Today I sent out well over 100 emails, maybe closer to 200. These emails were sent to many of my colleagues in filmmaking, DP’s and Assistants mostly that is…so far.
This is all part of the networking process to produce my first feature or launch the pilot I co-wrote. I wanted to see if anyone I know has the wherewithal to connect me with a development exec, prod. co. producer, agent, or manager.
Some responses are trickling in.
One stopped me in my tracks and brought a wide smile to my face.
No, it wasn’t, the “Call my Uncle email”.
This was an “I see you, you see me, thank you for sharing email.”
I am all too aware that many of my colleagues are struggling to find filmmaking work these days. I empathize because I am in the same boat. Honestly, though, the responses I hope for aren’t always about getting something tangible;
Sometimes…Yes, sometimes, it’s just about connecting as humans.
And that, my friends, is beautiful!
Below is the response for you all to relish in. I have redacted the name to protect the innocent…the words expressed are ANY and ALL of us.
Hi Jimmy
I’m writing you not because I have connections in the screenwriting craft but because I found it inspiring how honest, intelligent, and thoughtful your email was and how brave you were about it. This made my day a brighter day.
Thank you.
Yes, I’m struggling too. Keeping inspired (and employed) in this environment has been difficult and your email helped.
Cheers,
Name redacted
And where would I be as an aspirational Filmmaking Entrepreneur
if I didn’t share the email I sent out as well!
I hope this email finds you well and, with any luck, working! Personally, I am staying under the radar and hunkering down; head in the sand is at times easier to manage. I assume it is still a slog out there? I know my phone hardly rings anymore.
As you may know, I have made my career as a cinematographer, director, and camera op, in that order, from my humble roots as an AC and camera tech ;-). Over the years, I have also been a mentor, instructor, Chairman of the ECA’s for 17 years, and a journalist.
In my pursuit to make more narrative films, I decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns and put all that experience into writing, screenwriting that is. Over the past few years, I have cranked out 6 feature screenplays and one co-written TV pilot, all of which I am proud of and all of which lead my charge into this next phase of my career, yes, while still holding onto that dream of lensing another feature. Gotta have ambitions, right?
So far, and trust me on this one, making it as a DP and Director was a lot easier; many of those jobs were landed through cold intros, to a degree that is.
In the screenwriting community, it is often preached that networking and relationships are key, apparently even more so.
So, for me, while I make cold calls and cold outreach, I cannot rely on those cold queries alone. So I am checking in with people in my community, my networking and friendships I have created over the last 30-something years, to see if my colleagues have insight, connections, or the possibility of helping to promote my screenwriting work.
So, without further ado:
I wonder if you have insight into pushing a pilot of a feature screenplay further up the proverbial hill? (honestly, getting acknowledged by managers or production companies and then read is a challenge unto itself)
I wonder who my respected colleagues might know and be willing to connect me with?
Who would they feel comfortable approaching with my work?
How might all these years of dedication to the craft, uplifting and supporting others, the friendships, and the camaraderie lend to an opportunity?
In the end, during these rough and rocky times, we, the filmmakers, might need to be a little more proactive in generating work for ourselves and our colleagues.
I would love to share any of my screenplays with you, relative to your discipline, interest, and connections of course.
There is a link below to the screenplays I am promoting.
Thank you so much for your time.
Best,
Jimmy Matlosz