5 WORST AND 5 BEST Business Decisions

[Joseph Hutson]

Anyway, how's the business going?

And, I just got an agreement from a TV station to do my 2nd best paying gig to date. arty:

 

[Tom Lowe]

5 BEST Scenario:


1. Shoot.

2. Shoot.

3. Shoot.

4. Shoot.

5. Read Filmmaking Tutorials and Forums.

Win.

As far as learning goes, my technique was:
Watch movies, read about movies that I watched, shoot movies and try out what I learned by reading and watching movies, repeat as often as possible.

Or to put it another way, you need periods of activity and reflectivity, so you can absorb the lessons learned while being active. Generally though you don't have to plan for the periods between work, they just happen naturally!

But as far as a career goes, when I started out, I asked every successful DP how they got there start and I never heard the same story twice. Of course, this was in the 1980's and the DP's I talked to got their start in the 1950's and 60's before film schools were as popular and commonplace. But the lesson learned was that everyone forges their own path through the jungle, there are no roads.

The main advantage to film school was meeting students that would later hire me or connect me to other work after graduation. I got two or three features that way and that got the ball rolling, since one job leads to the next.

But my advice is in regards to becoming a DP for hire, not setting up a production company.

Another win.

I said that my experience was in regards to becoming a freelance cinematographer, not setting up a production company NOR becoming a feature filmmaker, so I'm not sure what exactly you are responding to...

I have no useful advice to give whatsoever on the merits or pitfalls of setting up your own company because I've never done it. Nor have I ever made a feature film as a director, I've only shot them as a cinematographer for hire. And all I was doing was relating my own particular path to becoming a DP. As I said in my post, the only thing I've learned is that everyone finds their own way.

Everyone has to find a way of supporting themselves but ideally, eventually how they support themselves starts to be by doing what they always wanted to do. If not, then they find another way of doing what they want to do... while supporting themselves by other means. Whether or not you can make movies while running a production company that does event videography, I have no idea, but I don't see particularly why not. You should talk to someone who has done it.

Unless you were responding to Richard's post, not mine. I can't tell, but I never said "don't set up a production company." How would I know whether that was a good idea or not? I've never done it.

More win.

Also - two more advices (even thou it may sounds cheezy):
- Believe in Yourself and don't let anyone tell You that You can't do it...
- Keep focused and establish for Yourself a specific goal, that You can reach within a reasonable time-frame. This way, if You get lost along the way - You can always get Your bearing. If You don't know where You are going - You will never get anywhere... Also once You have reach the goal - set another one. The more realistic Your goals are - the faster You will progress...

More good advice. Learn to trust your dreams.

My first suggestion is taking into consideration that we're on reduser, the list could go in any order:

Avoid gear lust at all costs. I've wasted more time and money waiting and saving for expensive tools that didn't teach me as much about filmmaking as taking two days to make this short video on my $240 digital camera's video mode and then edited on a bootleg copy of avid xpress:

http://www.oldchildprojects.com/videos/middle school lil.mov

I have to constantly remind myself that reading about new technology is not film making :nerd: . Film making, to me, is problem solving. The problem being there's a story in my mind and I for some reason want to capture it in light and sound to get an audience reaction.

And it only takes three bits of technology to get started: a video camera, any damned video camera when you're getting started, a mic, and an nle. I like and suggest avid media composer. I own a legit copy now, (see piracy works.) Although, final cut studio is more flexible and easier to get a bootleg copy of. Oh yeah, I guess I'm taking for granted that you need a computer too.

But anyway start now. Go into your mind. Pick your favorite story to tell. And use whatever camera, mic and nle you've got to tell it. Now! RIGHT NOW! Don't even finish reading this post. Go make your story and show it to everyone and watch their reaction. If they don't react how you want them to, you've done something wrong. Go back and do it again till you get the reaction you want. There's no better how to guide, than getting it wrong. I used to be afraid of getting things wrong. I thought it meant I didn't have talent. That life was telling me to quit. I thought it was a bad sign. But, in hindsight it's the best sign. It means you're trying. And the sooner you're trying the sooner you're getting it right.

The next lesson I learned. I need people. Find the most talented people in your neighborhood. At your school, at work, online, wherever. And collaborate with them. Don't waste too much time trying to inspire folks that just don't want to. Find the folks that already "are" and work with them. It's helped me break out of boring patterns, depressions and inspired me. Especially when all of a sudden the most creative and talented people I'd ever met started suggesting we work together. Damn, that just makes you feel like a unicorn full of rainbows. But don't let them over power you. The sooner you learn to trust your own voice and wield it in the face of dogged adversity from folks with more experience or reputation or tirelessness the sooner you'll make something you're proud of. And the more you'll trust yourself.

I didn't go to film school. I hate debt. And I kind of hate college teachers. They play oblivious accomplice to the banks and indebt young folks that don't even really understand what debt is. Then we're forced to take any damned job we can get which more often than not decides our fate. That being said d. mullen makes a good point about going to college. You're more likely to meet people who already "are" there. And that's worth something. I wouldn't say 100 k of debt. But something.

I'm with kalon's economics professor. The banks and their debt money are the bane of all our existences. So much so that my hatred for their merciless shell game has crept into my work. Too bad kalon's economics professor doesn't realize he's upholding the banker's second favorite institution behind real estate, college. But like tupac raps in Changes, "i made a G today, but you made it in a sleazy way, sellin' college to the kids, but i gotta get paid, well hey, that's just the way it is." :ranting2:

uh anyway, boobs and chicken wings. go team. hopefully you're not reading this because you've been so inspired, you've run off to make your favorite story. If not go now, get off the damned forums and make a video.

Of course when you try to ingest your footage and avid tells you that the camera you just connected via firewire is not connected via firewire
or (to be equitable,)
when you're in fcp and you can't figure out why your keyframes look like they've jumped and all you did was move the timeline, then come back to the forums and start asking questions again.

I love the forums. They're wonderful.

uh yeah that's probably enough for now. oh yeah and when in doubt, have fun. :biggrin: jayson.

www.oldchildprojects.com

Good stuff. Welcome, woody.

you will learn more in the first 5 min on a professional set than you will in 4 years of film school

Yes. Too many to keep quoting.

Great thread. "Just shoot!"

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

1. Make everyone around you look good.
2. Always do what you say you're going to do and do it on time.
3. If you've been around 30 years or 1, a demo reel is usually less than 5 minutes long.
4. If you have to choose between being the guy who does great work and the guy who does it cheap be the one who does the good work. If they call the cheap guy next time then they're a dead end anyway. You only want to work where quality is valued, otherwise you'll never have anything to show for it.
5. Reflect on where you've come. Every step looks like the last. It's only on reflection that you can see how far you've come and whether you're still on course.

 

[JosephArthur]

Just learn and the other thing is observe. My son is 15, yesterday his very first film/RED shoot was on the Paramore Video as Second Camera (With all RED cameras on set , as his job was shooting Camera B, and follow focus). He learned alot on the set and picked up things just by observing the other jobs around him.

My son's very first full feature film was more of a student film (Shooting in the RED camera as well). But stuff you learn on the RED or an ARRI or even HVXs are all the same consideration on a set with just changes on certain equipment as tools. - they are just tools. But know what your getting into something by just observing on a few shoots (even if your observing by pushing a broom or assisting a catering company) - really, no joke.

My son's first jobs were bouncing light / diffusing with silks. And just did what he was told by the more experienced people. He was with me at the RED office today just getting some shirts/hats with me and he just listened to people.

I think an important thing is on a set when you are starting out is what your supposed to do right. But MOST important is learn how to listen and know how to hear.

 

[Tonaci Tran]

some advice- respond to people quickly. its something i myself continually work on. one of my old professors also taught me a huge lesson.. send thank you letters to clients. it seems like something so small..but believe me, your clients will remember it. lastly, my business is built upon strong relationships and good service. thats the business side..as for making movies. i don't think I should even have to recommend anything to you..like telling you to read books, read online, learn, watch movies, shoot. if you really love this line of work you would already be doing these things without anyone having to tell you to.

 

[Jerrod Cordell]

I'm really glad you made this thread Joseph. I can't believe I didn't see this before. Because this is exactly what I've been wanting to see because I want to start my own Production Company/Scarlet rental and DIT business for when Scarlet comes out.

How about some advice from a Red Renter/DIT's perspective? I'm curious on how the business is for that.

And I have to say Joseph, good job for doing all this really good work so young. Shit, I thought I was ahead of my time but I've been out of school for almost 3 years now and I'm just now getting my first paying gig. So props to you man, and good luck with your business.