The world of filmmaking is certainly attractive to many, but it?s not necessarily the easiest to break into. Although online video outlets like YouTube and Vimeo make getting the word out about your project easier, there?s no guarantee even the most polished amateur film will garner the attention it deserves ? much less secure its director a gig working in Hollywood. But everyone has to start out somewhere, right? Even the director behind Guardians of the Galaxy, one of Marvel?s biggest hits, had to hone his craft for years before he was invited to step behind the lens of the spacefaring adventure.
The world of filmmaking is certainly attractive to many, but it?s not necessarily the easiest to break into. Although online video outlets like YouTube and Vimeo make getting the word out about your project easier, there?s no guarantee even the most polished amateur film will garner the attention it deserves ? much less secure its director a gig working in Hollywood. But everyone has to start out somewhere, right? Even the director behind Guardians of the Galaxy, one of Marvel?s biggest hits, had to hone his craft for years before he was invited to step behind the lens of the spacefaring adventure.
And now, in an effort to parlay some of his well-earned success into a learning moment for young filmmakers everywhere, Gunn, along with his actor brother Sean, were on hand at the Terminus 2016 event to discuss breaking into the industry.
In a video recently shared on James Gunn?s Twitter account, the brothers agreed that, for writers, directors, and actors just starting out, practice makes perfect ? and a key component of getting enough practice is to find a creative tribe you click with, and work with them as often as possible. James offered:
?Having that group of people around you is the only way you can learn how to become a filmmaker. Success really is a result of repetition, doing something again and again and again and again, and learning how to do it. So by crafting a community of people around you that you can create with, it makes it a lot easier to learn filmmaking.?
The advice proves to be a welcome and unconventional departure for those familiar with more commonplace ?take no prisoners, never give up? flavored pep talks that are often delivered to aspiring filmmakers. While there?s not an emphasis on giving up, per se, the advice instead indicates that open-mindedness might reveal a path you hadn?t considered before.