Don't get bogged down in all the little steps: financing, planning, taking meetings. Eric and I know people who've done nothing but have meetings for literally 10 years (laughs). You should do whatever it takes to shorten the distance between yourself and a movie set. Make a movie for 500 dollars, if you have to. Get into the art of it; understand the aesthetic side; and own it as fast as possible. People respond in the business when you're a doer, and the good news with indie films is, they're democratic; anybody with a camera and editing system can make one. So find a story that really speaks to you, and run with it!
