I'm all alone. Blah!

Columbus

Columbus

Just venting and acting emo. I feel stuck at the moment. In the year I've graduated from Ohio State I haven't accomplished much aside from helping a couple friends with their student projects. My core group of people I worked with on my projects have all moved out of state. The film friends from school I have left don't have time to film stuff or don't take small side projects seriously. I've gone to various meet and greets around Columbus and met with people that have big plans but they eventually turn to forgotten emails. Filming by myself is a gigantic pain in the butt and usually turns into me filming experimental stuff. And then I realize I hate filming experimental things, my heart is with narrative pictures. So I sit down and plan on writing a feature since I have never written a feature length script before and I am stuck on a scene. Every day I am not doing something feels like a waste of time and I am getting stressed out. Anyone else have days like this?
 
I though Columbus had a bunch of film groups?

Ask Sonnyboo for some info. Pretty sure he keeps track of Ohio things still.
 
Days?

Pshht!
Months and years.

Put your stuck-scene feature on the back burner.
Start roughing out your next one or two features.
Go back and take a look at the stuck scene and reverse engineer how the characters got from scene 35 to 34 to 33 to 32 where you're stuck at.

And go grab your camera, goto the park or wherever and shoot some bugsNbirds.

GL!
 
Since you're alone....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cw1ng75KP0&ob=av2e​

Man, can she SING!!!!!

Here it is again, acoustic style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W52PP3lYlUs

And another "alone" song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y39Nn-2JdQ0​

And if you want to get suicidally depressed, here's a wrist-slashing favorite....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHO6a2H-pqY&ob=av2n​
 
Days?

Pshht!
Months and years.
Click to expand...

Ditto!

Yes. All the time. I'm right there with you, man.

Maybe stepping away for a while could unlock and open some ideas and perspectives you're overlooking or just can't see from where you're at?

If you can get away from work for a bit... take a road trip and get out of Dodge. Visit some friends or family to cut costs on places to stay. Map out some state parks, throw a tent and camping gear in the car and clear your mind for a few days of serenity, meditation, thinking, musing...

Keep a journal, either on paper or audio - or not! Bring your camera in case inspiration hits - or not! Maybe just unplug entirely?

For me, a new location and different environs often helps clean the rust from the gears and get them turning again.

Of course, no matter where you go, there you are, so this isn't a cure all remedy for what you're struggling with, but who knows? It might help?

I, too, can get bogged down and obsessed with the creative process. For better or worse, it IS part of the big picture. Here's something that's worth watching...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v2O3Cc_q0Q​

The takeaway for me is: Before there can be a breakthrough, there has to be a block.

You're staring at the block. There will be a breakthrough. :yes:

* You're not too far from Toronto. Ever been? I haven't but hear that it's really a great city. A day's drive, but what the hell? Good time to clear your mind.
 
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For the last six months I've been in that boat, but slowly starting to climb out.

Any of those timed filmmaking contests coming your way soon? I know they allow for networking and things beforehand; you could find a team and join, or start your own and have a crew come your way. Use the contest as a way for yourself to audition a filmmaking team to do your feature. Use it as a way to get excited again.

Or collaborate with people you meet on Indietalk! A number of neat projects have taken shape that way that I'm aware of. Voice acting can be done from miles away and delivered through the magic of e-mail.

Above all, though, remember you aren't truly wasting time. There's no hard deadline, is there? What will be will be. You're either going to go out and shoot something because you can't stand the thought of not shooting something, or you're sitting back and waiting for the right idea to float into your brain. Either way is an acceptable path.
 
Uranium City said:
For the last six months I've been in that boat, but slowly starting to climb out.

Any of those timed filmmaking contests coming your way soon? I know they allow for networking and things beforehand; you could find a team and join, or start your own and have a crew come your way. Use the contest as a way for yourself to audition a filmmaking team to do your feature. Use it as a way to get excited again.

Or collaborate with people you meet on Indietalk! A number of neat projects have taken shape that way that I'm aware of. Voice acting can be done from miles away and delivered through the magic of e-mail.

Above all, though, remember you aren't truly wasting time. There's no hard deadline, is there? What will be will be. You're either going to go out and shoot something because you can't stand the thought of not shooting something, or you're sitting back and waiting for the right idea to float into your brain. Either way is an acceptable path.
Click to expand...

I do think there is a 48 hour film fest coming in July and I might be avle to drag some people from out of town.
 
You are not alone! (Michael Jackson voice)

I feel the same way most of the time! I live in a town here in IL where no one is interested in filmmaking. Thus, I had to do everything on my own. And I agree with you, it's a pain. I hate it. Good thing, I have a friend here who's always willing to help out and even though we don't make films everyday, we do get stuff done. He's actually helping me out with a film I'm doing in the summer. But sadly, he's going away next year to another school, so we'll see what happens.

I think that you don't really need a lot of people to help you out. Just get one and let him/her help you out! If you're near family, go force them to help you out too! lol.

Good luck!
 
..... ooor like these bees that I shot last year...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtmPt0_v4IE

Sorry, couldn't help! :)
I do get the feelingof being useless everyday, when I'm not doing movie stuff. When I don't have a project i go out shoot stuff. I ve got a ton of "Establishing" shots AKA "I just want to get out and shoot crap" footage. Great way to clear your head!
 
There is still the Mid Ohio Filmmakers Association that meets once or twice a month and the IndieClub Columbus film groups that meet up already with a lot of people going.
 
sonnyboo said:
There is still the Mid Ohio Filmmakers Association that meets once or twice a month and the IndieClub Columbus film groups that meet up already with a lot of people going.
Click to expand...

Sonny I've been to the mofa monthly mixers about 4-5 times and have met with a few people but plans either never materialized or fell through. I was even at the adobe group meetup at the drake meadery and a couple things might come from that. That said I have a fair amount of random things I film but I want to move up to narratives.
 
Funnily enough, im in Columbus right now. Just arrived today for a business trip and will be leaving in a couple of days. If i had had the time here, i would have notified some of the IT Columbus regulars so we could meet up and talk. Alas...

I do understand your frustration and i wish i could offer more but im currently in the pre production stage of a 20 minute short which will be filmed later this year if the budget and production is in place by then. If not, it will be moved to spring of next year. Several positions are paid positions and others are being filled by volunteers. If you want to work on it and dont mind travelling an hour to Cinci for the shoot, email/pm me your areas of expertise in filmmaking and any links to your work. I can not guarantee you a position or that it will be your desired position but we can talk and try to figure something out if you want to work on the project.

In any case, i hope things start working out for you and you can create the films you want.
 
I mainly get stuck when I lose track of my limitations. i.e. try to write a film that needs a budget but I don't have money for gas in my car, or wanting a camera that I can't afford, or I have no one to help me and so on and so on. When my thinking gets this bad I have to get back to basics. I grab two rolls of 16mm B&W reversal and my K3, I get in my car and drive until I find a place to shoot my film. Then I send it to the lab and wait. When it comes back I setup my projector, invite my family to watch and see what I captured. It represents the full circle of film-making for me and I always feel renewed and the blocks that I was experiencing leave.

You can, of course, do this with digital but the key is to make something and show it to people. Filmmakers show stories not tell stories. Showing my stories no matter how short or basic is how I've found the help I've needed and a long the way have made great friends too.
 
Columbus said:
Just venting and acting emo. I feel stuck at the moment. In the year I've graduated from Ohio State I haven't accomplished much aside from helping a couple friends with their student projects. My core group of people I worked with on my projects have all moved out of state. The film friends from school I have left don't have time to film stuff or don't take small side projects seriously. I've gone to various meet and greets around Columbus and met with people that have big plans but they eventually turn to forgotten emails. Filming by myself is a gigantic pain in the butt and usually turns into me filming experimental stuff. And then I realize I hate filming experimental things, my heart is with narrative pictures. So I sit down and plan on writing a feature since I have never written a feature length script before and I am stuck on a scene. Every day I am not doing something feels like a waste of time and I am getting stressed out. Anyone else have days like this?
Click to expand...

If it helps you, I feel the same way! It seems that I do everything alone from pre to post and the actors/friends...

Anyway,
What I find helpful is always to have a story or a script. When you have that as a base, you can always start finding crew/people who would like to help you and hopefully will be your partners in the next projects. If you can't find the idea of a film/script, just watch films, series or anything which will inspire you! I hope that helped.. :/
 
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