5 Things You Can Learn About Filmmaking Through The NFL Draft...

By Tim Ljunggren

1. There's never a sure thing.

Sure, it's nice to pick the best quarterback/wide receiver/right guard in the batch, but there's no guarantee that they'll be successful on your team.

The same goes with filmmaking - choose the best people to work with, but realize that having the best cast and crew doesn't automatically mean you'll make a successful movie. You need a great story, too. And the right way to tell it.


2. Trust your gut, but do your homework.

Does it really matter that your first round draft choice stole some seafood from a supermarket? Or that he violated NCAA rules for signing autographs? Yes, it does.

Filmmaking is all about trusting your gut, but it's also about doing the preliminary homework in pre-production. Check into your actors' backgrounds - are they easy to work with, or are they prima donnas? Is your location manager trustworthy enough to get all of the location releases signed? Do certain members of your crew have a notorious past for showing up late to shoots? Is your script really ready to go, or is there still some problems with that third act?

3. Be willing to take a chance.

The best football players are the ones who aren't afraid to take chances every now and then. In other words, they aren't afraid to fail.

The same thing applies to filmmakers. Stretch yourself. Change genres. Pick an actor who may not be exactly the one you're looking for, but someone who brings to the table the resources necessary to make things work. Above all, don't be afraid to fail.

4. Look for gems in the later rounds.

Quarterback Tom Brady from the New England Patriots was snagged in the sixth round. Wide receiver Stevie Johnson, who was eventually picked by the Buffalo Bills, didn't get a phone call until the seventh round. Both of these guys have proven themselves as extraordinary football players, and there are scores of others as well.

Filmmakers need to see things that others might have missed. They need to be open and aware to the world around them, and to view things in a different light. Filmmakers also need to be extremely self-aware, which lends itself to seeing who they really are and what motivates them. Keep your eyes and ears open to new storylines, new ways to tell stories, and new ways to make your voice heard (and your movie seen).

5. Be willing to say "no."

Great NFL general managers and scouts know how important it is to say "no" sometimes. They can take a pass on a star college recruit.

Filmmakers need to learn the art of saying "no" as well. "No" to a certain actor. "No" to a script that needs more work. "No" to the need to let egos in the way of right decisions. Learn to say "no," or face the consequences of trying to please everyone - it can't be done.