I Feel That Fate Is Keeping Me From Reaching My Goal, but is it?

[ironpony]

I want to get into filmmaking for a career goal, and have been trying to make a feature film to break into the industry, but it's been a very tough process. It's tough getting enough actors and crew to believe in you, and my own parents have tried to seize control of money to stop me from doing it before, as I posted about before on here.

And a couple of weeks ago, my gf broke up with me as a result of this goal and said that she couldn't see me go down as a result. And my friends say it's a foolish endeavor and to get a real job, even if it's not what I wish to do.

And now, because of the corona virus, all movie productions have been shut down where I live and no one seems to want to go on a movie set anymore because of it, nor are locations open for shooting as a result.

I feel like whatever I do, fate keeps tryint stop me from making it. If it's not the gf or friends, or parents, it's economy shutting down around me now.

Everyrthing seems to be trying to stop me it feels like. Is it me, or is the world really trying to stop me, does it sound like?

[d0nnivain]

This corona virus I suppose looks more like fate but think of it as an opportunity.  More & more things will be virtual.  You have knowledge of cameras & things.  Use it to your advantage.  

To use several cliches & movie lines: 

There is no fate but what we make 

Success is 1% inspiration & 99% perspiration. 

[ironpony]

Oh okay, well I don't know if I agree with that no fate line if businesses are shutting down and you need their help to make a movie.  I can't control other people though, in what I do.

But how would I use this to my advantage though?

[Ruby Slippers]

No, fate is not stopping you.

I just landed my dream job, I start in 3 weeks, and now I have to put together a spiffy new wardrobe while many stores are closed and I'm supposed to avoid being in public as much as possible. Feels bizarre to shop for clothes with so much crazy stuff going on. But I'm gonna roll with it and hope it all makes sense eventually.

[ironpony]

Oh okay.  But if fate is not stopping me then how do I get other people to want to make the movie then? All the film productions have shut down where I live because of the virus and it seems no one wants to, so if nothing is stopping me, how do I turn nos into yeses then?

[Ruby Slippers]

Do you have a finished screenplay?

[ironpony]

Yeah.

[Azincourt]

On 3/16/2020 at 10:16 AM, ironpony said:

I want to get into filmmaking for a career goal, and have been trying to make a feature film to break into the industry, but it's been a very tough process. It's tough getting enough actors and crew to believe in you, and my own parents have tried to seize control of money to stop me from doing it before, as I posted about before on here.

And a couple of weeks ago, my gf broke up with me as a result of this goal and said that she couldn't see me go down as a result. And my friends say it's a foolish endeavor and to get a real job, even if it's not what I wish to do.

And now, because of the corona virus, all movie productions have been shut down where I live and no one seems to want to go on a movie set anymore because of it, nor are locations open for shooting as a result.

I feel like whatever I do, fate keeps tryint stop me from making it. If it's not the gf or friends, or parents, it's economy shutting down around me now.

Everyrthing seems to be trying to stop me it feels like. Is it me, or is the world really trying to stop me, does it sound like?

Mankind survived the black plague and the spanish flu. We can survive the corona virus. Film locations are closed now, but after the situation with the virus is fixed, everything will go back to normal.

[ShigZal]

On 3/16/2020 at 11:16 AM, ironpony said:

I want to get into filmmaking for a career goal, and have been trying to make a feature film to break into the industry, but it's been a very tough process. It's tough getting enough actors and crew to believe in you, and my own parents have tried to seize control of money to stop me from doing it before, as I posted about before on here.

And a couple of weeks ago, my gf broke up with me as a result of this goal and said that she couldn't see me go down as a result. And my friends say it's a foolish endeavor and to get a real job, even if it's not what I wish to do.

And now, because of the corona virus, all movie productions have been shut down where I live and no one seems to want to go on a movie set anymore because of it, nor are locations open for shooting as a result.

I feel like whatever I do, fate keeps tryint stop me from making it. If it's not the gf or friends, or parents, it's economy shutting down around me now.

Everyrthing seems to be trying to stop me it feels like. Is it me, or is the world really trying to stop me, does it sound like?

No matter how many obstacles are in the way, we have to overcome them to succeed. Corona virus is something that affects us all. We have to deal with this situation and use the personal time we get wisely. Don't push the things happening to you away and say "Fate is responsible for that". We need to learn self accountability. The higher your goal is, the more people will try to bring you down. At first they laugh, then they criticize you and then they either congratulate or hate you. But it's up to you if you believe them, or if you believe in yourself.

I have no clue about film industries, but it's obvious that working in this area now is pretty much impossible. While the real world is shut down, we have another one - the digital world. Use your time to learn, to research for your needs, what else you can do in the meantime, in order to prepare everything for your goal.

[ironpony]

On 3/18/2020 at 4:01 AM, Azincourt said:

Mankind survived the black plague and the spanish flu. We can survive the corona virus. Film locations are closed now, but after the situation with the virus is fixed, everything will go back to normal.

But how long is that going to take though?  Years?

[jspice]

It’s not fate stopping you. If you were going to make it, you would’ve made a move by now. After Corona you’ll still be here asking the same questions and still be in the same position. 
 

 

[ironpony]

Oh okay, well because of corona, no one wants to make the movie now of course, so if't s not fate, what can I do to inspire more people to be interested?

[preraph]

I've said to you before that if you want to get serious, you need to move to a movie-making hub.  A big one.  And work as an underling to meet people and learn the craft all the way from top to bottom.  I had SO many obstacles in my quest to work in the music business, not the least of which was being a woman breaking into a man's carefully guarded domain.  From the very beginning, even to get a job in a record store in the early days, I had to finagle and get past men who were trying to deter me.  I learned I did better if I could just find out who the owner was and go straight to the owner.  They seemed to have more sense.  Had to start over more than once, too.  Rock bottom, minimum wage, when I moved to a bigger music hub.  Had to have two jobs through a lot of it, working whatever my days off were somewhere else.  Work a full shift, go out at night to see music, work my days off.  It's not for the feint of heart or for old people!

[ironpony]

Oh okay thanks.  I have been learning on my own over the years, as well as helped out a lot on sets.  But I keep being by other filmmakers that eventually I just need to make a feature to try to break in, cause the industry is not going to take me seriously as trying to break in as a filmmaker, if I haven't made one.  So they keep telling me I just need to take the plunge, as a next step, if that's true.

However, it's been difficult to do that and now finally when I get a lot of things going for a first feature, the virus now hit's as another challenge of course.

[spiderowl]

If it is fate, then it is fate that a lot of people are suffering from the coronavirus at the moment!  It seems more like bad luck.  It is unfortunate that this happened now, just when you had reached the point of starting to recruit actors.  I can imagine you a really eager to get started on making this a reality.

However, now is not the time to be making a film.  There is a reason no-one is interested in being on a set at the moment.  They don't want to catch the virus or risk bringing it to their vulnerable loved ones.  In some countries, you would be breaking the law to get people together to make a film when social distancing is necessary to prevent health services being overwhelmed by the afflicted.

I think you just need to bide your time for the moment until the virus crisis is over - I would assume for around six months.  Try to use that time to improve your film score and come up with great ideas to make your film more gripping or meaningful than it was before.  If it is fate at all, maybe fate is telling you you need to focus on your art and improve it before taking the leap of getting others involved.

Good luck with it, by the way!

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by spiderowl

[Interstellar]

What’s your age? If you’re young as in 20’s you have a lot of cushion to fall back on. You’re allowed to fail as much as possible. You have your parents to support you. You have a support system and you have your youth going for you. But as you grow older the stakes become higher. Your parents start getting older, you start getting older, and responsibilities start to pile up as the stakes get higher and higher.

Having said that, the movie industry especially Hollywood is a great career path if you find your niche within the industry aka have a steady job. It’s a great industry to get into if you’re young with no responsibilities such as: kids, a wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend, etc.. You’ll travel a lot, and your average movie takes what 3-6 months to film, so what people do is work for 6 months and then take the rest of the year off like go skiing in the Alps or something. So it’s a great industry if you’re young. Just like with most things youth affords you to take risk, a lot of risks.

What I’d recommend is pick a career as a fall back option.Something that will give you a steady income that’s immune to recession.  Like nursing or accounting etc...,get your degree on that then go set off to Hollywood or whatever and when you become famous, don’t forget me

Edited April 12, 2020 by Interstellar

[elaine567]

1 hour ago, Interstellar said:

What’s your age?

Ironpony is 36 I think.

[ironpony]

Yeah I'm 36.  Am I at a point where I should keep failing or are the stakes significantly higher now?  I've thought about another career as a fallback option, but people tell me do go to university or college to learn a trade, if you don't want to, just as a fallback option, because I will do badly at that trade, if it's just a fallback, as oppose to something I really want to do.  Do those friends have a point when they say that?

[Curious-Sam]

On 3/23/2020 at 8:48 PM, preraph said:

I've said to you before that if you want to get serious, you need to move to a movie-making hub.  A big one.  And work as an underling to meet people and learn the craft all the way from top to bottom. 

This ^^^^^^^. The majority of film makers don't start out with a feature film. They may be famous actors who transition into direction and production after spending years on set or normally people who went to film school. Studied the art - and produced low budget films with other students. Then came out and worked their way up in the industry through a series of lower jobs. As productions assistants, writers for other productions, maybe cinematographers etc etc. They make short films and maybe advertisements on the side .... then maybe transition into lower budget television. Then eventually when they had built a reputation, made the right connections in the industry they get the support required to move into directing feature films.

Its was the end destination and culmination of many many small steps within the industry over a period of time - rather then the starting point. If I want to be the CEO of a sales company you don't walk in an expect to get the top position. I'll start as a junior assistant. Transition to an account manager. From their to a Sales Director - to a VP of Sales and then eventually with a proven track record be given the top Job.

If you want fate to help you out making a feature you need to perhaps give it a helping hand by putting pieces in place that allow it to work for you.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Curious-Sam

[ironpony]

Oh well I've already made short films, and helped people out on their features.  But other people I have worked with before say eventually, you just got to bite the bullet and make a feature and see if it works.  Do they have a point though?  I mean I feel like I'm getting older and I don't have a lot of money to keep making experimental short films.  Shouldn't I therefore put the money towards feature then?

[ironpony]

I also feel like they are loosing faith in me since I'm not taking the plunge, so if I don't they may not take me seriously anymore.

[clia]

So you made short films.  What did you do with them?  

Did you submit them to film festivals?

Did you make them available online and/or promote them on social media?

Did you create an IMDB page or website for them?

Did you screen them anywhere?

If you did any of the above, what happened?  If you didn't do any of the above, then what were your goals in making the short films?

[ironpony]

Yeah I sent them to festivals, and showed them to other filmmakers and people for feedback.  The feedback I got was that the problem was the actors, and just to get better ones and the work will be a lot better.  So for the next project, I am spending a lot more money on bringing in better actors.  It will of course cost more, but it's worth it for sure.

[ShyViolet]

Blaming "fate" is a cop-out, it takes the responsibility off of you.  We make our own success.  In something like filmmaking, a big part of it is luck also.  You really have to weigh the pros and cons of this career choice and decide how much risk you are willing to take, because the chances of being able to make a living at this are small.

[ironpony]

Yeah that's true.  But no one wants to make movies right now because of the Covid-19 situation, so I feel like I am more willing than others right now.  In order for me to make a movie, I need a lot of others to hire to help with it, but the Covid-19 situation is preventing that.  So I feel that it's not me coping out, but everyone else loosing interest as a result.  I don't blame them, it's a serious situation, but as a result, I feel very lost career wise.