Do you ever get tired of it?

J

jghenderson

Well-known member
Sometime's it just feels so narcissistic. The constant effort to gain supporters or to convince companies that you are of merit. The non stop twittering and facebook posts to your "fans" just so they won't forget you. Every day having to wake up, go out there and try to sell yourself. I love movies and making them, one of the few things I can genuinely say that about. But the nonstop struggle to "be noticed" really gets to me sometimes. Ffffffff.
 
yeah, i did the same as alex, I dont use twitter, took down facebook. There's just way to many people out there pushing themselves as "DP'S just because they bought a 5d, and the same goes as directors. I get most of my work from word of mouth anyways. But to be honest, I know a few people always whoring themselves, and it's just annoying to get all these stupid little memos saying look at me. I blocked them to because its a pain in the ass. And frankly, there's not alot of people that can stand the test of time. Many fade away as they should.
 
Well, after all is said and done, you're trying to sell something to someone. People can't buy it if they don't know it exists. Nobody really cares what you do and why you do it. You have to meet their needs for them to take notice. So I guess what I'm saying is if you have to keep nagging people to notice you, you're doing something wrong, or expecting something unrealistic.
 
I don't think this is such a big deal as long as you separate your personal connections from your work connections.

You have to promote yourself somehow, and social media is about the only low-cost / no-cost option.
 
I agree, that's why I don't promote myself....wish I could hire someone to do it for me, and for that matter to go and schmooze at events that I don't care to attend.
 
Unfortanetly, there are NO PERSON in the WORLD that doesn't sell. All people sell something, literally all!!!! If you could name at least one type of person, job, or someone that doesn't sell anything, I would jump from the bridge (I don't mean it).
 
I won't say I get tired of it because I don't do it (hobbyist) but I have noticed that some people think I'm in the biz and assume that I don't mind being a Pimp Mobile. And I mean even yesterday. I'll pimp where I can but, I mean really. I even told one person I could not reference them because I didn't even know who they were or have seen their work. haha. No s*%t. So I don't know first hand but I understand. Some people network at any cost because the are persuing a career. I don't because I'm not. hehe. I understand though. -beers
 
Khachik Mkrtchyan said:
Unfortanetly, there are NO PERSON in the WORLD that doesn't sell. All people sell something, literally all!!!! If you could name at least one type of person, job, or someone that doesn't sell anything, I would jump from the bridge (I don't mean it).
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There's a key difference though. The vast majority of people really only have to sell themselves once. They sell themselves to get hired, and then if all goes ok they have a steady job for years. Filmmaking is not at all like that. You sell yourself to one person, do a job for them which could take anywhere for a week to a few months. And then you have to do it all over again. It never ends.

And then to add on top of all that, now that crowdfunding has taken such a hold, instead of having to sell yourself to just one person (the person with the bank account, the person who can hire you, etc.), you now often have to sell yourself to many people.
 
If it's getting to you, chang ethe way you're selling. Some filmmakers have had quite a bit of success by making a lot of movies and putting them on the net regularly. Word of mouth spreads, but they just keep making their stuff. ZIf your work is about creating films, instead of about begging for opportunities, you'll mak ebetter films and have a better time of it.
 
I guess the real rub is money. A lot of projects require funding to be done right, and in order to get said money you have to sell yourself. Which I understand. There's only a finite amount of money out there and you have to compete with other filmmakers for it. And sadly a lot of the time it seems that in order to succeed you have to sell yourself, not your work.
 
I think the idea of gaining supporters through social media is an odd way of selling yourself. Who are they? Friends? Relatives? Fellow professionals who are also looking for similar work and are likely competition? If they are supporting your work and it is a music video featuring a talented band, or a film that you want to gain a following with, I can understand that, but not to simply sell your services. I do not have a Facebook or Twitter so I can't account that part of this. The sale of your services and talents is something you earn from your connections and the connections of others and is still, I believe, the most opportune way.

So is that idea changing through social media? I wonder what people would gain from learning of your talents through Facebook or Twitter, if it is not used as a promotional tool for a project but rather your services as a worker. I would call that solicitation and not promotion.
 
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Im with Alex and maran and jimmy. Thankfully I don't have to lean on social media to stay busy. I think its pretty stupid, imo. Never brought me a tremendous amount of work, but on the other hand, every once in a while......

It just reeks of desperation and I'd just assume not bother my "friends" with frivolous posts.
 
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