Is it bad to not care about what other people think?

[ironpony]

7 minutes ago, basil67 said:

Indeed.  CEO's don't start at the top

Well I didn't think of it as starting at 'the top'.  I thought of it was as wanting a certain job and trying to break in with it.  But I didn't think the career goal I wanted was equivalent to CEO.  It's not like I want to be the CEO of a movie company for example. 

I wanted to be a director so I tried learning to be a director.  I didn't think I was starting out in another positon, waiting for someone else to 'promote' me.

Edited August 28, 2021 by ironpony

[ironpony]

2 minutes ago, basil67 said:

@ironpony at this point, you have no plans whatsoever.  So start making plans.  Work out exactly who and what you need to make this a success and then do a business plan and budget for it all.   When you have this step completed and know that you can fund it, you will be ready to start your film.  

But all this talk without a plan of action is just dreams and fantasy.  

I've been trying to budget it out, but the budget is coming up too high.  I am not sure how other films have done it for lower, so I feel I could use help from someone who is more qualified for that job though, or someone who knows how to lower it.

[Happy Lemming]

2 minutes ago, ironpony said:

But this is where I feel conflicted, because I feel I am not goint to achieve goals if I have to rely on smaller successes.

If you don't have smaller successes at something, then you are not good at it.  Increasing the size of the project will just be a larger failure.

I'll give you an example... I was working on a house with saltillo tile (trying to clean, oil and wax it).  I tried a small area in the laundry room as a test and I failed miserably.  Did I trudge on and mess up the entire house??  No, I contacted a saltillo tile company and had them come out.  In the end, they fixed the laundry room and finished the rest of the house, making the floors beautiful. 

Sometimes we have to admit when we can't do something well and stop trying.  I'm not going to be a success at everything I try.

[ironpony]

Well I just feel I need to try to be a success at something, and figure it might as well be something I want to do.  I don't know what else I am good at.  I mean I feel I am better at filmmaking than other things, since I know a lot more about it compared to other things, so I am just not sure what to do otherwise.  I have no idea really.

[Happy Lemming]

9 minutes ago, ironpony said:

I've been trying to budget it out, but the budget is coming up too high.

This is a MAJOR problem!!  This is what @basil67 and I have been trying to get through to you.

You don't have the funds to make your film.

[basil67]

13 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Well I didn't think of it as starting at 'the top'.  I thought of it was as wanting a certain job and trying to break in with it.  But I didn't think the career goal I wanted was equivalent to CEO.  It's not like I want to be the CEO of a movie company for example. 

I wanted to be a director so I tried learning to be a director.  I didn't think I was starting out in another positon, waiting for someone else to 'promote' me.

If you want the feature film to be a business which can support you, and support those who work for you, then you need to set up a company in your own name and you become the CEO of everything which happens below you.   This is totally starting at the top.   

Edited August 28, 2021 by basil67
grammar

[ironpony]

Other filmmakers though tell me that other movies were made for budgets as low as I wanted to go though, so they say it's possible and that I can do it, so I am trying to figure out the gestalt of it.

[ironpony]

Just now, basil67 said:

If you want the feature film to be a business which can support you...and support those who work for you, then you need to set up a company in your own name and you become the CEO of everything which happens below you.   This is totally starting at the top.   

Should I just try to rely on funding from someone else then as it was advised to me before, and try to be more open minded about that working out?

[basil67]

Just now, ironpony said:

Other filmmakers though tell me that other movies were made for budgets as low as I wanted to go though, so they say it's possible and that I can do it, so I am trying to figure out the gestalt of it.

So figure it out.  And when you've got it all documented and able to withstand a critical eye, you will be ready to start.

[basil67]

Just now, ironpony said:

Should I just try to rely on funding from someone else then as it was advised to me before, and try to be more open minded about that working out?

You are CEO of this venture.  Do your research, weigh up the different options and make a decision.

[ironpony]

Oh okay, but what do you mean by able to withstand a critical eye?

[Happy Lemming]

1 minute ago, ironpony said:

Well I just feel I need to try to be a success at something, and figure it might as well be something I want to do.  I don't know what else I am good at.  I mean I feel I am better at filmmaking than other things, since I know a lot more about it compared to other things, so I am just not sure what to do otherwise.  I have no idea really.

Sometimes in life we have to settle for being average.  You may not have an outstanding skill, which is fine.  You can enjoy your life being average and living day by day.

For me... one could call me a "jack of all trades... master of none".  I've never mastered any particular skill set, but I know just enough to get by.  I am average, which is not a put down (in my opinion).

 

[basil67]

4 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay, but what do you mean by able to withstand a critical eye?

Run your completed plan past those who have made successful movies and ask them to critique it.   And if you want to get funding, those who may invest will need to examine your plan a and look for holes too. 

[ironpony]

Oh okay, but I do not know anyone personally who has made a successful movie.  I worked for one filmmaker who got his sold to Amazon Prime, so maybe that was a success for him.  I can ask him.

[Cookiesandough]

9 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay, but what do you mean by able to withstand a critical eye?

If you want to be average, take the advice, but if you want to be accomplished, sometimes it can take risks and big sacrifices. 
 

I would ask ppl who succeeded in what you want what they think instead 

[basil67]

4 minutes ago, Cookiesandough said:

If you want to be average, take the advice, but if you want to be accomplished, sometimes it can take risks and big sacrifices. 
 

I would ask ppl who succeeded in what you want what they think instead 

That's easy to say when it's not your money you're risking.   

Taking risks are all well and good, but shouldn't those risks be calculated?   And given that he can't figure out how to do it for the budget he has and doesn't know anyone who's made a successful movie, where do you suggest he goes from here?

Edited August 28, 2021 by basil67

[Cookiesandough]

Basil  I simply suggested for  to get advice from people who didn’t settle and give up on their dreams, that’s all.  Pessimism is easy  
 

& I have risked my own money in pursuit of my goals.  Sometimes with success and sometimes not and some TBD, but I would never discourage someone from doing so because know sometimes success takes investment…

 

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Cookiesandough

[ironpony]

Well I could try to do it for only 20k, that way not near as much will be lost, if that's better?  i guess I am just worried that that will not be enough, but maybe that's a bad way of thinking and the lesser the better, because then its not so much of a risk

Edited August 28, 2021 by ironpony

[Cookiesandough]

3 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Well I could try to do it for only 20k, that way not near as much is lot, if that's better?  i guess I am just worried that that will not be enough, but maybe that's a bad way of thinking and the lesser the better, because then its not so much of a risk

Yeah, you shouldn’t put too much $ into your first one. You should def start small as you can w it and plan for going over.  Also , network where you can. I’m “friends”  with a producer I met  and I’m not even in that area …

 

Only what you can afford/be fine with losing 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Cookiesandough

[ironpony]

Just now, Cookiesandough said:

Yeah, you shouldn’t put too much $ into your first one. You should def start small as you can w it and plan for going over.  Also , network like I said, I’m friends with a producer and I’m not even in that area …

I can do that, I am just worried if I spend really low on it, that the acting, and cinematography, sound, etc, will not be as good of quality though, and worried the product will suffer as a result.  Unless I can still get really good acting and talent, with a very small budget?

[basil67]

3 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Well I could try to do it for only 20k, that way not near as much will be lost, if that's better?  i guess I am just worried that that will not be enough, but maybe that's a bad way of thinking and the lesser the better, because then its not so much of a risk

Why would you spend $20K on something which you already know that you can't do for $20K?

I'm not telling you to not do this, I'm telling you that you need to plan this.  When you've got a plan and a budget to fit, you're good to go.   Part of the plan would be to take @Cookiesandough's advice and speak to others who can help you.   

[Cookiesandough]

1 minute ago, ironpony said:

I can do that, I am just worried if I spend really low on it, that the acting, and cinematography, sound, etc, will not be as good of quality though, and worried the product will suffer as a result.  Unless I can still get really good acting and talent, with a very small budget?

Christopher Nolan got his start with “the following” on a budget of 6k.

[ironpony]

Just now, basil67 said:

Why would you spend $20K on something which you already know that you can't do for $20K?

I'm not telling you to not do this, I'm telling you that you need to plan this.  When you've got a plan and a budget to fit, you're good to go.   Part of the plan would be to take @Cookiesandough's advice and speak to others who can help you.   

Other filmmakers I talked to, pointed out other movies shot for less than 20k and said it can be done, therefore I thought maybe I was doing something wrong.

[Cookiesandough]

1 minute ago, basil67 said:

Why would you spend $20K on something which you already know that you can't do for $20K?

I'm not telling you to not do this, I'm telling you that you need to plan this.  When you've got a plan and a budget to fit, you're good to go.   Part of the plan would be to take @Cookiesandough's advice and speak to others who can help you.   

Agree with all this. You definitely should plan thoroughly 

[ironpony]

1 minute ago, Cookiesandough said:

Christopher Nolan got his start with “the following” on a budget of 6k.

That's true, perhaps it can be done then.  Maybe I am doing the budget wrong.  I am worried that the acting and filmmaking quality will suffer if I go real low, but maybe it won't because of examples like Following?