My friend, the famed horror novelist (and screenwriter) Craig Spector once shared some advice about getting movie work that I have been rolling around in my mind ever since. I had just moved to New York City and I was sleeping on an inflatable air mattress in the corner of some guy's kitchen. I had no idea what I was doing.
At the time Craig was one of the few people I knew who was actually making a living with his creative work. And one day I asked him what I needed to do in order to become successful. Never one to sugarcoat advice, he simply said:
“Work more. Do more. The work is reality. Nothing trumps reality.”
Why Movie Work is Reality
It doesn't matter how talented you are. Speaking from experience, I have met countless talented people in Los Angeles who have a notebooks filled with great movie ideas. But they are searching for someone else to do the work. And the paradox is, people won't help you unless you do the work.
The reason for this is simple. When it comes down to it, very few people are actually willing to invest the necessary sweat equity to complete a project. Next thing you know, another decade passes and you wake up realizing you haven't done any movie work. You have nothing but talk. Talk. Talk.
I know you work a day job that sucks. And I know how tired you are when you get home from work. But if you do not finish your screenplay, make your short, or plan your feature this year – You might just end up making the same excuses for another decade… And I don't want this for you.
So get moving. Make something. Even if your movie sucks, it's better than nothing. Movie work is the reality. And if you need an extra push, make a small investment in your career and grab a copy of my Filmmaker Action Pack. The information will help you get where you need to go.
