5 Rookie Mistakes New Filmmakers Don’t Know They’re Making

Making mistakes is what learning is all about, but that doesn’t mean we as documentary filmmakers have to like it. In this video I’m going to go over some of the most common mistakes I see new documentary filmmakers making, and then offer up some tips on how to avoid them.

#filmmaking #documentary #careeradvice

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CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro
1:12 - Overinvesting in gear
3:00 - Going full time too soon
4:32 - Thinking too big
6:38 - Waiting for opportunities
9:12 - Not being a student

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

[zongmuas]

I learned early on to not wait for opportunities. Through college, friends and I would get together on weekends and shoot short films. If we wanted to try something new, we'd write it and just go out to shoot. Not to toot my own horn, but by doing this we really set ourselves apart from other film students. We knew how to work with each other better, we had more content in our portfolio and we gave ourselves experience that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Even today, I still go out and shoot stuff without being paid or someone assigning a project. If you truly love it, you don't need someone to tell you to do it.

[teacherofteachers]

I'm not young and only started doing this in earnest a couple of years ago. After each film is completed, I make a list of everything that went wrong, from oversights in planning and communication to missed opportunities to boring things like forgetting to clean the rear element of a lens. It's painful and yet entertaining and helps me learn efficiently.

[alloriginaltone]

Thank you Luc. I like your stuff and appreciate your teaching. I am working on my second feature length doc.

[winnow]

Luc is legendary, his advice is helpful and practical.

My work has evolved a lot in a few months and can't wait to keep growing as a filmmaker! 🎥🚀

[kaputputput]

Great advice. Thanks for making this video

[recklessdir]

Thank you very much, I was just thinking abt ds think before I saw the video notification

[Chad_Aucoin]

"two idiots bought a boat"

fucking ICONIC.

[johnclay]

good informative video thanks Luc, tend to enjoy a lot of product shot 35mm (50yrs ago)n and do wonder about 4k restored 35mm / 8K informative thought provoking content.

[jukkatoivainen]

Thank you very much for your channel. I've been watching it a lot. Just a little thing comes to my mind. You don't need to say in the beginning "welcome back" because we didn't go anywhere yet. In this video you didn't say it and it was smooth. Thank you!

[thidnascimento]

I can relate to every single one of this mistakes. Thanks for the remind. Great video as always!

[inframe-brooklyn]

I just found your channel, and your advice for new filmmakers is spot on. after twenty years in this business we all know that there is no such thing as an over night success. I find that younger filmmakers are not willing to put the time and pay the dues that make us better filmmakers and students of nature, culture, politics, or whatever your primary focus is or what you want it to be. Put in the work and the work will come.

[Maros_Mari]

All sound and great advice as usual Luc. It inspires me to move forward step by step. As you said, to focus on smaller local projects is very sound advice and is probably the best point to move one forward and progress on path - Ilearnt this back from Ed Kashi online courses… thanks again for sharing.

[spelunkerd]

Your advice translates into multiple professions. I love that quip, "strike first to make the iron hot". Successful people in many industries have a way of finding their own luck.

[lonniesfilmmaking]

Cheers so much 😊

Also practice in your room ❤

[cheesesanafilm]

Thanks for your videos. They are really helpful. Best regards 😁

[thepascalgermain]

Thanks for the great tips Luc =) I can relate a lot with that vieo. I've kept my full time job in a musical instruments store and it gives me contacts to shoot music related stuff, music videos, short docs about local artists, etc. The full time job is a stable income with good conditions and it keeps the opportunies coming in since my customer base is basically the same as the store I work in.

[burgeroraclefilmco]

Love your content, Luc. Keep these excellent vids coming ⚡️

[DarioNucci]

Hey mate, just a quick note to say I thought that was some well-delivered bits of advice. it’s hard to stress enough how easy it is to fall into some of the traps you clearly and helpfully point out here 👍 nice one

[aleerastgar]

OMG. I just bought my new Nikon Z and then saw this video. Somewhat scared tbh.😅 Thank you for making all these awesome and helpful videos Luc :))) (now should I keep my Nikon or

[bentboi]

Great information man! I’m searching for a mentor do you have any advice on how to find one? I’m tired of all these YouTubers charging crazy amounts of money for a mentorship program. I’d like to find someone that’s willing to give one on one advice not buy a program. Time isn’t free I understand that but no one I see offers a proper mentorship for one on one stuff