Following up from this post on Loving The Process earlier this week, just wanted to make a few clarifications after getting some interesting email on it.

More On Loving The Process

I’m not trying to insinuate that someone has to be working on their filmmaking four times a week in order to get good. I was just suggesting a framework that will ensure you get good (if, of course, you actually put in the practice in a constructive way).

So much of this is momentum. I consider sitting down and writing (working on a screenplay or treatment) as part of the four times a week.

It’s balance and perspective.

You don’t want to over-do it and you don’t want to burn out. At the same time, you want to keep a place for other things in your life.

Single minded focus is great, as long as you don’t wind up getting yourself burnt out and give up on goals and commitments before you’ve seen them through.

Without Commitment, You Got Nothing

Clearly, four times a week is a massive investment in time. Not only are you spending a minimum of three hours actually working on constructive goals, but then you have packing away, driving to and from places, etc to consider.

For someone who is getting up early to work the next day, this is a critical investment in time, so you have to be careful.

I understand where people are coming from when they say “I’m always working on my ideas, even when I’m at work.” They’re right.

It’s just another outlet for improving your craft, and you can daydream about ideas and jot down notes and more when you’re at work.

But you’ll learn the best skillset out in the field, whether that be on an official set, or just anywhere you find yourself with a camera in your hands,

Build an impressive skillset by putting in your time, and you’ll notice a huge leap in your successes in all aspects of life. Somehow finding the time to put a camera in your hands is the best way to learn these skills. It’s up to you to find the time.

Your skills will go through the roof if you put in the time and effort!

…one More Thing

I also want to make the point that so much of directing, or just being on set in some capacity, is non-verbal stuff that you can only gain from intensive practice of filmmaking around other people – bodylanguage/tonality subtleties/gestures/facial expressions and more.

   

In fact, I should post about these more, because these are the pieces people miss out on. It’s great focusing on directing the camera, but if you want to get good at directing actors, then you better get good at the stuff I mentioned above!

These are the building blocks that allow you to get the most out of your actors…and your film. The bodylanguage/tonality subtleties are the things that so many people miss out on, and they can be the most effective parts of your filmmaking arsenal.

Thanks for reading!