In the last year…
More than 17,000 films were submitted to the Sundance Film Festival.
More than 100,000 new movies were produced or distributed.
More than 1,000,000 filmmakers are actively producing original material.
These numbers will only grow exponentially over the next few years.
Most filmmakers ignore the reality that the market is already saturated. They put everything into a film, submit it to film festivals, and convince themselves that it will be a breakthrough.
Twenty years ago, this might have been a viable strategy. But certainly not today.
Standing out has never been more important.
Some people understand this, at least in principle. But many people look for solutions in the wrong areas or think their approach is more unique than it actually is.
Making a stunning (and highly original) film is a prerequisite for success. But this is just the starting point.
From my perspective, the following are the most important variables:
- Perform movies with your original voice
- Continuing to produce multiple films over time
- Build a broad understanding of yourself as a filmmaker
This is the ultimate three-game winning streak.
Start by making a movie that only you can make. It can’t help but stand out, unlike anything that has come before it, regardless of current styles or trends.
But it can’t end there. One movie is not enough. Real success comes from a body of work that represents you as an artist with staying power.
If you can increase your visibility through audience building, social media, podcasts, YouTube, or other methods, luck will start to find you.
The more self-sufficient you become and the less dependent you are on gatekeepers, the easier it will be to secure financing, obtain planning, or achieve whatever end goal you’re pursuing.
All of this only stands out because you all work together.
Imagine 2-3 years from now…
You’ve always made movies in a style that only you could execute. And you’ve built a fan base for your work, which pretty much ensures you’ll always have a pipeline of ideas.
This makes you less dependent on competitions, festivals and gatekeepers, but ironically makes them more dependent on you.
You’ve built a model that can be sustained. While it’s not always easy, the rewards make the effort worth it.
So let’s all be original – not just in what we do, but in how we operate.
This is your best chance to rise above the hustle and bustle.
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