Welcome to this week’s Sunday Evening edition of The Backlot. These versions of the newsletters will include stories from my recent experiences working in indie filmmaking, helpful resources for emerging filmmakers, and other posts covering topics in the film industry.
NOTE - The mid-week version of the newsletter will be free for the next few weeks before moving to a paid subscription in May. The Sunday version of this newsletter will remain free.
Here are our topics this week…
🎞️ Crafting an Identity and Personal brand
🎬 A Few Podcast Recommendations for Emerging Filmmakers
🗞️ Sunday Night Movie Recommendations
Crafting An Identity for Your Career
One of the most popular individuals in the world of cinema is the American auteur Wes Anderson. The beloved filmmaker has been making critically acclaimed films for the past three decades, including Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Bottlerocket.
Anderson is recognized for his use of aesthetically pleasing set designs, witty and intelligent dialogue, and fascinating character studies. The consistency in tone and style across his career has made him a household name, and most audiences are familiar with at least some of his work.
Now, Anderson’s films and filmmaking style are incredibly complex and beautifully written, and he’s easily one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. However, the general audience’s love for Anderson’s established style and personal brand, in many ways, is what has made him so successful.
In other words, when you walk into a Wes Anderson film - you know you are guaranteed to see a Wes Anderson film, and that’s a wonderful thing.
This expectation has garnered him a following, a loyal audience that will pay to see his films, and an overall anticipation for his next project.
That’s because, as humans, we love consistency and patterns. We love to find artists who have established themselves and their work and can meet those expectations time and time again. Whether that’s in filmmaking, music, or writing - we love people who can do “their” thing really well.
For an investor or distributor, this general loyalty to Anderson’s personal brand means he is a guaranteed safe bet because his work comes with a built-in audience. And for that reason, there is a lot to be learned from filmmakers and artists like Wes Anderson.
The Power of a Personal Brand
As emerging filmmakers, many of us are looking to grow our audience and garner a following for our work. We know that the larger our following, the more people will see our films, and the more opportunities will come our way.
That’s where there is power in having a personal brand; because you become more attractive and trustworthy for potential employers, funders, or distributors.
The consistency of a personal brand also helps people know what to expect from your work, your results, and your personality, making them feel safer and happier about investing time and energy into your work.
Now, to establish this brand, you don’t have to cultivate an alter ego or pseudo-character that is different from your regular personality. In fact, I would argue that this will likely hurt you more than help you.
That’s because the key to establishing a successful personal brand is authenticity. The more authentic you are about your passions, creative pursuits, and future ambitions, the more likely you are to gather a loyal following or network that truly cares about your work.
This loyal following is critical, too, because they are the ones who will create the most opportunities by sharing your work, investing in your projects, and taking chances on your ideas.
Therefore, be true to yourself as much as possible. Let your creative desires, thoughts, and ideas flow through you and onto your audience. Let people see you for who you are in every aspect of your work - whether posting on social media or talking to other crew members on set.
You’re not just selling your work or your service - you are selling yourself. And to do that best, you need a personal brand that is consistent and true to your personality.
That’s why Anderson is so successful: He is true to his ideas and work. He is authentic and finds ways to channel that authenticity into consistent work that resonates across various audiences. He is Wes Anderson, and there is no one else on this planet who is him.
Just like there is no one else who is authentically you. That’s a powerful thing. Make sure you use it to your advantage.
A Few Podcast Recommendations
One of the wonderful things about the internet is the endless amount of options for learning and finding new knowledge. As someone who had to learn the craft and business of filmmaking without going to film school or working with mentors, I’ve relied heavily on these online sources to help me grow as a filmmaker.
One of my favorite forms of learning is through podcasts because they offer easy-to-access conversations from real filmmakers about their experiences in the industry. Over the years, I’ve found a few favorites, including the three listed below…
Script Notes with John August and Craig Mazin
Script Notes is a weekly podcast from John August, whose written films such as Go, Big Fish, and Corpse Bride, and Craig Mazin, whose work includes the HBO series Chernobyl and The Last of Us. They’ve been airing the show since 2011, and the podcast is easily one of the favorites of screenwriters in the industry.
Every week, Mazin and August will talk about a different aspect of screenwriting, from creating characters, building suspense, or answering questions from their audience. They also have a variety of guests on the show who often discuss their own work.
The No Film School Podcast
The No Film School Podcast is easily one of the best resources for emerging filmmakers and industry members. During each episode, the team of experts at No Film School discusses different ideas about the craft, business, and career of filmmaking.
Whether discussing renting gear, setting annual goals, or writing scripts, the hosts break down ideas in a simple and insightful way. They are also exciting to listen to because the hosts aren’t industry darlings or wildly successful filmmakers; they are mostly indie artists trying to make a living in the industry. In that way, they know what it takes, how hard it can be, and what does and doesn’t work.
The Big Picture
The Big Picture with Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins is one of the best film podcasts out there. Every week, the duo, occasionally joined by other guest hosts, shares their latest on the industry news, reviews recent releases, or discusses their favorite filmmakers.
The podcast provides a different perspective than your standard movie-making podcast since it comes from the journalism side of the industry. It’s also an incredibly entertaining podcast because of the format and the fact that the two hosts are clearly great friends who love to get together and simply discuss, debate, and nerd out over a love for the big screen.
Three Movie Recommendations
Alright, it’s time for our weekly movie recommendations. This week, since we are talking about personal brands and filmmaking styles - I thought we’d recommend three films from some of the most consistent and stylistic artists of our time.
Sicario (2015)
In the last few months, Denis Villeneuve has cemented himself as one of the greatest filmmakers of this generation. The incredible achievement and success of Dune: Part Two has skyrocketed his already successful career, putting him into a tier with other directors like George Lucas and Stanley Kubrick.
Going back a few years, Villeneuve’s action-thriller about a rogue operation on the U.S.-Mexican border is still one of the most intense movies of the last few decades. The film stars a young Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin and provides a powerful and intense look into the border drug wars. It also includes one of the most tense sequences in recent memory, the notorious anxiety-inducing border crossing scene.
Chungking Express (1994)
Wong Kar-wai is one of the most celebrated directors of the 1990s and early 2000s. The Hong Kong film director is known for crafting films around non-linear narratives and curating an atmosphere that is deeply emotional and borderline nostalgic. He’s probably best known for In the Mood for Love (2000), which is often considered one of the best films of all time.
All his films are worthy seeing, but I’d highly recommend one of his early films, Chungking Express. The film follows the storylines of two different cops who are briefly connected through a snack bar in Hong Kong. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking portrait of love, loss, and the pure chance of falling in love. It’s an amazing film that will stick with you long after the final credits start to roll.
In Bruges (2008)
Over the last few years, Martin McDonagh has become much more well-known due to the outstanding success of his films The Banshees of Inisherin and Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri. McDonagh has only four films, but each of them is widely celebrated for its writing, which is deeply personal and intelligent, and inspired by his playwriting career.
Although his latest film, Banshees, is likely my favorite, his debut feature film is just as brilliant. In Bruges, which stars Brendon Gleeson and Colin Farrell as two hitmen laying low in Bruges for a few days, is both darkly hilarious and emotionally intelligent. McDonagh's sheer ability to convey so much through such little action is on full display in this film, only enhanced by the brilliance of the two main actors.
On Wednesday, I will be sharing a quick personal update from my time at the International Documentary Association’s Getting Real Conference…
🎞️ Updates from Getting Real
🎬 Other Latest News and Updates from the Industry
Note - Also, if you are at the Getting Real conference in Los Angeles this week, send me a message. I would love to find a time to connect!