There are countless reasons why filmmakers quit. But perhaps the most common culprit is rejection.
All filmmakers face resistance when trying to build their careers. Whether it’s a well-meaning parent suggesting finding a more “stable” job, or a jealous friend blocking their creativity.
In the early days, most filmmakers were able to tune out the noise and move on, at least for a while.
But inevitably, at some point they start to face real rejection from the industry. When that happens, it calls back and verifies any negative feedback they received.
Earlier this week, I shared this via social media:
Please don’t give up on filmmaking just because a film festival rejects your film.
Often, movies are rejected for reasons that have nothing to do with quality:
– Too many other movies in the same genre
– Too many submissions to get fair treatment
– Not enough “star power” or institutional push
– Not enough slots for blind submission
If festivals are your goal, you can optimize through casting, networking, and other means. Or you can go another route entirely. Many films have achieved great success without the festival circuit.
I share this after witnessing another talented filmmaker throw in the towel, only to have their film rejected by a film festival.
This situation is less common. Filmmakers get rejected (by festivals, agents, financiers, or some other gatekeeper) and feel like their careers are going nowhere.
To them, rejection means they have no talent or value. So they made the difficult decision to quit.
But in fact, they were just barking up the wrong tree. They haven’t attributed the rejection to the essentials.
Most people take external rejection as a clear sign that they’re not good enough. They don’t have enough talent to succeed.
But this is far from reality. Talent has almost nothing to do with who succeeds and who fails. Grit is a better indicator of success.
There are many valid reasons to quit filmmaking, don’t get me wrong.
It may no longer bring you joy, or you may have found some other medium that excites you more.
But if you are going to give up, don’t give up because of other people’s opinions. No matter who it is.
If you could only see how film festivals are organized, how agents choose clients, or how financiers decide to fund their films, you won’t feel like the world is falling apart when your film is rejected.
Gatekeepers have historically been poor judges of quality and talent.
So please be sure to submit your film for consideration. Just don’t let one rejection letter ruin your world.
It actually means nothing unless you give it meaning.
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