Imagine for a moment that you’ve made the perfect film. Against all odds, you’ve translated what was in your mind to the final cut with exact precision.

You know the film is great, and that the quality of performance, visuals, and edit surpasses movies made with far more money.

Yet when it’s time to put the film out there… crickets.

Festivals reject it. Distributors don’t write back. No one seems to care when you post about it online… What went wrong?

Almost always, it’s a matter of leverage. Or lack of it.

In filmmaking terms, leverage is simply something you can apply to your film that gives it an outsized advantage.

It’s why studios cast stars and pay them tens of millions of dollars. Or why they are so dead set on existing IP and franchises.

Take any indie film and put Jennifer Lawrence in the lead instead of an unknown actor, and the value instantly goes up. Even if the film itself isn’t as good.

Because festivals, industry pros, buyers, and audiences all value the film differently as a result of that one element. That’s leverage.

Now, on a truly DIY or micro-budget film, you’re not going to cast Jennifer Lawrence, unless she happens to be a friend.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t apply leverage in different ways.

Here are just a few key examples:

1. Casting

Just because you can’t book an A-list actor for a DIY film doesn’t mean you can’t land other notable actors. The number of filmmakers I personally know who have booked really well-known talent for a couple hundred bucks a day might shock you.

I am all for putting performance quality above all else. But if you can land someone great who ALSO happens to have some impressive credits under their belt, that factor alone can differentiate your film from 90 percent of what’s out there – making it far more likely to sell.

This is especially easy if you are operating in a bigger city where you can cast an actor, musician, artist, etc. who doesn’t have to travel. Make it an easy yes for them, and they just might agree.

2. Producing Talent

Even films that have no stars in front of the camera can often leverage talent behind the camera in similar ways. Years ago, I helped edit a documentary with unknown subjects. But a famous rapper came on as an executive producer after the fact, and that opened up a ton of doors for festivals and distribution.

You might be surprised at how many notable figures would be open to taking an EP credit in name if the work is something they truly value and believe in. They may not put any money up, but their connections and name alone are often worth even more.

Worth noting: On a DIY level, it’s more likely to land a known producer after you’ve actually made the film. But it’s never too early to start putting out feelers.

3. Free IP

Much in the same way that studios want to leverage existing IP (like video games, books, or toys) to optimize financial success, you can do the same.

I know at least three filmmakers right now who have optioned really amazing books or scripts for little or no money. Whether you leverage that IP to raise money or simply to make a movie that is more interesting to more people, you have a huge upper hand.

There is also a ton of free IP in the public domain.

When Winnie the Pooh fell into that category after the 100 year mark, director Rhys Frake-Waterfield leveraged that to make Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, a horror film that made 7.7 million dollars on a 100K budget.
 

4. Pseudo-IP

There’s another type of asset you can use in place of IP, which I call pseudo-IP.

This refers to things that are both current and in the public discourse at the moment, but not owned by any one person. They are the ideas, stories, collective jokes, and cultural movements that we are all aware of.

Take for instance our recent short film Ovation that went viral and wound up featured in Variety, with a possible full-length version coming soon. That film leveraged the idea of endless film festival standing ovations, which are already of public interest.

Had we made the exact same film 10 years ago, no one would have cared. But it’s topical right now, so we were able to ride that wave.

There are so many ideas that can tap into cultural relevance that cost nothing but practically guarantee interest based on subject matter alone.

5. Your Body of Work

The ultimate leverage that you have as a filmmaker is your body of work. It’s the single factor that matters most in achieving everything we’ve already discussed.

If you want to cast a great actor, the first thing they want to see is your last movie. The same goes for attaching a name producer, who will want to see the quality of your actual work, not just an idea.

And of course your films are the ultimate vehicle to deliver any new ideas, re-worked IP, or other elements to an audience – and hopefully reach the masses with it.

There are many other ways to think of leverage in the context of filmmaking, but these five are the cornerstone.

If you can’t pull off any of the above, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make your movie. Because creating something and developing craft is a major form of leverage too.

But when possible, look for ways to give yourself and your film an unfair advantage.

Doing so makes it 100x easier to get your work made and seen.

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