I'm Too Tired

[the_sneaker]

I don't know what to do anymore. When I was 15, I knew that my choice to become a writer/filmmaker meant that I wasn't going to have it very easy until, one day far down the road, I actually did make it big, but what I never expected, was that it would be so hard.

In 2002, I wrote a screenplay that was by no means good, yet over time, it grew into something that I consider great...maybe I'm just biased, but I love it. However, in the four years since I first wrote it, I have tried four times to get it made. I never bothered trying to get it done by professionals, because at first I was 16, and how many professional filmmakers do you know out there who would've taken a 16-year-old seriously? Then I read such books as "If Chins Could Kill," by Bruce Campbell and "Rebel Without a Crew," by Robert Rodriguez and I was inspired.

I don't mean to sound like I don't think anyone can make it into the industry. Honestly, I believe anyone can...but not only does it take talent, it takes timing and luck. I have neither of the latter. I'm not the most talented writer; God, I'm not even close, but I feel that what I have now is good enough to get me started...but that's my problem.

Four years, man. Four years and four failed attempts. The problem has been the people. Everyone I have had by my side to get this film done have backed out, almost always a week before shooting is scheduled. Passion and talent can only take you so far; usually it comes down to who you know and who is actually willing to devote the time it takes to make a great movie.

I wish I could just give up, to be honest. I wish I didn't have such a strong passion for movies and filmmaking, because this would be so much easier to get through. But dammit, I love the art so much. I love everything about it. When I was 15, I thought that was all you needed...but I guess I was wrong.

[Beeblebrox]

The problem has been the people. Everyone I have had by my side to get this film done have backed out, almost always a week before shooting is scheduled.

The problem isn't the people. Look around at your many failed attempts. What is the one single common denominator? It's you. You can blame everyone else and/or think that it's just bad luck; but at the end of the day, you're the one with the responsibility to get it done, not them.

[Tuukka]

Originally posted by Beeblebrox
The problem isn't the people. Look around at your many failed attempts. What is the one single common denominator? It's you. You can blame everyone else and/or think that it's just bad luck; but at the end of the day, you're the one with the responsibility to get it done, not them.

Correct.

It's up to you to convince others. To make the believe in you. To make them work for you. To invest their time and money into you.

The best way to convince others is to show them some great stuff you have made. If you haven't made that great stuff yet, then make it. Start small, aim for bigger and bigger. And if one intends to be a director/producer, social skills are extremely important. If you don't have them, then start working on them.

You will get nothing for free. You need to work your way up. That's how life goes.

No, talent is not enough. It's all about WORK. Work, work, work. People who succeed in this business do insane amounts of work. And in honestly: Most people who want to "make it" don't have what it takes. And I'm not talking about talent, I'm talking about willingness to work, to push forward no matter what it against you, about the willingness to accept the failures and learn from them. And patience: By default it takes at least 10 years of hard work before you are starting to get where you want to be.

Maybe 1 out of 20 has what it takes. Do you have it? If not, then you have probably chosen the wrong occupation.

[Ronaldinho]

Four years? Four years? Yawn.

Paul Haggis spent 8 years trying to get Crash made. And he had a track record as a succcessful TV writer going for him, first.

Figure out what you want to do, and figure out reasonable steps to get you there. You're 20. Relax a little and enjoy the ride.

Oh, and keep writing new stuff. Four years is too long to be focused on one script.

[XvoorheesX]

I started screenwriting when I was fifteen. I hope I sell a script by the time I'm 30.

Just think about it like this: becoming a substitute teacher takes more than four years. You're trying to break into HOLLYWOOD. Either suck it up and approach it realistically, or find something else to do.

[Criminal Rock]

I know exactly where sneaker's coming from... people bail all the time in low budget stuff (namely talent).

Though, reiterating to what people have already said, it can't always be someone else’s mistake... that’s just impossible... even if it’s a situation completely out of your control, accepting personal responsibility is just something the better of us do to make us better people.

Learn from your mistakes, and avoid the problems in future projects. That’s the best advice I can give.

[Monotreme]

I usually suggest for young filmmakers not to use their friends as acting talent and/or crew because relations between the two parties in these cases sometime cause awkward tensions on set and prevent said talent to fire on all cylinders and deliver what you need from them, out of embarassment or whatever. And I haven't yet had a chance to initiate my own proper film production quite yet (fresh out of high school, what can you expect?) but I am planning to get to work on it in a few years, once I finish my military service and get settled in. In any case, it seems to me that if talent that backs out in the last minute is one of your problems, then perhaps you should hire people you know as the talent. That way, they:
A) Have more confidence in you then a total stranger would.
B) Will feel far worse than a total stranger if they back out.

I know it's a sinister thing to do, but we all know that this is a dog-eat-dog business, and if you're not a bitch of a producer, chances are things won't be done.

You must know or at least be acquainted with young talent also looking for a gig or two. Convince them that yours is the way to go, an they might even be friendly about it since you know them and all. Personally, I know some relatively talented people who, in a few years, would die to work on/appear in a movie.

That's pretty much the best practical advice that I can give you, as other Schmoes here pretty much offered the main points of interest.

[NobodySpecial]

Four years, man. Four years and four failed attempts. The problem has been the people. Everyone I have had by my side to get this film done have backed out, almost always a week before shooting is scheduled. Passion and talent can only take you so far; usually it comes down to who you know and who is actually willing to devote the time it takes to make a great movie.
Who's backing out? Money, actors, equipment, locations?

I get that you're just super pissed and venting, but if you want to do something about it we should know more about what's going on.