Aspiring painters paint.
Aspiring writers write.
Aspiring filmmakers think about filming then go to bed early because that made them tired.
And therein lies the problem. A filmmaker is not just an avid movie fan: a filmmaker is an artist. They want to do what other artist do . . . create art with their medium.
But they can’t.
They need someone to hold the microphone. They need someone to hold the camera. They need someone to tell the bystander with the bluetooth headset to go continue his conversation elsewhere so the scene can continue. They’re also poor, so unless they have a stash of illegal immigrants in their basement (which is illegal)(and wrong), they need people willing to do them a favor.
In other words, if you are an aspiring filmmaker, you need a network. You need to know people. You need creative partners.
This isn’t easy. Sometimes you may need to be willing to sacrifice some creative control. Other times you may need to be willing to work on someone else’s project, regardless of whether or not you are totally on board with the concept. Without a network your hands are tied.
So go . . . get involved. Find what is going on in your area and start lending a hand. Be nice. Be engaged. Let people know you appreciate them and consider their work valuable.
Remember, being a filmmaker is not about the strength of your ideas. Your job is not to recreate the movie you see playing in your head. Your job is to facilitate the creative abilities of others. Your job is to wrest your film out of other people. And that’s why you love it.
