Should I give up my dream of 1 day becoming a Hollywood Director?

Question

I have tried SO hard to get my Script noticed with Production Exec's in Hollywood. I know I need a Degree from a Film Scool if I'm ever going to even be in with a chance of Directing my1st Film. But I just can't afford the fee's for the L.A. Film School, which is the School I one day hope to attend. I mean, not everyone has $51,060 lying around in their back pocket. Sigh. It's just so so hard. I really don't think there's anything more I can possibly do to achieve my dream. I'm loosing my self-confidence day after day and the most painful thing is I'm just seeing my Film rot in a drawer in my bedroom. A Film which i KNOW, if one day made, will go on to become a Box Office Hit. Some might say that's just my ego, but it isn't - I'm not in this for the money & I'm not doing it for the fame. h**l I'd even Direct it for free if it meant I could! I just WISH there was a way I coul just...........leap. Take a chance.....and get there. Somehow. Ive tried everything: SPonsorship requests; grants; hel I've even written to Steven Spielberg. Of course, I got no response. But every single avenue I travel down, every "new plan" I come up with, I always end up banging my head of a wall yet again. It hurts because there could be some otgher person who can afford to attend the L.A. Film School and they might not have a passion. They might just want to get famous. And it's not like that wih me.

Should I keep perseveering, like I have been doig for the past year - (I'm 19) - or should I keep trying and trying and praying for a miracle, that my Project will maybe ge noticed? I was thinking of wriing to all the Agent's and Manager's of my Film' Projected Cast, just to get the Film out there. Just so they at leat know about it. That's my next port of call anyway. I don't know what it'll achieve, if anything. But knowing my luck with this dream of mine so far, I'll probably just end up banging my head against that brick wall yet again. Sigh.

Should I give up? After all this......really?

Any help; opinions; advice; support; positive + negative criticism welcome.

Thanks,

Blue Spirit ::: )

Answer 1

One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self- confidence is preparation. - Arthur Ashe

believe in your self and don't give up since you have this passion am sure you can do it just keep trying until you success.

and i wish you the best luck!!!

Answer 2

If you have talent and you believe in yourself, then that's all you need. YOU DON'T NEED A DEGREE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN FILM SCHOOL!!! If you really feel the need for in class training, try a community college class first and see if you like it, then continue from there, I'm sure you can get financial aide if needed to attend UCLA or whatever other school.

I would start looking for people to work with to begin getting experience, that way you know what's its like to work on a set. Go to Craigslist.org and look in your area for people needing help on their projects, I bet there's tons of them, especially if you live in the LA area. The more you network with people the easier work comes a long for you, because in this business you really gotta know some people to get a chance!!

Be patient and don't give up. Once you stop going after your dream you loose! So just keep doing everything it takes to reach your goal, and I mean everything, find projects to work on with other people, re-write your script, try to figure out why it was rejected. Just keep trying, being a director is not an easy thing to be in Hollywood, there are a million other people like you out there going for the same thing....but choose to stick with it and keep working!

When you have a dream you really don't how it's going to happen, and if you spend time trying to figure it out, you won't make any progress towards reaching that dream. Don't spend anymore time trying to figure it all out, just ask yourself 'am I doing the things I need to do?'

Answer 3

you of all people know how hard it is to get to hollywood. keep trying because if you dont all that hard work youve done for your project is going right out the window. i give all my support  to you for going after your dream!! good luck honey. you deserve a shot. and you sound like a decent person who isnt out to get famous just to get your project known so people can enjoy it.  

Answer 4

1) You don't have to go to film school to be a director. People in the busines laugh at film school grads.

2) Millons of people want to get into show business and direct. It is very competitive. You have to ask yourself if you are willing to go the distance and fight hard for what you want.

3)  If you want to work in LA in movies you should go there and start meeting people in the business. You might have to wait tables, but  you have to be around people in the industry.

4) Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Keep writing scripts.

Write and sell your writing. Having a track record of successful scripts is the only way to get your ideas made.

Answer 5

Dude, don't give up! If it's something you love, then you shouldn't just stop. If you really love it then you'll keep trying until it happens or you die, whichever comes first. Have you ever seen the movie Fingers? The directer was James Toback and he didn't go to film school or anything and he still got his chance to make movies. Anyway, I suggest that you watch the movie, its commentary and the special features. There's an interview with Harvey Keitel and he says something important. He says that you open your own doors and don't wait for Hollywood. So if this is your dream, then I think that you should just do whatever it takes. Don't give up, that would be the ultimate failure.  

Answer 6

I think you should keep trying

your only 19 you still have a chance of making

don't give up on your dreams

if you think you can direct the film then you can

i have a dream of becoming an actress and I'm never going to give up on that. You should always follow your dreams. What's wrong with taking a leap of faith? And if you give up now won't you always wonder what could of been?

(just my advice)

Answer 7

dude, thats how the film industry is.  Its crazy hard to become a director straight away.  You usually make no money for quite some time and you have to keep at it.  Direct the film yourself.  Get in contact with people from film schools and have them crew it.  I'm currently at CSULA studying film and I'm always up for helping out with a person's film cause it gives me more experience too.  I'm involved in Cinematography and Editing primarily but I'm trying to work on lighting properly too.  

You don't need to go to film school to make it in the industry, h**l, most of the people in the industry didn't go to any film school.  The main thing is to get your story/film made.  If you don't like it the first time, re-make it, if you don't like it the second time, re-make it.  

Get in contact with me, I'd be up for helping you out.

Answer 8

Like everyone said, don't give up. You are only 19. Your still young. Alot more can happen for you then you think. You got your whole life ahead of you. Just keep tryin... that's all you can do. Just don't let your dreams get away that easy.  

Answer 9

If you have a vision and dream for it, I say go for it. There are always doors open out there. Idk if you actually HAVE to have a degree to become a director. I mean, most actors don't have degrees in acting.

You have a dream, follow it. Try other ways. Talk to small agencies in your area. Even look at talking to Andrew Adamson (he directed stuff like Narnia and Shrek) he might be able to help you. Dreamworks, Universal, Paramount (Sp), FOX, all those different things to look into. Write the agencies, make phone calls, let them know that you have an idea. Don't take no for an answer. argue your points, and see where it leads. Best of Luck!!

Answer 10

Dud, you just have to keep running forward.. never give up on dreams

Answer 11

Never give up. And don't believe for a second that YOU HAVE TO HAVE that degree.

Take a leaf from Robert Rodriguez and just get out there and make a film. Use it as a calling card and see where it gets you. Check out his book "Rebel without a crew" about how he made El Mariachi. Never let anyone tell you that you can't. Just tell yourself you can.

Answer 12

No way! Don't give up! If you do you will always wonder what might have happened if you hadnt' given up! Don't ever give up!

Is there another Film School you could attend? That doesn't cost so much money? Even if there is not don't give up! Why don't you get another job and save up your money?

And you're still young! You have a lot of life ahead of you,enough time to make your dreams come true,so don't ever give up!

Answer 13

Okay, Baby!

The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath! I'm serious, or else you're gonna give yourself a coma or a nervous breakdown withever comes first. Remember this when you calm yourself. If directing is the first thing you think about when you get up in the morning and in fact,all you can think about,then your a director. Now,as to this business about HAVING to attend  school...NOT! Did you know John Landis didn't even finish high school?True. You've either got the stuff or you don't but no one but you knows that for the moment. Have you thought about directing a very short film that you can write yurself and perhaps get buds to act for you?I don't have enough fingers to count how many of the great(including Speilburg and Lucas to name two)got their start. Being a director is about having a vision and sticking to that vision,no matter what. It means knowing how to handle actors, the care and feeding of which will be covered elsewhere) and the gift of extraordinary chutzpah(that Yiddih for balls)in the face of adversity. There are no easy paths ot tricks to it I'm afraid, but why don't you,as I suggest,map out a short scenario and storyboard it(or get someone who can draw to help you)scene for scene. Hitcock did this to spectacular effect so go ahead and steal it,everyone else has! But, the main thing at this point is,DO NOT GIVE UP! The streets are littered with people who listened to bad advice and lived to regret it and you owe it to yourself not to be one of them.

NOW GET UP OFF YOUR A$$ AND MAKE A SHORT FILM!!!!:-)

Answer 14

its not really ur dream if u have to ask anyone if u should give it up

ur really goin to give up ur dream just based on wat we say

persistence and drive

give up

take my advice I'm a complete stranger