I'm curious as to what it's like pursuing a career as a film director, especially in Los Angeles. How difficult is it? What are your tips for aspiring directors? ect...
what is it like pursuing a career as a film director?
- Thread starter quirky.indiesanfran
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Directing films? It's hard. Really hard to make a career out of it. But if you keep at it and don't ever quit and try to better your craft then it is doable. If it was easy everyone would do it. The trick is to always continue to better yourself. It isn't going to happen overnight and nobody else is going to do it for you. Your the one who has to make it happen. But you can always be a film director without making a career out of it. Everyday people pick up a camera and make films. That's easy to do. But yeah... a career... that takes a lot of work, patience, and learning.
I'm going to offer an important lick of advice for you.... Become a Independent Writer/Director... You don't need Hollywood or Los Angeles in order to make a film.
It all boils down to this. STORY! I'm going to say it again. STORY!
Write a damn good story. If you have a damn good story I don't give a sh!t if you shoot the movie on VHS, people will enjoy it. People will be engaged in the story.
Hit me up on e-mail if you'd like to talk some more about this. I'd gladly help you out in any way I can!
It all boils down to this. STORY! I'm going to say it again. STORY!
Write a damn good story. If you have a damn good story I don't give a sh!t if you shoot the movie on VHS, people will enjoy it. People will be engaged in the story.
Hit me up on e-mail if you'd like to talk some more about this. I'd gladly help you out in any way I can!
Many of the great filmmakers come into filmaking later in their lives because they've lived their life more. So it's harder for us young people (i'm 15 years old) to tell great stories.
To sum it up nice. There's a nice little quote on becoming a director.
A proffessor asks his Freshman Film class to raise their hand if they want to become a Director.
All 400 Students raise their hand.
Proffesor: "Now everyone put your hands down except 1... and that's if your lucky."
A proffessor asks his Freshman Film class to raise their hand if they want to become a Director.
All 400 Students raise their hand.
Proffesor: "Now everyone put your hands down except 1... and that's if your lucky."
I'm in that position. I went to college late (got my BA at 30yo) and after college languished for another 5 years or so in the 9-5 world before diving head first back into film making when I got laid off.
Don't get discouraged by your youth, it is an asset. I have been turned down for multiple good opportunities as an indirect result of being older than the folks doing the hiring. Breaking into this biz as a freelancer (my paid experience is mostly as an AC, but also on the PA/AD/Coordinator side as well) is difficult when you are a little older but starting out.
Perhaps that is a different track than directing, and perhaps I have to take another approach. My thought was that by being "in" I increased my knowledge, contacts, etc. Now I wonder if I am pigeonholing myself somehow.
Costa is right, though the ratio is probably a couple orders of magnitude larger than in the example.
I want to say two things.
CDCosta - Yeah, I heard that before. I must say that is the biggest bull crap story in the world. For one, why even have a Professor (who's only a teacher in reality) DICTATE on your odds at becoming a filmmaker. And two, this is coming from a teacher who probably wishes he was a director and not a teacher.
There wouldn't be only 1 person holding up there hand after the teacher told everyone to put their hands down... Why? Because I would still be holding up my hand and then I would continue to tell the professor his OPINION means squat.
Now that I got that off my chest!
Yeah, Youth has nothing to do with writing/telling good stories. Do you really think James Cameron lived the experience of traveling to the Planet Pandora like in the movie Avatar? Do you think Sam Raimi followed Spiderman around in the city? No!
They are all stories, all created from the imagination. You can be 15, 20 or 40 and still tell a great and interesting story. Using age as a factor of not being able to tell stories is an excuse. Now go sit down and write!
CDCosta - Yeah, I heard that before. I must say that is the biggest bull crap story in the world. For one, why even have a Professor (who's only a teacher in reality) DICTATE on your odds at becoming a filmmaker. And two, this is coming from a teacher who probably wishes he was a director and not a teacher.
There wouldn't be only 1 person holding up there hand after the teacher told everyone to put their hands down... Why? Because I would still be holding up my hand and then I would continue to tell the professor his OPINION means squat.
Now that I got that off my chest!
Yeah, Youth has nothing to do with writing/telling good stories. Do you really think James Cameron lived the experience of traveling to the Planet Pandora like in the movie Avatar? Do you think Sam Raimi followed Spiderman around in the city? No!
They are all stories, all created from the imagination. You can be 15, 20 or 40 and still tell a great and interesting story. Using age as a factor of not being able to tell stories is an excuse. Now go sit down and write!
Well, I understand. I wasn't trying to bash you for the story. I was bashing the story in itself. And that's the thing, I don't think it's impossibly hard to become a director as a career... Maybe by going through a middle man such as hollywood in order for people to see your work, but it's 2010. Times are different... It's much easier to make a career of it.
But, what it all boils down to is STORY. I said it once, I will say it again. Reason why people don't make it is because they aren't good story tellers. Simple as that.
But, what it all boils down to is STORY. I said it once, I will say it again. Reason why people don't make it is because they aren't good story tellers. Simple as that.
Unfortunately your false.
Have you not seen all those really bad hollywood movies with horrible stories? It's because knowing people in the industry and selling yourself (Or your crap) is what it's mostly about.
See, I'm not wrong. You are talking about the "Middleman" aka "Hollywood" where as I am stating the average person does not need Hollywood to become a successful writer/director/filmmaker.
If you want to talk about Hollywood then that is an entirely different story. Hundreds of Thousands of writers, etc. are constantly trying to break into Hollywood. Most never make it. This is not the case anymore.
People, including you need to re-hardwire your brain and stop thinking that Hollywood is the only way to become successful. Because it's not!
A MIDDLEMAN IS NEEDED NO MORE!
If you want to talk about Hollywood then that is an entirely different story. Hundreds of Thousands of writers, etc. are constantly trying to break into Hollywood. Most never make it. This is not the case anymore.
People, including you need to re-hardwire your brain and stop thinking that Hollywood is the only way to become successful. Because it's not!
A MIDDLEMAN IS NEEDED NO MORE!
Success is measured by happiness, not currency. That's my opinion.
If John Doe wakes up every morning not worrying about getting to work on time under the demands of a boss, if he doesn't have to worry about working under authority then I would say 30,000 dollars in a matter of 6 months time is pretty damn good. Heck, it's better than pretty damn good.
If you're in this line of work for the money, take a walk. If you're in it for the passion, then 30,000 dollars is a success. You make 2 movies a year, make 60,000 in end of it all.... I mean, are you kidding me!?!? Do you know how many people live paycheck to paycheck working a job they absolutely hate just to get by paying the rent and bills!!!
Again, if people measure success in currency, then they need to take a step back and re-evaluate life! Just sayin'.
If John Doe wakes up every morning not worrying about getting to work on time under the demands of a boss, if he doesn't have to worry about working under authority then I would say 30,000 dollars in a matter of 6 months time is pretty damn good. Heck, it's better than pretty damn good.
If you're in this line of work for the money, take a walk. If you're in it for the passion, then 30,000 dollars is a success. You make 2 movies a year, make 60,000 in end of it all.... I mean, are you kidding me!?!? Do you know how many people live paycheck to paycheck working a job they absolutely hate just to get by paying the rent and bills!!!
Again, if people measure success in currency, then they need to take a step back and re-evaluate life! Just sayin'.
haha not a very good example.. avatar and spider-man both have HORRIBLE stories.
avatar actually contradicts your point, it can be a 'good' movie because they have insane specially effects that people nut all over then it has a 3rd grade story. lame.
Tarantino, now he is a story teller. and he never went to college and he started fairly young. hell, he didnt even go to high school.
the moral of the story, if you want to be a classic american director: drop out of school and work at a video store.
that's what i'm going to do
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Regardless of the people I mentioned, you're missing the point. AGE has NOTHING to do with with telling stories. Avatar wasn't a bad story. It was a familiar story, that's all. We've seen it before.
Subjective anyways.
I’m a little confused. You say success is measured by happiness,
not currency. Yet you say that $30,000 is a success if you are
making movies out of passion. Do you mean that anyone making
$30,000 or $60,000 should be happy? What about filmmakers who are
in it for the passion and don’t make more than, say, $1,000? If
they are happy, they are, in your opinion, successful. So if a
person making $30,000 (or ($60,000) isn’t happy then they are not,
in your opinion successful.
I’m just not understanding.
Why? I’m in it for the money. Why should I “take a walk?"? I’m not
in it for the passion. I’d be interested in you opinion on why you
feel I should leave the business.
Now, I do agree with you that success shouldn't be measured in
how much you make, so I do understand you there.
Alright, I can see where the confusion is.
ps, I'm a contradicting kind of guy! *wink*
Alright, let's say you work a job and you make 90,000/year. But the thing is, you hate your job. You can't stand your job. You work 10ish hours a day and hate it more and more with every passing day
Now let's say I am able to support myself with my independent filmmaking. I make 20,000/year. I love waking up everyday and working solely on films. 8-12 hours a day I can write, shoot, edit, create.
In these two scenarios, who is more successful?
Secondly, what I mean to say is that if I wake up every single day getting to do exactly what I am passionate about, whether it be 20,000, 25,000 or 30,000, then I would be HAPPY. Tickled Pink. Since I am happy I would consider it a success. I get to wake up and do what I am passionate about. I'm happy! Success!
If I made 200,000 a year working a job that I hate, If I am making 500,000 dollars but I despise my job. I'm not going to be happy. I'm not going to be perusing my passion. So where is the happiness? Where's the success.
Not sure if any of that make sense!?
Now, regarding my opinion on why you should take a walk if you're in it for the money.
Why would you put your heart and soul into something that you aren't passionate about when there are so many easier and alternate ways in making money? I don't understand the logic? If you are looking to make money, find a faster and easier way. Why waste your time and effort making a film when all that matters is currency?
ps, I'm a contradicting kind of guy! *wink*
Alright, let's say you work a job and you make 90,000/year. But the thing is, you hate your job. You can't stand your job. You work 10ish hours a day and hate it more and more with every passing day
Now let's say I am able to support myself with my independent filmmaking. I make 20,000/year. I love waking up everyday and working solely on films. 8-12 hours a day I can write, shoot, edit, create.
In these two scenarios, who is more successful?
Secondly, what I mean to say is that if I wake up every single day getting to do exactly what I am passionate about, whether it be 20,000, 25,000 or 30,000, then I would be HAPPY. Tickled Pink. Since I am happy I would consider it a success. I get to wake up and do what I am passionate about. I'm happy! Success!
If I made 200,000 a year working a job that I hate, If I am making 500,000 dollars but I despise my job. I'm not going to be happy. I'm not going to be perusing my passion. So where is the happiness? Where's the success.
Not sure if any of that make sense!?
Now, regarding my opinion on why you should take a walk if you're in it for the money.
Why would you put your heart and soul into something that you aren't passionate about when there are so many easier and alternate ways in making money? I don't understand the logic? If you are looking to make money, find a faster and easier way. Why waste your time and effort making a film when all that matters is currency?
I'm sorry, but your argument is null.
Just because you hate what you do, doesnt make you unsuccesfull... it makes you unhappy.
Why put your heart and soul into something your not passionate about? What if he is passionate about making money?
Try making a film when you make $30K a year... when you have a house, a car, and a kid to pay for...