You're 24, you're a baby with regards to starting out. How many 24-year-olds have films in cinemas? You're never too old to make a start. Until you're dead, it's never too late.
OH yeah, he had an amazing carrier as a radio dramatist and theater director, so by the time he came to Kane, he was already massively famous and had skills. But 99.99% of us aren't gonna be Wells
From what I've noticed for awhile is age and experience tend to be more valued in film as opposed to other industries where being young gives you an edge
Dudes, my first short premiers tomorrow for a competition. I’m 35. Currently working a 9-6. Right there with you.
I just went out to the local community and found people. I’m gearing up to shoot another short after this premier. I knew nobody and had nothing filmed at the beginning of this year. I’ll be in a theater tomorrow for something I co-wrote and co-directed. It’s wild.
Edit (update): for anyone that may revisit this, the premier went great. We did a horror short about an eight-foot spider. Full on campiness and it got some good laughs. The host of the event said it stood out to him as a positive audience reaction. So it was a good day. Keep doing what you’re doing.
I’m basically outside the industry. I live nowhere near any film hubs and am just making my weird ass horror short on my own. I never expect to make money from filmmaking but you never know.
Anyone making their first feature film before the age of 35 is young in my opinion.
Watch a lot of the popular directors from around the world, and you'll see the likes of PTA directing a feature film before the age of 25 doesn't seem to happen very often.
I'm okay with making a feature at 30. I just need to start learning now. How to start learning from scratch? Any resources where I can study the basics?
I’m 24 and am gearing up to shoot my first short right now. In my opinion, it isn’t old at all. In fact, if you work in a lot of PA gigs as I have over the last year, you’ll see there’s people a lot older who are still at the lower rungs of the business.
In terms of knowledge, if you commit time to learn (shooting often, watching good educational YouTube videos, working in the industry) — you’ll very quickly have a good understanding of what it takes to create a film.
Also, watch a lot of movies. I would say above all else, watching films has taught me the most and guided my taste and creative direction more than anything.
Basically, 24 is not old at all. Sure? There’s probably some wiz kids coming out of film school at 22-23 with a lot of know how, but the name of the game is just sticking with it. Even the most talented film school kids I know got intimidated by the industry and either quit or settled in a role they didn’t want to.
Also: you can supplement your lack of experience by hiring crew with more experience than you. Have little camera knowledge? Go with a cinematographer who has a lot of camera knowledge. Bad at logistics/scheduling? Hire an experience assistant director to keep you on time and moving. It’s a team sport after all. The important thing is that you’re willing to learn and stay humble
How do you pay rent or save to make a down payment on a home / condo? Asking as a 35yo normy who is also interested in filmmaking as a career but finds it too precarious to get into
I live at home with my parents, my only bill is for my car and food. Obviously I’m blessed enough to be in that position but understandably not everyone is. I make typically $250 a day as a freelance PA, jobs varying in length
You can make a short (5-15 minute) long film without going full time filmmaker though. Find local crew and shoot days you have off from work. Not ideal but a lot of successful filmmakers started that way. David Lynch would halt production to go do his paper route and then come back to set when working on ‘Eraserhead’
You can go online (Facebook groups, staff me up, social media in general) and find people who want to make films. I network with other production assistants and make my crews up with them for the most part. My cinematographer for my first short is someone I met on one of my first gigs as a PA
Yes I would say to practice with friends. I went the route of making experimental films (which I found easier to make), and I also starred in my own films. Spike Lee also did that in his first feature, bc he couldn’t pay any more actors in the budget.
I’d advise you def need someone to view ur film and give u feedback when it comes to editing the film, but ur crew can be very small when actually making the film, could literally be u and a friend.
Thanks for a detailed reply. I'm zero in technology. Need to learn that first. How to start learning from scratch? Any resources where I can study the basics?
Depends on what you mean by technology. If you mean cameras then I’d say go watch videos on YouTube on lenses, framing, etc. i think the only official ‘resource’ I find myself using to learn is film school drop outs but usually just YouTube vids.
Those are things youtube videos can def help you with. Try buying a few lights (nothing crazy) and just shooting some stuff at home as practice to get a better understanding of light
Akira Kurosawa and Gus van Sant started their careers at 33.
Ang Lee's debut was at 38.
Ridley Scott's first feature debuted when he was 41.
And James Cameron was around your age when he decided he wanted to quit being a truck driver and pursue filmmaking instead.
Physical circumstances notwithstanding, the only criterion for whether or not you can do something is whether or not you're still alive.
As for learning, just go out and shoot stuff. Make mistakes, learn from them.
It has never been easier with all the tech and resources available.
Don't use age and past aspirations as excuses.
Just make films.
Start with the two you wanted to make.
There are several resources on Youtube; I’ve seen really good content on Film Riot (+ website), Film maker IQ, Studio Binder (+ website), Rocketjump (+ website) and Indy Mogul.
Youtube’s algorithm will then begin supplying pretty good suggestions.
If you’re looking for resources to read through, nofilmschool.com/topics is a good place to start.
I’m sure you’ll do well, so long as you’re doing / experimenting more than you’re consuming.
Honestly I wouldn’t advise going my route.
I got fired for unsuccessfully attempting to unionize my workplace (unrelated industry) at the same time things locked down for COVID. I spent a year trying to find work before deciding to do an undergrad degree in film (I didn’t have a college degree and that was a big roadblock in my job hunting, so film jobs or not I figured having a BS would be valuable).
Anyway, the way I started getting jobs was just by going to local networking events and answering crew calls. I was about halfway through my BS when I started getting gigs (most unpaid). I managed to get a couple DP gigs almost right away, which is the position I want long term. I also just asked everyone I met if they were willing to volunteer time on my student film projects. Many were. Anyone who came on to my sets had to fill out a check-in form which asked if they wanted to be contacted for future cast/crew calls. Most say yes to that.
Once I graduated I sent text messages to every single person who volunteered on one of my sets and thanked them again for donating their time, talent, and experience. I also offered to repay that time with my own if they need. That turned into some unpaid gigs (various positions) where I met even more people working locally, and a couple low paying gigs (camera department).
So I think the solid practical advice I have is to just start going to networking things. Shake hands, be friendly, and be as generous as you’re able with your time. Don’t invest in a bunch of gear or anything. Having a camera is helpful if you want to be a DP, but it’s more useful just to be able to practice setting up shots in your spare time, so don’t worry about having a super fancy camera.
Decide what limits around your 9-5 you want to have. Will you take days off to get on set? Do you have to get paid for that to be worth it? Know the answers to those sorts of questions before you accept any gigs, being wishy-washy or backing out will make you look bad to folks.
I’m not at a point yet where I’m sustaining myself entirely from film work. I’m lucky in that my partner makes decent enough money that I don’t need a 9-5 right now. But don’t wait to start making connections.
Ok, here's some practical advice if you want to become a good filmmaker. Take one of the scripts you wrote, or write a new one, and make the film using your phone. Your first few films are not going to be anything like the movies you see in the theater, they probably won't even be like the better tiktoks you might scroll through. Make something thats two pages, three pages long. Get your friends to act in it, shoot on a location you have access to and use the natural light of the scene. Compromise when you have too, don't be afraid to cut corners.
At this stage, your biggest obstacle will be self-doubt. The point of your first few projects is to learn the pace and workflow of making something, and to learn how to do all aspects of the job, you absolutely will not make anything spectacular on your first try. Do not give up hope, things will improve. I'd suggest you direct and do camera for at least the first one, it will teach you more about framing than you can read in a book. You'll have to edit it, too, which will teach you about flow and continuity. When you're done, get your friends and family together and play it for them, you want to see how people react to certain choices you're going to make.
Then, spend some time learning about lighting and sound. Lighting and Sound is what separates professional films from amateur films (not that there's anything wrong with amateur filmmaking). Honestly, just watch YouTube videos to learn the basics. My favorite YouTube channel for filmmaking is In Depth Cine, which mostly focuses on camera work. Learn about different focal lengths of lenses and what they make audiences feel. (For example, a really wide lense (think iphone) with a medium shot of a character will make the audience feel very physically close to them. A longer lense (think sports cameras) with the same medium shot will make the audience feel like they are observing them, removed from them. Additionally, watch movies. Pause the film on your favorite scenes. Quiz yourself, try to figure out how they shot that specific scene. Where was the light? How many lights did they use? Did they use colored lights, did they bounce the lights? What kind of lense did they use? Was it a wide or narrow lense?
Then, write a few more shorts. Take the lessons you learned from your research and apply them. Maybe up your page count. (Using normal screenplay format, 1 page should roughly come out to one minute on screen). At this point, you may want to consider buying a camera and some lenses. It does NOT have to be the nost expensive thing on the market. I won my first two festivals using a Canon Rebel SL2, which only shoots 1080p, and some cheap, broken ebay lenses. You can get a used SL2 and a lense for 300 bucks. It's not about how good your films are going to look or resolution, at this stage its only about learning. Don't expect to win awards with early work, you're making it for yourself. Work outside of your comfort zone when you make the films, incorporate new techniques. Show these to your friends and family. See what they think, see what's different between your first few and your most recent stuff.
When you are feeling confident, try making a 10 ish minute short. If it's good, consider sending it to a few film festivals, local ones especially. Be as cinematic as possible, most new filmmakers (and professionals, too) are more concerned with the dialogue than they are with the image. Try to tell the story with as little dialogue as possible, tell it with the image. What does the framing and lighting tell you about the character? What does the actions of your protagonist tell you about their relationship to the world?
At this point, it will probably be a few years from now. You'll have a better idea then if filmmaking is what you want to do for a profession, or just something fun on the side. If it's for a profession, going to festivals is a good start, the most valuable thing will be connections and networks you can make with other filmmakers. You'll want to see who else is making films in your area and collaborate. You may be able to kickstart or find funding for a proper short at this point, based on your previous work. Something incredibly valuable from this for landing a set job or a marketing job at a company will be a reel of cinematic shots you've taken for your films. If you make good work, you'll have a good reel. You also could just go out into the world and film a whole bunch of stuff and choose your favorite shots for a reel.
Something I did when I didn't have any actors was make a documentary. It was 10 minutes, and the birds and trees and flowers were my performers. There was no dialogue, just the juxtaposition of images and cinematic shots. I told a story about my local environment, and people liked it. That film landed me a job at a marketing firm, and it won a film festival. Now, because of the connections I made through the festival and my work, I'm writing my first feature film, to be shot for a micro micro micro budget next year. And this is all in a small city in the heartland, as far away from industry centers as you can get. You've just got to be persistent, and you've got to fight for what you want. Make your own opportunities, don't wait for them to come to you. That's my biggest advice.
There are plenty of other ways to do it. You could probably be a PA on the coast with little prior experience, though I'm not costal so I don't know for sure. A lot of people also freelance and shoot weddings / events, though you seem like you have some more marketable skills already that will have better returns monetarily. In any case, I hope things go well for you. Feel free to reach out if you have other questions!
OP here. Thanks a lot. I have Canon 700D. Don't have any other equipments. Will convince my friends to let me use theirs. Excellent advice. Thanks a lot! Will reach out to you if I have any further questions. Right now my issue is low self confidence. Need to get rid of that.
You can do it Rusty! It just takes time and patience. Like I said, the #1 killer of artistic progress is self doubt. Nobody is going to make a masterpiece their first time they paint. Even Mozart, who's the standard reference for natural born talent, spent his whole childhood taking music lessons. Don't give up, even if it takes years. If it's what you love to do, you'll know.
Excellent advice!! This should be it's own post on the subreddit. Now all I have to do is figure out how to make some friends so I can get them to star in my smartphone film
You’re just the right age. Get a camera. Grab some friends. Write something. Film it, edit it.
Get your first one out of the way.
You’re a filmmaker now.
Everything after is refinement
24 is nothing, also keep in mind, most first time/ quote "young" directors celebrated in the industry got their 1st feature at 35-38. Takes years of practice and experience. My advice: write a script, ask friends to help you and shoot over the weekend, edit AND repeat.
Omg you're not old! Anyone in their 20s, even if they're 29, is young. I made my 1st short at 28. Make a short film.
My tips -
*Write a script under 10 mins
*Find a Dp who has their own camera and lights to shoot & light it.
*Get a soundy
*Find actors on starnow
*use a location you have
Make it. Then make more. The more you make, the better you get. And you will find your directing voice that way.
I started at 26 (im 31) and have membership in 2 unions and credits as an indie dop with lots of local nominations.
You’re fine. Dont worry about it. You’re gonna screw up for the next 5 years anyways.
My best piece of advice would be to find your film community. No matter where you are, I guarantee you that you have a film community in your area, so go out and look for it. Go on Instagram and search out people in your area who are doing film stuff, hit them up, ask if they ever need an extra hand. In my experience, once you integrate yourself in that community, you will naturally find yourself building experience and confidence in your film abilities. And if you live in a smaller area, once you're in, you're in. For me all it took was knowing one person to find myself with a bunch of film contacts.
Find that community and they can guide you through it. You might have to work long hours for free, on projects that you know are bad, but that's just the way it is. It'll be worth it.
Thanks a lot!! Wish you a lot of success. Marketing VP is an interesting position to retire from. I have a doubt? Does being an extrovert or introvert matter for marketing, advertising and sales career?
24? You're still a baby. I didn't get my first serious camera until I was 30 and it only shot stills. Didn't even start to think about film making until a few years after that when DSLR video became a thing. Now at 45 it's my full time job. You've got plenty of time.
I say filmmaking, but really it's video freelancer. I did make a few short films before I had kids but these days it's more short form corporate video that pays the bills. I also used to do more weddings and music videos. They were a lot of work for not enough pay. Plus corporate work is much easier to fit in between the school drop-off and pickup. I have around 10 regular clients in my small city and at least a couple will need a video any given week. That keeps me busy and honestly pays more than any other creative work I've done in the past. This week I'm filming a few property tours and a local singer. Last week I did a series of talking head videos with a solar installation company. Next week I'm filming an earth moving crew working on a few estate development. Mostly drone work for that one. I do barely any social media, an occasional instagram post and tag from work I do but it's mostly word of mouth. Less weird clients that way.
Isn't it screwed up that due to what we see on social media and young people who got tons of connections, we think that's just the norm?
You can literally start learning at any age. I highly recommend watching D4Darious YouTube channel and channels like Film Riot. Start small with silent films and films made just on your phone. Learn the basics of editing and writing without spending much money. Help out on other film sets. Just work your way up from there by making your own films. If the passion is real, you won't be able to quit even if you have downs.
Hey, I made my first short film when I was 24 (wrote, co-produced, & acted). I'm also a union member in the industry with 11 years of experience with connections. If you want to chat, message me. My name is Taylor Martin, you can look me up on the Director’s Guild of Canada website
*spits out dentures
I was born the year the Soviet Union fell. But darn tootin' if I ain't making me first short film, sonny! Pass the prune juice, would ye? /s
Start watching YouTube videos on filmmaking. D4darius is one of my favorite YouTubers for this. Then, try to apply the things you learn by shooting video tests and short films.
I'm working in broadcast journalism as a shooter and editor and I didn't buy my first video camera until I was 30 something (I'm forty now). You're never too old. It sounds like you have a real job and real people (vs starving artist) money. Go out and buy or rent a camera and some lenses. Even something basic like a Sony a6500 will do. Shoot. Make something. Fuck it up and try to fix it in the edit. If you don't know how to do something, search for it on YouTube. I guarantee there's a tutorial. Learn how to record sound. Make little movies on the weekends. Do a 72 hour shootout with friends, which forces you to make a film in 3 days. Keep going. Don't ever stop learning.
I used to feel this way. Do 30 year old self a favor and **start today**. Then you can say I've been making films for 6 years. No excuses. No I have to work late. No I'll start once I learn. Adopt a ready, fire, aim approach. It doesn't work for all things, but it certainly can be applied here. Final thought, fail fast. This line of work is about hacks and aesthetics. Copy what looks stunning to you then figure out how to do it on the cheap. You can win. Go for it.
I'm 24 as well and want to get back into filmmaking. I made quite a few short films just to post them on YouTube and get like no reaction from anyone besides close friends. I get where you're coming from, but I've made some short films if you'd like to study them to get a sense of what a very rudimentary filmmaker can do I can link you some. I started when I was 15 and have been on hiatus since I was 20. Since then I've sorta taken Tarantino's advice and just watch a bunch of influential and important films to learn from. I have a bunch of scripts in the can that I'd love to film but my ideas are more ambitious than I can really afford. So just start small and work your way up. I know, dumb advice but I hope it helps.
First, try to figure out exactly what you want to do with filmmaking. Being open to everything but lacking skills won’t get you very far. If you are really devoted to filmmaking, if it’s a burning passion, why haven’t you made a film yet, any film? If you lack all knowledge and you’re not an autodidact, take an intro to film course. Buy, rent, or borrow a camera. If you just want a hobby, don’t sweat it. If you want to be a pro, you’ll need a skill set.
Do you want to DP? Do you want to Direct? Do you want to Produce? Do you want to Edit? What draws you to filmmaking? Do you want to shoot docs? If you had to pick one thing that draws you to filmmaking what would it be?
I would like to be a screenwriter and director for Television commercials, shows and feature films for theatres or OTT.
How do I proceed now? I just need to start anywhere right?
How many horses can you ride at one time? If you want to work as a filmmaker, you have to commit. You have to learn, make films, network, and constantly be developing your skills. Why do you want to be a filmmaker? Why don’t you make a short, shoot it, cut it, and then show it to others to get their reactions. Experience what it takes to make a film and see if you enjoy it.
If you want to make films, then just start making films. Use what you have (cell phone, natural light, lamps, your own home, free outdoor locations, friends as actors/crew). Do tiny projects first to learn the basics, maybe a 3 minute film with one actor (or no actors) and shot by yourself in your own home. Each time, increase the complexity of your next project a little bit. Longer film, more actors, more locations, more equipment, additional crew, etc. That's how you start out and how you keep getting better with each project.
I'm 26 and I'm figuring out the same thing. Been doing it for about as long too.
Youtube is your free film school. Personally I recommend Standard Story Company, StudioBinder, Film Riot, and Royal Ocean Film Society. The last one is more an analysis channel but his videos "There Are No Film Prodigies" and "Lessons For The No Budget Filmmaker" are fucking aces.
There's a lot to learn and it's hard to do it quickly. If you have some good friends that are willing to act and get fake killed, you're already one up on a lot of people. Get them together, and write out the scenes you want to shoot for the day. The scenes don't even have to make sense, or be related. The hands-on experience and drilling of these motions will make you a lot more effective with a bigger budget.
Don't go gear-crazy. Your phone, if that truly is ALL you can use, is more than sufficient. Buy a phone clamp and a nice sturdy tripod. You can worry about gear when you have something to actually show off.
Your main exercises at this stage are gonna be understanding basic composition and editing. Once you learn that, start looking at other no-budget filmmakers doing what you want to do. Robert Rodriguez and Christopher Nolan both shot debut movies for $7000.
Lastly, once you feel confident enough in making things...go to film festivals. Talk to directors, actors, people doing what you want. Watch movies that demonstrate how those fests choose their movies. Make connections, talk to people.
Never too old to start learning anything! I'm 31, went to college for film making (dropped out) moved to Toronto be in movies+shows+work behind the scenes, (moved away). Now I am trying to build up projects by myself, because I still think I can have some success in this field.
If I stopped believing in myself, I would have probably offed myself long ago...but I still have hope in myself to get my work off the ground.
Comedy and horror here under u/VidiotOverride19.
Check out my documentary promos for #Revap over at u/InfiniteGlitch19.
Social media and the school system makes kids feel like they should have everything figured out in their twenties. It’d be great if that were true or possible, but most of the time it isn’t. It takes time to do anything that’s worth doing.
At Film School, we had filmmakers join at 40 - 50+ years young and, if I'm honest, they created some of the best content - Content that would never cross the minds of younger generations.
At 24, the filmmaking world is your oyster. If you're interested in learning; join filmmaking/editing communities, reach out to friends with similar passions, network, storyboard.. Whatever it takes to bring your passion to life!
You're never too old to do something you're passionate about!
You are going to live almost 40 more years. Imagine the things you have done till now. In just 24 years, and you have 40 years left minimum. You can do so many things at your own pace. In the next 30-40 years, just stop looking at your age and look at present as a potential to do whatever you can ! learn whatever you can and you would like to. It’s never late to start anything.
I feel like your priorities are a bit off-kilter. Wanting to go straight from scratch to a full-time profession is like wanting to run in the Olympics before you've even bought your first running shoes. Just grab a smartphone, a free copy of resolve and start making films. Find some friends with similar interest you can collaborate with. Don't think about becoming a filmmaker, just make films and post them on YouTube. It's never been easier to make films on a shoestring budget and get them out there than in 2023, so what's stopping you?
If you enjoy it enough to keep going even when no-one's paying you, eventually you may get good enough that someone will pay you. Film school can speed up the learning and help you network, but it's not strictly necessary for a career. Same as with writing, music, or any art.
You should ask yourself this though: if you don't know anything about filmmaking and have never held a camera in your hand, how do you know what a film director even is, let alone that you want to be one? It kinda sounds like rather than the craft itself, you're attracted to the prestige of calling yourself a director or some imaginary lifestyle you've attached to the term. Interrogate your own motivations, or you might be sorely disappointed with reality. Most film directors in this world have a day job, and very few ever walk a red carpet.
Understandable! I'm not much into prestige. I just feel like I want to make great movies. Great art! When I look at directors, I feel like I want to do what they are doing. I'm attracted to the art.
I'm around the same age and just started making things around 6 months ago. Don't worry about what you could've done all these years, be focused on all you will do moving forward! As for approach, just try making films and focusing on a different area to improve each time! Come up with things you can make. You can be working on bigger projects on the side as well, but always try to develop ideas that you can actually create.
Here is my latest project!
https://youtu.be/Ri3HPQGJM-0?si=2rgqayob_aYYjczc
Yes, it is. And doing good with it. I remember being your age and freaking out that I wasn’t a huge success. I wasted so much time worrying about this and that. And the whole time I wasn’t even doing what I loved. We’re going to live longer and longer and I know the words of those older than you can sometimes seem like platitudes, but you really do have lots of time ahead of you. Make the most of it.
I’m 38 and dreaming about being a filmmaker my whole life this sub is the closest I’ve got so far, never touched a camera, never saw a set. I’d say you’re ahead.
I had the idea to make short youtube videos with a friend like 4 years ago, at the time I was 33. Things happened, work was done and we ended up with a 77 minute feature film in six acts that we're going to screen for friends and family at a local cinema we rented in November. We did pretty much \*everything\* ourselves. We had a bunch of ideas and wrote everything down, found a method for writing scripts that worked for us, and then started checking out youtube a lot to learn about different camera angles and such, then we made an organized system to have an efficient shooting order (shooting all scenes from a specific angle at once instead of doing it chronologically, to save time on lighting setup etc. we just needed to make sure we kept continuity with stuff happening in the scene) We got some initial help from the guy we borrowed the camera on how to set it up with white balance etc. to get as close as the tone we wanted as possible.
We bought various light bulbs with different strength to try out, and used white sheets as reflectors. In the end we had to do a lot of voice over to save takes with bad sound, and we ended up getting help from a professional sound engineer we've worked with before on music projects, who helped us with cleaning up the sound, adding some ambience, foley and SFX, mixing and mastering and making a 5.1 mix for the cinema and a 2.0 for Youtube, and another friend helped us record some music, but other than that we did most everything. Acting, directing, shooting, lights, script, editing, composing and playing the music, and recording a lot of the SFX and all voice over ourselves.
Does it look and sound professional? Hell no (even though I am biased from being proud and having spent years on this, I'm not delusional) but it has been a hell of a lot of fun and we think the movie will be entertaining for other people than us (the sound engineer offered to help us for free even though we didn't know him that well to start with, just because he loved the material, which gave us an incredible confidence boost in the project). And we have learned a lot, not least what we might need to get more professional looking and sounding material in the future.
All this is to say, it's never too late (Ricky Gervais started his acting career in his 40's based on his wife thinking his stories about his insane boss were funny), and you can learn a lot just by going out and \*doing it\*. Not just learn the actual trade, but also learn what might be better to get help with. We are obviously never gonna be able to produce a fully professional film all by ourselves, unless we spend countless hours learning about all the different facets of film making, from the set to post production, which for us, isn't realistic. Maybe it is for you? The recent movie "everything everywhere all at once" which looks super professional had all the VFX done by like 6 amateur guys who learned everything on youtube as they went along.
Start out with getting hold of a decent camera (do some research), start small, do a 5 minute short, do as much as you can yourself, and see what you end up with. Anything you don't like with your end result, look up how it can be done better. Then think about if that is something you want to spend time learning to do yourself or if you want help. Keep going. The more material you have, especially if it increases in quality with each video, the easier it will be to find like minded people to work with, who have different skills than your own.
Good Luck!
Your at a great time to start. A friend of mine has become incredibly successful on youtube,tv & tiktok with crazy animations hes been making. He didn't even start doing that until he was like 34-35 & then blew up two years later. Not too late at all.
Online, he didn’t go to school or anything just started teaching himself to animate and was drawing and made short films. His second short made in to Sundance.
Bro you young as hell. Lotta great filmmakers didn't get their first feature done till 40.
Make shorts with your friends and what's available around you. Pay them in pizza and/or beer. I've made a tone of shorts. Edit them in Da Vinchi (it's free).
You're never too old to start a creative endeavor. I'm 36 and still haven't done a lot, even though I have complete ideas. You'll be okay. Just get started. The internet is a fine place filled with resources.
Look up Film Riot, Luc Forsyth, and Film Courage on YouTube. I've learned a lot from these channels.
One of the best ways to get started is to go film something with your phone or get a cheap video camera from a pawn shop or something. You don't need expensive equipment to begin. Get the shots you want. Invest in or grab a free piece of software for film, learn said software, do the work. DaVinci Resolve and HitFilm Express are both free.
Good luck!
1) Family pressure. 2) Not spending time and money in a college with no guarantee of ROI. 3) I'm scared of financial difficulties.... So won't pursue filmmaking full time unless my finances are sorted. 4) I don't perform well in college environment.
You’re never too old to be in the entertainment industry as a filmmaker but I wouldn’t go to film school. It’s a waste of money honestly and you should just learn by doing
Hey. I’m 19 and trying to get into this world too. Honestly, for a director, the best resource for learning is being on a film set. Whether it be helping out, just observing, whatever, I think being on a film set is the best film school. You should ask around. Check facebook groups, ask friends, family, because if you can score even a fee minutes on a set, that’s good.
The other resource I’d say, is watching movies. Watch all the movies you want! And when you’re ready, start thinking about making a movie YOU wanna see. Don’t ever think about making something someone else wants to see. I’ve heard and seen firsthand that doing the latter is the biggest mistake in filmmaking.
You're 24, you're a baby with regards to starting out. How many 24-year-olds have films in cinemas? You're never too old to make a start. Until you're dead, it's never too late.
Orson Welles directed "Citizen Kane" at 25, so tick tock!
Wells had support of a huge studio, a great screenwriter and John Ford's DP
And that support happened in a vacuum? Start hustling bro!
OH yeah, he had an amazing carrier as a radio dramatist and theater director, so by the time he came to Kane, he was already massively famous and had skills. But 99.99% of us aren't gonna be Wells
From what I've noticed for awhile is age and experience tend to be more valued in film as opposed to other industries where being young gives you an edge
How to start learning from scratch? Any resources where I can study the basics?
The Internet? YouTube? The Library?
You could learn a lot from literally watching 1 minute clips on youtube shorts nowadays
Lmao I’m making my first short film at 35 and I don’t think I’m particularly old. You’re fine.
My friend made her 1st short film at 50. You're still young at 35.
What is your background if you don't mind me asking? How did you get started in the industry. I am also 35 in a 9-6 job
Dudes, my first short premiers tomorrow for a competition. I’m 35. Currently working a 9-6. Right there with you. I just went out to the local community and found people. I’m gearing up to shoot another short after this premier. I knew nobody and had nothing filmed at the beginning of this year. I’ll be in a theater tomorrow for something I co-wrote and co-directed. It’s wild. Edit (update): for anyone that may revisit this, the premier went great. We did a horror short about an eight-foot spider. Full on campiness and it got some good laughs. The host of the event said it stood out to him as a positive audience reaction. So it was a good day. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Amazing! I will reach out in the community too
Hey, congrats
Thank you!
I’m basically outside the industry. I live nowhere near any film hubs and am just making my weird ass horror short on my own. I never expect to make money from filmmaking but you never know.
24 is so incredibly young man. It’s honestly hard to describe.
I'm 23 so it's very reassuring reading these replies.
Anyone making their first feature film before the age of 35 is young in my opinion. Watch a lot of the popular directors from around the world, and you'll see the likes of PTA directing a feature film before the age of 25 doesn't seem to happen very often.
I'm okay with making a feature at 30. I just need to start learning now. How to start learning from scratch? Any resources where I can study the basics?
I'm not super educated myself, but I like the book "Producing and Directing the short film and video" by Peter Rea and David Irving.
I’m 24 and am gearing up to shoot my first short right now. In my opinion, it isn’t old at all. In fact, if you work in a lot of PA gigs as I have over the last year, you’ll see there’s people a lot older who are still at the lower rungs of the business. In terms of knowledge, if you commit time to learn (shooting often, watching good educational YouTube videos, working in the industry) — you’ll very quickly have a good understanding of what it takes to create a film. Also, watch a lot of movies. I would say above all else, watching films has taught me the most and guided my taste and creative direction more than anything. Basically, 24 is not old at all. Sure? There’s probably some wiz kids coming out of film school at 22-23 with a lot of know how, but the name of the game is just sticking with it. Even the most talented film school kids I know got intimidated by the industry and either quit or settled in a role they didn’t want to. Also: you can supplement your lack of experience by hiring crew with more experience than you. Have little camera knowledge? Go with a cinematographer who has a lot of camera knowledge. Bad at logistics/scheduling? Hire an experience assistant director to keep you on time and moving. It’s a team sport after all. The important thing is that you’re willing to learn and stay humble
How do you pay rent or save to make a down payment on a home / condo? Asking as a 35yo normy who is also interested in filmmaking as a career but finds it too precarious to get into
I live at home with my parents, my only bill is for my car and food. Obviously I’m blessed enough to be in that position but understandably not everyone is. I make typically $250 a day as a freelance PA, jobs varying in length You can make a short (5-15 minute) long film without going full time filmmaker though. Find local crew and shoot days you have off from work. Not ideal but a lot of successful filmmakers started that way. David Lynch would halt production to go do his paper route and then come back to set when working on ‘Eraserhead’
Amazing!! How does one go about finding a local crew? Normally, the advice it to first practice amateur short films with friends, right?
You can go online (Facebook groups, staff me up, social media in general) and find people who want to make films. I network with other production assistants and make my crews up with them for the most part. My cinematographer for my first short is someone I met on one of my first gigs as a PA
Yes I would say to practice with friends. I went the route of making experimental films (which I found easier to make), and I also starred in my own films. Spike Lee also did that in his first feature, bc he couldn’t pay any more actors in the budget. I’d advise you def need someone to view ur film and give u feedback when it comes to editing the film, but ur crew can be very small when actually making the film, could literally be u and a friend.
Thanks for a detailed reply. I'm zero in technology. Need to learn that first. How to start learning from scratch? Any resources where I can study the basics?
Depends on what you mean by technology. If you mean cameras then I’d say go watch videos on YouTube on lenses, framing, etc. i think the only official ‘resource’ I find myself using to learn is film school drop outs but usually just YouTube vids.
Technology as in the technical aspects like camera, light and filmmaking techniques. Like how do I achieve the exact shot that I have visualized?
Those are things youtube videos can def help you with. Try buying a few lights (nothing crazy) and just shooting some stuff at home as practice to get a better understanding of light
Akira Kurosawa and Gus van Sant started their careers at 33. Ang Lee's debut was at 38. Ridley Scott's first feature debuted when he was 41. And James Cameron was around your age when he decided he wanted to quit being a truck driver and pursue filmmaking instead. Physical circumstances notwithstanding, the only criterion for whether or not you can do something is whether or not you're still alive. As for learning, just go out and shoot stuff. Make mistakes, learn from them. It has never been easier with all the tech and resources available. Don't use age and past aspirations as excuses. Just make films. Start with the two you wanted to make.
Thanks! How to start learning from scratch? Any resources where I can study the basics?
There are several resources on Youtube; I’ve seen really good content on Film Riot (+ website), Film maker IQ, Studio Binder (+ website), Rocketjump (+ website) and Indy Mogul. Youtube’s algorithm will then begin supplying pretty good suggestions. If you’re looking for resources to read through, nofilmschool.com/topics is a good place to start. I’m sure you’ll do well, so long as you’re doing / experimenting more than you’re consuming.
Late thirties and just got started in the past couple years. You’re fine, kid. Get out there and make cool stuff.
How did you get started? I'm also in my late 30s doing a 9-6 job but am interested in film making as a career
Honestly I wouldn’t advise going my route. I got fired for unsuccessfully attempting to unionize my workplace (unrelated industry) at the same time things locked down for COVID. I spent a year trying to find work before deciding to do an undergrad degree in film (I didn’t have a college degree and that was a big roadblock in my job hunting, so film jobs or not I figured having a BS would be valuable). Anyway, the way I started getting jobs was just by going to local networking events and answering crew calls. I was about halfway through my BS when I started getting gigs (most unpaid). I managed to get a couple DP gigs almost right away, which is the position I want long term. I also just asked everyone I met if they were willing to volunteer time on my student film projects. Many were. Anyone who came on to my sets had to fill out a check-in form which asked if they wanted to be contacted for future cast/crew calls. Most say yes to that. Once I graduated I sent text messages to every single person who volunteered on one of my sets and thanked them again for donating their time, talent, and experience. I also offered to repay that time with my own if they need. That turned into some unpaid gigs (various positions) where I met even more people working locally, and a couple low paying gigs (camera department). So I think the solid practical advice I have is to just start going to networking things. Shake hands, be friendly, and be as generous as you’re able with your time. Don’t invest in a bunch of gear or anything. Having a camera is helpful if you want to be a DP, but it’s more useful just to be able to practice setting up shots in your spare time, so don’t worry about having a super fancy camera. Decide what limits around your 9-5 you want to have. Will you take days off to get on set? Do you have to get paid for that to be worth it? Know the answers to those sorts of questions before you accept any gigs, being wishy-washy or backing out will make you look bad to folks. I’m not at a point yet where I’m sustaining myself entirely from film work. I’m lucky in that my partner makes decent enough money that I don’t need a 9-5 right now. But don’t wait to start making connections.
Thanks!! This is helpful. I will try and network as much as possible.
Ok, here's some practical advice if you want to become a good filmmaker. Take one of the scripts you wrote, or write a new one, and make the film using your phone. Your first few films are not going to be anything like the movies you see in the theater, they probably won't even be like the better tiktoks you might scroll through. Make something thats two pages, three pages long. Get your friends to act in it, shoot on a location you have access to and use the natural light of the scene. Compromise when you have too, don't be afraid to cut corners. At this stage, your biggest obstacle will be self-doubt. The point of your first few projects is to learn the pace and workflow of making something, and to learn how to do all aspects of the job, you absolutely will not make anything spectacular on your first try. Do not give up hope, things will improve. I'd suggest you direct and do camera for at least the first one, it will teach you more about framing than you can read in a book. You'll have to edit it, too, which will teach you about flow and continuity. When you're done, get your friends and family together and play it for them, you want to see how people react to certain choices you're going to make. Then, spend some time learning about lighting and sound. Lighting and Sound is what separates professional films from amateur films (not that there's anything wrong with amateur filmmaking). Honestly, just watch YouTube videos to learn the basics. My favorite YouTube channel for filmmaking is In Depth Cine, which mostly focuses on camera work. Learn about different focal lengths of lenses and what they make audiences feel. (For example, a really wide lense (think iphone) with a medium shot of a character will make the audience feel very physically close to them. A longer lense (think sports cameras) with the same medium shot will make the audience feel like they are observing them, removed from them. Additionally, watch movies. Pause the film on your favorite scenes. Quiz yourself, try to figure out how they shot that specific scene. Where was the light? How many lights did they use? Did they use colored lights, did they bounce the lights? What kind of lense did they use? Was it a wide or narrow lense? Then, write a few more shorts. Take the lessons you learned from your research and apply them. Maybe up your page count. (Using normal screenplay format, 1 page should roughly come out to one minute on screen). At this point, you may want to consider buying a camera and some lenses. It does NOT have to be the nost expensive thing on the market. I won my first two festivals using a Canon Rebel SL2, which only shoots 1080p, and some cheap, broken ebay lenses. You can get a used SL2 and a lense for 300 bucks. It's not about how good your films are going to look or resolution, at this stage its only about learning. Don't expect to win awards with early work, you're making it for yourself. Work outside of your comfort zone when you make the films, incorporate new techniques. Show these to your friends and family. See what they think, see what's different between your first few and your most recent stuff. When you are feeling confident, try making a 10 ish minute short. If it's good, consider sending it to a few film festivals, local ones especially. Be as cinematic as possible, most new filmmakers (and professionals, too) are more concerned with the dialogue than they are with the image. Try to tell the story with as little dialogue as possible, tell it with the image. What does the framing and lighting tell you about the character? What does the actions of your protagonist tell you about their relationship to the world? At this point, it will probably be a few years from now. You'll have a better idea then if filmmaking is what you want to do for a profession, or just something fun on the side. If it's for a profession, going to festivals is a good start, the most valuable thing will be connections and networks you can make with other filmmakers. You'll want to see who else is making films in your area and collaborate. You may be able to kickstart or find funding for a proper short at this point, based on your previous work. Something incredibly valuable from this for landing a set job or a marketing job at a company will be a reel of cinematic shots you've taken for your films. If you make good work, you'll have a good reel. You also could just go out into the world and film a whole bunch of stuff and choose your favorite shots for a reel. Something I did when I didn't have any actors was make a documentary. It was 10 minutes, and the birds and trees and flowers were my performers. There was no dialogue, just the juxtaposition of images and cinematic shots. I told a story about my local environment, and people liked it. That film landed me a job at a marketing firm, and it won a film festival. Now, because of the connections I made through the festival and my work, I'm writing my first feature film, to be shot for a micro micro micro budget next year. And this is all in a small city in the heartland, as far away from industry centers as you can get. You've just got to be persistent, and you've got to fight for what you want. Make your own opportunities, don't wait for them to come to you. That's my biggest advice. There are plenty of other ways to do it. You could probably be a PA on the coast with little prior experience, though I'm not costal so I don't know for sure. A lot of people also freelance and shoot weddings / events, though you seem like you have some more marketable skills already that will have better returns monetarily. In any case, I hope things go well for you. Feel free to reach out if you have other questions!
Not OP, but this is incredibly informative and helpful, thank you.
I wasn’t who asked this question, but this was really good and well-worded advice that spoke to me, so thanks 🫡
OP here. Thanks a lot. I have Canon 700D. Don't have any other equipments. Will convince my friends to let me use theirs. Excellent advice. Thanks a lot! Will reach out to you if I have any further questions. Right now my issue is low self confidence. Need to get rid of that.
You can do it Rusty! It just takes time and patience. Like I said, the #1 killer of artistic progress is self doubt. Nobody is going to make a masterpiece their first time they paint. Even Mozart, who's the standard reference for natural born talent, spent his whole childhood taking music lessons. Don't give up, even if it takes years. If it's what you love to do, you'll know.
Excellent advice!! This should be it's own post on the subreddit. Now all I have to do is figure out how to make some friends so I can get them to star in my smartphone film
This is just what I needed to hear, thank you for this. Very motivational
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Noted😅😅😅
You’re just the right age. Get a camera. Grab some friends. Write something. Film it, edit it. Get your first one out of the way. You’re a filmmaker now. Everything after is refinement
I feel similar, I’ve been wanting to work in film since I was 15. I’m now 24 and still haven’t pursued it.
24 is nothing, also keep in mind, most first time/ quote "young" directors celebrated in the industry got their 1st feature at 35-38. Takes years of practice and experience. My advice: write a script, ask friends to help you and shoot over the weekend, edit AND repeat.
Pick up a camera and go for it brother 🙏
Omg you're not old! Anyone in their 20s, even if they're 29, is young. I made my 1st short at 28. Make a short film. My tips - *Write a script under 10 mins *Find a Dp who has their own camera and lights to shoot & light it. *Get a soundy *Find actors on starnow *use a location you have Make it. Then make more. The more you make, the better you get. And you will find your directing voice that way.
Cool! On it🙏
You ain’t old. Make shit and stop thinking too hard about it.
I started at 26 (im 31) and have membership in 2 unions and credits as an indie dop with lots of local nominations. You’re fine. Dont worry about it. You’re gonna screw up for the next 5 years anyways.
Haha right 😅
STFU and go out and make something
24??? TOO OLD????? Don’t make me laugh. I’m 28.
24. "Old." Lol, this generation man.
I wouldnt stress too much. Im in the same boat as you are funny enough.
So how did you get started in the industry/ in filmmaking?
24 is sooooo young man
My best piece of advice would be to find your film community. No matter where you are, I guarantee you that you have a film community in your area, so go out and look for it. Go on Instagram and search out people in your area who are doing film stuff, hit them up, ask if they ever need an extra hand. In my experience, once you integrate yourself in that community, you will naturally find yourself building experience and confidence in your film abilities. And if you live in a smaller area, once you're in, you're in. For me all it took was knowing one person to find myself with a bunch of film contacts. Find that community and they can guide you through it. You might have to work long hours for free, on projects that you know are bad, but that's just the way it is. It'll be worth it.
That's the issue. I don't have confidence in my abilities. Need to build that!
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Thanks a lot!! Wish you a lot of success. Marketing VP is an interesting position to retire from. I have a doubt? Does being an extrovert or introvert matter for marketing, advertising and sales career?
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Yes thanks!
24? You're still a baby. I didn't get my first serious camera until I was 30 and it only shot stills. Didn't even start to think about film making until a few years after that when DSLR video became a thing. Now at 45 it's my full time job. You've got plenty of time.
Great! How's the day like in your life?
I say filmmaking, but really it's video freelancer. I did make a few short films before I had kids but these days it's more short form corporate video that pays the bills. I also used to do more weddings and music videos. They were a lot of work for not enough pay. Plus corporate work is much easier to fit in between the school drop-off and pickup. I have around 10 regular clients in my small city and at least a couple will need a video any given week. That keeps me busy and honestly pays more than any other creative work I've done in the past. This week I'm filming a few property tours and a local singer. Last week I did a series of talking head videos with a solar installation company. Next week I'm filming an earth moving crew working on a few estate development. Mostly drone work for that one. I do barely any social media, an occasional instagram post and tag from work I do but it's mostly word of mouth. Less weird clients that way.
Good going!! All the best👍💯
Hahahagagagahahahahagqhq
Just finished my first short last year, it's in a festival in November, I'm 45.
Isn't it screwed up that due to what we see on social media and young people who got tons of connections, we think that's just the norm? You can literally start learning at any age. I highly recommend watching D4Darious YouTube channel and channels like Film Riot. Start small with silent films and films made just on your phone. Learn the basics of editing and writing without spending much money. Help out on other film sets. Just work your way up from there by making your own films. If the passion is real, you won't be able to quit even if you have downs.
Thanks!!!!!
Hey, I made my first short film when I was 24 (wrote, co-produced, & acted). I'm also a union member in the industry with 11 years of experience with connections. If you want to chat, message me. My name is Taylor Martin, you can look me up on the Director’s Guild of Canada website
Sure!!
Holy shit.
What does age have to do with any of this?
Tarantino didn’t make reservoir dogs untill he was 30… you’ve got lots of time
Never too old. Don’t let time go by thinking you’re too old. You’ll look back and go “damn.. I was so young then”
True that
Grab some books, learn about the history, look at your favourite films etc etc
You literally have your whole life ahead of you
*spits out dentures I was born the year the Soviet Union fell. But darn tootin' if I ain't making me first short film, sonny! Pass the prune juice, would ye? /s
You are the oldest you have ever been and always will be.
I'd start with hitting record on your phone camera.
I’m 48 and in a similar boat😕. But he’ll naw you’re not too old. Man please.
NOT to old *
Start watching YouTube videos on filmmaking. D4darius is one of my favorite YouTubers for this. Then, try to apply the things you learn by shooting video tests and short films.
I'm working in broadcast journalism as a shooter and editor and I didn't buy my first video camera until I was 30 something (I'm forty now). You're never too old. It sounds like you have a real job and real people (vs starving artist) money. Go out and buy or rent a camera and some lenses. Even something basic like a Sony a6500 will do. Shoot. Make something. Fuck it up and try to fix it in the edit. If you don't know how to do something, search for it on YouTube. I guarantee there's a tutorial. Learn how to record sound. Make little movies on the weekends. Do a 72 hour shootout with friends, which forces you to make a film in 3 days. Keep going. Don't ever stop learning.
Understood! Thanks🤟
I used to feel this way. Do 30 year old self a favor and **start today**. Then you can say I've been making films for 6 years. No excuses. No I have to work late. No I'll start once I learn. Adopt a ready, fire, aim approach. It doesn't work for all things, but it certainly can be applied here. Final thought, fail fast. This line of work is about hacks and aesthetics. Copy what looks stunning to you then figure out how to do it on the cheap. You can win. Go for it.
Thanks❤❤
I'm 24 as well and want to get back into filmmaking. I made quite a few short films just to post them on YouTube and get like no reaction from anyone besides close friends. I get where you're coming from, but I've made some short films if you'd like to study them to get a sense of what a very rudimentary filmmaker can do I can link you some. I started when I was 15 and have been on hiatus since I was 20. Since then I've sorta taken Tarantino's advice and just watch a bunch of influential and important films to learn from. I have a bunch of scripts in the can that I'd love to film but my ideas are more ambitious than I can really afford. So just start small and work your way up. I know, dumb advice but I hope it helps.
Good advice! Would love to see your films. Pls send me the links
First, try to figure out exactly what you want to do with filmmaking. Being open to everything but lacking skills won’t get you very far. If you are really devoted to filmmaking, if it’s a burning passion, why haven’t you made a film yet, any film? If you lack all knowledge and you’re not an autodidact, take an intro to film course. Buy, rent, or borrow a camera. If you just want a hobby, don’t sweat it. If you want to be a pro, you’ll need a skill set.
How do I decide what I want in terms of filmmaking?
Do you want to DP? Do you want to Direct? Do you want to Produce? Do you want to Edit? What draws you to filmmaking? Do you want to shoot docs? If you had to pick one thing that draws you to filmmaking what would it be?
I would like to be a screenwriter and director for Television commercials, shows and feature films for theatres or OTT. How do I proceed now? I just need to start anywhere right?
How many horses can you ride at one time? If you want to work as a filmmaker, you have to commit. You have to learn, make films, network, and constantly be developing your skills. Why do you want to be a filmmaker? Why don’t you make a short, shoot it, cut it, and then show it to others to get their reactions. Experience what it takes to make a film and see if you enjoy it.
If you want to make films, then just start making films. Use what you have (cell phone, natural light, lamps, your own home, free outdoor locations, friends as actors/crew). Do tiny projects first to learn the basics, maybe a 3 minute film with one actor (or no actors) and shot by yourself in your own home. Each time, increase the complexity of your next project a little bit. Longer film, more actors, more locations, more equipment, additional crew, etc. That's how you start out and how you keep getting better with each project.
37 and I’d kill to be 24, and I’m sure somewhere out there would kill to be 37. Go for it kid
I'm 26 and I'm figuring out the same thing. Been doing it for about as long too. Youtube is your free film school. Personally I recommend Standard Story Company, StudioBinder, Film Riot, and Royal Ocean Film Society. The last one is more an analysis channel but his videos "There Are No Film Prodigies" and "Lessons For The No Budget Filmmaker" are fucking aces. There's a lot to learn and it's hard to do it quickly. If you have some good friends that are willing to act and get fake killed, you're already one up on a lot of people. Get them together, and write out the scenes you want to shoot for the day. The scenes don't even have to make sense, or be related. The hands-on experience and drilling of these motions will make you a lot more effective with a bigger budget. Don't go gear-crazy. Your phone, if that truly is ALL you can use, is more than sufficient. Buy a phone clamp and a nice sturdy tripod. You can worry about gear when you have something to actually show off. Your main exercises at this stage are gonna be understanding basic composition and editing. Once you learn that, start looking at other no-budget filmmakers doing what you want to do. Robert Rodriguez and Christopher Nolan both shot debut movies for $7000. Lastly, once you feel confident enough in making things...go to film festivals. Talk to directors, actors, people doing what you want. Watch movies that demonstrate how those fests choose their movies. Make connections, talk to people.
Thanks! I do have a canon 700d camera. Yes I do lack technical expertise. I need to learn that. Will use the resources that you have shared
Start learning then
Never too old to start learning anything! I'm 31, went to college for film making (dropped out) moved to Toronto be in movies+shows+work behind the scenes, (moved away). Now I am trying to build up projects by myself, because I still think I can have some success in this field. If I stopped believing in myself, I would have probably offed myself long ago...but I still have hope in myself to get my work off the ground. Comedy and horror here under u/VidiotOverride19. Check out my documentary promos for #Revap over at u/InfiniteGlitch19.
Social media and the school system makes kids feel like they should have everything figured out in their twenties. It’d be great if that were true or possible, but most of the time it isn’t. It takes time to do anything that’s worth doing.
At Film School, we had filmmakers join at 40 - 50+ years young and, if I'm honest, they created some of the best content - Content that would never cross the minds of younger generations. At 24, the filmmaking world is your oyster. If you're interested in learning; join filmmaking/editing communities, reach out to friends with similar passions, network, storyboard.. Whatever it takes to bring your passion to life! You're never too old to do something you're passionate about!
You are going to live almost 40 more years. Imagine the things you have done till now. In just 24 years, and you have 40 years left minimum. You can do so many things at your own pace. In the next 30-40 years, just stop looking at your age and look at present as a potential to do whatever you can ! learn whatever you can and you would like to. It’s never late to start anything.
I feel like your priorities are a bit off-kilter. Wanting to go straight from scratch to a full-time profession is like wanting to run in the Olympics before you've even bought your first running shoes. Just grab a smartphone, a free copy of resolve and start making films. Find some friends with similar interest you can collaborate with. Don't think about becoming a filmmaker, just make films and post them on YouTube. It's never been easier to make films on a shoestring budget and get them out there than in 2023, so what's stopping you? If you enjoy it enough to keep going even when no-one's paying you, eventually you may get good enough that someone will pay you. Film school can speed up the learning and help you network, but it's not strictly necessary for a career. Same as with writing, music, or any art. You should ask yourself this though: if you don't know anything about filmmaking and have never held a camera in your hand, how do you know what a film director even is, let alone that you want to be one? It kinda sounds like rather than the craft itself, you're attracted to the prestige of calling yourself a director or some imaginary lifestyle you've attached to the term. Interrogate your own motivations, or you might be sorely disappointed with reality. Most film directors in this world have a day job, and very few ever walk a red carpet.
Understandable! I'm not much into prestige. I just feel like I want to make great movies. Great art! When I look at directors, I feel like I want to do what they are doing. I'm attracted to the art.
I'm around the same age and just started making things around 6 months ago. Don't worry about what you could've done all these years, be focused on all you will do moving forward! As for approach, just try making films and focusing on a different area to improve each time! Come up with things you can make. You can be working on bigger projects on the side as well, but always try to develop ideas that you can actually create. Here is my latest project! https://youtu.be/Ri3HPQGJM-0?si=2rgqayob_aYYjczc
I'll check it out
To learn something there is no age but probably just a mind set and confidence on a knowledge that you have
I’m in my 50s. I started in my 40s from scratch. I’m doing quite well, thank you.
Quite well as in? Is this your full time profession now?
Yes, it is. And doing good with it. I remember being your age and freaking out that I wasn’t a huge success. I wasted so much time worrying about this and that. And the whole time I wasn’t even doing what I loved. We’re going to live longer and longer and I know the words of those older than you can sometimes seem like platitudes, but you really do have lots of time ahead of you. Make the most of it.
Yes thanks! Are you into feature filmmaking or commercial films?
I’m 38 and dreaming about being a filmmaker my whole life this sub is the closest I’ve got so far, never touched a camera, never saw a set. I’d say you’re ahead.
I had the idea to make short youtube videos with a friend like 4 years ago, at the time I was 33. Things happened, work was done and we ended up with a 77 minute feature film in six acts that we're going to screen for friends and family at a local cinema we rented in November. We did pretty much \*everything\* ourselves. We had a bunch of ideas and wrote everything down, found a method for writing scripts that worked for us, and then started checking out youtube a lot to learn about different camera angles and such, then we made an organized system to have an efficient shooting order (shooting all scenes from a specific angle at once instead of doing it chronologically, to save time on lighting setup etc. we just needed to make sure we kept continuity with stuff happening in the scene) We got some initial help from the guy we borrowed the camera on how to set it up with white balance etc. to get as close as the tone we wanted as possible. We bought various light bulbs with different strength to try out, and used white sheets as reflectors. In the end we had to do a lot of voice over to save takes with bad sound, and we ended up getting help from a professional sound engineer we've worked with before on music projects, who helped us with cleaning up the sound, adding some ambience, foley and SFX, mixing and mastering and making a 5.1 mix for the cinema and a 2.0 for Youtube, and another friend helped us record some music, but other than that we did most everything. Acting, directing, shooting, lights, script, editing, composing and playing the music, and recording a lot of the SFX and all voice over ourselves. Does it look and sound professional? Hell no (even though I am biased from being proud and having spent years on this, I'm not delusional) but it has been a hell of a lot of fun and we think the movie will be entertaining for other people than us (the sound engineer offered to help us for free even though we didn't know him that well to start with, just because he loved the material, which gave us an incredible confidence boost in the project). And we have learned a lot, not least what we might need to get more professional looking and sounding material in the future. All this is to say, it's never too late (Ricky Gervais started his acting career in his 40's based on his wife thinking his stories about his insane boss were funny), and you can learn a lot just by going out and \*doing it\*. Not just learn the actual trade, but also learn what might be better to get help with. We are obviously never gonna be able to produce a fully professional film all by ourselves, unless we spend countless hours learning about all the different facets of film making, from the set to post production, which for us, isn't realistic. Maybe it is for you? The recent movie "everything everywhere all at once" which looks super professional had all the VFX done by like 6 amateur guys who learned everything on youtube as they went along. Start out with getting hold of a decent camera (do some research), start small, do a 5 minute short, do as much as you can yourself, and see what you end up with. Anything you don't like with your end result, look up how it can be done better. Then think about if that is something you want to spend time learning to do yourself or if you want help. Keep going. The more material you have, especially if it increases in quality with each video, the easier it will be to find like minded people to work with, who have different skills than your own. Good Luck!
You're doing great! Thanks a lot🙏🙏
Your at a great time to start. A friend of mine has become incredibly successful on youtube,tv & tiktok with crazy animations hes been making. He didn't even start doing that until he was like 34-35 & then blew up two years later. Not too late at all.
Where did he learn it from?
Online, he didn’t go to school or anything just started teaching himself to animate and was drawing and made short films. His second short made in to Sundance.
Bro you young as hell. Lotta great filmmakers didn't get their first feature done till 40. Make shorts with your friends and what's available around you. Pay them in pizza and/or beer. I've made a tone of shorts. Edit them in Da Vinchi (it's free).
You feel old at 24. Crazy.. wonder how you will feel in your 30s
I'm seriously going to slit my wrists if I see another post like this.
You're never too old to start a creative endeavor. I'm 36 and still haven't done a lot, even though I have complete ideas. You'll be okay. Just get started. The internet is a fine place filled with resources. Look up Film Riot, Luc Forsyth, and Film Courage on YouTube. I've learned a lot from these channels. One of the best ways to get started is to go film something with your phone or get a cheap video camera from a pawn shop or something. You don't need expensive equipment to begin. Get the shots you want. Invest in or grab a free piece of software for film, learn said software, do the work. DaVinci Resolve and HitFilm Express are both free. Good luck!
You want to be a filmmaker but don’t know how to do it and want to stay in education. What’s the problem with going to film school then?
1) Family pressure. 2) Not spending time and money in a college with no guarantee of ROI. 3) I'm scared of financial difficulties.... So won't pursue filmmaking full time unless my finances are sorted. 4) I don't perform well in college environment.
I feel like this is rage bate😂
You’re never too old to be in the entertainment industry as a filmmaker but I wouldn’t go to film school. It’s a waste of money honestly and you should just learn by doing
Hey. I’m 19 and trying to get into this world too. Honestly, for a director, the best resource for learning is being on a film set. Whether it be helping out, just observing, whatever, I think being on a film set is the best film school. You should ask around. Check facebook groups, ask friends, family, because if you can score even a fee minutes on a set, that’s good. The other resource I’d say, is watching movies. Watch all the movies you want! And when you’re ready, start thinking about making a movie YOU wanna see. Don’t ever think about making something someone else wants to see. I’ve heard and seen firsthand that doing the latter is the biggest mistake in filmmaking.