Filmmaking in Swaziland is still very new. Although there are a few individuals that have been in the industry for years, it is only recent that the skill has started receiving recognition and be treated more than just as a joke. While local filmmakers fight to thrive and build a sustainable industry for themselves, I have observed that there are common mistakes that they seem to make.
Playing the one man show:
Funding for filmmaking in Swaziland is still very scarce and one of the solutions that most filmmakers find is best for decreasing costs is keeping an extra small team or even doing too much themselves. However, this compromises on the quality of the production because while the filmmaker struggles to get everything done, there are certain areas that may be overlooked, affecting the entire outcome. It is best for filmmakers to work harder in acquiring funding, even if it means exhausting all their savings to ensure that they are able to build up a sufficient team that will cover all the rorequired to work on the film and bring out quality work while also avoiding exhaustion and collapse.
Playing the jack of all and master of none:
The film industry is a multi faceted industry with different fields. While some can play solid all rounders, most are talented in just one or two fields and it becomes a big mistake for filmmakers to attempt taking up a role they are not talented or skilled for in a production. Just because you are the creator or main investor for a production, it does not mean you are obliged to take up the role of director or producer when you can get someone else to do a better job. Hire a finance person to take care of the accounting. Accept that you don't know what you don't know.
Treating your job/business like a hobby:
It's one thing to take up filmmaking on the side as a part time hobby, but when you decide to go into it fulltime and make it your source of income, you need to understand that professional filmmaking is both art and business. Most filmmakers make the mistake of focusing greatly on the creative side and forgetting about taking care of the business side. This will lead to your productions never making it out of the editing suit due to lack of funds or even having your productions eat at your funds and bring nothing back in return. Build a solid business structure for your production house and treat yourself like a corporate creative so that your company can thrive and people can respect your work. Go to school and further your studies if you have to or get a mentor. Do whatever it takes to gain more knowledge, acquire skills and build yourself up as a professional.
Working in isolation:
When I talk about working in isolation, I don't just mean working by yourself as discussed in my first point. Some filmmakers isolate themselves from the entire industry. I have met professional filmmakers that work daily in the industry but have no clue what is happening out there. Even though you want to remain unique in your craft, it is best to keep up to date with industry news, trends and what other filmmakers get up to. This will help to inspire you and let you learn from other filmmakers while competing at an acceptable standard. You do not want to be left behind or repeat mistakes that have been done before, and you certainly want to develop yourself to be the best you can be. Making friends in the industry will also ensure that you have someone to talk to or even seek advise from when you face difficult challenges.
Staying in the comfort zone:
Elliot Grove once wrote, "Most filmmakers work with the same team members over and over again. There is nothing wrong with this - except - who is challenging and testing you and your ideas?" Filmmakers in Swaziland have been working with same people for years. This means they have been having the same experiences for years and no longer have anything new to learn from these people. Thus they are not growing as creatives or developing. Some have also grown comfortable with producing what they call "Swazi stories" and are afraid of trying other genres or styles of filmmaking because they feel that they might lose momentum or be viewed as sell outs by the industry.
The film and television industry in Swaziland is still very small and young, but there is great potential and room for improvement. It would be amazing to see some of the immensely talented filmmakers in the country becoming of great success and I hope you can use some of these tools in taking the appropriate action towards developing your careers.
No comments:
Post a Comment