The 5 Stages of Getting An Indie Film Made
Why do some indie films actually get made while others spend years stuck in development?
In this episode of Off The Lot, Anthony breaks down the stages an independent film goes through between having a screenplay and actually getting the movie greenlit.
We cover what you should be working on at each stage — and, just as importantly, what you probably shouldn't be doing yet.
You'll learn:
• Who you need around you before you start raising money
• When to spend your own development money
• How much financing you should have before approaching cast
• When a casting director actually becomes useful
• When to start talking to distributors and sales agents
• Why attachments can create leverage — or hurt you if you approach them too early
• The difference between momentum and actual progress
• Why you shouldn't build your finance plan around grants
• When a movie can realistically be considered greenlit
• What to do when your project has been stuck for months — or years
Film development isn't one giant leap from screenplay to production. It's a series of smaller steps, with each one creating enough leverage to unlock the next.
The key is knowing what stage your movie is actually in — and what needs to happen next.
If you're developing, financing or packaging an independent feature, this episode gives you a practical roadmap for getting it closer to production.
