Filmmaking is not the easiest endeavor in the world, nor is it fast, cheap, or passive. The process of writing, directing, producing, releasing, and marketing feature films is an ambitious one, and it takes time, practice, and dedication to succeed in this business. So it goes without saying that there are many who venture into this industry with hopes and dreams of succeeding, only to fall short and leave the game before they ever get a chance to win it. In other words, they see how hard it is, get frustrated by rejections, and quit – and I don’t blame them. This is a hard business, but then again, the same can be said about any business.
Any experienced filmmaker will tell you that the biggest difference between people who win and people who lose in this game is passion. Passion is an obsession, it’s energy, it’s a sense of purpose. It’s that thing that drives you to make a movie from the get-go, it’s what gives you the power to persevere, it gives you a sense of excitement; it keeps you from getting discouraged and helps you sustain your vigor as you get rejected over and over and over again. Passion is the fuel that will keep you in this game long enough to win it and motivate you to improve your craft with every new project you work on. I think the ultimate question that every filmmaker should ask themselves is: “Do you really love movies?” And if the answer is yes, then you can’t help but make a movie; the world can’t stop you.
