Expert: Phil Nemy - 5/22/2006

Question
i would like to write,star and direct my own movies and a t.v. series(e.g. the office) problem is i have no idea where or how to begin.  

Answer
Toppy,

Thanks for writing. There are two ways to help you - telling you the truth and the other way. I'll share both with you.

First, the truth. I know anything about you, about your talent, about your skills as a filmmaker or TV director, or your writing skills, but I know how the film and television business works. In television, you don't have much of a chance of ever getting your own TV series bought by any network or cable channel. If you want to get to that level, you need to pay your dues, sell one spec script for an existing series, then sell another, then be hired onto the show as a staff writer, then build your reputation as a staff writer. Work your way up to a TV writer/producer, and eventually as a series Show Runner, and then MAYBE one day a network or cable channel will ask to see whatever NEW shows you've created, and MAYBE they'll like it and MAYBE they'll order the show to series and THEN your own show will be on the air. Only a handful of writers in television EVER get this oppportunity. It DOES happen, but not to many.

As far as films, the only thing stopping you from writing, starring and directing your own film is money. Raise the necessary money, write a great script, hire cast and crew, and you can make your own film. If it's good, and I mean REALLY, HONESTLY good, then MAYBE you'll find a distribution company interested in distributing it into theatres. Over 5,000 film are produced every year, but only a few hundred are ever seen by a paying audience because most cannot find a distributor who will help the filmmaker get it into theatres.

You're the master of your own destiny - if you want to be an auteur as you've indicated, then write a great script and raise the money needed to produce it. Then follow you dream!

Good luck!

Phil