Joe Drake, Lionsgate co-COO and president of its Motion Picture Group, delivered the keynote speech Saturday morning at Film Independent’s 2010 Filmmaker Forum. If you weren’t lucky enough to attend, then you should definitely read the transcript that’s posted over at indieWIRE. It’s an extremely inspirational (albeit harshly realistic) talk about creating and maintaining traction in this business.
Some of my favorite quotes from Mr. Drake:
“Hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Once it does, it becomes the kind of thing that makes you grab your wife around the waist and dance a jig.”
“90% of your success is what you have in your briefcase. 10% of your success is how effective you are at influencing others to act on your behalf.”
“So, for all of you who want to ask me, “How do I get my movie financed?” Part of the answer is this: Forget about all the reasons not to do it. Forget about all the films that failed. Forget about all the films that didn’t get into Sundance, or got there, and didn’t get a distribution deal out of Sundance. Choose instead to focus on what has worked and learn from opening your eyes up to the marketplace around you.”
Read it all here: http://www.indiewire.com/article/test1