Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.

Now that the Stanley Cup has been settled, my Canadian assistant has finally started talking about something other than hockey.

Today, he told me about a Toronto-based band called The McFlies, which "un-covers" the music from the 1980s. They are obviously influenced by the film Back to the Future - their name comes from Michael J. Fox's character and the Delorean is a big part of their publicity material - and my assistant tells me they're quite good.

This made me think about what it takes to shepherd a film from script to production. Recently, I executive produced a feature film called Caleb's Door. It was a long, sometimes difficult process but not the impossible task that filmmaking is often made out to be. During the production, I was grateful for all of the help I received from my friends and family, and the process taught me that too often we underestimate the resources we have available to us.

Maybe your cousin is a wardrobe assistant, your sister does make-up, your friend owns a lighting kit, or you just have a great location to shoot. Or perhaps, as in my assistant's case, you know a group of talented musicians who could provide music for your film.

When you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of making a film, never forget about what (and who) you already have access to. Film is a collaborative medium.

As an exercise:
Make a list of the people and resources you have available to you if you were going to shoot a film today. You might be surprised how prepared you are.