3 SIMPLE Tips to Help ACTUALLY Finish Your Film

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CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro
1:25 - Story context
3:00 - What happened?
4:00 - Perfectionism can kill your film
5:00 - A word from Audiio, today’s sponsor
6:08 - Why I’m proud of our work
9:29 - What went wrong with my film?
10:47 - Create Deadlines to stay on track
13:02 - Final thoughts

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IG: @lucforsyth

[who]

One of my mentors always said, "Work expands to fill the time allotted for it." And I find this to be more true as my life goes on. Giving yourself an excuse, a backup date, or a choice to push back a deadline just makes the work take longer to complete and makes it easier to come up with another excuse or extension in the future. One thing I actually love about working for a news station instead of independently is that everything has a hard deadline with actual dollars on the line if we don't hit our goals. I can honestly say that there isn't anything I produce that's perfect, but I don't know that wouldn't be the case if I had an infinite amount of time. You get better over time by completing more projects and learning to make the next project better than your last not by making something perfect right out of the gate.

[relationflixsteve]

This has to be one of the most impactful Youtube videos I’ve ever seen on film making. BRAVO and THANK YOU.

This was perfect timing. Exactly what I’m needed to hear

[Biring]

I love your honest insight here, Luc. I can totally relate to the perfectionism point. I shot a short a couple of years ago, didn´t like it too much so I didn´t want to publish it. But considering people worked on it for free and a lot of time spent in post, I just published it on YouTube. Sometimes it´s better to just show that you´re working and making stuff instead of hiding it.

[FilmedByHendrix]

"A work is never truly completed but abandoned".

I’ve been working on a short documentary for months, constantly tweaking it in an attempt to make it "perfect." Despite my efforts, it never felt finished. I forced myself to step away for a few weeks, and when I returned, I saw that it was exactly what it needed to be. It's not win Sundance either, but it tells the story we set out to tell. For the first time in this project, I’m genuinely proud of what we accomplished on just two days of shooting with no budget.

It was a valuable learning experience that I can carry into my next project.

[tristan_lp]

Can't wait to see the result, absolutely love that you're releasing it on your channel, so exciting!!

[spebat]

I relate to this SO much. I had a short film wrapped around my ankles for ten freaking years, and finally put it out to the world (warts & all) early last year. Since then, another short film, a spec commercial, and a new reel. Now I’m about to kick off a short form doc in the next couple months, and I’m also writing a short form narrative. The concern of not finishing those upcoming projects in a timely manner is still very real. Good on you for pushing yourself to finish/release this one. That strive for perfection could definitely be crippling.

That said, on kind of another note, it’s been a struggle zeroing in on a niche. It’s like all the stuff I’m doing now is a purge of all the projects pent up when I had that ten-year project hovering over me.

[VladislavChanev]

Luc, you're such an eye-opening inspiration, that I can't express enough my gratitude for watching your content over the past 2 years. Thank you for this honest and down to earth video as well.

[JeremyBotz]

Thanks for having the balls to share this story and your retrospective. I look forward to watching Highline.

[micahcrews]

Thank you for your openness and honesty. This is very helpful for me. I have a mini doc that has been stuck in the edit for 6 months. Thank you for challenging me to get back to work on it.

[jennybarruol]

Super useful video! It's really reassuring to realise that even professionals struggle with self-doubts, fear of criticism and perfectionism... Could you make a video about production management and stuff like getting consent from contributors (contracts?), managing budgets, getting funding, festival strategy...?
Love your channel!

[PhilipRanson-dt]

It has a nice grit to the image like the story itself.A heartbreaking story with a positive outcome, including finishing.Thanks for sharing.

[margotunger]

Hi Luc! Your video just helped me out of the worst!- procrastinating whenever it comes to finish my project since January!- It all started exactly as you pointed out!-with one negative comment from somebody on the rough-cut....! So I've now already plugged in my SSDs right away and will start again the editing after finishing this comment!-There's just one thing that multiplied my lost faith in my creativity: I felt like being the absolut only creative working person in the universe having this problem !! Your video truly is an eyeopener for So we're all united in self-blockade sometimes!! ;-)))

[TRwalks]

Great video! What is perfection in art? Something you felt was perfection 15 years ago is probably not your perfection today. And if you make perfection today, it'll probably not be your perfection tomorrow. Isn't that what we love about art?

[dawnd]

The better you get maybe the more in your head you get about it. I think back when I was younger and for some odd reason failure never even occurred to me. I would start something and just go for it. Now that I am older I have let doubt and procrastination rule my thoughts. Thanks for the pep talk!

[ElectroSpark]

This is so funny, because only 2 days ago I watched your series where you broke down your production process for this film and was wondering why I couldn't find the actual finished product. Awesome to hear it'll be released next week!

[gracecinematic]

Great information you shared today. Thanks Luc

[andrewmedia]

Awesome video, Its very helpful to hear someone as successful as yourself talk about issues you have. Its not all glam in the world of filmmaking. I cant wait to see the doc it looks great so far and an interesting story for sure. 🤘

[luissoto]

Está genial tu playera! También tengo una de ese sitio en Todos Santos, BCS. Saludos, Luc!

[LifeinthePark-GTMC]

Luc, thanks for making this video. I’ve been in the same boat. I’m gonna get my films out.

[tamtam]

I can relate to this so much! I have an online workshop that im not even half way through editing that was filmed 6mths ago. Client: my partner. The problem is we were doing this as a test filming "to see what we can come up with" and don't really have any deadline to launch it so sure enough, paid work takes priority and so it sits on the SSD collecting dust.
The filming went well and its my fist time using a 2 camera set up so its very much learn to edit a 2 camera set up as you edit.
Its at the point now where I'm looking at outsourcing the editing just to get it done.