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is it possible for anyone from this background to be a filmmaker?

posted 12 years ago by anthroposii
5 replies | jump to latest

is it possible for a person from poor upbringing to become a filmmaker on his own?

I read stories of all these directors and filmmakers,they all have someone in their families,or are related to or are born in a filmmaking background or world.Most of them are white so they are rich enough to go to film school or have their parents buy them equipments.

But what if you were not rich, not white,and have to struggle everyday just to make a basic living and on top of that you want to be a filmmaker,getting yourself in huge debt just to get a decent piece of camera and some minor equipment. You think that person can make it? Especailly when he has to face so much financial problem and struggle that his/her mind is occupied by all that burden stress and pressure that he has no time or space in his brain to come up with scripts or ideas and has little to no time to make short films or practice his craft,begging his few friends to help him out as crews and actors but rarely they do/

Do you think such a person can ever make it as a successful director/filmmaker?cuz all those filmmakers practice,have friends who help them out,can easily but cameras and equipment from theri parents,have no problems or worries of anykind so they can focus on writing scripts nad come up with ideas because their mind is free of any problems. do you htink guys like the description can make it in cinema in today's times?

Thanks

[–] dangus 12 years ago

The barriers to making a film have never been lower. If homeless people can pay for heroin habits these days by panhandling, they could save up and buy a digicam capable of shooting 1080p in a matter of weeks. Editing can be done on an inexpensive laptop. Just a high-def webcam and laptop might be enough; I picked up a 720p capable webcam for $7 at a thrift store. Maybe a webcam sensor could be kluged into an old 8 mm camera to take advantage of better optics and a zoom lens. CG effects can be done on a laptop with pirated software.

Then all you need is a story and script and actors or non-actors.

Watch "Monsters" along with the extras to see how a decent movie can be done on a ridiculously low budget.

[update]
Digital will mean that even more terrible movies will be made, but we'll also get to see extraordinary movies created by outsiders and visionaries, which will be a very welcome alternative to the pap currently being spewed out by Hollywood.

[–] BanaBon 12 years ago

Make friends find people with similar interests who know more about their craft than you do, ideally you can get them involved in your project for helping them out in return. At the very worst you'll come away with more knowledge.

Visit sites like cinematography.com, no film school on a daily basis. You will NOT learn much of any use on IMDB, read, study photographs composition, decide exactly what it is you want too specialise in and go for it.

Don't get bogged down with the idea you need a RED epic, Alexa or C500 to shoot a feature. Canon DSLR's can be purchased for a couple hundred of pounds (less second hand) which will be enough to showcase the talent of an upcoming director from an impoverished background, if this is too much of a sacrifice, quit now. This game quickly becomes a blackhole for cash, but you only need enough to get the ball rolling talent and perseverance will always rise to the top.

Develop a thick skin and get used to the idea you may have to eat 5 punches to get one off, perseverance more than talent wins through in this game in my experience but it helps to have a bit of both.

Work your ass off.

[–] JohnL11 11 years ago

It's possible, but difficult. Poor people have less education and time, and the people around them are in similar condition. Finances shouldn't be the problem. (I started with a 480p photo camera, a duct-taped tripod, and open source software on a low end 10-yr old desktop, but since I'm not a famous filmmaker that's sorta irrelevant).

But keep in mind that what you've said is true for every field, not just film.

--
My films: https://sites.google.com/site/westernroadmovies/

[–] Speed_Daemon 11 years ago

As dangus said, "The barriers to making a film have never been lower." Add that to the places where you can get free access to equipment, public access cable channels, libraries, schools and other programs, and there's really no valid excuse not to try.

As for race, I'm not going to pretend that there's no more racial prejudice or discrimination any more. But I will venture to say that it's not a valid excuse if you don't even try. At least try to light a candle before you curse the darkness!

I've tried doing several things that I saw as my "dream job", and for the most part I've failed insofar as I've never made a living doing those things. But I cherish the time I spent trying to break into those industries, and the experiences that I had. I realize that there's not enough room for everyone, and have only positive thoughts about my efforts. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

If you're still young and have time on your side, my advice is to get your butt in gear and start working towards a goal while you still have time!

[–] IMDB_Vits 11 years ago

Artistic talent is something people are born with. Having an education and culture helps to give you an idea of what's considered to be good, but it won't be the trigger to your masterpiece. Your inspiration will be.

As other users have said, getting resources isn't as hard in this day and age. Obvioulsy one can't just go out and make a blockbuster. But look at the hundreds and hundreds of short films in YouTube. And getting into festivals isn't that hard either.

In any case, you can always buy the cheapest camera you can, and make a movie where the picture quality it makes sense to the plot. YOu know, like a found footage movie, or something that takes place in the past.