...SO YOU WANT A CAREER IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS?
A cautionary.
1. FILM SCHOOL
is the best preparation for a talented young person hoping to enter the film industry. It is also the worst disservice to an untalented person who should have gone into the family cleaning business.
2. IF AT FIRST...
It is often said if you work hard, you will succeed. Yet many people work hard and don't succeed. When you look at your work, ask yourself 'Am I getting better?' That's all that matters.
3. IMITATION
If you can describe your work in terms of someone else’s work, rethink it. Your mistakes might as well be your own: it may be shit, but at least it’s your shit.
4. AMATEURS
do the things they love because they love them. Professionals do many things, some of them they don’t love, or even like. But they do them as if they love them.
5. AGENTS
work for you and not the other way around, though some might give that impression. This isn’t to say they’re not good people. They’re extremely charming and often helpful. Especially when they return your calls.
6. FAILURE
Nothing is learned from success except maybe a greater fear of failure. The best definition of success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
7. SUCCESS
It is axiomatic among filmmakers that we are all fundamentally opposed to awards. We are not, however, opposed to winning them.
8. EXECUTIVES
think of us as irresponsible children; we think of them as venal philistines. Yet we all we love each other. Or say we do. Oddly, executives like to talk about art while artists usually want to talk about money.
9. IN DEVELOPMENT
Each year, creative executives invent helpful new phrases: “edge it up” “backload it” “frontload it” “unpack it” “lean into it” etc. ...Just give us the goddamn notes.
10. ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
The best advice I ever got was to think of Hollywood as a series of small humiliations interrupted by bigger ones.
P.S. William Goldman said it best. “Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says different is selling something.”
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As a SEQUEL to 10 SIMPLE RULES FOR MAKING MOVIES, here are 10 HELPFUL HINTS FOR DIRECTORS. I admit I am often too anxious to remember them, myself.
1.EVERY SHOT IS OPENING NIGHT
In theatre you have months to rehearse. On set you have minutes. If something goes wrong, you can’t put a sign on the screen that says, “it wasn’t my fault.”
2.THE PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD
On Tuesday you fall behind. On Wednesday you forget a shot. Friday you lose the light. Multiply this times 8 weeks. That’s 24 moments in the finished film you’ll cringe.
10 HELPFUL HINTS FOR DIRECTORS (PART II) Like all sequels I worry it's not as good as the original.
6.FALL IN LOVE WITH THE ACTORS
But don’t mistake it as being real. Transfer your fascination with them to the screen. And don’t sleep with them though they are beautiful, magical creatures. If it does happen, don’t expect it to last past wrap. You’ll soon be recast.
7.FILM PEOPLE ARE, BY NATURE, PROMISCUOUS
On every project you’ll have 100 intense, passionate relationships with men, women, children and dogs. Even better, it’s all guaranteed to end in 10 weeks.
As a SEQUEL to 10 SIMPLE RULES FOR MAKING MOVIES,
here are 10 HELPFUL HINTS FOR DIRECTORS (Part I) I admit I am often too anxious to remember them, myself.
1.EVERY SHOT IS OPENING NIGHT
In the theatre you have months to rehearse. On set you have minutes. If something goes wrong, you can’t put a sign on the screen that says, “it wasn’t my fault.”
2.THE PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD
On Tuesday you fall behind and settle. On Wednesday you forget a shot. Friday you lose the light and cut a move. Multiply those 3 compromises times 8 weeks of shooting. That’s 24 moments in the finished film you’ll cringe.
6.FALL IN LOVE WITH THE ACTORS
But don’t mistake it as being real. Transfer your fascination with them to the screen. And don’t sleep with them though they are beautiful, magical creatures. If it does happen, don’t expect it to last past wrap. You’ll soon be recast.
7.FILM PEOPLE ARE, BY NATURE, PROMISCUOUS
On every project you’ll have 100 intense, passionate relationships with men, women, children and dogs. Even better, it’s all guaranteed to end in 10 weeks.
As a SEQUEL to 10 SIMPLE RULES FOR MAKING MOVIES,
here are 10 HELPFUL HINTS FOR DIRECTORS. I admit
I am often too anxious to remember them, myself.
1.EVERY SHOT IS OPENING NIGHT
In the theatre you have months to rehearse. On set you have minutes. If something goes wrong, you can’t put a sign on the screen that says, “it wasn’t my fault.”
2.THE PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD
On Tuesday you fall behind and settle. On Wednesday you forget a shot. Friday you lose the light and cut a move. Multiply those 3 compromises times 8 weeks of shooting. That’s 24 moments in the finished film you’ll cringe.
As a SEQUEL to 10 SIMPLE RULES FOR MAKING MOVIES,
here are 10 HELPFUL HINTS FOR DIRECTORS. I admit
I am often too anxious to remember them, myself.
1.EVERY SHOT IS OPENING NIGHT
In the theatre you have months to rehearse. On set you have minutes. If something goes wrong, you can’t put a sign on the screen that says, “it wasn’t my fault.” This is why so filmmakers go crazy.
2.THE PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD
On Tuesday you fall behind and settle. On Wednesday you forget a shot. Friday night you lose the light and cut a move. Multiply those 3 compromises times 8 weeks of shooting. That’s 24 moments in the finished film you'll always cringe.