Russell Hasenauer (@russellrules), host of Friday 101 for Indy Mogul, made a great video for kids who would ask him, “I want to be a filmmaker; What do I do?” It’s full of timeless advice and is a great starting point for anyone, not just kids, who may be interested in becoming a filmmaker. Watch the video below!
The tips again are (with a bit of elaboration from us):
- Don’t Rush Things
Your first film isn’t going to be the absolute best that you will ever create. Learning how to tell a story well is something that takes time and experience, and there is nothing more satisfying than to be able to see your growth and progress. - Figure Out What Your Strengths Are
Not everyone can do everything well. It’s good to explore all of the different areas of the film industry to see what you actually enjoy doing and what you are good at. For example, maybe you went into the industry as a cameraman/woman but discover that you are actually really great at sound effects. Take all opportunities given to you and just see how it goes! Plus, sometimes learning what another job requires helps you become better at your own job. - Learn to Work Well With Others
It takes a team to make a film, and knowing how to use your skills and knowledge to support your teammates as well as how to ask for help and resources from others makes the whole filmmaking process a lot easier and the final product even better. - Networking Is Extremely Important
If you don’t already have everyone with the talent you need to help you create a great film or if you’re looking to offer your own talents and want to join a team, networking is essential. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be in-person networking events. It could be social / online groups where you find other people to connect with. - Work With What You Have
In the beginning, you may not have everything/everyone you need to help you make your first film, but you shouldn’t let this hold you back from getting started. You yourself can play multiple roles both behind the camera and in front of it, and you can also get creative and use props or other techniques to create the scenes and illusions you want (think shadows instead of actual people, stock videos, Halloween costumes, etc.). - Be Prepared to Practice for a Long Time
It’s rare for anyone to become an overnight success, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t become rich and famous right away. Actually, the way you should look at success is that it’s more than just the fame and the fortune. Success is progress. As long as you don’t stay still and just keep moving forward, success shouldn’t be defined as the final destination. It should be the journey. - Accept Criticism and Learn From It
Everyone has an opinion, and as you work, you will hear a lot of positive comments, but you may also hear some negative ones. Don’t allow yourself to become consumed with the negativity. Learn how to extract something useful from the comments, ignore the “trolls” (as Russell mentions in his video), and just keep asking for constructive feedback from others so that you can continually improve. - Crowd-Funding to Get Equipment: Keep It In the Family
You don’t have to have all fancy and new expensive equipment to get started and you don’t have to start a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to buy that stuff; just use what you have! Ask your friends and family if they have something you need that they’re not using, like old camcorders, record players, musical instruments, and more. You never know, you may end up creating a new style of filming just by getting creative with old equipment. - Learn From Your Elders
The more receptive you are to getting advice from experienced filmmakers, the better you become faster. As mentioned previously, you can’t know everything right away or do everything right the first time. Other than learning from your own mistakes, the fastest way to improve your craft is to learn from other people’s mistakes. - Once You Start, You Are Already A Filmmaker
Just do it! Once you actually start the process of creating your own film, you are already way ahead of everyone else who are just talking about it. Don’t let anything discourage you from starting. Remember, you don’t need fancy equipment and you don’t need a whole team of people to start. All you need is yourself and the willingness to make mistakes, learn from them, and to try new things!
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