Now that the film is done. . .
a web blog by producer Erica Ginsberg
So Leon and Rob told you the story of what happened during production. They failed to mention a few crucial points such as how they called me at all sorts of odd hours of the night to cry because they had no money and ask for help because they were so exhausted after having to spend the night awake in a train station that they managed to lose their satellite phone the next day, etc. etc. I don't know if it was true. I wasn't there. But so goes it with production. Anyway, that feels like a lifetime ago. Now the film is done and the fun really begins.
September 9, 2003
I still can't believe that we are actually done with the edit. It felt like we were moving at a snail's pace forever. But I'm proud to say we finally managed to meet a deadline. After seeing some amazing films at IDFA (big documentary festival in Amsterdam) last year, we were determined to finish our film in time to make their deadline. We had another deadline too -- Leon's wife Goga was on the verge of giving birth. Amazingly, we finished the final cut just a few days before little Lucia came into the world. So Leon now has two babies to care for -- one flesh and blood and one digital tape. And while he spends much-needed time with baby and mom, I'm trying to parent the digital baby. We did make the IDFA deadline and are also applying to other festivals in Europe and the States. In fact, it's a full-time job right now just to research all the festivals. But at least they don't wake you up in the middle of the night, needing to be fed (although I have found myself waking up in the middle of the night to leave myself an urgent message about some task I have to do which I would invariably forget the next day at work).
The whole festival process is both fascinating and terrifying. Having worked on the other side, I know how hard it can be to program a 45 minute film even when the programmer loves it. It's strange to think that, when we started the editing process, we were afraid we wouldn't be able to make a film that would be less than two hours. And now we have a nice tight film at less than half that time. Some festivals consider our film a feature, others a short. Just one of the interesting facts I've picked up from all my research. I've been researching festivals -- what films got in last year, what their attitude appears to be from their websites and outreach materials, what other filmmakers have said about them. Wondering whether it is better to err on the side of applying early so the tape won't get bunched in with all the last minute entries. Or better to wait until we start getting into festivals so we have a track record. It's all so complex and I can't really figure out whether most festivals prefer buzz or freshness. Hopefully they'd just prefer a solid film. But who knows? Half the time, I feel like I am playing some giant board game where the box top has been lost, so you never quite know what the rules are and they keep changing as you go anyway. But we've managed to keep playing. No funding. No problem. The Balkans are over. But are war and fear? We want to know you. We don't want to know you. Somehow we'll make it through. I keep saying this to myself today, even as I hold our second rejection letter from ITVS. Somehow we'll make it through.