So I decided I would lose my mind and attempt to make a trailer for my latest project here in always sunny Philadelphia. I could have made it in Los Angeles utilizing everything that LA has to offer (easy access to talent, equipment, infrastructure) but for some reason LA doesn't look like Pennsylvania Dutch country. And it never looks like winter there.
I'm a Philadelphia native so I thought there was a nice touch of homecoming to produce a low-budget trailer in Philadelphia. I could discover local talent in front of and behind the cameras. Make new friends. Maybe even lay the seeds of a crew I could utilize for the actual production of my project in the spring.
Well, as a former Philly boy, I shoulda known better. Since arriving here, I've gotten nothing but the middle finger from everybody I've encountered, starting with the folks who label themselves talent scouts.
I ran down the list of talent scouts and managers at the Philadelphia Film Office site (www.film.org). It seemed no matter how much money I was willing to put on the table, I couldn't get anybody to email me back. Those who did email me were polite enough to lead me in the right direction, but weren't interested in being hired. Now, I wasn't offering what THIS GUY wanted as a rate, but I was offering cash. Greenbacks. Dinero. Moolah. Benjamins. You know, a job. I was left with the lesson that if my last name wasn't Sony, no local scout would get out of bed for me.
(I don't expect anyone to snap to at my command. But complete indifference?)
CHORUS: Woe to the indie filmmaker who wants to hire in Philadelphia.
Okay, so maybe there's a production company in Philly, chock full of talent and experience to help grease the process of making a trailer. The awful fact about making a two-to-three minute trailer (a short promotional piece to help finance your film) is that it's as much production work as making a real entire film. If you're going to make it look professional, you need professionals!
So I ran down the list of production companies on the Philadelphia Film Office site... again. Some responded. The most talented (to my eye) did not. Some said it was because of the money (there wasn't enough of it). That's fair. Could they recommend anyone less established who might be hungry enough to take this opportunity? No response. I even contacted a female filmmaker who was recently elected to a board to promote female filmmaker opportunities in Philadelphia... and I got blown off!!! Here I am trying to GIVE opportunity TO female filmmakers! And I don't even get a response??!! After three emails???? What a @#$&!!!!
CHORUS: Woe to the indie filmmaker who wants to hire in Philadelphia.
Okay. So how about some production insurance? Surely I'll get some respect there. After all, insurance companies like money, don't they? So I went on Film.org AGAIN. There were two companies listed. I tried the phone number. I got their fax machine. I tried it three times making sure I didn't dial it wrong.
I didn't.
CHORUS: Woe to the indie filmmaker who wants to hire in Philadelphia.
Well, pardon me all over the place, Philly. I didn't realize you was the new Vancouver! Good for you!! (And by "good for you" I mean "rot in hell")
Luckily I hooked up with a NYC friend from the past who has just developed into a fine film director. We've been knocking our heads against Philadelphia together, and thanks to the help of dear friends, we've made progress. Through a series of fortunate coincidences and divine interventions, we've been able to obtain a prime location, incredible actors, and generous support all OUTSIDE THE FILM INDUSTRY OF PHILADELPHIA. It's been amazing to behold. We're planning on a December shoot in Montgomery County.
Now, as any Easterner will tell you, shooting a film in December is inviting God to come and throw a bunch of snow at you.
Well, God I can handle...
...The Philly film community? Not so much.
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