The ONE Filmmaking Regret I STILL Think About 10 Years Later

Want to avoid the kinds of filmmaking mistakes that will have you looking back in regret years into your career? That’s what this one is all about. I’m going to break down my biggest regret as a documentary filmmaker, photographer, and YouTuber, and give some tips about how to do better than I did in your own career. #filmmaking #documentary #careeradvice

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro
1:01 - Off the Arctic and back to Toronto
1:41 - My background as a photojournalist and filmmaker
3:01 - Regret #1
4:48 - Regret #2
6:23 - Regret #3
8:30 - Final thoughts

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IG: @lucforsyth (BTS content, but I’m TERRIBLE at DMs - sorry!)

[AutoFOCUSED.]

This describes me so much. I've invested so much on a rig but haven't started filming any serious projects because my excuse is I need it to be the perfect project. The right story - right team - right people - perfect lighting - timing - etc. We all need to hear this more often. Great video.

[jaymesagency]

I love how straightforward you are. You make the most solid advice videos without having to "play a character" for clicks. I'm more laid back & like to see someone create with the same mentality rather than putting on a "YouTube persona". Congrats on a successful shoot in the artic!

[joannehart]

Everything you learn online is just the STARTING POINT! It's not until you point the camera, turn it on, then edit it all together into a final product, that you realize how much there is left to learn. Online learning is absolutely important when starting out, but then it needs to be reinforced through practice. Story telling is a learning process. Lighting is a learning process. Sound is a learning process. Camera angles, movement, lens selection, etc is a learning process. Editing is a learning process. Making them work seamlessly together is an art form. 🙂

[justoneperson]

7:58 amazing shot. My favourite part of the city. ( yes I worked in said part of town )
I feel you for sure on the “ waiting “ I’m 50 and am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
My current job was “ temporary “ 25 years later temporarily.
I wouldn’t change it thought. Now it has given me the opportunity to make a documentary about it and how I can help others through my lived experiences.
Life is funny that way.

Keep up the amazing no BS videos and I’m glad you are home safe and not freezing.

[Imlukengu]

"Action gets results and nothing else does" Great one

[WilliamPreat]

Really needed this video man. Leaving to New Zealand in a week with a friend to shoot my first film and taking action. Love from Australia!

[jordiferrer]

I relate so much to this. You spend all your time waiting, and when you finally start, you realized that you should've just done it a long time ago. Excellent advice!

[pumziletracywilbon]

I'm guilty of every regret in this one. I've put off my filmmaking career for too long; you hit home. Thank you for this.Here's to doing better, now. 🙏❤

[tadamsedits]

Luc, I was 19 years old when I first saw War Photographer. I was falling asleep in my photography class when my professor turned it on, and it changed my life.

Ever since watching James Nachtwey navigate through post-war Kosovo and the Indonesian riots of 1998, made me feel a call to photograph the world.

While o have not been able to travel the world and document life outside of my own, I have been able to capture the moments directly after natural disasters throughout North America. People like James Nachtwey and yourself, inspire me to never give up on my dream, and keep practicing ❤

[JeremyBotz]

He's Back!! 😁 Nice to see the familiar frame again. Not that the onsites' were bad, they were great, and I appreciate you not falling back into the "waiting" mode until you got back. No doubt it was serious effort making these videos in those conditions, to create like you did on top of the work. TY Luc.

[die_dunkelheit]

Luc,
Just wanna say that your channel has been a huge motivation and inspiration to get up and start. I've wandered from dead-end job to dead-end job to a career that I HATE and have been in need of change for a LONG time. As of a few months ago, largely because of some of your words, that change is happening and last weekend I shot my first short film, a mockumentary no-less. It's in post-production right now, that I am also doing myself, and things are looking good. Thanks Luc!

[bobtronic]

Luc, I really appreciate your no BS and to the point videos. Great advice for life in general in this one.

[zedbleu]

Thanks Luc!
It's so true...
It's a general life, hard-earned, very good advice, not only related to one field...
Basically it's the concept of accepting to be a beginner for a time. Even embrace it.

[DarkForestMedia]

I am so guilty of this too! And before you know it, decades pass by you. So frustrating. Thanks for another round of solid advice. Happy you took the leap. You're one of the online filmmakers I watch consistently on here.

[jiancarloulloaart]

Luc, great advice and reminder! Also, the older you get, the harder it gets. More responsibilities fall in your life, and time gets more restricted.

[aleclatulippe]

It's funny how sometimes we need to make the mistake over and over before it ever really dawns on us. Very good stuff Luc. Thank you!

[cyet]

WOW did that ever hit home! I was literally dreaming about the same thing at that exact time you were. Peter McKinnon and Travel Feels, man, what a throwback! I have nearly the exact same story about putting the dream off only mine has taken me quite a bit longer...unfortunately. BUT, I am now, FINALLY, going for it. I am Mid shoot on my first travel doc and am loving it! I want to just thank you for being so open and honest and not doing the trendy YouTuber things, but just being upfront and honest and just sharing your experiences and wisdom. I have no doubts your channel is going to do just fine, and im sure you'll hit critical mass here soon. Thanks again for what you are doing here.

[EwenBell]

Superb advice. 99.9999% agree with one tiny exception... sometimes those delays also allow for a door to open, or for your mind to settle onto the right path forward. Being late to the party is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it just is what it is. I've made so many mistakes on my journey, but looking back often the very things I thought were mountainous hurdles at the time were actually setting me up for a better path forward.

[DavidRose-nonichemedia]

Im 47 .Ditto🎉 refreshing to know i can start today.Thank You

[DanScott]

Come on Luc, times a construct, it's all now and impossible to waste. And your still young, and you did lots of interesting stuff, experienced life and ALL part of who you are now, which is your edge.