The expectations for young filmmakers have certainly evolved in the past ten years—probably faster than ever before. There continue to arise new production and distribution options, weekly. Many of those resources are covered here on ShoHawk, and on a plethora of other wonderful filmmaking sites. But here, now, I’d like to cover some life lessons and filmmaking advice.  Life lessons are among the most important tools a starting filmmaker can acquire, and these are 17 I wish I’d known before leaving high school. Many of these came to me the hard way, over time. Some were things I’d heard, but ignored. All of them prove that hindsight is 20/20. The old story: if I’d known then what I know now, the struggles along the way would have been far less dramatic, and the hurdles less intimidating. I hope these 17 lessons will help filmmakers who are just beginning, and remind working filmmakers of some important things that inevitably get hazy. 1. KEEP PRODUCING Whether you aim to … [Read more...]

At some point in producing freelance projects for clients, it occurred to me that the actual hard work was not the creative process. Creating the video I was hired for was the part I could breeze through, for two reasons: It's the part I enjoy, therefore time is of no concern.  Have you ever been working on a project and eventually checked the clock, only to realize you hadn’t eaten or moved in 8 hours?  This didn’t happen because you were pissed or bored; it happened because you were engaged and doing some part of what you love. It's the part my instincts are most finely tuned for.  When you’ve done something long enough, you learn to trust your impulses. Your trained eye refines instinctual work later.  This level of experience becomes the thing that differentiates amateurs from professionals. The bad news for all you freelancers or B2B (Business to Business) services is that the thing you're hired to do is only a small part of the job. Your creativity is the reason … [Read more...]

What’s that nagging voice in my head, saying: "You can edit in a couple hours. Just relax now—catch up on Orange is the New Black!" I bet you've had this same voice in your filmmaking career at one point. MY FEAR AND THE LIZARD BRAIN While I was editing my documentary, Light, I hit a rocky point. I was trying to generate structure from of 100 hours of raw footage. At some point in that process I stumbled upon the works of Seth Godin and his incredible lecture on The Lizard Brain. In this 15 minute talk, Godin outlines the journey of a creative person and the limitations created within the brain that prevent many artists from completing work, or “shipping” (skip ahead to 9:02 for the Lizard Brain explanation, and/or watch at your convenience). This video spoke to the uncertainty I was experiencing while editing. I was without a job for the first time in years. I had only my film and my ideas of others’ expectations to worry about. Godin posits creative limitations … [Read more...]

The natural response to any kind of creative block (writer’s or otherwise) is to wait and wonder when it’ll dissipate? Or, we grab the popcorn, sit on your butts, and start consuming inspiration through the TV, computer, phone, etc. You may even be doing that right now... Inspiration is never a negative, but you might be setting yourself back substantially if inspiration isn’t paired with direction. Filling your head with content can set a spark, or build into a pile of stuff you like, but have no real connection to. The best way to remedy Filmmaking Block is to get up and DO! This doesn’t have to cost a boatload, replace your full time job, or be a burden. Examine the free time you have: instead of sitting idle, thinking about what you would do if you had an idea, use your time to get sharp. Creativity and productivity are muscles: they’re only as strong as you make them and, without exercise, your muscles won’t operate at full potential .You’ll miss out on a lot of … [Read more...]

What at the best cameras for video? This is a question filmmakers constantly ask themselves, which can be best addressed by the 80/20 principle. How does the 80/20 principle apply? 20% of your gear produces 80% of your project’s quality, and production’s ease.  Figuring out exactly what that 20% is or is not, in advance, maximizes time and money. It’s easy to tumble down these rabbit holes: “What can I use to shoot this project? What lenses are awesome?  What VFX and touch-ups can I use in post-production? How big can I go for my money?” These are fun ideas to mull over, but ideas don’t make a finished product; acting on ideas brings your movie to life. If you’re just starting out, the three things you’re likely pressed for are time, money, and help. Experimenting and researching to discover your project’s look can be great fun, but theyx can also be massive time-sucks that stand to delay your project indefinitely, if you let them. It’s time to focus and be pragmatic: the … [Read more...]