Movies do not get made without great intent. Especially the ones nominated for Academy Awards. 2013 best director Oscar nominee Behh Zietlin shot “Beasts of the Southern Wild” on a shoestring budget, with untrained child actors, in a dirty swamp. You aren’t able to do that without the will to get it done.
Intention is the greatest power we have as humans. It’s our will power; we can will things into being. How? We do this by our relentless belief in the outcome of our desire.
Haven’t you heard people say, “He willed it so” when talking about someone who achieved an incredible feat? We use this word without realizing its full potential. Each of us has this power. The question is how to use it to create our art.
Say it Out Loud
Once you find something that you are willing to achieve and know that you will have to put 1000% of your faith and full intention on the completion, say it out loud.
Then, ask yourself how you feel. Are you sick at your stomach? It’s too much? Lower your expectations. Do you feel confident? Then, go for it. Deepak Chopra says each cell is a living thinking organism. Believe me, your body will tell you if you can or can’t do that, stay away from the mind, listen to the body.
Once you have set an intention for what you believe you can achieve, then put it everywhere you spend time, on your computer, the visor of the car, inside your wallet, you want to see this and repeat it 3 times a day. This is a one line statement of your intention as if it is completed. Example, “My brilliant film is completed.” Now, what’s on your “to do” list for the day? Focus on it and expect the universe to help you.
Listen Carefully
Pay attention because the universe now believes that your film is finished and they have to catch up with you. You may be introduced to a D.P., pitch the film, perhaps they will come on board and work with you to get the funding or lend their name.
Fred Alan Wolf says that when you are daydreaming about the future, that there is a “handshake across time” that occurs and this vision may become a reality in the future. So expect things to happen to move your film forward.
Accept all invitations and go as if you film is funded. I want you to have that air of confidence about you. Let them know you are doing something really cool, if they want to get involved, please join me because I am doing this with or without you.
Something that’s Never Been Tried Before
I read treatments and review proposals for over 500 documentaries and films each year. Some apply for the Roy W. Dean Film Grant. Some apply for fiscal sponsorship through From The Heart Productions for indiegogo.com.
Many are fantastic, can’t miss stories that have you anticipating standing in line for a ticket. But, many of those do not get made due to doubts and fears the filmmaker has about the project getting produced and their ability to produce it.
Can filmmakers be taught to create intent? Well, I believe they can and I have intended it to be. I just created a class called Intentional Filmmaking. It combines mentoring in filmmaking along with teaching how to manifest to leverage your intent. A class like this has never been tried. But, I know, and my intent is, that it will work.
Filmmakers need to know that our intentions (thoughts) can create things on this physical plane. They need to intend goals that are possible. Not to get $1 million in 30 days. They need goals that they can honestly reach and set a timeline for achievement. When they have the will to attain that goal, they can’t be stopped.
