24 Indie Filmmaking Tips Tweeted By Ted Hope

Set the agenda.
Beware of their unexpressed agenda.
Use passion to open doors.
Find your community and activate.
Create tools now for use later.
Be honest in your communication.
Walk on a tightrope with conviction.
Be strategic.
Don’t ask for permission.
Embrace the fullest definition of cinema.
Help people envision themselves as a force of change.
Know the someone you make the movie for.
Find a way or make one.
Let the audience ripple wider.
Create atmosphere of inevitability.
Must have great intention.
Be authentic to yourself.
Be distinct in the marketplace.
Make sure you have friends to support you emotionally.
Look beyond the feature film form.
Support each other.
Do your research.
Build a coalition.
Establish your brand (what makes you unique).

This list of tweets (essential instructions for indie filmmakers) comes from Ted Hope's twiter feed. Even though I follow Ted Hope on twitter (and everywhere else he writes), I came across these 24 epigrams in a February 22nd, 2012 Cole Abaius post to filmschoolrejects.com where Mr. Abaius helpfully collected them all. Apparently the 24 tweets were inspired by an Athena Film Festival panel that included Ted Hope (producer of numerous Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning films as well as numerous Academy Award nominated films), as well as Lisa Cortes (Precious), Susan Cartsonis (No Reservations), Nekisa Cooper (Pariah), and Mary Jane Skalski (Win Win) - all of whom contributed ideas.