is an ice dancing team at the bottom of their rankings because one of the skaters has sustained a horrific injury? You can see the pattern here. In these kinds of shows, how can our show team or expert help these participants save themselves by turning up with their skills? Once a producer communicates that to the casting team through writing and live discussions, the team can go off and look for the right person and situation. It’s all about intention here and everywhere. The casting team may not find the exact person the “script” is looking for but may turn up another story which is even better, and the episode can make a sharp turn in any direction.

2. Outline – Once casting of a participant has been approved, the producing team creates an outline of the issues that the participant is facing and how the show expert or team could help that person face their issues and hopefully succeed. Or not, depending on what actually happens. Again, it’s all about what the intentions are.

3. Beat Sheets are created to give an indication of what we think might happen and when we project it could happen if it does. In the case of an ongoing show like Storage Wars or Ice Road Truckers, we can never predict what could be in that locker or which horrific possibilities await our intrepid truckers when the ice melts each year, drowning their hopes/dreams and potentially trucks and lives. In these shows which are climate and/or disaster-dependent and unreliable for storylines, the beats might monitor a participant’s personal relationships we’ve been following with their friends, family, and colleagues. Once again, it’s only a projection of what might happen if an impending storm happens or if a couple gets into a horrific fight. What’s written on the beat sheet one day, can easily end up in the trash can the next. Sometimes it can vary from hour to hour.

4. Production – As the episode is being filmed and the projected activities do or don’t happen, and a slew of unexpected “gems” turn up, (a truck goes through the ice, a ship blows up, someone goes into labor, etc.), the crew is forced to pivot, change course, adjust, and sometimes begin following a whole new storyline.

This new direction has to be conveyed from the field back to the production office so plans can be rearranged and adjusted through the ranks of producers and broadcast execs in written form. An experienced director/producer in the field will sometimes have to make decisions quickly so the crew needs to know whether to keep filming or not. Do we roll camera if a truck is going through the ice? You bet! As long as safety procedures are implemented and no one is at any kind of risk, the decision must be made whether to film or not. Is a person going into labor an important part of our story? If so, how do we get clearance or access to a hospital? Maybe we don’t.  Logistical problems have to be solved as the new beat sheet barrels along at breakneck speed.

5. Post-production – Writing often saves the day once again. If you don’t think editing is a form of writing, you might have to face a dedicated passionate editor in a darkened editing suite who will definitely point you in the right direction. Just as every choice a camera shooter makes when they are framing a shot, every cut/paste/dissolve/swipe choice made by a skilled editor is another “word” along the way of writing a scene/show/episode whether in unscripted or scripted.

Writing in the Scripted World

You might think the writing process in the Scripted world would be much simpler, right? Wrong. We are taught there are three phases of writing in a narrative film:

1. The Script
2. The Shoot
3. Editing

Let’s break that down:

1. The Script: Before a project ever gets to the shooting phase, the script will go through a myriad of changes and rewrites. Depending on the show if it’s a series and who’s the “boss”, those changes and rewrites can keep occurring right up to shoot day and sometimes beyond. If it’s an independent movie or short, rewrites are also continuous, depending on unexpected events, situations, weather changes, locations, etc.

2. The Shoot: It’s the director executing the next phase of writing at this point. Again, depending on the show and it’s shooting style, the script can be loosely constructed with room for improvisation or changes depending on the cast, line delivery, etc. Sometimes a lead actor (who knows his or her character and the show better than a guest director) will say “I would never say that” so approvals need to happen spontaneously and the writer and showrunner need to weigh in to make sure that whatever is replacing that line of dialogue or action makes sense in the overall arc of the episode or series. A visiting director might also request script changes before going to camera if a scene or line just doesn’t make sense to them or can’t be shot properly in a given location.

If it’s an independent narrative feature or short, the director might make a lot of changes or try different takes in different styles to see which one works. There’s not a lot of time for this usually but that depends on the director’s particular style. Some want the actors to speak their lines exactly as written and some prefer a lot of improv to get just the right tone.

3. Editing: As in unscripted, a lot of writing actually happens in the editing suite. Which shot best works to convey the emotion or action of a scene? Closeup? Two-shot? Wide? There are choices once again made in every moment of the show or movie that the average viewer will never be aware of. The final post-production elements will make or break a show as every good filmmaker knows. We always need to give credit to those unsung heroes laboring away hour after hour in the shadows to make the film be as marvelous as possible.

So as you can see, the art of writing is very much alive in every phase of unscripted or scripted filmmaking right up to the final stages of music, color correction, image stabilization, titling, and the addition of special effects. Good storytelling is exactly that, and the rules of engagement and holding the viewer’s attention applies to both worlds. When I’m writing in Unscripted, I’m aware that I’m like Picasso doodling, and I am required to create a great story with speed and agility. In Scripted, I’m granted the joy of painting in oils and have just a little more time to concentrate on character and the depth of story. But a good writer who understands and can execute good story structure in one field can translate those skills into the other. Every single element in every single frame is part of a story that’s being told, hopefully by brilliant storytelling artists contributing to the greater picture with every ounce of their commitment and dedication.

Unscripted vs. Scripted:

• Writing and Directing
• Research
• Casting
• Writing
• Pre-production and Production
• Post-production