How to Become a Filmmaker - Part 6: Reflection and Future Plans

So you’ve finished the animation in your project. Give yourself a huge pat on the back, you should be proud of your accomplishment. You are now a filmmaker! No one can take that away from you.

When you finish your film there can be a range of emotions. Some people feel great satisfaction in finishing. Some are disappointed that it didn’t turn out the way they wanted. Both of these emotions are totally normal. I hope that you feel joy and satisfaction when you’re done. If you don’t, I’d like you to think about why you don’t feel satisfied:

1. Did you do your best?
2. Did your skill set not match up with your vision?
3. Did you get tired and take a bunch of shortcuts?

If you did your best and you tried really hard you should be very proud even if the movie doesn’t turn out exactly as you thought it would. A lot of people never finish a film so you should feel satisfaction that you DID finish. That takes discipline, hard word, and dedication. You deserve some serious praise.

If your skill set doesn’t match your vision for the project you’ll have to learn to be patient. It takes time to learn a new craft. We increase our skills slowly, over long periods of time. If you are feeling impatient try and understand that NO ONE is a brilliant filmmaker when they start. It takes 5 or 10 years to get really good.

If you got tired and took a lot of shortcuts consider taking some breaks. Work at a slower pace and just keep working until you get it right. It doesn’t need to be perfect but do the best work you can at this time. The film doesn’t have to be done tomorrow. Take the extra time to make the film the best it can be. Even if it’s just stick figures.

The most important thing to remember is your first film is just a single step on the road to becoming an accomplished filmmaker. When a novice painter begins her first painting no one expects that first painting to be good. Probably it will get thrown away. It might take 10 or 20 paintings before she gets one that she really likes.

Learn from your mistakes! Listen to feedback from others. Ask them what they like and what they don’t like. Then ask yourself what you like and what you don’t like. Remember what didn’t work so that you can address those issues in the next film.

Each time you create a film give yourself a new challenge. Start with a 10 second film. Then make a few more of those. Then increase the time to 20 seconds. Do several films at that length. Then maybe you do a film that has dialogue. Give yourself little challenges. Don’t jump from a 20 second film to a 5 minute film. That’s too big of a step. Work your way up slowly.

Think about what you love about other people’s films. Look at them closely. Study them like a scholar. Become an expert in that filmmakers work. This will help you when you get stuck on your own film projects. You can think back to certain films to get inspiration.

Think about what kind of films you would love to make in the future and slowly work towards that goal. Stick to your schedule. Stay positive. Give yourself rewards when you finish something.

I hope this series was helpful. I’ve tried to pass on everything I learned over the last 10 years so that you don’t run into the same problems that I did. I know it’s hard but it’s also very rewarding so I wish the best as you become a filmmaker! And please send me links to your films so I can see them!