Preparation + Opportunity = Luck ...and how it worked out for Jeff Palmer's "The Sleeping Deep"

As we've mentioned before, there's no real magic formula to success in this business. I mean, that's as far as we know... but that's easily said by a couple of hard working idiots who are on the outside, looking in. If there is some secret formula and it's NOT found at the bottom of a chilled can of Budweiser, please shoot us an email: ted@deadharvey.com and brad@deadharvey.com. We'll keep it to ourselves, we swear.

Mystery methods aside, there are definitely things that you can do that will ensure a better chance of getting lucky. But you have to remember that, as they say, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. So, you better be prepared and you better put yourself in a position to find opportunities. How do you do that? Well, read, listen and watch as many blogs, books, podcasts, radio shows, TV shows and films on the industry as you can. Always be learning and always, always, always ask questions when you find yourself in a position to ask questions. That will put you on the path to being prepared, knowledge is everything. Opportunities? They're far and few between, especially for those on the outside of the industry, looking in... which is most of us. Chances are, you're not going to run into too many studio executives, managers or agents in your daily life and if you do, how would you know who they are? Not only that, they don't really want to talk to you, anyhow. So, where are those opportunities? Well, the low hanging fruit is in the festivals and conferences.

I recently received an email about Jeff Palmer's "The Sleeping Deep" and I'd like to share it with you. They say this goes live tomorrow, so I'm not sure if I'm breaking news here or not, but whatever... Do you remember Jeff Palmer? Click here and check out the interview that we did with him almost a year ago. He had just won the top prize at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival for his script, "The Sleeping Deep". It's a great interview on the writing process: how he entered the festival and what happened after the fact. Since we interviewed him, it looks like the script went on to get produced. I'm not exactly sure how or who the players are and I may reach out and try to do a follow up interview, but the point is - he put himself in a position to get an opportunity. He entered, attended and won the festival. Then, that presented him with more opportunities and that's how this all works. Keep putting yourself in those kinds of positions and build and leverage each one to find more and more opportunities and make sure you're prepared to jump on them when they come your way.

So, what are you doing to put yourself in a position to get new opportunities? Are you doing all you can? Check out the trailer for the film and remember that this was just an idea in a fledgling screenwriters head not too long ago...

The Sleeping Deep - Official Promotional Teaser from FlickerPictures on Vimeo.