Where to start?

February 2, 2015

Well you sound as if you'd be decent company for a while, but I only have a 16mm. Steenbeck.

Well I know my wife would be all for it! :D

We can get Phil to move in with us and have a right ripping good time.

R,

Tabitha Newton · February 2, 2015

Right, firstly I appreciate all the help and advice all of you are giving. Even from a few comments you have shown me that I don't stand a chance. I kind of knew that from the start, but I kept telling myself that if I had the enthusiasm and courage to step forward out of my comfort zone and push my way forward to getting notice, then I could stand a little chance. However, this isn't going to stop me, yet adjust my ideas. I now know that becoming a director will only come to the people who have the right resources and know the right people, so much so that I will never rise to that level. Well, I am still going to work in the Film and Television industry, but maybe keep my aims not at such a naïve level. I know that I must keep filming and writing my scripts to stand a chance, no matter what. Though I'm sixteen, I know that this business is hard work, I don't need to be told that enough anymore. No matter how poor or harsh the conditions are of a low incomes and next to no jobs, I know that this is the industy I want to be in and that won't stop me. Thank you for all your comments, they have helped a great deal.

Phil Rhodes · February 2, 2015

Right, now go and work on 101 little short films!

Well, perhaps in a year or two.

P

February 3, 2015

When I was 16, I wanted to do this, there was no internet to allow me to talk to adult film professionals. So I had no idea really how hard it would be. Maybe that was a good thing?

No one has sugar coated anything here for you. I never know what to tell teens that ask me about a career in film, on the one hand I don't want to be a negative dream crusher, and on the other, I don't want to condemn some poor kid to chasing a pipe dream either.

I have two boys, they are both banned from the film industry, there is no way I'd let them pursue a career in this industry. There are simply too many better options on the table for young people.

R,

Phil Rhodes · February 3, 2015

To be completely fair, I was running around with my dad's Hi8 camera when I was 16. Er, I was probably doing that when I was 14.

P

John E Clark · February 3, 2015

To be completely fair, I was running around with my dad's Hi8 camera when I was 16. Er, I was probably doing that when I was 14.

P

And to be fairer... anyone's 'modern' cell phone that has 'movie' capability is better than Hi8... and while I'm sure that someone would disagree... purist Film film types aside... better than anyone's 8mm... I'd also include 16mm because for the most part... there was no Youtube when most people were learning to shoot on 16mm, for those who did that when they were 'young', so we don't have a large repository of crap that was produced for such shooters.

Freya Black · February 3, 2015

Right, firstly I appreciate all the help and advice all of you are giving. Even from a few comments you have shown me that I don't stand a chance. I kind of knew that from the start, but I kept telling myself that if I had the enthusiasm and courage to step forward out of my comfort zone and push my way forward to getting notice, then I could stand a little chance. However, this isn't going to stop me, yet adjust my ideas. I now know that becoming a director will only come to the people who have the right resources and know the right people, so much so that I will never rise to that level. Well, I am still going to work in the Film and Television industry, but maybe keep my aims not at such a naïve level. I know that I must keep filming and writing my scripts to stand a chance, no matter what. Though I'm sixteen, I know that this business is hard work, I don't need to be told that enough anymore. No matter how poor or harsh the conditions are of a low incomes and next to no jobs, I know that this is the industy I want to be in and that won't stop me. Thank you for all your comments, they have helped a great deal.

In which case I would concentrate of having some other kind of career that can pay for the filmmaking side of things.

Then try and do a LOT of filmmaking on the side. I tend to find that doing things tends to open up further doors but you need to be doing a lot but hey you are still young so there is the possibility to do that. The trouble is that if you are worried about stuff like "where the hell am I going to live?" and "how am I going to survive?" it will really, really, really, take away from your ability to do anything so if you can get those things sorted at the same time it will help a lot.

Freya

Bill DiPietra · February 3, 2015

In which case I would concentrate of having some other kind of career that can pay for the filmmaking side of things.

Then try and do a LOT of filmmaking on the side.

Its worked for me. When I was in college, dreaming of being the next Martin Scorsese, I never would have thought I'd be working for the City of New York. But here I am having been doing it for 10 years, now. That's allowed me to finance two short films and put myself through grad school with no loans after graduating. So I have no regrets with the path I chose.

The passion is still there. And I think the fact that I never tried to make a living freelancing kept me from getting burnt out by the craft I love. Plus, I write, direct, shoot and edit my own stuff. So I still have hopes of one of those skills being noticed by someone to at least get me consistently working on interesting projects.

Something to think about.