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Having confidence in your own ideas/abilities

A

Absolution_Films

Hi Guys,

Just a quick general question for everyone.

As film makers do people either sometimes or all the time have a lack of confidence in themselves and abilities.

Any video work ive ever done has always been recieved well, but always when starting a new project i have a lack of confidence that it will be any good.

is it just me or something we all endure?
 
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Everyone gets that, even when I write a script I question myself will it succeed? but is something you can overcome, it's called fear, not knowing the unknown. If you have a good idea don't let no one put you down, even yourself.
 
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Absolution_Films said:
Any video work ive ever done has always been received well, but always when starting a new project i have a lack of confidence that it will be any good.
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Couldn't have worded it better myself...

Every single time I make something, I feel like the project could've been better, which drops my spirits. I've gotten some bad criticism, but the good almost always outweighs the bad, which makes me feel better in the end.
 
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I go back and fourth in the extremes. Some days I think I can make something truly amazing, other days I feel like I'm attempting the impossible. The only way I ever get things done is by having more good days than bad...
 
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mussonman said:
Every single time I make something, I feel like the project could've been better, which drops my spirits. I've gotten some bad criticism, but the good almost always outweighs the bad, which makes me feel better in the end.
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But the question is, do you feel that your last project (while it could have been better) was better than the one before that? That's a sign of growing, developing your skills. And yeah, every once in a while you'll drop the ball. But by keeping at it, you'll eventually reach your goals. And harsh criticism? That's one tool you can use to grow! I'd rather hear "this bit sucked" than a general, nondescript "it was good" or "that's interesting."
 
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Yes, I almost always feel the new project is better. And noone should ever listen to negative feedback, unless the negative outweighs the positive, but I take it into consideration if it's constructive... but negative feedback is usually little more than "DER!!! DAT WAS DUMB AND STUPID! I WANT MY MINUTES OF MY LIFE BACK!
 
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I make music but it's the same idea no matter what you do when it's something creative. Creativity is an expression of the "I", a part of who you are. Sharing your creation with others is opening yourself up to these "others" and so feeling insecure comes with the job since criticism of what you make is criticism of who you are.
This is partly why I don't let people remix my work or make covers, I feel too attached to my work. When I work for others creating original music I have to force myself to be much more open to criticism since I'm no longer the one in charge and I think that's a good exercise since we all learn from each other.

Anyway, I digress. My point is, I don't think there's anyone on the planet who hasn't doubted their work at least at some point even if they act as if they did everything right from the first second EXCEPT when the creation creates itself.

When writing music for myself I rarely think about what I'm doing and I often find the music I make when in that state of mind, blows away all the rest since it's a much purer form.

:)
 
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I think if you're not at least a little bit scared going into a new project, then that might be a sign that you're playing it safe, AKA not trying anything new, AKA getting artistically stagnant. I think it's good to be bold and daring, push your limits, don't be afraid to be afraid, but just push through it.

And yes, to answer your question, I do feel a little insecure every now and then, but that's our little secret. Most of the time, I feel confident and enthused, but when I don't I fake it.
 
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I think my main problem is, I sometimes enter into projects with an outcome of pleasing others and thats where the insecurity starts where as I should be entering into more projects for self satisfaction and if general praise comes from that after then great, but i should be happy with what i have done first before others.
 
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Absolution_Films said:
As film makers do people either sometimes or all the time have a lack of confidence in themselves and abilities?
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Yes, and the answer, as shocking as it may seem, is that this feeling is a vital part of doing anything well!

I'm never happy with anything I've done. I can appear harsh and critical of other's work but compared to how critical I am with my own work, I'm a paragon of diplomacy! When my agent informed me many years ago that my work was up for a BAFTA, it took him 15 minutes to convince me he wasn't playing a practical joke. When he rang me a few months later and told me my work was now a BAFTA finalist... honest to god, my response was "who decided that, are they idiots?". I used to get my students to give an informal analysis of that piece of work during one of the more advanced lessons, they were always very polite but more than a little shocked when I gave my analysis and absolutely ripped it to shreds!

Think about the situation the other way around, imagine if you were supremely confident and unquestioning of yourself and your abilities. You don't have to imagine, just look at American Idol, X-Factor, Britain (or wherever) Got Talent, look at the contestants who are absolutely hopeless but believe they are geniuses. Lacking confidence and questioning your abilities is a good thing, it helps to stop you from making a complete idiot out of yourself like some of those talent show contestants!!

The point, isn't the lack of confidence in yourself or your abilities, it's how you respond to that feeling. Does it depress or paralyse you or does it inspire and drive you to do better? You have the ability to consciously influence your response to this feeling, to use it to your advantage!

G
 
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