As a woman trying to make it in the film industry, it is hard to find other women filmmakers to look up to and aspire to. No doubt about it, this is a male dominated industry, so when a woman can make it, especially in a dominant position, it is very inspiring.
The first film I saw was Good Dick, a film written, directed, produced, and starring Marianna Palka. Both the film and the filmmaker were very inspiring. This woman is a one-woman show. She does it all. This was her first script, she wrote it, then made it as the director and main character. Now she is traveling around promoting and distributing it.
This makes me believe that I can do that if I want too. I can write a script, shoot it, and get it out for people to see. Why am I not doing this right now? I don't feel that I'm up to the challenge of creating a feature film quite yet, but I could do a short. I have a script, so why am I not getting out there and making it?
I wish there was a class here at UNCW that explained how to get your film made. I think one of the reasons I am so throughly impressed with this film was because of the talent that was involved (how do you go about getting professional actors to sign on to working with you? Especially if you're an unknown young woman wandering around with your first script.) Also, where do unknowns get the money to produce these films? They have to have investors and what-not, but where do these investors come from? I have no idea where to find them, and I don't think many students do either. Most student-films seem to be self-funded, which although encourages creativity, also hinders it in many instances.
Also, when you're out on the film festival circuit promoting your film, how do you afford your costs of living then? You're on the road, constantly traveling, spending money, but not working because you're busy traveling around to different film festivals to promote your film. Where does that travel money come from?
Someone please explain to me how all of this happens. It really comes down to being an unknown with no money. How do I get people to pay attention to my work, my ideas, and then how do I get people to give me money to put my scripts, my ideas into motion?
Nevertheless, Marianna Palka did it, which inspires me to no end.
Another amazing film I saw directed by a woman filmmaker was The 27 Club -- an Erica Dunton film. Erica really makes use of the Wilmington area, but also is able to get some amazing, pretty well known actors to work with her. I'm sure it helps that her father owns a Camera and Lens store, which makes him privy to infinite resources in the Wilmington filmmaking community, but nevertheless, she made an amazing film.
Overall, it's great to see these women filmmakers creating such beautiful films. It's an inspiration to me, and really lit a fire under me as well. Although I will be abroad next semester, when I get back I'm going to make my film. There's nothing aside from money that's stopping me, but low-budget films work well. I've seen a lot of really good things come out of the Film Studies department with little to no budget.
Either way, these women inspired me to keep going, to not give up, and that women really can have an impact on the film community at large.
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