When we talked with producer Katie Hyde Lewars last year, her production company Indie City Films was distributing their film Mount Joy without name talent and entirely on their own. Now underway on their followup film, Before/During/After, Lewars and her team have created a video production diary intended to inform other filmmakers about the ins, outs, ups and downs of the entire production process.

Here's a few episodes to get a sense of what you can learn from the series:

The golden rule of production

Approaching those 60 days-out, when production is no longer an abstract thing, Lewars confronts the dreaded concept of pushing your schedule back. She insists, "By picking a date and sticking to it you are being a good leader for your team."

How to be a full time filmmaker

How can we be working, independent filmmakers and still pay the bills? Lewars explores why having a day job can be super important to creating a productive life in the film industry.

Good habits die hard

Lewars discusses how she stays on track each day (with help from book The Artist's Way), and stays accountable towards her goals, even amidst the challenges of parenthood. Hint: find a partner.

The Before/During/After production diary will continue through the film's principal photography (which begins on October 2nd), and all the way through post-production. We imagine that the intensity and usefulness of the diary will really start kicking into high gear once shooting begins, so keep an eye out.

Source: Before/During/After The Film

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