Producing : Seeking Advice for My First Short Film as a Producer & Director by Sandra Isabel Correia

I'm excited for you, Sandra Isabel Correia! I think you're going to do great! I haven't produced or directed a short film, but Stage 32 has a blog called "8 Questions I Had Before Making My First Short Film" (www.stage32.com/blog/8-questions-i-had-before-making-my-first-short-film...).

Maurice Vaughan, thank you my good friend. I went now to read the blog and thanks for that. I have the team organized, the props, locations, wardrobe, make up, actors and we will be shooting next Friday :)) They are excited and nervous moments, but as you say: Everything will be great. Thank for your unconditional support :))

You're welcome, Sandra Isabel Correia.

First... CONGRATULATIONS!

Second... Preparation is key. Be prepared every day. Know your script, know your shot list, and have a plan for how to make your day.

Third... Be flexible. You will run into problems, both large and small. Anticipate and overcome.

Fourth... Have fun! Remember, you are not curing cancer. This is supposed to be fun. Enjoy the process.

How exciting and congratulations!

yes, Sandra! Learn by doing! p.s., there is No failure, only opportunities to learn! Go get ‘em!

Honestly, Michael Fitzer has given you all the advice you need. Prepare, Adapt and have fun.

Best practice: an army marches on its stomach, so ample craft services! Also, value cast & crew by serving the good stuff. The extra cost is one of the best/inexpensive expenditures you’ll ever make!

Sandra Isabel Correia We have a number of independent producers and producer-directors who you could get specific advice from, at the IPG. DM me directly and we could have a chat about what you want to know.

Sandra Isabel Correia I would also highly recommend a good Assistant Director. When producing and directing if can take a lot out of you. A good AD can really help you on set with keep things on schedule, keeping track of logistics, paperwork like call sheets, schedules etc and even direct for you while you out a producing fire.

You've got this! It starts with the top down so you set the tone. Stay calm, stay firm in your vision but allow others to feel a part of the collaborative process. Take care of crew, a good meal or kind word goes a long way. Admit when you are wrong and stay film on when you feel convicted (but with kindness). Preparation is key. Embrace the things you can't change and rather than focus on the disappointment, focus on the problem solving..and know you will rock it!

Exciting! Besr of luck with it Sandra. sure you’ll learn a lot.

Hi, Michael Fitzer. Thank you for that practical advice. Yes, I am already having fun, and because it will be my first experience, I think everything will go with the flow. The shooting is tomorrow. Thank youuu

Thank you Sylvia Jacobs :))

You are right, Sean T. Clark. I'll take that in my heart with me. I'll have a Chef to do the meals :))

Thank you, Kevin Jackson. I will :)) I have an AD with me. The team isn't big, but I believe I have the essentials. Thank you

I will Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg. I don't know what IPG is, but I will. I'll do it after the shooting, which is tomorrow. thank youuu

Thank you so much for your encouragement and thoughtful advice, Sara Elizabeth Timmins . It truly means a lot! Your words are such a wonderful reminder that leadership is about setting the right tone from the start, staying confident while being open to collaboration, and taking care of the people around you. I’ll definitely keep all of this in mind as we head into the shoot this week. Your support gives me even more confidence that I can navigate this experience with clarity and kindness.

I sincerely appreciate you sharing your wisdom. Thank you for believing in me!

Thank you Alexandra Stevens :))

Sandra Isabel Correia Congrats on this amazing Film your about to shoot.

Tips : See the film as your house and your family, set the rules , communicate your vision and goals clearly.

Do all the release forms early, when people are on set they should be signed off by you.

Shooting days budget for more days, but shoot for less, and tell the team the minimum days so that they can work hard on the project and use the other days left to reshoot.

Make sure your actors know their scripts and set a rule , example maximum 5 takes, so that they have the pressure to study the script.

Try to minimize the crew, if someone can d multiple jobs , space out their jobs to ensure you get the best quality from them.

NO DRINIKING POLICY for the amount of shooting days , tell them no chilling after work , you want a sober team, if they cannot commit to it they must tell you so that they can be replaced.

I hope it helps, :)

All the best

You’re welcome! Reach out if you want to collaborate!

Sandra Isabel Correia, congratulations! Personality! You've got it! That's one of key factors in interactions and chemistry, with your cast as a Director. Whether or not you are working with A, listers . Not forgetting focus to Instill that passion to move audiences, It's important for your type of genre and storyline. Impacting on audiences deep thoughts, even after viewing your film on the big screens, is of good objectives! Always good for public relations.

Of course you've already got it covered.

The advice is certainly impressive in the comments!

Thank you Elmare Hendricks for your great advices and no alcohol drinks, only when we wrap up to celebrate:)) Tomorrow’s the big day :)) Thank you sweetie

Thank you Eon C. Rambally for this enlightening advices you shared. I will keep that in mind. You are right. The vibe must be everywhere in all phases. Thank you for trust in me :))

You have taken the most important step, you have decided to produce your own project. There are a lot of "want-to-do" people who never do, so you are heading in the right direction. Just remember two of the most important elements in producing a quality film, is good sound and good cinematography.

Hi Sandra! Feature Film Producer here. I produced one short before I moved to features back in the day :). I would try and bring on another Producer or 1st AD to help you manage the day, that way you can fully focus on the creative vision and interacting with the actors! In my experience with a short film, I was fully focused on making a stress free environment for my director so that he could fully focus on his film. Best of luck to you!

Great advice, Kristy!

I know nothing about that process BUT

I BELIEVE IN YOU~

BREATHE... ACTION!

BREATHE... ACTION!

BREATHE... ACTION!

CUT!! SUCCESS!

Thank you Stephen Olson, for your advice and support. I'll take with me your two most important elements. Thank you.

Hi Kristy Grisham, I appreciate your comment and congratulations for all of your achievements. Yes, I had another producer with me and the cinematographer and the gaffer. They were vital for the shooting. I also produced, but I was the director on the day of the shoot, and it went very well. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

Thank you, my sweet Sherri ZImmerman :))

To all of you: I just wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for all the advice and support you've provided me. This weekend, we shot the short film, which was an incredible experience. The environment was both fun and inspiring; of course, there were moments of stress, but that’s part of the magic! Luckily, we even had a chef cooking for us, which made the whole process even more enjoyable.

Thanks to your guidance, I discovered a new gift within myself: directing. I feel truly happy and fulfilled in this role, and I know that your encouragement and insights played a crucial part in helping me get here.

We’re now diving into the editing process and stepping into post-production, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead. Also, I’m proud to say that we covered the micro-budget and managed to stay within it, which made this experience even more rewarding.

The support this community provides is truly vital, and I feel honored to be part of it.

The Misstep was born!

Thank you for everything!

Congratulations on finishing filming, Sandra Isabel Correia and everyone who worked on The Misstep! Thanks for posting an update. Glad it was an incredible experience and you all managed to stay within micro-budget! I can't wait to watch your film! Happy editing and post-production!

Hi Sandra Isabel Correia Quite a while ago I wrote a blog on Stage32 about my first short film. It might be helpful. It's about the post-production and distribution as well.... I cannot find it on the site anymore. I'll check out if I can send it to you (the text) one way or another.

Sandra Isabel Correia Woah! Big cause for a celebration. So inspired to hear that you discovered a new gift in directing. So great that you made this happen. Can't wait to hear the updates.

Is this it, Frank Van Der Meijden? "From Idea To Premiere: A Filmmaker's Journey" www.stage32.com/blog/from-idea-to-premiere-a-filmmakers-journey-3246

Thank you my good friend, Maurice Vaughan for your words and constant support. We weren’t a big team, but I believe we had the best professionals we could have. And I am happy with the final results. Let’s see the film version. The budget was tight, but we did it. We had three locations, it was a challenge, but for the first one, it was good :)) I will share, of course :))

Hi, Frank Van Der Meijden, thanks for that! Maurice Vaughan post the link for your blog and I”ll read about it. Our first, will be our first always :)) Thank youuuu

Hi, Alexandra Stevens. Thank you for your support and congratulations. It was a big challenge, but it was worth it. I will share more about it. Thank you my friend. Have a good night!

Directing AND Producing at the same time is difficult. These are two very different jobs with different skills. You'll have to be two different persons to do both. Good luck!

You're welcome, Sandra Isabel Correia. I'm looking forward to seeing it! Have a good night too!

I did both Pierre Gervois, because the team was short, but I had a AP who worked with me. You are right, they are different roles, but because I am an executive producer, it wasn’t hard to align both roles. We did the shooting this weekend and it went really well. Thank you for your support.

Now more than ever, looking forward to seeing this film Sandra Isabel Correia! As the saying goes, God Speed! )))

Likewise Eon C. Rambally :)) I am excited to see how The Misstep will fly! Indeed “God speed” :)) Thank you my friend.

Maurice Vaughan Yes! Thank you, you're the hero of the day! That's the blog I mentioned.

You're welcome, Frank Van Der Meijden. Ok, great.

1. It's all in the prep. 2. Don't shoot what won't make the final cut (easier said than done! - pre-edit yourself.)

Thank you Jack Binder. That’s the secret, I guess :))

Not surprised Sandra... They say.,

"No TIME like the PRESENT"

And me? I just say... "ALL IN Buddha TIME"

When it's meant to happen, it WILL happen.

Apparently MISSTEP IS meant TO happen!

Congrats! And WISHING YOU & YOUR Film Tribe

THE Greatest Success MORE than ALL the STARS in the SKY....

So happy for YOU!

Thank you illuminating soul, I appreciate you Sherri ZImmerman, and loved to see you :)))