Not all filmmakers at SXSW were bullish on digital tools and social networks this year. The Center for Social Media at American University reports :
In spite of cutting edge talk, though, many filmmakers were looking to strike far more traditional deals with theatrical distributors and broadcasters.
Although SXSW has a reputation for being on the cutting edge, it seems there are still plenty of attendees who are proponents of the traditional distribution model. This suggests that it will still be a while before newer models begin to gain large market share. There are still opportunities to be had by those who take a risk and dive into the new distribution market.
. You might be shouting, “But Palindrome, why are you reviewing a fashion book in a film blog?” Well, because it’s made me think about the importance of style in the film world. One of the privileges of working in a “creative” field is getting to wear jeans and sneakers to the office, and only break out the fancy if you win an Oscar. However, I met with a freelancer today whose hair was perfect, her jewelry matched her bag, her sweater was tied neatly. . . she looked great, even though she mostly works from home. What struck me was this: Being “creative” is only half of what we do. The other half is asking people for money, for permits, for a few hours of their time (or a few weeks). If you’re running around asking people to trust you to coordinate a shoot, it doesn’t hurt to show you can coordinate an outfit.
by John Gaspard. In the book, he examines 33 independent films, ranging from the well-known (
, 
, 
) to the more obscure (
). From interviews with the directors, Gaspard collates 69 rules for low-budget film production, some of them overlapping, others contradictory, and summarizes them in the appendix. Some of these ‘rules’ have limited application, but many of them are worth considering when planning or thinking about a low budget film. At the very least, it is worth reading what successful indie directors have to say about their craft and the lessons they learned from it. 
may contain more in that regard; I haven’t read it yet.) and you won’t find much advice on directing actors (for that I recommend 
by Judith Weston) but you will find general information on how to get your movie made without falling into the major pitfalls of low-budget production along the way. After all, much better to learn from others’ mistakes than repeat them all ourselves.