I Failed As A Filmmaker

I failed as a filmmaker, and here's why. A cautionary tale for future filmmakers.

So I failed big time, but before we can get into that, we first need to back up. You see, recently one of my short films was reviewed by film threat and it was well less than glowing. So I figured it'd be a good time to take a moment and reflect on this project. I spent a year and a half on, maybe even more. And before we go too far down the road, I did ask films threat to review it. So I did want to thank them for spending the time to review, even if it went from critical to kind of mean there at the end. I mean, isn't the worst thing I've ever seen, but gets a one out of 10? Well, okay then.

But that all being said, Enrique Acosta makes a lot of good points. Points I knew during the project. Points I haven't talked about publicly because they cost me a friendship. But I feel they are totally valid and worth talking about, so I figured why not 2020 is already a dumpster fire. If talking about them can help future filmmakers not make the same mistakes, then I want to help. So let's get into it, grab some popcorn, and gather around for story time.

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#FilmItYourself #Filmmaking #Fail

[JarredCordova]

This was really interesting and powerful to hear. We all struggle and everyone on set is a filmmaker, we all want to make the movie possible. Watching you learn and dissect your mistakes is so cool and really insightful! Thank you!

[rustysquid]

Hey Ash, I have been tasked by my company to storyboard, source and design a project with nearly zero funding and support. Most days I sit at my desk going in circles trying to figure out what to do. I feel like a dog chasing a bone tied to my tail.
Thank you for this honest retelling of what can happen during planning and production. I am going back and watching this entire series to glean what I can to be successful in this endeavor and hopefully not hating my self and causing mayhem. Cheers!

[FlavioDeFeo]

Hey Ash, love the candor and the style! 👍🏻 thanks so much for making this video! I was having a 💩 Monday, and this made me feel a lot better! Thank you!

[williamdegeest]

Important stuff. I'm working a thing and getting some illustrations from friends (not for free because ARTISTS SHOULD BE PAID) and, while we don't have "contracts", there is a (electronic) paper trail for everything. In any collaboration communication is so durn important. Thanks for sharing this, Ash!

and, god damn it, I enjoyed Infectious.

[ApollosGaming]

Hi, I'm an graduated Film-student, well technically its a Film and Television production side and less of the general "movie production" side that you see in Hollywood or Film Industry. During my college year, I made the cost budget mistake quite often and a lot of times we dont even have a budget since y know, we are college students, we broke af lol.
After graduation, I pretty much not following filmmaking career that much anymore, I cant even get a job in it and I feel like it's very exhausted to form a crew and producer, but I sometimes have desire to return to it but probably in the near future !

[RangerStudios]

I have a lot of similar horror stories. This is why I don't work for free anymore. And when I want to make a film, I come up with the money to hire people and I make it myself.

[themarekch]

G'day from Australia 🇦🇺 I'm a failed filmmaker as well. Good interview 👍

[patrickgamble]

Infectious is a spoof on a typical family sitcom where parents are concerned how the daughter is dressed with canned laughter, good acting and off the wall humor - I enjoyed it. The big 6th sense payoff is the zombie and becomes clear that the daughters attire is related to the zombie infestation and beating them off with a stick and then giving her a stick wrapped in barbed wire is funny. I think it needs repackaging - remove any hint its a zombie flick on the cover or posters etc and brand it with a name that does not fully spill it on it being a zombie flick - ie 'Leave it to Heather' or 'Dystopia Family Values' or The Romero Family (in honor of Zombie director) or something that does not make the viewer aware its a zombie flick - I mean 'Sixth Sense' would not have been a quarter as successful if it was sold as 'Bruce Willis is a ghost' etc - also reviews are subjective as well and some people horror/gore is not their thang and the reviewer might just have had a bad breakup or maybe they're an asshole - what is a great short in your mind might not be another's - I am still wondering what is so great about Tenet. But I do feel any poster or pic or even a title that indicates its a zombie horror/gore flick will not be a plus for this short which would work with just a rename and repackage