Finding support when choosing film as a career choice.

[Angel Park]

Hello everyone. I hope you're all doing well.

I'm writing this thread today because of things that have happened involving my parents. They've recently been asking me what I plan to do with my life after high school, and this was my response:

"I want to become film-maker."

To that, they responded, "That's sounds like a horrible idea." And when I asked them why, they simply said,

"Well, because there's really no money in it, and chances are you'll never make it big."

Now, I'm not going to say that they're wrong. I'm realistic enough to know that by choosing to become a film-maker, I can expect years upon years of struggle before I can actually break in, and that it will be the hardest thing I will ever put myself through. But even knowing that, it doesn't phase me, because I can't picture myself doing anything else, and even if it takes till I'm 50 to make it, I know I'll work hard through every step of it, because that's how strongly I feel about the whole thing.

I told them this, however, they still voiced their opinions against it. They just told me straight up that they wouldn't back me personally or financially if I chose to study filmmaking in the future. And even though I respect their opinions on the issue, their lack of personal support kind of hurts.

I even tried telling a few of my friends about the issue, and it surprised me even more that a few of them agreed. One of them even told me that I would be happier if I just studied something else, and a couple of them just didn't take my prospect seriously at all.

I'm really not sure how to go about all this. As much as I love and respect my friends and family, I can't help but feel as though they're being rather cold about all of this. Does anyone else have this kind of issue?

-Angel

 

[Zensteve]

I can't picture myself doing anything else, and even if it takes till I'm 50 to make it, I know I'll work hard through every step of it, because that's how strongly I feel about the whole thing.

How many films have you made, out of curiosity?

Also, would you settle for making films part-time, with a real job to pay the bills... and finance the film habit?

 

[bird]

I went to a fine arts college and had never expected to make a living with my art. I knew the ramifications of my decision, and still pursued my education. While my mom wasn't in the position to fund my degree, she absolutely supported my endeavors. I think you've got a rougher road without the support of your loved ones, but if you believe this is what you were born to do, then how can you not?

I do agree with Zen. You can definitely pursue filmmaking while finding 'gainful employment'. If I had a chance to do it over, I would still film, animate, etc., but I would counsel my younger self to get a tech degree (which, incidentally, I'm going to pursue, now )to pay the bills while I create.

 

[Angel Park]

How many films have you made, out of curiosity?

Also, would you settle for making films part-time, with a real job to pay the bills... and finance the film habit?

I made a few when I was much younger (with my Dad's old video camera,) and I'm now venturing into more serious projects. And yes, I'd be willing to support myself financially. It's just the lack of emotional support that bugs me.

 

[Sucramdoow]

I had something similar happen to me. My family was not really supportive at first. They just though it was a fleeting interest that would pass. Until I put effort into it and produced a video they seemed to like. And from then on they've been very supportive. Which has helped me motivate myself in a way. Now I'm at University studying film.

Don't worry, in time they will come round and accept your chosen career path. You just have to show determination.

 

[Alcove Audio]

Not an unusual situation. I started out as a musician. The whole nine yards - piano lessons at five, church choir and school chorus at seven, organ and theory at ten. In high school I was the accompanist for the chorus, played keyboards in the jazz band, played harpsichord in two Baroque ensembles and the Baroque orchestra. Outside of school I played piano for a dance school and starting at 15 was organist for a small church. And, of course, was the obligatory rock bands.

Despite all of this my parents, and most especially my father strongly disapproved of my choice to pursue a career as a musician.

After high school I started my way through cover and original bands, played the hotel circuit and then joined a very well known (and well paid) regional band that played 300+ shows a year. By age 28 I was musical director of a very well known oldies act, playing Carnagie Hall, the Beacon Theatre, Westbury Music Fair, (and similar venues all over the country) plus huge outdoor festivals and nationally televised telethons. I was arranging songs for other well known bands, and doing numerous recording sessions. I made enough money to buy a home in a very nice community and support my wife and child. I was probably out-earning what my father did at that same age.

My parents still disapproved of my career choice.

When arthritis curtailed my performing career in my late 30's all I got was "We told you so" from my parents.

I moved on to music engineering and then migrated to audio post; I run my own business and do okay. Even after 35 years my folks still disapprove.

So you have to go it on your own. However, I was willing to work my buns off and have zero social life until I succeeded. I was also willing to do crap jobs - waiting tables, pumping gas, telecommunications work, securities/stocks/bonds/depositary work, retail sales, etc, - to support myself when things weren't going well. And I was ALWAYS practicing, attending jam sessions and auditions, and working out. I spent lots of time kibitzing with the recording engineers at studio sessions and networking, networking, networking. The biggest asset I had, however, was that I was a classically trained keyboard player, so I could do most anything that involved keyboards, everything from weddings, funerals and baptisms to filling in with wedding bands, lounge acts, cover/copy bands and even the occasional solo piano gig (I hated those).

The lesson here is that you should have a very salable asset that pertains to your preferred career so you can keep your fingers in, make more contacts/network and, very importantly, support yourself. So you should think about commercial/corporate work, or becoming an expert at a software (those who can do animation applications seem to be needed all the time http://www.creativeplanetnetwork.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?180-Jobs ) or programming. Ever think about becoming a boom-op? Really good ones make a nice living.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

Face it, you'll be disappointing people for the rest of your life . . . you can never finish your films fast enough, obtain the more famous stars, attract enough media attention, play in enough theaters, and so on to satisfy people's expectation from those in the "movie business."

Good luck.

 

[jax_rox]

Do what yo want to.

The motto I live my life by is I don't want to be get to 60 and go 'what if I'd only pursued film as a career rather than x'. If film is what you want to do (and it is for me), then do it. You're likely not going to be Spielberg, or Deakins, or at least not for a very long time. But there are plenty of people who make a very comfortable living out of the film industry, at all levels from corporates to high budget hllywood productions.

I also don't think you can pseriously pursue film as anything more than a hobby if you're only going to do it part time.

 

[DeJager]

Face it, you'll be disappointing people for the rest of your life . . . you can never finish your films fast enough, obtain the more famous stars, attract enough media attention, play in enough theaters, and so on to satisfy people's expectation from those in the "movie business."

Good luck.

GA - I bet you are a peach of a person to know in real life.


To the OP - This is your life, not your parents. They aren't you. You need to make yourself happy before trying to make others happy. Do what you feel will give you the most satisfaction in life. Go for broke! You only live life once

 

[Steve_in_MD]

Do what yo want to.

The motto I live my life by is I don't want to be get to 60 and go 'what if I'd only pursued film as a career rather than x'. If film is what you want to do (and it is for me), then do it. You're likely not going to be Spielberg, or Deakins, or at least not for a very long time. But there are plenty of people who make a very comfortable living out of the film industry, at all levels from corporates to high budget hllywood productions.

I also don't think you can pseriously pursue film as anything more than a hobby if you're only going to do it part time.

This. I agree with everything about this post.

I'm about to turn 19 and I'm in community college right now, studying film and business. I am working on an Associate's degree in Business Administration, while taking film production courses as electives, one per semester. Once I finish my AA in business (and get a TV Production certificate), I plan on transferring to a university to major in film production and minor in business administration. If I were you, I would strongly consider something like this. I absolutely plan on doing everything I can to work in the film or television industries once I graduate, but if for some reason things don't work out, I'll have a degree, even if it's not a Bachelor's, to fall back on, as it's better than just a HS diploma.

Also, consider taking Alcove's advice, although I would extend it beyond being a boom-op or animator. Find a skill/position in filmmaking you think you can get good at and work hard at it. This can hopefully be your primary source of income, and you can make your own films on the side when you have the time and money. This is my plan and while I might fail and never end up "making it" in filmmaking, I believe it's wiser to do this instead of just trying to "make it" as a writer/director, which is admittedly very difficult. If you love film, study it in school, get good at it and focus on it full time. Jax is right. I know I'm not the type of person to just do something "part-time" because whatever I focus my attention on is what I focus ALL my attention on.

You have to do what you love. Not what your parents what (although, admittedly, my parents are completely supportive of my decision to study film). Good luck.

 

[rayw]

And yes, I'd be willing to support myself financially. It's just the lack of emotional support that bugs me.

Get over it.

Peer friends likely haven't invested the last near-two decades of their lives in you, haven't spent nights in the ER with you, didn't mediate fights between you and siblings, didn't make sure you were current on immunizations, schedule your dental visits, monitored your diet, helped with your homework year after year, ensured you didn't get lost at the store, worry about pedophiles and school violence.

Parents do that and a bazillion times more.

Peer friends don't remember the first load of baby clothes to come out of the dryer.
Peer friends don't remember finding your first love letters in your school backpack.
Peer friends were never scared to death you might not wake up from getting tubes in your ears or your T&A surgery.
Peer friends don't look at the clock constantly when you're out driving.

Your parents are held emotionally hostage by every decision you're now making as an adult entering the workforce.

No. They're not going to support just any old thing you plop out in front of them.

"Mom & Dad, I'm going to be a stripper at the Pink Pony club!"
"Mom & Dad, I'm going to build schools in Papua New Guinea!"
"Mom & Dad, I'm going to pursue the US Army Ranger program!"

The fact that you're near graduation and they don't already have a pretty good idea what you'd like to pursue is alarming enough for all parties involved.
They don't know you.
You're just now springing this out of the clear blue.
No one's picked three colleges two years ago with programs of interest for your exibited & tested aptitudes, have they?


Oh, they emotionally support you.
They're terrified, I promise.
I can hear their prayers on your behalf.

 

[jax_rox]

Find a skill/position in filmmaking you think you can get good at and work hard at it. This can hopefully be your primary source of income, and you can make your own films on the side when you have the time and money. This is my plan and while I might fail and never end up "making it" in filmmaking, I believe it's wiser to do this instead of just trying to "make it" as a writer/director, which is admittedly very difficult.

It really depends on what you want to do. Every man and his dog wants to be a Writer/Director. Go to orientation at a film school and ask the first years what they want to be. 95% of them will say a Director (or Writer/Director. Through film school, or on set work, you learn what you're good at, and what you think you'd like to do on a film set. Directing is hard work. Finding work as a Director is even harder. There's a lot of other people who work on a film set other than just the Director.
Start out as a PA, work on some sets and get some money. PA's aren't paid a million dollars per day, but they often are paid. If you can PA on bigger sets whilst doing the role you want on smaller sets, that's even better. There's always a path up to where you want to be, and it can be a long path up but it will essentially lead you there - many cinematographers started out as ACs or camera interns. Many 1st ADs and Producers started out as PAs. Many Sound Recordists started out as Boom Swingers, many others started out as interns or personal assistants.

Directing, however, doesn't have as much of a career path up, and if you want to be a Director, you kinda need to make your own films, submit to festivals and try and get noticed - I think film school is great for Directors as it gives them that opportunity, and conversely a lot of those who initially wanted to be Directors (or didn't know wht they wanted to do) find their career path.

If you love film, study it in school, get good at it and focus on it full time. Jax is right. I know I'm not the type of person to just do something "part-time" because whatever I focus my attention on is what I focus ALL my attention on.

A friend of mine really wants to be a 1st AD. He'd love to and really wants to and any time I hear about jobs for 2nds and 3rds going, I pass the details on to him.
The issue is, he works full time supporting himself. So he can't crew shoots unless they're on the weekend and only student shoots (and even then, only some) shoot on the weekend.

Though it depends. If you like making films, and are happy having it as a hobby for the rest of your life, or at least the next x amount of years, go ahead and get a degree in a different area and work full time and try and make films in your little spare time.
That's not going to work if you really want to make something of a film career. And that said, a film career does not immediately mean high budget Hollywood, making $100mil blockbusters. I used to hate that in film school they'd tell us we'd never go anywhere and we'd never succeed, but in a way it worked in converting th notions that some had that they were going to walk out of film school and be directing multi million dollar hollywood films within 5 years, into much more realistic and humble goals. Some of us do end up (after a long time) in the unions and working on high budget sets, but for a long time before that (if that happens at all), we make a comfortable living doing what we love - working on mid budget sets, commercials, television, etc.

That said, if you can do anything else, don't do film. Film is tough to work in, long hours and even harder to break into. If film is just a 'yeah that might be cool' notion, then don't do it. If you want it so bad that you cannot do anything else then you're ready to give it a go. Without that burning passion, you're likely going to struggle to network, to get on sets etc.

 

[Angel Park]

The fact that you're near graduation and they don't already have a pretty good idea what you'd like to pursue is alarming enough for all parties involved.
They don't know you.
You're just now springing this out of the clear blue.
No one's picked three colleges two years ago with programs of interest for your exibited & tested aptitudes, have they?


Oh, they emotionally support you.
They're terrified, I promise.
I can hear their prayers on your behalf.

Thanks for that. I'm sure they're shaking in their boots.

 

[rayw]

Thanks for that. I'm sure they're shaking in their boots.

From your profile I see that you're on your "high school tv crew".
And you've been both seeking scripts and developing your own to produce: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=41226
So, why do your parents act all "ubba-gubba" when THEY ASK and YOU TELL them "Yeah, I want to be a director"?
Did they think that was just some silly dodge of "real" extracurricular occupational training program available at your high school?

FWIW, I believe you 100%.
I don't think as your parent I would have been surprised.
My oldest is finishing his fifth year of chemical engineering at a state university. We knew in his high school sophomore year what degree program he'd need to take HS classes to take.
My next youngest is in middle school and I'm pretty sure she'll be pursuing a biology degree.
Whassup with your parental units?

Have you investigated several colleges yourself which offer film & broadcast undergraduate degree programs?
Maybe if you came to your parents with a more proactive collection of information to indicate your seriousness in this pursuit they'd possibly reconsider their current position.
Did they have subjectively "better" or "more practical" occupations for you to pursue?

BTW, you're already hip deep in a negotiation phase with them. Be careful in your game strategy.
Consider them "The Bank of Mom & Dad".
Actually, they're more like "The Mom& Dad Foundation" handing out grants rather than loans.
The government will give you a school loan for practically little more than good faith.
But what about a real bank.
A bank can collateralize a car loan with the car itself.
But not an intangible education.
What would a loan officer at a bank want to see from you to convince them that you are "a good investment"? How can you guarantee the bank that you'll repay the loan?

Approaching the situation from this vantage point will likely be more helpful.​