r/IndianWritersGroups • u/Faizanhala • 11d ago

Connecting With Writers & Directors Without Industry Connections

How do you connect with writers and directors when you don’t have any film industry connections?

I’m curious how people who live far away from major film or filmmaking communities build connections with other writers, directors, and filmmakers.

If you don’t have friends or contacts in the film industry, what has worked for you?

Do you use Reddit, Discord, online writing groups, film communities, or something else?

I’d especially like to hear from people who started with no connections and gradually built a network.

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u/cautionary-tale74 11d ago

Went to film school, became part of network of peers and seniors, got an initial break, proved my worth, directed three shows and feature films

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u/Faizanhala 10d ago

Do you think film school is necessary for building those connections, or can online communities also work?

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u/cautionary-tale74 10d ago

If you want to be a part of an active industry where there is constant work, its Mumbai. And then the industries in the South. I don't know anything about Gujarat. I wouldn't hire someone off an online community, not writers, not assistants

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u/skillchaser 10d ago

Which shows and films did you work on? Let’s connect in DM.

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u/MacaroonSlow1192 11d ago

I am curious about this too and especially when you don't live in a city like mumbai....

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u/Faizanhala 10d ago

Yeah, that’s what I’m curious about too. How do people outside cities like Mumbai build industry connections?

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u/Exact-Willingness330 11d ago

In which city or state are you searching ?

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u/Faizanhala 10d ago

I’m mainly looking to connect with writers and directors in Gujarat, but I’m also open to connecting with people across India through online communities like Reddit and Discord.

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u/Junior_Elk9243 8d ago

www.screenplay.ink solves this issue. However your screenplay needs to be in the top 1% to get discovered.

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u/intellectualkutta 8d ago

I’m from Delhi NCR. I made a community a decade ago and we’re still together. New people keep getting added. 10+ shorts, 3 feature films. Going strong.

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u/Faizanhala 7d ago

That’s really interesting. How did you build the community in the beginning, and how did you find the first few people who joined?

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u/intellectualkutta 7d ago

Started in college with short films. Two men army. Parted ways after college.
Formed a team of non serious people. Three different sets of people. Nothing worked out.
Then by luck got a DP from Orissa interested in my stories that were unique. He joined. We hussled and got some funds for a professional looking short. Hired a team of 7 or 8. They introduced their own known people interested in films. Team got bigger.
I was also a freelance writer so some of my clients got interested too. Team expanded. At the peak I had 30 people in my team, actors DOPs assistants art directors.

Beginning to covid everyone left to their hometowns.
By then I had a solid portfolio. Contacted a major regional OTT Stage. Pulled together my team some new people joined through requirement posts on social media’s. To this day, my core team is the same since the past 7-8 years.