should i quit my day job?
- Thread starter maxham
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I would say wait until your film gets some more steam first. Have patience. It took Chris Nolan almost a year to film his first feature "Following" because he based the production around his schedule, not the other way around.
Not that I'm saying you're gonna end up like Chris Nolan. Just throwing it out there.
And, btw, nice to see a fellow New Hampshirite? Hampshirian? IDK, dude from New Hampshire.
Not that I'm saying you're gonna end up like Chris Nolan. Just throwing it out there.
And, btw, nice to see a fellow New Hampshirite? Hampshirian? IDK, dude from New Hampshire.
No, do not quit your job unless you are independently wealthy. And you do not have just two days, you have all of the time that you are not working at your job. When I was just starting out in my music career back in the late '70's I worked two jobs (pumping gas at a gas station 6am to 2pm and playing piano for a dance school 3:30pm to 7pm) and practicing & rehearsing with my band at night and on the weekends. When you're young you can get away with only three or four hours of sleep a night when you need to. Just forget about a personal life.
No +2
Nobody is making money in this business, unless you can score a job with a major production studio, but even these places are feeling the pinch across the board. A friend of mine works at a major post house and they keep laying off round after round of employees. Blame it mostly on illegal file sharing, the recession, and the fragmentation of production (with cheap technology anyone can shoot and edit a movie for cheap).
Nobody is making money in this business, unless you can score a job with a major production studio, but even these places are feeling the pinch across the board. A friend of mine works at a major post house and they keep laying off round after round of employees. Blame it mostly on illegal file sharing, the recession, and the fragmentation of production (with cheap technology anyone can shoot and edit a movie for cheap).
Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but No +100000000000
Like the others said, until you get the first film churning in money, or you have a sponsor or someone who will pay your bills while you do it, then I wouldn't advise . Still have to eat and put a roof over your head.
I guess the way to look at it is: Ask yourself, "if I quit my job tomorrow, how will I pay for my roof, shelter, ect." Unless you get a nice fat signing bonus in the six or seven digits from a Studio, I'd say no.
Like the others said, until you get the first film churning in money, or you have a sponsor or someone who will pay your bills while you do it, then I wouldn't advise . Still have to eat and put a roof over your head.
I guess the way to look at it is: Ask yourself, "if I quit my job tomorrow, how will I pay for my roof, shelter, ect." Unless you get a nice fat signing bonus in the six or seven digits from a Studio, I'd say no.
Yeah. I am all about taking chances. Life is short. Can you get another job? Do you have a bunch of other people depending on your income? I say film the movie today because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Sometimes life is about the journey and in the journey it is often exhilarating to go down a difficult road then a safe one. If I wouldn't have taken some chances I wouldn't have been here today. I get to work on film and video production for a living. Good luck and remember to think long and hard about your decision.
That is true, Brooksy, however I don't know the person's age, family status, ect.
I mean, if is only themselves they have to look after, and are young enough to manage it(and I won't presume in this case
), then you can do that. But once family and whatnot is involved, then it gets trickier. I guess all I was saying is don't just drop everything unless you've figured out how to support yourself in a way that is comfortable. Im with Broosky.
If there is nobody but you depending on your income, then go for it. However, contrary to Hollywood belief system, sacrificing your family in pursuit of your dreams is a BAD THING! If you have kids, they become part of your dream.
Now, don't be stupid, plan it out. You have a MOVIE idea? Is your screenplay done? Do you have a schedule for shooting? What I'm getting at is that there are lots of NON-FILMING activities that you can do while you SAVE UP SOME CASH. That planning and preparing can take months, so start now! Keep working while saving all your money, if you pay rent, maybe get a few moths AHEAD, nothing says freedom like not having to worry about your biggest bill for a few months.. you can eat top rammen, and you could sleep in your car, but having a place to "work" on your film is pretty important. If your adventurous, you might find a CHEAP empty space for less rent than your paying now. You might have to bathe in a sink, but hey having a large EMPTY shop like space where you can build a set, etc, could be pretty cool..
Your still going to need an income. Either its savings your eating, or your working nights. Keep in mind that most OTHER people youll be working with WILL BE keeping their day jobs, so you'll have to keep your weekends open.
And finally, living in NH. This is a summer thing only. I would not want to be in the NE winter living out of my car in an unheated shop! brrrrrrrr
If there is nobody but you depending on your income, then go for it. However, contrary to Hollywood belief system, sacrificing your family in pursuit of your dreams is a BAD THING! If you have kids, they become part of your dream.
Now, don't be stupid, plan it out. You have a MOVIE idea? Is your screenplay done? Do you have a schedule for shooting? What I'm getting at is that there are lots of NON-FILMING activities that you can do while you SAVE UP SOME CASH. That planning and preparing can take months, so start now! Keep working while saving all your money, if you pay rent, maybe get a few moths AHEAD, nothing says freedom like not having to worry about your biggest bill for a few months.. you can eat top rammen, and you could sleep in your car, but having a place to "work" on your film is pretty important. If your adventurous, you might find a CHEAP empty space for less rent than your paying now. You might have to bathe in a sink, but hey having a large EMPTY shop like space where you can build a set, etc, could be pretty cool..
Your still going to need an income. Either its savings your eating, or your working nights. Keep in mind that most OTHER people youll be working with WILL BE keeping their day jobs, so you'll have to keep your weekends open.
And finally, living in NH. This is a summer thing only. I would not want to be in the NE winter living out of my car in an unheated shop! brrrrrrrr
Oh, I wanted to add that this was a fun topic. Gives us chickens a chance to live vicariously though someone with enough guts to reach for it.
Wow, lots of replies. Ok well my family situation is it's me wife and me. Getting another job is always an option (easier said than done in this economy however) I am 23 years old and my film training is pretty basic. I know the basics I've had a few college classes here and there.
Asked for the movie itself: The screenplay (if you can call it that) is certainly done. Everything I know I want to do is written down on paper. It's a documentary so it doesn't require much for writing. It's true I will need funding some other way if i do not have this day job so it sounds crazy to me. Although I also hate my day job.
lord of light: Hey, what part of new hampshire you from?
Asked for the movie itself: The screenplay (if you can call it that) is certainly done. Everything I know I want to do is written down on paper. It's a documentary so it doesn't require much for writing. It's true I will need funding some other way if i do not have this day job so it sounds crazy to me. Although I also hate my day job.
lord of light: Hey, what part of new hampshire you from?
Dpends on how averse you are to sleeping under bridges and eating from dumpsters.
A good documentary can take months. Even years. Then
there is a year or so of working festivals (and the costs)
and finding distribution.
I say quit your job (or go to 2 days a week), let your wife
support you for a year and make your movie. If it's as good
as "Super Size Me" and you make a lot of money then all
is well. You know the odds, right? How many documentaries
are made and how many see any kind of profit at all.
If you don't beat the odds, then you support your wife for a
year while she pursues a dream or even a hobby.
It's a documentary. Do you really need 7 days a week for
months? Can you shoot four or five days a month? Can you
shoot three or four days a week?
there is a year or so of working festivals (and the costs)
and finding distribution.
I say quit your job (or go to 2 days a week), let your wife
support you for a year and make your movie. If it's as good
as "Super Size Me" and you make a lot of money then all
is well. You know the odds, right? How many documentaries
are made and how many see any kind of profit at all.
If you don't beat the odds, then you support your wife for a
year while she pursues a dream or even a hobby.
It's a documentary. Do you really need 7 days a week for
months? Can you shoot four or five days a month? Can you
shoot three or four days a week?
Lebanon for the moment. But I'll be in Keene by September.
Yo! Thats me, shooting a movie on the cheap***.
However that me working a full time job thus I stick by my "No +1" comment earlier. If you were coming from a background of having made a movie already (or 2) which actually brought in some cash (profit) and you were wondering if you should make a go of it then, the answer could be different. But making a life altering choices like that, na, stick with the devil you know and wade into the pool slowly.
For the cost of a basic camera and editing package you can give the "Youtube" whirl before you try something serious full-time cold-chicken. Take it slow and steady, it may take more time but at least eat well and sleep in a warm bed at night.
***The cost for me to actual shot the movie is low, but my capital movie-2-movie budget is huge in comparison (2/3 of the amortized budget) ! Still if I wanted to I could do the whole thing for under $500 including everything, but I have a bit of money to make it better so I went with that. What you'll find (getting back on topic) is unless you have a nice sum of cash to make your movie better you will have to sacrifice your own necessities and nice things; because it is your job and you will at the start have only money flowing out.
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True.
Case in point: The Hurt Locker.
Spent 15 mil, the box office was 16.5 mil.
Yet, it won however many Academy Awards.
Better to jump on and ride James Cameron's coat-tails if you want money. I wonder what a fraction of a residual credit would have made you on that movie.
Funny, though. You might be able to be hired full-time unwrapping the pre-made DVDs for The Hurt Locker and pasting on a new "Academy Award Winning" sticker on the front of them! Check it out-
Cool. I'm in the Derry area.
Everyone has made very good points. Quitting without a reasonable plan is stupid. And even though it is a dream I should pursue trying to may be devestating to me and my wife. Through blood sweat and tears (and unfortunately blood money from wal mart) I will have to make this documentary with the time I have to myself and that is it at least for now.