How do you know when you’ve made a great movie?

I have just come back from Gimli, Manitoba where they held their 12th annual film festival. I was invited to attend not only to screen MOON POINT (Sean Cisterna) and a short film I also Executive Produced entitled HIDDEN DRIVEWAY (Sarah Goodman), but also to sit on a panel and moderate another. Both panels were lively, informative and presented to full houses.

Many emotional conversations took place in Gimli over the last four days that continue to give me affirmation of my passion for what I do for a living, and why I do it. Especially when for the most part I earn no money, and live in a basement apartment at the tender age of 49. Most people don’t believe or understand why I would work as hard as I do when most years my income is below the poverty line.

“If you look up “I Can Do That” and “I Don’t Give a Shit What You Think” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of Avi Federgreen.”

I want to thank Sean Cisterna for the quote and title for this installment of my blog. The quote says it all really. This is the mindset you have to have to make films now. You can’t take “NO” for an answer anymore. Yes it’s really hard to make films now and the well of funding money is getting shallower and shallower but you need to find other ways to make your film and be creative about how you make them. A good producer is able to think outside the box and find ways of pulling off the unthinkable.