How can I become the next JJ Abrams

J

jeree

Active member
lol the title probably threw some of you off buuut seriously (:
Trust me, I KNOW it will take hard work, good networking etc etc,
if he can do it, why not me?
But the problem is... the contacts, the networking aspect of it..
How can i do it, who do i contact. I'm really interested in directing so it would help me get my feet off the ground so i can do other projects such as opening a production company to increase profits and maybe even a clothing line.

How can i get noticed.
I'm thinking I get noticed on youtube with mannny subscribers with good quality independent videos and shorts, and then open a website for my channel and open a little clothing line and a forum.
Also thinking that when i do somehow get into the industry, I could build other businesses upfor passive income..

Please no negative shi* saying "oh oh oh you cant do it, its like... impossible! keep dreaming kid you'll never make it" lmao
im sure many of you think that because of the mindset of an employee.
I'm not insulting you in any way, i just dont want any of that bullshi*.

anyways, sorry for the little rant there
icon_razz.gif

My main concern is, since i dont live near hollywood and my main means of contact is through the internet, how can i get noticed/get contact with some high rollers in the industry? I somehow need a plan, and i KINDA have one above, but im not sure that would be the way to go. so yeah, what are your thoughts for me?

also, i see that most people create their feature film FIRST, and then hope a distributor will promote it...
That isnt the way to go because i feel you need to find a producer/distributor that will promote your movie after you're finished with it, so its garuanteed it will get noticed... but HOW DO YOU DO THAT is one of the questions im asking in this thread loll, how did paranormal activity get noticed? through paramount studios promoting the movie.

btw im 16 right now and i know i have potential [better start now or else have less life to enjoy the benefits of business loll], its just the means of having the right contacts that will help me go up. Hopefuilly I didnt sound arrogant or anything like that because I'm just tired of hearing the bullcrap about "its impossible, thats reality, you cant be a someone" mindset of some people. it IS possible and its not based on chance, its based on how hard you work, if you KEEP GOING, theres no failure in there, just success (:
 
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First of all - dream big. Somebody's gotta make it. But start small and work up to the big stuff. Forget about JJ. You're in a completely different situation, you're a different person, you need to use people like that as inspiration to create your OWN thing.

You're 16. That's awesome. I think the main thing for you to focus on right now is the craft. Chip away at networking as you go along, but if I were you, I'd nuckle down and just become a master at the craft.

Read every book on directing, lighting, acting, editing, etc you can get your hands on. The more you know about your own craft and the people you will be working with, the better your chances. Become an absolute master with the camera. Don't settle for the bare minumum. This alone will set you apart from so many people it's not even funny.

As for the path you go on - as you've already realized there are many different ways. You have to choose the one you think is best for you. Some people come from music video backgrounds, others make a short film and have an idea for a feature, some have epic contacts and talented friends, some make a feature film that gets noticed and picked up by distributers. Of course none of this guarantees anything but you have to stay positive and do your absolute best.

Look at other people who don't live near Hollywood. Being from New Zealand, I use people like Peter Jackson as my inspiration. I read all the time "You gotta move to LA, you gotta move to LA" - And yes, maybe eventually you might have to spend some time there. But there are other ways in. People from other countries can't just move to LA when they feel like it.

So aside from mastering the craft by reading, learning and most importantly -- doing, you should pick a path that suits you. Do you have your own stories to tell, are you passionate about writing and making your own film, or are you more interested in making other videos first and building contacts that way?

Whatever you decide, if you can deliver the goods - if you can actually make a great film that people want to see - you'll get noticed by somebody. People notice excellent work.

I'm sure distribution has been discussed here many times and you might want to do a search of some of the threads here which cover some of DVXuser's journey's on making their features. It can be tricky trying to get distribution for a film with no stars. I guess that's why a lot of people opt for horror - or quirky films. If you've got something completely fresh with nonames but something that people absolutely have to see - it's possible to get some serious exposure I think.

If you make an average drama with no-names and a low budget, you might have trouble getting noticed. So many aspects and variables in this but you have to weigh it all up and decide what's best for you.

Contacts can come in all sorts of forms. Look at the guys who made Saw. They met in an Australian film school - made a short film version of it (it's on youtube), which they sent to the US, and they were given 1.5 million (or something like that) to make it a feature. I remember reading it was originally planned as a DVD thing but it turned out to be a huge hit.

So that kind of thing can be a way in. If you have a unique concept. People don't want to see a wannabe-Hollywood drama. If you have a low budget, make a drama that Hollywood wouldn't dare to make. And ironically, Hollywood might come knockin' on your door. That is how it's happened for a lot of people.

There are some pretty cool threads on DVXuser about making contacts, distribution, how all that stuff works - you'll want to read about that from somebody who's actually been there and done that.

But yeah - I'd suggest just becoming a master, making loads of films, meeting people who are equally as passionate about filmmaking/acting/etc as you are...that can be tough but they're out there.

One final note is try not to spend too much time on forums, messageboards, rotten tomatoes, imdb. After getting into that trap myself I realized how damaging it is. DVXuser's good though. :beer:

P.S tl;dr version: Focus on being awesome. Then make contacts using your awesomeness/film/luck/skills/clothes/mouth
 
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ChrisHurn said:
First of all - dream big. Somebody's gotta make it. But start small and work up to the big stuff. Forget about JJ. You're in a completely different situation, you're a different person, you need to use people like that as inspiration to create your OWN thing.

You're 16. That's awesome. I think the main thing for you to focus on right now is the craft. Chip away at networking as you go along, but if I were you, I'd nuckle down and just become a master at the craft.

Read every book on directing, lighting, acting, editing, etc you can get your hands on. The more you know about your own craft and the people you will be working with, the better your chances. Become an absolute master with the camera. Don't settle for the bare minumum. This alone will set you apart from so many people it's not even funny.

As for the path you go on - as you've already realized there are many different ways. You have to choose the one you think is best for you. Some people come from music video backgrounds, others make a short film and have an idea for a feature, some have epic contacts and talented friends, some make a feature film that gets noticed and picked up by distributers. Of course none of this guarantees anything but you have to stay positive and do your absolute best.

Look at other people who don't live near Hollywood. Being from New Zealand, I use people like Peter Jackson as my inspiration. I read all the time "You gotta move to LA, you gotta move to LA" - And yes, maybe eventually you might have to spend some time there. But there are other ways in. People from other countries can't just move to LA when they feel like it.

So aside from mastering the craft by reading, learning and most importantly -- doing, you should pick a path that suits you. Do you have your own stories to tell, are you passionate about writing and making your own film, or are you more interested in making other videos first and building contacts that way?

Whatever you decide, if you can deliver the goods - if you can actually make a great film that people want to see - you'll get noticed by somebody. People notice excellent work.

I'm sure distribution has been discussed here many times and you might want to do a search of some of the threads here which cover some of DVXuser's journey's on making their features. It can be tricky trying to get distribution for a film with no stars. I guess that's why a lot of people opt for horror - or quirky films. If you've got something completely fresh with nonames but something that people absolutely have to see - it's possible to get some serious exposure I think.

If you make an average drama with no-names and a low budget, you might have trouble getting noticed. So many aspects and variables in this but you have to weigh it all up and decide what's best for you.

Contacts can come in all sorts of forms. Look at the guys who made Saw. They met in an Australian film school - made a short film version of it (it's on youtube), which they sent to the US, and they were given 1.5 million (or something like that) to make it a feature. I remember reading it was originally planned as a DVD thing but it turned out to be a huge hit.

So that kind of thing can be a way in. If you have a unique concept. People don't want to see a wannabe-Hollywood drama. If you have a low budget, make a drama that Hollywood wouldn't dare to make. And ironically, Hollywood might come knockin' on your door. That is how it's happened for a lot of people.

There are some pretty cool threads on DVXuser about making contacts, distribution, how all that stuff works - you'll want to read about that from somebody who's actually been there and done that.

But yeah - I'd suggest just becoming a master, making loads of films, meeting people who are equally as passionate about filmmaking/acting/etc as you are...that can be tough but they're out there.

One final note is try not to spend too much time on forums, messageboards, rotten tomatoes, imdb. After getting into that trap myself I realized how damaging it is. DVXuser's good though. :beer:

P.S tl;dr version: Focus on being awesome. Then make contacts using your awesomeness/film/luck/skills/clothes/mouth
Click to expand...

THANKS MAN!!
I love you for taking the time to reply to a serious question lol
Of course I'm not going to be the NEXT JJ Abrams, but be the next big thing is what im saying. I'm also not saying I want to be famous, I just want financial freedom just as everyone else, but this would be one of my ways of doing so. But yeah
Thank you man. Good info on there.
It's hard for me to find people actually interested in filmmaking... Like... my school doesn't even have a media class!
So yeah, thanks again bro. Love how theres some positive people here on DVXuser (:
:-Happy(DBG):
 
ChrisHurn said:
First of all - dream big. Somebody's gotta make it. But start small and work up to the big stuff. Forget about JJ. You're in a completely different situation, you're a different person, you need to use people like that as inspiration to create your OWN thing.

You're 16. That's awesome. I think the main thing for you to focus on right now is the craft. Chip away at networking as you go along, but if I were you, I'd nuckle down and just become a master at the craft.

Read every book on directing, lighting, acting, editing, etc you can get your hands on. The more you know about your own craft and the people you will be working with, the better your chances. Become an absolute master with the camera. Don't settle for the bare minumum. This alone will set you apart from so many people it's not even funny.

As for the path you go on - as you've already realized there are many different ways. You have to choose the one you think is best for you. Some people come from music video backgrounds, others make a short film and have an idea for a feature, some have epic contacts and talented friends, some make a feature film that gets noticed and picked up by distributers. Of course none of this guarantees anything but you have to stay positive and do your absolute best.

Look at other people who don't live near Hollywood. Being from New Zealand, I use people like Peter Jackson as my inspiration. I read all the time "You gotta move to LA, you gotta move to LA" - And yes, maybe eventually you might have to spend some time there. But there are other ways in. People from other countries can't just move to LA when they feel like it.

So aside from mastering the craft by reading, learning and most importantly -- doing, you should pick a path that suits you. Do you have your own stories to tell, are you passionate about writing and making your own film, or are you more interested in making other videos first and building contacts that way?

Whatever you decide, if you can deliver the goods - if you can actually make a great film that people want to see - you'll get noticed by somebody. People notice excellent work.

I'm sure distribution has been discussed here many times and you might want to do a search of some of the threads here which cover some of DVXuser's journey's on making their features. It can be tricky trying to get distribution for a film with no stars. I guess that's why a lot of people opt for horror - or quirky films. If you've got something completely fresh with nonames but something that people absolutely have to see - it's possible to get some serious exposure I think.

If you make an average drama with no-names and a low budget, you might have trouble getting noticed. So many aspects and variables in this but you have to weigh it all up and decide what's best for you.

Contacts can come in all sorts of forms. Look at the guys who made Saw. They met in an Australian film school - made a short film version of it (it's on youtube), which they sent to the US, and they were given 1.5 million (or something like that) to make it a feature. I remember reading it was originally planned as a DVD thing but it turned out to be a huge hit.

So that kind of thing can be a way in. If you have a unique concept. People don't want to see a wannabe-Hollywood drama. If you have a low budget, make a drama that Hollywood wouldn't dare to make. And ironically, Hollywood might come knockin' on your door. That is how it's happened for a lot of people.

There are some pretty cool threads on DVXuser about making contacts, distribution, how all that stuff works - you'll want to read about that from somebody who's actually been there and done that.

But yeah - I'd suggest just becoming a master, making loads of films, meeting people who are equally as passionate about filmmaking/acting/etc as you are...that can be tough but they're out there.

One final note is try not to spend too much time on forums, messageboards, rotten tomatoes, imdb. After getting into that trap myself I realized how damaging it is. DVXuser's good though. :beer:

P.S tl;dr version: Focus on being awesome. Then make contacts using your awesomeness/film/luck/skills/clothes/mouth
Click to expand...

About the distribution of my film and stuff relating to that, i read on a website this:
"Securing distribution is the first step
in making a feature film, not the last."
go to this website for more info because it seems pretty smart...
http://www.filmschooldirect.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_financing.htm
how can i go about doing this?
 
jeree said:
About the distribution of my film and stuff relating to that, i read on a website this:
"Securing distribution is the first step
in making a feature film, not the last."
go to this website for more info because it seems pretty smart...
http://www.filmschooldirect.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_financing.htm
how can i go about doing this?
Click to expand...

That'd certainly be ideal, but for someone just starting out, the chances of that are pretty slim - your best shot is to get a good script and MAKE the film however you can, and as best you can, get it out to fests and see what happens - that's how you show people what you can do. I'd listen to the guys like Tarantino, Rodriguez, Kevin Smith on this - when anyone asks them how to get in to the game, they just say - "make your movie."
 
Sad Max (from the other said:
1) Cultivate better writing habits. Yeah, I know, this is just an internet board and sloppy spelling, inane sentence structure and weird-ass grammar are par for the course. Guess what? Lousy habits will creep into whatever else you write, too. The people who will be reviewing whatever resumes, letters-of-inquiry, etc you send are basically gatekeepers whose job is to eliminate you from consideration as quickly as possible, as early as possible. Mis-spellings, custom grammar and language that makes you look silly and careless - in other words, a lightweight not worth the trouble of interviewing, because no one needs silly and careless on their staff - will knock you out of the running before you're in it. Would *you* offer a job to the guy who can't string a sentence together when there are a bunch of other competitors for the job, who can...
Click to expand...

...or not.
 
First off, I want to applaud you for thinking big, and dont let anyone ever put you off your dreams. If you are honest with yourself, never worry about what others say.

Chris, great post.
 
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Hey Man,

Wow haven't posted on here for a loooong time. I just read this thread though and figured that I should comment on here. I'm not at all trying to sound like I know everything or that I am at all even close for that matter but I feel like maybe I can be of some small inspiration for a teenage filmmaker just starting out... considering I am one.

I am 17 years old. I live in Southern California right by LA and i have been in love with film for around 2-3 years. Your talking about distribution and stuff but that should be the very last thing you worry about in my opinion. Yes, that site you read said the exact opposite of what I just did, however I think they meant people that were going to be making serious short films that would actually have a chance in the industry. Now, I'm not at all trying to put you down or sound like whatever you make would not be good. But like most other people have said, "Learn the craft."

Basically what I'm trying to say is... for your first project (by the way I'm assuming you haven't made anything yet) you may not even want it distributed at all. I made millions of embarrassing projects before I made anything I was proud of, or anything that has won an award or been shown to a theater full of people. Hell, I've watched one of my short films in a theater with 500 people thought it was absolutely horrible then been called on stage to accept the award for "Best Short Film". The reason for this? I knew I could do better. People laughed and cried during it, but by the end of the process I knew how I could make them laugh more and cry harder... because of the amount of things I learned ACTUALLY doing it!

When I was 16 I started getting really serious about things. I challenged myself to write a script everyday one week. Then the next week I would film something everyday. Then the next week I would teach my self new things about soft wares like After Effects or Final Cut Pro. And it went on and on. I would train myself to just create and look back on the mistakes I made and fix them the next time around. One of the best things I did was a 24 hour film festival, because it forced me to create a film in 24 hours. I can't tell you how many flaws there was in that film... but It totally reshaped my thinking on filmmaking because I learned that failure was the biggest part of this art.

Think about baseball players. If you can hit the ball 30% of the time you could make it into the hall of fame. Filmmaking is the same way. You have to fail multiple, multiple times to create something hall of fame worthy.

So don't hesitate. You just read this. What are you waiting for? Get out of your chair, turn off the computer, go find a camera and make something. Make a silent film, then an action sequence, a drama, a comedy, whatever! Then watch it, honestly critique it. Let your parents and friends watch it have them give you feedback. Should it be played in a movie theater? Probably not right? So then what is it missing? What did you miss in the process? How can you fix that? Is there something else you need to learn? Post a thread on here. Google it. Hit up the film section of the library/Barnes and Noble.

No matter what it is be passionate about it. I can tell you already have a lot of passion. Turn that into a positive reality. Make films non stop, you will be surprised how fast you learn.

And once you start blooming and your projects are becoming something big then take it head on and focus more on the little details like "how should i distribute this?".

And you said your school doesn't have a program... Make one. Doesnt need to be a class. Make it a club. Have meetings at lunch. This will let you connect with other people in your school who have the same passion as you. Then spread the word to your new found friends. Go out and make something.

At my school I created a comedy web series with a few of my friends, put it on facebook and it got HUGE. Not only is our school obsessed with it but we had other schools all through California cracking up. Within a month 2 knock offs of our show appeared with almost exactly the same name as us. We just took it as a compliment and kept doing our thing. Pretty soon everyone saw the work thought it was very professional and started asking if I did weddings or sport edits or music videos. Now I work free lance almost full time doing side jobs like that. On top of a job I already have for a production company. Our company just came back from shooting a film in England. And a year ago I was making horrible films and thinking "how could these possibly ever get me anywhere?" I can't tell you how important it is to be proactive with film.

I hope nothing above sounds harsh or demeaning. I just wrote it that way because you remind me a lot of myself a year ago. A lot can change very quickly. I hope this helps you to get inspired to go make something.

Goodluck! :beer:
 
Come from a privileged background with the support of two experienced producers to guide you to victory.
 
To the OP:
I'll paraphrase what I read in a book when I was your age-
"You can't. Your films suck. You'll never be able to make a living, much less work in the industry. You're nothing. You're not unique, you're just like everyone else. Go get a real job".

Then it went on to say, "Do you still want to make movies? Then maybe you've got what it takes".

It's all about your determination and how hard you're willing to work. If you're making films because you like making films, you'll go far. Because you're willing to put in the time and effort. Don't worry about fame and fortune, and certainly don't listen to anyone who says it can't be done, or that you should wait until you can do it right. Just have fun making movies. Make shorts. Make lots of shorts. In a few years when you're 21 or 22, try a cheap feature. Make it dirt cheap and look at it as an education. It'll probably suck, but that's okay. You'll learn a lot about working on a long form project. Then do another, and another... Just like your shorts will get better, so will your features. If you're able to sell your first feature, great! More power to you, but don't be discouraged if it's not what you expected or if it goes nowhere. That's why you did it dirt cheap. Then you'd go make another. But for now, just work on short after short. Try out different genres. Experiment with special effects. But above all, always have fun.
 
^ I like that quote. I totally still want to :D

As everyone has stated, make movies. Make bad movies, mediocre movies, pathetic movies, etc. eventually you'll start making quality stuff. Determination is the most important thing in my opinion. Well, and talent.

Don't try to become famous, just try to make good films. If anything, you'll get the attention of other talented people on Vimeo, and end up teaming up with those individuals to make an even better film. Just keep thundering down the tracks.
 
Thanks guys, I'm not searchign for fame and fortune its just the whole thing is probably too mindblowing for me right now to squeeze all the juicy information in lol... ill take it step by step, and might probably even jump a few (:
thankss (:
See you at the top.
 
monte said:
Come from a privileged background with the support of two experienced producers to guide you to victory.
Click to expand...

That's a good start! But you'll need a great script and be very intelligent too, otherwise that plan is screwed and you'll just be like any other sob story in L.A. ;)
 
I think it's awesome that you think like this.

The greatest thing about starting out at your age is that you have a lot of time.
And when it comes to filmmaking (and any other business, but especially film) time is the strongest currency. So now that you're 16, you've got all the time in the world, consider yourself rich!

If I could go back just seven years to when I was 16, I would explore art more. I regret having not read Shakespeare and Ibsen or not listened to Howlin' Wolf, Kurt Weill or Bertold Brecht. I would try seeing the famous ballets. 'Cause now as I am getting older (I know I'm still very young) I get ideas for stories and films that are more personal and more attached to my personal experiences. And I wish I had a wider understanding of art history and culture to let these ideas grow out from.

I think what I am trying to say is, you can't start to early, so you're in a good position. Now you need to take advantage of it. Isn't that what succesful people do, being one step ahead?
 
First - you do know he's been in the biz for 20 years, right? Who knows how long he was writing before that.

His first big deal was a spec called FILOFAX - and he followed that comedy up with a big time serious drama script called REGARDING HENRY.

He wrote his way up - and became a show runner and then show creator... and after a while they let you direct a show if you created it.

So your first step would be to write a big stack of spec scripts - you want enough depth that when one script sells you another *great script* right behind it. I have no idea how many scripts you have to write to come up with great ones, but it's a lot.

Here's the thing about a great script - you don't need connections because the screenplay opens doors by itself.

I was a college drop out, driving a forklift hundreds of miles away from Los Angeles and writing screenplays and making short films every spare minute of my life. I gave a copy of one of my scripts to a local actress... she moved to Los Angeles... she got a role in a low budget horror movie... she gave a copy of my script to a crew member... the crew member gave it to his best contact... who gave it to his best contact... (etc)... until 3 years later I get a call from a producer at Paramount who wanted to buy my script. The script got passed up the ladder - because people liked it.

Paramount bought the script and never made it, and though I had a stack of scripts I was an idiot and didn't try to set up a deal right away. Zero momentum... and 2 years later I sold another script that did get made, and 19 have been made so far. But I am an awful businessman with zero connections and keep ruining my career... yet, I still keep selling screenplays, so even though I am an idiot I've also been a professional screenwriter for 20 years, now.

Connections are nice, but what you need are great screenplays. You can write those anywhere.

If you want to direct - you can write and direct a film anywhere, too. I made a feature film with my day job savings. A friend of mine made a film on his own and sold it to Lions Gate.

Just do it.

- Bill
 
Haha, good advice Bill, and funny post! That's great you've established such a writing career and I firmly agree.

In this industry, the best path to success is through writing. My screenplay opened a lot of doors for me, and it's why I was able to direct a first feature I'm really proud of having made that I think will take me places. If I was a lousy writer or not a writer at all, it would be a lot harder to get where I am now as a director, so one has definitely fed the other.

In some ways, I think it would have been a much better plan for me if I had been writing screenplays from a younger age and taken about 5 at least to Hollywood when I moved, to give me some momentum, rather than spending 2 years down here before I even wrote my first feature script. Now I have to build up content, as Bill said, but I love writing screenplays and have about 3 more ideas for screenplays, plus one more completed screenplay in the wings. Writing is a great equalizer because if people love your scripts, and love your ideas, they are going to want to work together. They just read so many awful scripts (I'm friends now with a girl who is a script reader for my producers and she complains about this) that it's very refreshing to find something good. You have a way better chance of moving up in the industry on writing rather than thinking if you're a PA long enough someone will "recognize" your amazing talent at making coffee ;)
 
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