I’m Starting to Think I’m a Giant Fillm Hypocrite

I spend a ridiculous amount of time encouraging people to make movies. Seriously. If someone asks me how to become a filmmaker, my answer is almost always the same. Grab your friends. Grab a camera. Hell, grab your phone. Go make something. Then watch it. Figure out what worked and what didn’t. Make another one. Then another. Keep doing it until one day you accidentally realize you’ve gotten pretty good.

I genuinely believe that’s how you learn.

I run a Film Festival. Then festival season rolls around and I become the biggest hypocrite on Earth. I sit down to watch submissions and every now and then I finish one thinking, “Hey Submitter, never make another movie again.”

Which is terrible.

Because that’s literally the opposite of the advice I give every day.

Then I remember something.

The first movie I ever made that I thought was going to change my life…

…was awful.

Not “could’ve used another edit” awful.

Awful.

I never finished it. I never showed it to anyone. I honestly don’t even know where it is anymore. And if someone found it today, I’d probably try to buy the hard drive back. Maybe that’s actually the right way to do your first film. I know this makes me sound like an asshole, but maybe… don’t show anyone your first movie.

Or at least don’t send it to film festivals. I see posts on Reddit all the time that say, “EVERY FESTIVAL REJECTED MY FILM!”

First off, I know that feeling. Rejection sucks. Nobody likes getting that email.

But… There might be a reason. Your first movie doesn’t have to be your introduction to the world.

Let your friends watch it. Let your family tell you it’s amazing because they love you. Then put it on a shelf for a few years. Come back later and watch it with fresh eyes. Ask yourself, “How could I have made this better?”

Those answers are worth far more than a festival laurel. Then go make another film. Here’s the thing: making one movie doesn’t make you an experienced filmmaker.

Making your second one somewhat does.

Then your third.

Then your tenth.

Every film should teach you something the last one didn’t. I will encourage absolutely everyone to make a movie. I will never stop saying that. What I won’t always encourage is making strangers watch your first one. We all know you never eat the first pancake.

Could your first film be incredible? Absolutely. It happens. But statistically… you’re probably making a pancake.

And that’s okay. Just don’t be surprised if the judges at a film festival aren’t hungry.

Go make another one.