How Do I Not Let Other People Discourage Me Out Of My Goal?

[ironpony]

Basically I want to get into a career as a film director, and have decided to make my own feature film after saving up a lot of money. But people think I am crazy for wanting to do this, and everyone is telling me absolutely not to.

 

But now since then, and now that I am closer to getting the ball rolling, the pressure for me to quit is so much higher, and I feel like everyone is just at my legs trying to pull me away. Even my parents think it's a huge mistake and waste of so much money as the movie will never sell.

 

What can I do to try to ignore everyone better, or how do other people do this when trying to achieve a goal, that everyone is trying to talk them out of?

[basil67]

I'm sorry you're receiving this negativity. Best way to deal with it would be to stop talking about it with others, but keep plugging away at your goal. Surprise them with your success when it's done.

[d0nnivain]

Write out your goal & all the steps you need to achieve it. Write it BIG like on poster board & display that board somewhere in your house that you see it daily. Refer to it as your confidence wanes from the energy vampires.

[preraph]

it's your life, not your parents'. They had their own life to live as they choose. As long as you're not asking them for money, it's not their call. Having a film in your portfolio will be necessary if you're going to pursue that path. Do try not to spend too much money and keep in mind that producers want people who creatively get around spending a fortune. I imagine this field has been well mined, but do your best to find ways to make something inexpensive. Examples would be "Creep" and before that "Blair Witch" or whatever it was called and, of course, the motherlode, reality TV, and documentaries.

Meanwhile, get some experience working in the background. You'll meet people and understand what all goes into it. There's lots of filming going on in Georgia these days because they offer financial breaks to do it there.

[bathtub-row]

I remember you posting about this before. Look, you’re driven to do this, so do it. It’s your passion. If you fall on your face, get back up again. Do you really think all successful people just fell into what they, into their dreams, and sailed into dreamland without facing huge obstacles? Almost never!

 

Do what you want to do and have a plan b - if this one doesn’t work out, move to California, work in the movie industry until you find yourself doing what you love. Stop listening to people caught in the world of safety. If you don’t try, you will always regret it.

[ironpony]

Okay thanks, it's just that people tell me that it's a waste of time to spend this much money on, with hardly any training and it's not going to turn out good as a result.

 

 

They say I am desperate and suffering from a life crisis, and just trying to desperately make up for mistakes in the past, and that I need to have an epiphany and snap out of this.

 

So I keep wondering if they are right, and maybe I do.

[bathtub-row]

Ok, if you really think there’s a high probability of failure, then approach things differently. I don’t know what your situation is though so it’s hard to advise you. If you’re single, then it’s kind of a no-brainer. Ditch your current life and entrench yourself in the movie industry - as in, get your butt to CA and learn. If you’re married with kids then that’s a whole other issue. If that’s the case, then spend your time learning about the business. Even read some biographies on successful directors, etc. Then have a plan for when your kids are grown.

 

Putting aside what others are telling you, what are your own personal doubts? What’s actually holding you back?

[ironpony]

Well for one thing I feel that no matter what I do, no one will show me any support. I don't mean financial support, but just emotional support in general.

 

For one thing, I helped people on their movie projects for free to learn, and I did some of my own short films. But then when I wanted to make my own feature to sell and break in, people said I wasn't ready and I needed to learn more and that I should go to film school or something. So I went to film school and learned some more things there.

 

But now it's the same thing, where as people are saying now no, film school and making your own shorts, and helping out on other movies is not enough, now I have to move to a place like L.A. to learn more...

 

Other people say that as well, cause it feels like no matter what I do, people will not think I am ready and keep telling me to do something different. So I feel I will never be ready if that's the case. Even when I read successful stories from other directors, they had to the same thing and throw a lot of their money into their first feature and hope it sells, so I feel what I am doing is actually normal, based on what I have read.

Edited November 26, 2018 by ironpony

[d0nnivain]

I'm glad you are reading about others in your field. I was going to suggest you find some inspirational stories about others who overcame adversity to shine in their fields.

 

Keep on plugging away at it. Good luck.

[bathtub-row]

Well, I would think major lessons would come out of CA (but I’m assuming you’re in the States). Are people saying you still need more experience based on your previous works, or are they just saying that without any real basis? Ultimately it’s up to you to do what you think is right for you. If diving in is the norm for the industry, then do that. But I say you always need a plan b. If the movie doesn’t pan out, what’s the next step? If it does pan out, what’s the next step?

[Ruby Slippers]

You create your own success in life.

 

For the haters, I'd just say thanks for your 2 cents but I'm following my vision and I'm happy with my decision. Then simply cut off any negative interaction from them and stroll away smiling.

 

As you gain momentum in your creative endeavors, you'll attract more and more fans and support

[ironpony]

Well when people tell me I am not experienced enough, they say things, one recent thing someone said to me is that it's like buying a guitar and then playing a few notes and then expecting to make it to hit smash hit chart topping song already.

 

So things like that make me feel trapped, like I should practice longer, but at the same time, if I don't do something to get into the career I want to soon, I feel like I am going to explode!

[ironpony]

Or that I a want to have my cake and eat it too, if that's true.

[bathtub-row]

You never answered about what you’d do if it flopped. Let’s say that happens, what would you do after that? If it’s going to be a success, how will you market it?

[Happy Lemming]

What can I do to try to ignore everyone better, or how do other people do this when trying to achieve a goal, that everyone is trying to talk them out of?

 

Perhaps you could tell them the story of "Robert Rodriguez" who made a film for $7,000 and it grossed $2 million...

 

If it is something you really want to do, then do it... You are an adult with "free will".

[ironpony]

Well I have said things like that and even mentioned Rodriguez, but some of the responses were that he has talent and experience compared to me.

[Ruby Slippers]

Well when people tell me I am not experienced enough, they say things, one recent thing someone said to me is that it's like buying a guitar and then playing a few notes and then expecting to make it to hit smash hit chart topping song already.

 

So things like that make me feel trapped, like I should practice longer, but at the same time, if I don't do something to get into the career I want to soon, I feel like I am going to explode!

May I ask how old you are and what your career/financial situation is?

 

It's likely that your friends and family are only trying to help.

 

It's not exactly easy to make a good living as a creative person. I speak from experience. For many it's a winding path.

[ironpony]

I'm 34 now. When you say financial situation are you asking if I am well of or not, or are you asking something more specific?

[gaius]

People who love you will often discourage crazy risks because they love you. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't take them. Your life is your gift and you need to do what you can to make the most of it. You've been talking about this long enough that it's obvious it's something you need to do.

 

Maybe you're not really a good filmmaker and it will bomb or maybe you've got some talent and you'll end up like the guy who wrote paranormal activity. At least you'll have tried either way though and gotten it out of your system.

[ironpony]

Okay thanks. That's kind of what I told them but they said that I need to know if I am talented or not before I make the movie, not find out that way. But since everyone is giving me mixed opinions on my work all the time, it's hard for me to know.

[d0nnivain]

Ironpony

 

You have this pie in the sky goal: You want to make a feature film. OK. Do you have a meaningful budget? Do you have funding or a plan to get funding? Do you have equipment like a camera? Do you have a script? Do you have a WRITTEN full on plan to get this movie produced? Do you have lawyers & copywriter? Do you have actors?

 

Check this out: https://www.filmmakingstuff.com/the-official-65-step-film-production-checklist/ I don't know if it's good or bad but it was a quick place to start.

 

If you haven't already, you need to sit down & plot this all out point by point. When you have this written plan & a written budget, whenever people start bashing your dream just look at all the stuff you have checked off. It will show you real progress. Your goal will become real once you make it concrete.

[Veronica73]

Talent is BS. Pretty much anyone who succeeds in a creative field succeeds because they worked their asses off. Talent plays a very small role. People who have talent but don’t work their asses off don’t get far. Hard work trumps talent 98% of the time.

[ironpony]

Ironpony

 

You have this pie in the sky goal: You want to make a feature film. OK. Do you have a meaningful budget? Do you have funding or a plan to get funding? Do you have equipment like a camera? Do you have a script? Do you have a WRITTEN full on plan to get this movie produced? Do you have lawyers & copywriter? Do you have actors?

 

Check this out: https://www.filmmakingstuff.com/the-official-65-step-film-production-checklist/ I don't know if it's good or bad but it was a quick place to start.

 

If you haven't already, you need to sit down & plot this all out point by point. When you have this written plan & a written budget, whenever people start bashing your dream just look at all the stuff you have checked off. It will show you real progress. Your goal will become real once you make it concrete.

 

Well I don't mean for it to be a pie in the sky goal, it just sort if turned out that way by fate I feel, and I have to deal with it if I want to achieve the goal.

 

The big risk was using my own savings to make it. If I use my own, I could use a budget of a little over 100K. Some microbudget films, especially the ones I worked on for other people, were shot for less than that. But if I could get other funding rather than using all of my own, that would be great.

 

Yes I have a script. I keep changing it in the mean time, cause I keep coming up with other ideas, but I have a script with a version of it, that I can revert back to, if the newer ideas are not the best.

 

I have a camera which I used on my first short film a few years ago, but it's not as good as today's cameras. My other shorts were shot with different cameras from other people, or the film school I went to. But I can get a new camera if I have to for sure. I have a telephoto lens I just bought for the feature since no one I know has a telephoto lens, and wanted it for some shots, for whoever is going to shoot it, if I can a cinematographer to.

 

I have better sound equipment than video equipment at the moment and will most likely use that, unless someone with better equipment comes along who wants to do it. But I prefer to use my own usually in case any ADR or post production sound has to be redone later, and I want it to match, what was recorded in during shooting. I have one actor so far who I wrote a major character for, who I have worked with before. However, if I am told to move to a bigger city to do it, not sure if he will come along for it.

 

But whatever is best. I don't have a lawyer yet but was planning on getting one. As for a plan, I haven't gone over the producing yet, but I have storyboarded a lot of the shots out and come up with a shot list, and have a directing and shooting plan. But it's subject to change if I cannot get all the locations I want, or things like that.

 

But not much of a producing plan yet. I was thinking of maybe partnering up with someone who knows more about the producing and legal side of things first for that.

[alphamale]

always keep a backup career in mind just in case the directing thing doesn't pan out

[bathtub-row]

Partnering with someone seems to be a good idea. As far as the script is concerned, don’t worry about how many times you end up revising it. Ongoing revisions are very common. You may want to consider getting an editor to look at the script. They can really help you polish it up. They’re fairly expensive but worth the money. The script alone could make or break your movie.