Filmmaking / Directing : Did I mention that I hate reshoots? by Brandon Keeton

Brandon Keeton

Did I mention that I hate reshoots?

Hey everyone. I have reshoots for a passion project short film that I produced, wrote, and directed coming up on Saturday and I'm having a hard time finding motivation to make it look like I'm excited about doing them. Don't get me wrong, I loved writing it, I loved making it, and the story doesn't really suffer without them but I made the call to make it as perfect as I can and now....

Having been in the military for 21 years and having owned a few businesses, I know that, from a leadership perspective, the cast and crew will que off of me... but I'm REALLY not feeling it.

What do you do to keep the motivation going when you REALLY don't want to do it?

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth

During the long Apocalypse Now shoot there's footage of Coppola being asked if he ever thought about quitting. Coppola said, "Quit?! Quit to what? This is my movie." Embrace the suck and keep going!

Maurice Vaughan

Hey, Brandon Keeton. I reread the outline or what I've already written in the script, which gets me excited about the project again and motivates me to finish it. Watching movies/shows/behind-the-scenes videos and talking to other members on Stage 32 motivates me too.

Brandon Keeton

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth "embrace the suck"... someone else has served I'm guessing. Lol!

Joseph Tonaldo

Hi Brandon, You must always stimulate your subconscious mind and train it on positive and encouraging matters.

Tennyson Stead

I build my projects around the needs of my collaborators and the needs of my audience. If a project is about me and my vision, there comes a point where it starts feeling hollow. If it's about them, then I'll bury bodies in the desert to make it happen.

Dhamodaran Ddren

Brandon Keeton It definitely does feels hollow around the duration of the release. But I kinda try to look at how far I've come from where I started, do some unwinding and maybe try to find inspiration through watching other films or some interviews of the thinkers that inspire me.

Good luck on the release Brandon.

Asia Almerico

I can definitely relate to that feeling — sometimes the hardest part is finding the energy when the “fun” of creation has already passed and now it’s about refining details. What usually helps me is shifting my mindset: instead of thinking of reshoots as “extra work,” I remind myself they’re an opportunity to elevate the story and give the audience the best possible version.

Alexandra Piwowarski

You probably had a goal in mind when you started. Always keep that goal in mind, and what it gives you and others. That always helps me a lot. I often get lost in those feelings too and tend to give up. But if something is truly important to you, you have to constantly reawaken your memory of your goal.

Much success and strength

Ilanna Mandel

Try some mindfulness meditation even for an hour or so to get your focus back.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Brandon Keeton What Lindbergh said. I would have phrased it, this is what I do, so I should stop pretending I don't love it.

Iain Neary

I'd say watch the rushes where it went wrong and picture how to make it work... Some motivation will help I think

Tramere Anderson

Loving everyone’s perspective on this!

Brandon Keeton

Hey everyone! ALL of this is GREAT! Thank you! Feel free to see the blog post here on Stage 32 about the making of this thing. The next post will have some BTS of the reshoot process. In the meantime, if you want to get caught up on the first two, here you go! The third one will come out shortly!

Here's the first one: https://www.stage32.com/blog/a-story-about-stories-the-making-of-a-passi...

And here's the second one: https://www.stage32.com/blog/another-story-about-stories-a-real-time-upd...

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Brandon Keeton. Looking forward to the third blog!

Vital Butinar

For me it's only the prep that does the work. Last weekend we had a three day 12 hour per day shoot and on Friday I would have walked away if I could have. Obviously I couldn't and once I got on set, the pre and automation took over and I was fine again for the next three days. More than fine, I was great, even though I had to rework all the 120 shots we needed to shoot. So prep and experience.

Karen "Kay" Ross

LOL - sorry, didn't even read the body of this, just "Did I mention that I hate reshoots?" LOL

Yeah, but if you need them for the edit then shrug better that you have everything for that final edit.

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