I HAVE AN IDEA!
I used to be an ideas man! At one point, I had ideas for about 500 Movies & Serials. Until I woke up to the fact that they would all stay in my desk drawer, unless I started making some of them happen. Even if it meant I was doing the £50 version of the £10m project idea.
I used to spend about 95% of the time coming up with all these ideas. Ideas for businesses too. Some were great ideas, but I’ll bet there’s millions of people in the world who thought of the next big thing, but never committed their life to make it happen. The thought of the ups and downs were too much. The rejection would be too much, even if you knew it would eventually work.
Ohhh I have an idea that is out of this world! What is it? It’s a box, with a screen, and we see images of people doing stuff and shit in life. It’s called a …..TV. Ok lets do it!……I can’t be arsed!
I have reversed my way of thinking and approach over the years. I now spend 5% of time on the idea, and 95% of the time making the idea happen. And I move on ideas that can start a spark. I don’t have the attitude, ohhh, I’ll only get out of bed to make it happen if somebody throws cash at the problem for me.
Example, I made a movie called “Cold- Blooded Killers”. I got the idea in a day, then I gave myself days to write the screenplay. While I was doing that, I was securing all the locations and paying for the cast and crew accomodation and such. I had it all prepared to go, BEFORE I even wrote the script or cast most of the film. If I didn’t do that, it would have remained an idea.
By moving with the basic pitch idea, there was no turning back. Was I out to make a great film? No! I was out to make shit happen, learn, and train myself to roll! Execute on ideas! I did the same with my first £350k movie. But I lost that spirit for “just doing” for years until recently.
If I took the old approach, I would be hunting for years to try and get the £20m version of the film going I originally had. Now the cheaper version I made happen with nothing is doing well on Amazon, and is being viewed by some industry producers. Who knows, a remake, or another deal? Maybe. But I would not even get on anybodys radar with an “Idea”
Should I have just tried to get the bigger money from the start? Developed it for years? I woudn’t give anybody a penny these days if all they were bringing to the table was scripts and ideas. (Especially since we all have access to this cheap technology) I want to see their portfolio of work first. Even if it’s half a dozen small films they have made. Or the no budget concept. I want people that excute on ideas. Even if it’s at the spark level first.
My point simply is. Anything I’m doing now. I’m making it. I’m not pondering, over planning, talking, strategising, or developing. I light the fuse, even at the spark level, and move! I also wanted my own crime series. Is anybody going to give me £50m to make one? Nope! So I went out and made the cheaper version, and it’s now going to Amazon Prime Video in the UK-USA soon. With the novel version coming soon.
It’s nothing like the bigger “idea” I had. But real opportunities are starting to come through because I’m not just pondering with my ideas anymore. Execution, making shit happen, no matter how small, always brings positive results in the long term.
Hey, I got another idea. It’s genuis! Its this platform where people share shit online. Just like myspace! What’s it called? I’m thinking Facebook? That sounds shit. Like a crap myspace! Ok, Lets try it. Next weekend?…..No, I’ll stick it in the drawer for later.
Thanks for reading!
PS. The youtube version of this post.
