Feeling lost... am I ignoring my filmmaking dream?
- Thread starter sb2012
- Start date
I'm sorry for the much-delayed response. As you can see, I feel like I don't even have a moment to breathe. I guess I should have signed up for one class this semester instead of two. However, I'm off today, so here I am…
It's nice to hear that there are others who are in a similar situation or can relate. Mcbob, great advice!
Eventually, if all goes well with nursing, I do plan on moving to another state. NYC sucks. If this nursing thing goes south, I'm looking at radiology/ultra sound tech as a back up.
I get what some of you are saying about trying to disconnect the idea of making money with filmmaking/creativity. But I always looked at it in the sense of killing two birds with one stone.
If you could make a living off of something you love to do, why not? But that's only if the right opportunity/offer is on the table.
It would be nice if we all lived in a world where the filmmaking job market was equal in the sense that…
Studying as a computer/special effects artist would be akin to studying as a radiology tech.
or
Studying as a film director would be akin to studying as a nurse.
And to enter the market would only take as much effort as it does with a regular job. You wouldn't become an A list director right away, all of that would be on you, but at least you could start at some company and director jobs are provided on a frequent basis (music videos, television episodes, indie films, nothing huge just yet), and starting pay would be $50k a year.
BUT……. that's all a fantasy. Things are not like that in reality. It's all *freelance-based*. But hey it is nice to imagine how things would be if the film business were treated that way.
You could simply just go to school for what you love and get a job doing what you love. You won't start out rich or famous, but you'll be making a pretty decent living to provide all the required necessities. If you want to go further than that and make it "big" like Spielberg then that's all on you.
That sounds like a pretty straight forward way to live. Too bad it's not real.
But back to reality….
filmguy123,
I hear what you're saying. It's kinda like trying to balance a portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash. Filmmaking and writing definitely make me feel alive, but i haven't continued work on my new script or revision on my old script since January (when this school semester began). I also have a promotional kickstarter video for a short film, I did the video in November, and I still haven't put it up on Kickstarter nor have I finished preparing the kickstarter page.
Maybe I should put an ad in the paper for assistants, butlers, and maids lol
It's very hard to find a balance when s**t is seeping in from too many cracks in the ceiling. Maybe I should just shoot for radiology or ultra sound tech since it's not as intense as nursing?
It's nice to hear that there are others who are in a similar situation or can relate. Mcbob, great advice!
Eventually, if all goes well with nursing, I do plan on moving to another state. NYC sucks. If this nursing thing goes south, I'm looking at radiology/ultra sound tech as a back up.
I get what some of you are saying about trying to disconnect the idea of making money with filmmaking/creativity. But I always looked at it in the sense of killing two birds with one stone.
If you could make a living off of something you love to do, why not? But that's only if the right opportunity/offer is on the table.
It would be nice if we all lived in a world where the filmmaking job market was equal in the sense that…
Studying as a computer/special effects artist would be akin to studying as a radiology tech.
or
Studying as a film director would be akin to studying as a nurse.
And to enter the market would only take as much effort as it does with a regular job. You wouldn't become an A list director right away, all of that would be on you, but at least you could start at some company and director jobs are provided on a frequent basis (music videos, television episodes, indie films, nothing huge just yet), and starting pay would be $50k a year.
BUT……. that's all a fantasy. Things are not like that in reality. It's all *freelance-based*. But hey it is nice to imagine how things would be if the film business were treated that way.
You could simply just go to school for what you love and get a job doing what you love. You won't start out rich or famous, but you'll be making a pretty decent living to provide all the required necessities. If you want to go further than that and make it "big" like Spielberg then that's all on you.
That sounds like a pretty straight forward way to live. Too bad it's not real.
But back to reality….
filmguy123,
I hear what you're saying. It's kinda like trying to balance a portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash. Filmmaking and writing definitely make me feel alive, but i haven't continued work on my new script or revision on my old script since January (when this school semester began). I also have a promotional kickstarter video for a short film, I did the video in November, and I still haven't put it up on Kickstarter nor have I finished preparing the kickstarter page.
Maybe I should put an ad in the paper for assistants, butlers, and maids lol
It's very hard to find a balance when s**t is seeping in from too many cracks in the ceiling. Maybe I should just shoot for radiology or ultra sound tech since it's not as intense as nursing?
Well, as everyone knows the biggest part of any film project budget is craft services for the cast and crew and you don't have this expense of you're just writing.
And I guess paper and ink cartridges do get expensive when it's finally time to print your script.
Writing costs time of course, but everything does.
Last edited:
combatentropy
Veteran
You're in New York City! Volunteer as a coffee boy or extra on other people's shoots. This will keep you feeling involved and also give you a taste of what it's like if you were to actually make it at different levels. At other times, you could keep writing. If you're not self-disciplined enough right now for that, find or found a group of screenwriters that meets weekly for coffee. Finally, read this for inspiration, http://blog.credoreference.com/2011...poets-who-were-pretty-good-with-stethoscopes/