I wrote this post a few years ago. It being my only blog post and relevant to the kind of content that will be here I thought it would work as an apt filler post until I stop procrastinating.
10,000 Hours, Yes, Luck
I was asked to give some of my views once we wrapped production and nothing out of the ordinary came to mind; however, I do remember feeling a little fortunate. After wrapping production on a project it’s natural for me to spend some time in reflection, decompression and a little self deprecation. Everything went relatively smooth as production goes; we finished on time and got everything we needed. It was stressful and exhausting; still, I couldn’t help but feel a little fortunate, fortunate to be working right now as a filmmaker in new media. This is a great time for young filmmakers; many of the past’s barriers are being torn down for us. Earlier this week I ran across a book review in the Wall Street Journal about Malcolm Gladwell’s new book Outliers. It got me thinking about what it takes to be a successful young filmmaker today in new media. I wanted to share my very limited perspective to anyone just starting out or trying to decide whether or not to make this a career.
10,000 hours
Early in my schooling I was told by an illustration teacher that if I wanted to be successful in this business then I must know the human anatomy as well or better than a physician. He always equated the mastery of our skills to that of doctors. Eight years of study and then you’re only at the beginning of a career. There is simply no way to avoid hard work and long hours to become a master craftsman. Mozart knew this. “In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice-skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals,” writes the neurologist Daniel Levitin, “this number comes up again and again. Ten thousand hours is equivalent to roughly three hours a day, or 20 hours a week, of practice over 10 years… No one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery.” There are no cheap or easy ways to the top, especially in filmmaking. Hunker down, dig in and get ready for a lot of work, but if this is your place it’s actually really fun.
Yes
This next piece of advice is just as important as the first, but I think it’s overlooked quite a bit. I’ve heard it said that you should never be afraid to say no, and I agree, but usually that’s not the word most of us are afraid of saying. If you are familiar with improv then you should know one of the cardinal rules is to always say “yes”. Why, because everything stops at no. Nothing moves forward, nothing happens, nothing changes, especially your situation. I, of course, do not recommend never using the word no, but it should be used cautiously and wisely. You are never going to get exactly what you want, never. Why should getting work from clients be any different? There is always a way of negotiating and working things out: budget, time, workload and even creative direction. Don’t write off an opportunity because you were too narrow minded to make something work.
Luck
I don’t really believe in luck. In fact, I firmly believe that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, no matter how cliché it sounds. So, when someone in this business says luck or fate, read opportunity. Last year when I read Walt Disney’s biography, I found myself a little envious about the time he lived in, when animation was a burgeoning industry and he was a trailblazer leading the way. I realized that I, in fact, was in just such an industry. There really isn’t much difference between the industry that Disney built and ours save for one big advantage: we have global distribution for pennies. So, there you have it. You are one of the luckiest young filmmakers of your generation. Seize it, this is your time.
There is of course infinitely more to learn in this industry but I could have never begun this project if I was missing one of these elements. This is what I thought about while wrapping up the principle photography of Jenn 2.0. I am fortunate: fortunate to be working in new media right now, fortunate to be working with extremely talented people, fortunate to begin in such a progressive industry. I believe that this medium will only grow if we encourage new talent and visionaries to push it to its limits.
