Paying Your Dues

JoeFowler

JoeFowler

Well-known member
What is considered "paying your dues?" When people in the industry say that, what does that entail? (I want to start a discussion, so I know it's not actual sums of money paid to be a filmmaker, even though I also understand that films cost money and at the beginning of the "paying dues" stage, we are paying for the films ourselves. But besides that:thumbsup: )

Joe
 
generally it means going through all the junk that everyone has to go to to get anywhere without outside help spoonfeeding you all the way.. it means blazing your own trail and making yourself into what you want to be with your own sweat blood and tears.
 
In short, I consider "paying your dues" to mean learning the fundamental elements of filmmaking (composition, lighting, audio, etc.) before placing yourself at the director's helm.
 
First of all:

PK Gillock said:
Typically, "paying your dues" means, "having to sleep with PK."
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Gross.

Secondly, follow up:

Are you only paying dues when you are making films, or are all the crappy jobs and family sacrifices made beforehand considered paying them as well?
 
I think it functions as a catch-all category. So, yes, I would consider taking crappy jobs and family sacrifices, etc. as "paying your dues".

Your best option would be to write and record a song about paying your dues then sell one million units to help fund your filmmaking.
 
Terry_Lasater said:
Your best option would be to write and record a song about paying your dues then sell one million units to help fund your filmmaking.
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Whoa, you just stole my idea! The single's coming out next month, it's called, "Wife thinks I'm wasting my time, and my family thinks I'm a joke, but that's ok, 'cause my boss is an a--hole and I'm gonna be here forever 'cause I got no skills... blues."

Long title, I know... we'll work on that.
 
Terry_Lasater said:
In short, I consider "paying your dues" to mean learning the fundamental elements of filmmaking (composition, lighting, audio, etc.) before placing yourself at the director's helm.
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Who is this dues guy and how much do I have to pay him?



LOL, j/k

Terry nailed it, Bingo!
 
We used to use this expression all the time in music. (from slang of joining a union - paying your union dues, but the jazz cats of old, didn't have a union - not for jazz work at least) It meant coming up and learning what you had to learn. It meant spending years practicing your a$$ off. It meant knowing a large stable of standards backwards and forwards. It meant having spent time on the road. It meant having gone through all the BS gigs (society gigs, weddings, etc.). It might mean apprenticing under someone (in my case, playing with a particular big band that brought me along and kicked my butt when needed). You know, you pay your dues. What makes you think you should be able to get on a stage and blow with me? Why do you think you're good enough to do that? 'Cause you paid your dues and you're ready, that's why.

Matt
 
For me,

It means working with crappy clients and bosses that have no idea what they want but have money to blow, therefore learning who not to work with. Working at an internship and ending up in the marketting dept, in which you learn the tricks of finding work within video. But most of all for me, it means having your heart broken, your dreams shattered when a credible filmmaker tells you, "You have no talent, I will not hire you". And after the tears and hate and vengeful violent thoughts against that person, you pick up your camera or turn on your editing suite and realize, goddamn.... You really do suck, he really was right.
Then

You practice, you know what looks right and in the end, you are better than you were before.

Filmmaking is like war, once youve gone through it, you can say "Ive been there"
 
Dizkoteck said:
For me,

It means working with crappy clients and bosses that have no idea what they want but have money to blow, therefore learning who not to work with. Working at an internship and ending up in the marketting dept, in which you learn the tricks of finding work within video. But most of all for me, it means having your heart broken, your dreams shattered when a credible filmmaker tells you, "You have no talent, I will not hire you". And after the tears and hate and vengeful violent thoughts against that person, you pick up your camera or turn on your editing suite and realize, goddamn.... You really do suck, he really was right.
Then

You practice, you know what looks right and in the end, you are better than you were before.

Filmmaking is like war, once youve gone through it, you can say "Ive been there"
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Group hug now!!!
:cry: :cry: :cry: :thumbsup:
 
Paying your dues.....

Beaten_Electrocuted_and_worse_he_still_will_not_Defect.jpg
 
BrianAWells said:
Paying dues = schlepping around someone else's gear for a chance to work for them some day...

No employee can respect a boss who knows less than they do. It is foolish to think a Local 600 A.C. will "assist" a 22 year old video camera operator and respect them as an accomplished professional! We (the 22 year olds of this world) must work our way up the food chain like everyone else. I respect the professional achievements of those that have them, and honestly, I don't mind if they push me around a little when I'm learning from them. It's to be expected, really. Paying dues is not really all that bad.
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Absolutly. What most people forget that confidence comes from success and success comes from experience, from not quitting, from taking it and going on. Paying dues is what ever it takes to get you to the level of confidence and skill to handle any situation that comes your way....
 
Yep Paying the dues. Endure it, continue to work and learn- regardless.
Having been in the business for over 20 years now, and always working for someone else and paying my dues.. After all those years of dreaming, working for cheap for a "opportunity" and and finally having one. You get your foot up on the ladder one rung at a time. Unless, that is, you are related to someone famous or have "friends in high places." A chance-moment will come along, and hopefully you'll grab it. Otherwise, you'll realize that it was in fact a chance-moment later and kick yourself in the ass for another year....and start paying more dues.
Do what other people dont want to, so that some day you can do the things they wish they could. After some time, you'll start having "war stories" to share with the crew over a cold one (or two). There's always things to grump about- being short-changed on a check or some OT. One day you look out the window and you are shooting in Hawaii or something, and your stories to relatives are getting more exotic.

Learning never stops, and unless you can work for yourself and do just the things you want to, you'll pay some more dues. Dont miss the forest for the trees however. All in all , it beats the hell out of flipping burgers (sorry Spongebob). It's a great business, you meet great people and some celebrities, not always glamorous but entertaining.
Hang in there (my sister had that poster- with the kitty. damn that poster).
Jeff Patnaude
curmudgeon :happy:
 
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