The industry of creating visual stories is changing drastically. The old methods and philosophies are changing rapidly. It’s a time of chaos but also opportunity.

Capitalizing on this opportunity is going to require some growth. We will have to change the way we think and move as filmmakers, the skills we have, the way we create work, and also the way we share it.

So this week, I want to start with the most essential shift necessary for the years to come:

IT’S TIME TO STOP PRETENDING

It’s time to ask yourself if you want to be a filmmaker or if you simply like identifying as one. Because I’m going to be brutally honest:

A lot of you are in it for the photo op.

We all like the attention that comes from being recognized as filmmakers: the awards, the panels, and the ceremonies. The Instagram reels of us on set, pointing into the distance like “real directors” do, which is a great way to stand out at your high school reunion.

But that is not the goal. It’s not what we spend most of our time doing (or at least shouldn’t be). It’s not how our work creates any real impact. Because there’s a place where filmmakers need to live:

In the silent work.

By the time a film gets in front of an audience, there are thousands of hours that have been put in, from writing a script to creating storyboards to building a team. And that’s just a small sample of the work required to create a piece of visual work. Every filmmaker does it. But here’s the question:

Are you trying to fast-track that work to get to the glory?

THE WRONG PROCESS

To get that sweet, sweet dopamine payoff of the reward or the money, corners can start to be cut. We tone down the ambition or scope so we can finish faster, which affects the quality. But then tell ourselves it’s great because we worked really fast. This bleeds into the rest of the process, and we find ourselves rushing. We want to get to the finish line quickly because we want to get to the place where we’re holding that award statue and thanking our parents. But here’s the truth:

It never pays off.

When you are creating a visual work, not a YouTube video or Instagram Reel, but an actual visual work that takes months and years of planning and execution, the more you rush to get to the end, the worse it will be. And your odds of winning that award or getting that recognition spiral downwards. Because we are asking this question:

How can I get to the end?

Instead of:

What is required?

EMBRACE THE WORK

Starting next year, let’s ask ourselves this question:

What is required to make it great?

This is the question we should ask from the beginning. It applies not only to the making of the film but the team you build around it and what you do with it, tempered by the resources that you have access to. Embrace the very cliché saying:

Instead of saying “I have to,” say “I get to.”

Stop working to be seen as filmmakers and just become them. Get lost in that script. Spend the extra time on those storyboards. Learn new skills to make yourself better. Send those emails to make new connections.

Embrace the work you have the privilege of doing.

This isn’t to say we shouldn’t promote ourselves or our work. But it should be done with the idea of sharing and teaching. If you put yourself out there in an authentic way, that is what you will be seen as. And at the same time:

That is not your concern.

Your concern is the maximizing of excellence, continuing your push to keep going, building up your team and your network, sharing your authentic self through your words and your work.

Next year, let’s all stop the filmmaker cosplay. Filmmaking is a craft we seek to master. It’s not an outfit we put on for attention.

We’ll see all the real ones stand up.

A CURIOUS MIND

Artists are curious people. Ideas constantly pop into our heads as we observe the world around us. Our creations work as a way of understanding this chaos. But we can neglect trying to understand how it influences our minds.

I’ve recently begun seeing a therapist in an attempt to understand my own mind. To explore why I make the choices that I do and also to create better ones. It’s something that I urge everyone to do in this New Year. It doesn’t have to be sitting down and talking to someone in an office. There are many types of therapy. But the goal is to confront and examine who we are. Because as much as we are curious about the world,

We must be even more curious about the world inside of us.

STACK DAYS

In the next few months, we hope to be finished editing our documentary, Creative Force. It’s the story of how artists use their creative skills to help support the war against Russian aggression. One of the characters is named Rostaslav – a young, twenty-something who creates T-shirts to raise money for soldiers. There is a quote from an interview that sticks out to me:

I don’t have [the] possibility to think about [the] far future. I think only about this day. I think about what I can do today to help. [Because] I think that I can do something for people.

We get stuck living too far ahead in the future. I’ve gotten lost thinking about how I would like a project to come together, how to bring it to an audience, and how that audience will perceive it. These are all the necessary steps to have in mind for any film. But we also have to come back to a mantra I’ve started whispering to myself:

What can I do today in order to make my tomorrow better.

Filmmakers have lofty goals and ambitions. We are dreamers of bright ideas and futures. But sometimes we use this to delay the hard work, the pain, that is a necessary part of the present in order to realize our creative ambitions. It comes down to stacking days. A relentless pursuit of daily effort that compounds into realizing a goal.

But reaching the goal isn’t actually the goal of an artist. The aim and focus is the constant pursuit. The ability to have a life where the work is the reward. Where we aren’t focused on getting there,

But rather being here.

A GRACIOUS APPROACH

Gratitude is everywhere now. We should all have gratitude journals and a daily gratitude practice. But here is my fundamental problem with it:

It comes off as very hollow and self-serving.

Again, it’s used as a method of receiving rather than being. So as we turn the clock, let’s also change our perspective on gratitude a little. Let’s not use it as another capitalist productivity hack. But think about what we are actually grateful for.

Personally, I am grateful to have the opportunity to write each and every week. And for each of you that reads it and connects with it. The ability to have people read your thoughts and have it resonate is nothing short of a miracle. Not just 30 years ago, this would have been nearly impossible. And now we live in an era where everyone has a chance to reach others. Which, I know, is a double-edged sword.

I’m also grateful to be a filmmaker. As I think all of us should be. The industry is flawed, troubled, and exploitative. But we should be thankful nonetheless. We have found our passion, our calling. And we have created work which is the biggest miracle of all:

Having started.

Far too many of us have a long list of “what-ifs” that we carry with us to the grave. If you have made films (or are in the process) then congratulations. You have crossed a regret off your list. And we should all be grateful for that. Will we reach the pinnacle of creative success as a filmmaker? Who knows. But trying, failing, and trying again is more than we can hope for.

THE NEW FOCUS

So there we are. A new focus for a new year:

Curiosity of Self

Being Present in the Work

A Better Form of Gratitude

If we try this as a consistent way of being in the next year, my belief is that our tomorrows will become better overall than our todays. Because our focus won’t be on the future and we will enjoy our present.

Because ultimately, our present is what we have.

EDITING – IT’S ABOUT PREPARATION

I was the world’s most reluctant editor. I learned the basics in college and was told I had a natural talent for it. But my response to doing it full-time was:

“No thanks. Bye.”

And if you asked me about anything with graphics, my brain would break while I walked away slowly from the computer. Because I told myself this phrase:

“This isn’t something I can do.”

Today, I’m doing all of that and more. It’s the main way that I earn my living. And the knowledge has saved my ass more than a handful of times. But this week is not about how you can learn to edit or why you should hire me (even though you absolutely should). I’m also not here to sell you a course.

Yet…

The saying about making a film is this:

The battle is won in preparation.

You wouldn’t write a script without an ending. So don’t start making a film without an idea of how your post-process will work. Not just who’s editing. But also what do they need to work efficiently, what are the required processes, and most importantly:

How will the film work in the edit?

The way to do this comes from a place of knowledge. YouTube has been a game changer for learning almost everything, especially in the world of post-production. Even if you don’t plan on pressing the buttons, countless tutorials teach nearly every aspect of editing. And as filmmakers, our job is to be constantly learning.

So learn everything you can about it.

Because not being prepared will cost you at least one of three things:

Time, money, or quality.

With a little preparation, you can save yourself a LOT of heartache.

A TEAM EFFORT

Here’s the reality for most of us:

We’re working with limited funds.

I imagine you wonderful people reading this don’t have access to millions of dollars. If you do, let’s talk…

So we are making films with the most money we can get our hands on. Which will always be less than what we need. We do what we can to get the best out of it and knowing about post-production can only help the outcome of a project. If someone else is editing, maybe you can assist them. At the least, help organize the project to make their life easier. At the most, you can work on one scene while the editor works on another. There is also the necessary evil of social media. Knowing how to edit will make those videos all the better. Which all helps you connect more with your audience.

And grow your presence as an artist.

A lot of us think that learning to edit means adding more work to our plate, myself included. That knowing automatically translates to being the person spending the most time on it. But remember:

This is a team sport.

Learn so you can be a helpful part of the process. If you want to edit, that’s great. But if you don’t, just having a little bit of knowledge can go a long way.

It helps the whole team make a better film together.

THE RIGHT APPROACH

The statement I get most often from people who avoid the editing suite is this:

My brain just can’t work that way.

This might be true. But let’s add another word after that sentence:

Yet.

It’s very human to look at experts in any field. We tell ourselves that we can’t get to that level. That is because we think of jumping from zero knowledge to immediate expertise. I often speak with aspiring YouTubers who ask how to start. And I recommend this exercise I recommend:

Find your favorite channel. Go back to their first videos. That is what you should aim for.

Our goal as filmmakers is always to improve. To be better than we were before. Learning about editing and post-production is the same. We might not be experts, but we can always get better than before. Start where you are. Then begin to stack knowledge.

Use that knowledge not as a way to control the process. But to improve it. To learn that you are capable of learning the seemingly complex.

It all starts with embracing the possibility.

Filmmakers overlook this important part of the process:

Design.

Design is how you create interest in your film by both investors and audiences. Bad design can ruin opportunities for both. We owe ourselves and our films to study design. What makes it good and how it translate to every part of the process.

Because design isn’t just about pretty pictures and fonts. It’s about how you craft the overall experience of your work. So this week, we’re going to examine why design so important and how to take the right approach to it.

THE ART OF DESIGN

Think about the last time you were in a museum. Remember a painting or photo that made you stop. Something about it drew you in. You lost track of time as your thoughts created a story in your mind. It made you want to know more about the work and the artist.

This is the foundation of great design.

We think of design mostly in the actual film itself. The shots we select, the graphics, and how we merge everything together. Which we spend years perfecting. But we forget to transfer this skill outside of the actual movie.

Design is how a film gets made and seen. It’s the film before the film. The introduction to the world we’re creating. And it comes across many touch points that we often rush through.

UPGRADE YOUR PITCH DECK

The great thing about programs like Canva is that everyone can craft their ow designs. This is also the worst thing about access to programs like Canva. We open the program, see something that looks cool, and just start filling in the text.

Which makes our pitch decks look just like everyone else’s.

Think about the emphasis you put on the opening of a film. Spending days just getting that right. But here’s something to think about:

Your pitch deck is the actual opening of your film.

If you don’t put effort into your pitch deck. Why should someone put money into your film? It gives the impression that you don’t care. The minimum amount of time you should spend on your deck is probably a month. Start it on your own. But get feedback from professionals. Or, even better, have a professional craft a deck for you.

I’m making a short film this year called Concrete River and we started making the deck on our own. Which started out like this:

But I spent the money and time to have a professional craft the deck. Which turned out like this:

You can see the difference. And it’s already helped attract some of the talent we’re chasing. Because someone looking at it knows that we are serious. So take your decks as seriously as you take the film itself.

And I highly recommend reading Alex LeMay’s Substack on pitching. He’s got a lot of great resources on what makes a great deck and how to get it in front of people.

A PREMIUM WEBSITE

If your film does not have a website. You are not serious about building an audience for it. A large social media following for your film is not an audience. Social media is where you create interest. But, at least for independents, a website is how you create ownership.

The website is the real introduction of an audience for your film. And we want to always be driving traffic to it. Our website is how we can capture email addresses. Which is how we actually get people to come out and watch our work.

Seeing that the website is the real first impression of our audience. The design of it is even more important. And with websites for your film, less is more in the beginning. We want to give the audience an impression of the film, the people involved, and how to see it. That’s all.

Just like your pitch deck. The basics are not enough. There are a lot of templates on website builders. But make sure you get the right one. Preferably one that is specifically for your film. And also like a deck. Get feedback from professionals and try to get one to craft your film’s website.

It let’s your audience know you’re serious.

AN EVENT TO REMEMBER

I know you’re thinking:

What does an event have to do with design?

I worked in live events for the McDonald’s Corporation right after graduating film school.A LOT of time was spent on the design of each event. All the little things make an event one to remember. I think the perfect event for a film will be the following:

An introduction followed by the screening. A Q & A where the audience is involved and a special add-on after. Like a concert, a party or something special that aligns with the film.

This is how you get people to come out.

But the design of an event is what makes them stay and how they remember.

Think about how the venue you pick fits the film. An upscale multiplex might not be the best for a film about small-town heroes. Once you have the right venue. How can you use design to add to the experience? Think of the lighting and any artwork that goes on the walls. Use music to create the right atmosphere before the screening?

All these little details craft a memorable event. Which helps spread the word about your film.

And it all starts from design.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

The way forward lies through this concept:

The right presentation mixed with the right attitude.

Every film at every stage has an audience. We want to make sure people attach to our work when it’s done. Think about your potential investors as an audience. Think about your collaborators as your audience. And, of course, the audience that will watch your movie when it’s done.

The movie starts with you making what you want to see. But as the process goes along. You are bringing people along who mesh with your vision. It becomes a shared vision that you, the filmmaker, are shepherding into existence.

So get right, get better and show up for the people whose lives you will inspire by your work. Who might just return the favor by creating great work of their own.