Interested in Filmmaking

[Michael C.]

Greetings all,

 

I have been doing alot of research lately on becoming a DP.

 

First off, I am 26 years old, in the military, and will be out next year, ready to start school.

 

I have absolutely no experience whatsoever in filmmaking, I just know what I have read. I am very interested in this field but having a tough time determining where to start.

 

I would just like some opinions on a couple things to lead me in the right direction.

 

I will be 27 before I can start school, is this a little late to be looking for a career in the filmmaking industry?

 

What can I do now besides reading books to lead me in the right direction? Is stills the best way to start?

 

Im not sure if Film is what I will be studying right away in school, how can I determine if its right for me so I dont waste any more time?

 

Are there only a handful of filmmakers that actually make decent money doing this? Do most filmmakers live from paycheck to paycheck hoping for a decent break? This is something I hear that is very discouraging.

 

Any helpful answers and further advice is greatly appreciated. I am kinda lost and Im not getting any younger =)

 

Thanks in advance,

Michael

[David Mullen ASC]

First question is if you have no experience in filmmaking, how do you know you want to go into it? I didn't go to film school until I was 27, but I had been making Super-8 films since I was twelve. So I had over a decade of personal learning and experience to apply to film school (which is why I got asked to shoot everyone else's projects once I got there.) So it's not so much a question of whether 27 is too late to start a career, but how much you have to learn at this point.

 

Second, it's not a career for someone worried about a steady paycheck or has a large overhead to maintain. It can take a decade to get established and make regular money, and it can just as easily fall apart again. So you're talking about a risky career, which is fine IF you really love the work and can't imagine doing anything else, which is why I'm asking "how do you know that this is what you want to do if you haven't been doing it already as an amateur first?" Do you at least have a strong photography background?

Edited November 5, 2005 by David Mullen