How 1 Conversation Can Save 3 Months

Over the past few years, I’ve discreetly offered 1-on-1 consultations to filmmakers seeking help or advice on their projects – at first it was by request only, and then eventually I made a page for it. Here are a few things I’ve learned from 50+ individual consultations over the years.

Most People Do It Too Late

Many filmmakers book a consultation after finishing a full draft they are already mentally committed to.

They are not really looking for direction… They are looking for confirmation.

And to be honest, I’m rarely enthusiastic about them shooting what is on the page.

My biggest and most useful notes are almost always about the big picture: structure.

I ask them to work backwards from the emotional destination of the film.

“Where are you trying to land dramatically? Is this structure the strongest way to get there? Or did you choose it early based on instinct and vibes, and never question it again?”

…It’s usually the latter.

The problem is, structural notes feel invasive. while polishing up scenes with minor notes (like dialogue tweaks) feels harmless and affirms they’re on the right path.

But those minor tweaks are usually the least of my concerns for them. I’m more interested in helping them achieve:

• Shorter runtimes
• Less predictable choices
• Stronger pacing
• A more cohesive film
• Bigger payoffs

But reworking structure can feel like changing the entire movie they have been replaying in their heads on loop for months.

Even when the upsides are obvious, most filmmakers resist major changes at this stage.

Why?

Because they came to me too late.

Sunk Costs

There is a cognitive bias called the sunk cost fallacy. Once we invest serious time, energy, or money into something, we become irrationally committed to it.

Like a gambler feeding dollars into a slot machine that already took hundreds, we tell ourselves we have come this far and must keep going. Otherwise we would have to admit we chose the wrong path.

So far, unfortunately, I have yet to see this resistance to structural change result in a film with real reach or impact.

But there is another way…

The Compounding Wins of Early Feedback

I love when filmmakers reach out for 1-on-1 help while they’re still in the outline phase.

1. Outlines are quicker to read, so we can spend more time analyzing the material instead of just reading page after page of fundamentally flawed execution.
2. The writer is less entrenched in their choices and more open to change.
3. After an early nudge, all the rest of their creative work happens in a more fruitful direction, compounding the results.

The same goes for edits.

By the time you’re picture locked, there’s not much my feedback can do unless you’re willing to reopen the cut. And our brains do NOT want to re-open the cut when we’ve told ourselves it’s locked.

Better to get feedback while there’s still time (and desire) to make meaningful changes, like in the rough cut stage for example.

A New Way to Get Feedback

I recently launched a new option for 1-on-1 consultations with me: pre-recorded “roasts” of your scripts or edits.

By doing the feedback on my own time, whenever I’m available, I’m able to offer these at a lower price than my live consultations.

And just for the email crew here, I’m offering 25% off for one week.

In return, I simply ask for your honest feedback on how helpful the recording was for you, which I may use as a testimonial to help spread the word about this new offering.

I won’t promote this publicly. If you’ve been waiting for “the right time” to get feedback…

Earlier is better.

Get 25% off your Loom Roast.
Use code ROAST25OFF at checkout.