A big part of filmmaking is frustration, as I'm sure you all know. Here's a little of what's been frustrating me since I started my current project. Venting is good.

1. It took me 1 and 1/2 of my 5 weeks of shooting time to find an actor who would agree to be in the film.

2. Said actor couldn't film until after the second week.

3. One of two actors (not the same one) doesn't show up to the first day of shooting.

4. The lead actor drops out a few days later.

5. I'm forced to appoint myself actor, writer, director, DP, Editor, and producer.

6. I get sick.

7. I get so sick I forget to take the camera home with me for the weekend.

8. The girl whose house is the only location I can use says we can't film the day we need to, after a week of me asking her if it was alright and her saying yes.

9. I also have college applications and normal coursework due. Plus I'm getting a grade for this movie.

10. By the time I pick up the camera and start to head out to a different location to shoot a scene literally by myself, my location has closed for the night and it's raining.

Any stories to cheer me up? I know there's not much you can do to help, but I needed to get that off my chest. Wish me luck.

Learn from your mistakes?

wow. applause. You've had a harder beat down than me! I dont think ive had that many problems all pop up in that short amount of time. Usually when problems come up its just another challenge in the whole idea of expression. Maybe you need to move onto a new project.

Buy a rifle at Wal-Mart. You know what to do.



kidding (?)

Next time use people who are more reliable and honest. Also, make an appropriate production schedule that will actually be followed.

Also, don't make films for class.

And if his class requires that he make films?

Good point, but if you're the one who gets the grade, structure it so that grade is not dependent on the participation of unreliable people.

Maybe I should amend my earlier post: don't make films you *care* about for class, especially at the high school level. Odds are you will not be graded on honesty but on personal preference.

It's not really a video class, it's an independent study. I'm basically my own teacher, but a few math, science and language teachers get to decide on my grade based on god knows what.

And trust me, I asked just about every actor that made sense for the part in the school. By the end I didnt really care who they were or how reliable they were, as long as they'd agree to do it. Unfortunately they don't really care how reliable my cast/crew are.

Although admittedly I did procrastinate a bit too much with respect to scheduling, which definitely hurt me.

go down to the poor house and recruit some street vets. theyd be honored to work on an expressive work (as opposed to an insulting bum fights spin off) just give em a few bucks so they can some 40s afterwards.