You Have to Save You – The Problem with Filmmaking #atozchallenge

Look around long enough and you’ll find a lot of independent filmmakers who are frustrated and struggling to find an audience for their movies. Keep venturing further within this group of writers and directors, and you’ll likely come across many who also desire to make the kind of living that will enable them to continue creating work without going hungry or sleeping on the streets. Of all the causes for our struggles and frustrations – it is my belief that one of the reasons we constantly find ourselves getting the short end of the stick is because we often fail to realize that we feed into the major problems of filmmaking – the waiting game.

• We wait for distributors to come save us by taking our creations to the masses.

• We wait (and pay) for film festivals to rescue our work from oblivion and help us appeal to distributors.

• We wait for agents to make deals that will give us opportunities to make more movies, or television shows or commercials or whatever.

• We wait for reviews from critics to determine the validity of our work.

• We wait for media outlets to tell us whether what we have to show is important or not.

• We wait for judging panels to let us know if our work is worthy of recognition.

The problem with filmmaking is that we spent more time than necessary waiting for another person or entity to come in and save us, when the reality is that sometimes, they can’t. Other times, they won’t.

We have to save ourselves.

When/Where do YOU find yourself playing the waiting game in your career, or in your life?

Have YOU ever had that “aha” moment when you realized that YOU are the only one who can save yourself?

Let’s X Out of the Cineplex for Once, Shall We? #atozchallenge

Today, I choose to X out of writing about why we make movies because subject has been covered enough for one month and frankly, I don’t have the energy or interest in exploring this matter any further right now.

I also choose to X out of the Monday Movie Meme because all of the time spent doing research, interviews and writing about making movies has left me with little to no topics for this weekly meme. The Monday Movie Meme will return next week once I wrap up the 5^th Annual Blogging from A-to-Z Challenge.

This news comes at a time when I’ve decided to X out of submitting to a few popular film festivals that I once had high hopes for, and instead, put the fees that I would have incurred to better use in ways that would directly benefit either me, my film, select supporters of my work or a cause that I believe to be just. The festivals in question are appealing on the surface but when you really get down to business – they are not worth the time or money. More on this to come at a later date.

Have YOU chosen to X out of any activities or plans today that once seemed more promising until reality and/or a dose of poor time management kicked YOUR butt?

Read yesterday’s post about A Whole New World – Why I Make Movies if you’re looking for something more meaningful that what’s being offered up at the moment.

A Whole New World – Why I Make Movies #atozchallenge #IndieFilm

Early on in my days of wanting to be a film director, I longed for substantial achievements such as award nominations and wins, prestige and money, and satisfaction, above all else. Some of these results still matter, albeit not as much as they once did. Many of the trivial ones have lost their appeal altogether. So then, I had to figure out why the hell I am making movies. What’s the point? What is going to keep me wanting to participate in the madness of independent film? I’m still trying to find my way, and am closer to defining -- for myself -- what it means to make movies, after remembering a letter by Frank Ocean that I read, more than once. That’s when it hit me:

I want to create worlds that are rosier than mine.

No matter what the subject matter is for any movie I make, I can use my work as a tool to help people in some way, shape or form; and thus, creating rosier worlds for the people and causes that are in need of them.

• Maybe that means using films to promote education and build literacy skills among viewers who otherwise aren’t motivated to read and write on a regular basis.

• Maybe that means using films to help survivors of disasters to find a place to stay and get back on their feet.

• Maybe that means using films to help small businesses flourish.

Whatever it means, I think I can do this. I found the edge. Can you live there with me?

Also, be sure to read yesterday's post featuring two socially conscious film directors who share their views on VALIDATION!