Approaching Another Feature

With every new gig, I'm learning more about how jobs happen in this industry. In June, I'll be co-directing a feature film, and like most of the jobs I've had in the last few years, I never applied for this one.

It's not that the gig "fell in my lap", though there's certainly some element of luck, or G-D, or kismet... But I must also acknowledge the accumulation of lots of hard work, networking, connections that came from connections, etc. that contributed to my landing the job.

Memory allows me to trace this back to 2007, when I made the short "Widow's Meal" for the "Jewish Film Challenge". On that set, I met the photographer, Israel Orange, who would become my producing partner on the feature I directed in 2010, "A Modest Suggestion". That's when I met Mendy Pellin, who I directed in the film. A few years later, I'd work with Mendy on "Jewbellish: The Show". During production on the first few episodes for this web series, we had a visitor on set, Jeffrey Lampert, who is a friend of Mendy's, and an accomplished industry veteran in his own right. Jeffrey would later produce a short for me ("Johnny's Rocket", which is almost ready for prime time), and would direct several episodes of "Jewbellish: The Show". Jeffrey has a friend, Reid Taylor, who asked him to help craft a schedule for a micro-budget feature he wrote and intended to produce, direct and star in. Jeffrey has been busy in [I shouldn't say where] working on a big film called [I can't tell you. Really!] so he asked me if I could do it.

That's how I got involved in Reid's passion-project, "A Glimpse of the Soul". I must have done a reasonably good job on that schedule, because Reid pulled me in to assistant-direct the thing.  Within a few days of that decision, Reid asked me if I'd be interested in co-directing with him. I was flattered and honored that he asked, and (after making sure he really, really wanted to share the creative control that had been his since the project's germination) accepted the offer.

I've always felt that my best "networking" happens on-set, when I'm working. In a room, handing out business cards, I can only tell people I'm good at what I do, but that's all fluff. When we network, we're all full of hot air, and we know it. In the trenches, though, I don't have to say anything. People can see me at work, and can decide for themselves whether I'm worth their time or not.

Networking has its value, though -- several crew members I'm bringing on to this thing are folks I met at networking events.

-Arnon