Budding filmmakers take note, today’s Sydney Morning Herald presents How to make a winning Tropfest entry – by someone who did, the collected wisdom of former Tropfest winner, Gyton Grantley sympathizer and Sydney-based writer/director, Abe Forsythe. Best bet is to read the whole thing here but if your attention span’s shorter than the festival’s allotted seven minute running time, we’ve pulled the most pertinent pieces of advice below. Thanks Abe, now we’re considering maybe thinking about filming something ourselves next year.
Brevity is key: “keep your running time well under seven minutes. I’ve always aimed for three minutes, knowing it will blow out. If you can tell it simply or fast then it makes for a better viewing experience on the night.”
Cast the best people you can: “If you give someone a role you know they are suited for, they will usually be able to take it further than you could imagine. It would have been hard to find someone else to play Gyton Grantley in Being Carl Williams.”
Story always trumps production values: “Just grab a camera and go out and shoot it. The beauty of Tropfest is that production values don’t matter if the story does. Just because something has a bigger budget or high production values doesn’t mean it’s going to be better.”
Have something to say: “Something personal to convey will help you make a better film. If you have a burning desire to tell a story then chances are you will invest more of yourself into the finished product.”
Don’t expect to win: “Don’t ever make a film expecting to make the finals – you’ll set yourself up for disappointment. If you do make the finals, don’t think you’ll get an award. That sort of expectation can kill you actually enjoying the fact that more than 100,000 people are going to watch your film.”
