r/Filmmakers • u/Crafty-Analysis-1468 director • 13h ago
General Were does one start if they want to actually direct their own screenplays?
Probably the biggest question of them all…but how the hell do you even start to pursue this career? I have like 3 screenplays written (2 FF and 1 SF) but what do I even do?? Most would just say to sell the screenplays, but I would also like to have some sort of directing and producer credits and experience for them. It doesn’t seem feasible to pitch my screenplays to a company and then beg and somehow convince them to have me sit on the side lines or get taught how to be a director as production/filming goes on. (Unless i am wrong about this lol).
I am genuinely curious what do you actually do to start? I am someone who has no wealth to my name what so ever and essentially no connections.
P.S.: Its worth noting I am from the US. However I dont mind if I get to be a part of any other nations film industry…. This is just something I need to do out of passion.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I can also act, not a professional by any means, but I have done local theatre performances and have had acting classes before.
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u/ralphdeonori 12h ago
Go to school and make it there or take the money you would use for that to hire crew then make it yourself and learn along the way.
Or Get an iPhone and a lav and start making it yourself.
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u/Electrical-Lead5993 director 13h ago
If you’re doing it for passion you’ll have to pay for it yourself
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u/0oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0o 13h ago
do you have money?
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u/Crafty-Analysis-1468 director 11h ago
No 😞
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u/RadicalHomosapien 9h ago
Start networking. Get involved in whatever Facebook groups, meetups, anything you can. Help on other sets and make friends, you'll find a lot of hungry people that are willing to help you make your first shorts you just gotta be patient. If you're not in a position to ask for money you gotta ask for favors, and that comes with a lot of earned trust and passion.
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u/modfoddr 12h ago
The most obvious option is to go find a job in the industry and work your way up, creating enough connections to get funded to direct your screenplays. Or to submit screenplays to contests and to producers, agents, the mailman, the old man next door, until you end up directing your first feature.
Or you DIY.
You have little money, no connections to the industry? But you feel like you can write and act?
Write a short film with one character. Try to find a friend or family member to help with camera, if you can't, then set it up yourself for each shot. And shoot it. If it's bad...which it very likely will be, figure out what works and what doesn't. Learn how to fix what doesn't work and shoot it again. Rinse and repeat until you are happy with it. Put it on YouTube or send to some local festivals. Then write another short film and repeat. Over and over until you find success or at least master the art of a one man band. While doing this, you should also be socializing with other filmmakers and actors locally so that maybe with each film, you aren't a one man band.
1 of 2 outcomes are very possible with this. 1. You get really good at writing and performing your own work and either learn how to be a competent one man crew or you find collaborators. And you create work that gets noticed and with some luck you end up with financing to direct one of you scripts.
- Same as above but instead of directly leading into the industry, you develop a following on social media, enough to make a decent living. Your work improves. Maybe that leads into he industry or maybe not. Maybe you end up enjoying this more than you would directing a crew of people or maybe its just a stepping stone to something else.
Failure is also an option...but that is an option with every single decision we make, so best not to dwell on it and just learn from it when it happens.
YouTube and Instagram (and TikTok) are full of solo artists without resources creating some pretty impressive work. Here's a few that I find inspiring in different ways, but they're all mainly solo creators.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIKFP0-z-aL/
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7SfvFOp4qmk
https://www.youtube.com/@thedannijuhl/shorts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVeRUTAzKLI
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u/Important_Extent6172 producer 10h ago
I read a writer’s synopsis which interested me enough that I read their script. I never read scripts so the fact that I actually finished this one said so much to me about his talent. Like you, it turned out that he also wanted to be a producer, and after several conversations I determined that our creative interests aligned spectacularly so I am now taking him under my wing and found a starter project for us to produce together so that he can learn while doing. Smaller budget ($1.5mm probably) so he can make some mistakes but also rely on me for the heavy lifting.
I will add that this never happens and yet it did. So really being social in the industry and making connections and getting your work seen is vital. You truly never know when the right person comes along at the right time. I will caution that you can pick up producing but you can’t just pick up being a director, and no, a production company will not teach you how to direct. That’s not how that works.
I’d also say to figure out what you really want to do most and understand the motivations about why that is. Be honest with yourself and if it’s for glory or ego then set those aside for the ones that are purely about passion. Focus on that one. If it’s being a director then you need to start filming shorts. You might also realize you don’t like directing once you do a few of these. Producing is about logistics and having a big picture mindset, directing is creative and about the vision.
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u/bdemon40 7h ago
I've played the screenwriting in Hollywood game, had agents, managers, even got a script optioned that never went anywhere.
Many years later, I started making short films and music videos. Some were collaborations, but one I did solo during COVID with stock photos and iPhone 6 footage of myself (when 12 was the latest!) in my crappy studio apartment in Culver City, which came out awesome after messing with it in After Effects.
I've also done boom mic stuff on small films for pals.
I've been way happier getting projects complete to share with the world instead of waiting for someone else to hire my creativity. Maybe it means my creativity sucks...don't care, just happy doing it.
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u/jstarlee 12h ago
Most would just say to sell the screenplays
This is similar to people giving advice on how to get rich with answers like just buy lottery tickets! Technically it's possible. In reality quite improbable.
First of all - what do YOU want to do? Do you WANT to direct or do you just want to see your written work being produced? Those are two very different scenarios. Majority of the short films are written and directed by the same person(s), often times financed by them as well. If you want to become a director, you need to direct. How is the short film screenplay? Length. Number of locations. Number of cast. These will all affect the schedule and thus the budget of the short film. If the project is personal or dear to you and you've never directed something before, I actually advise AGAINST doing it as your first project. Mistakes will be made, guaranteed. Keep your first short (I call it training wheel short) simple and write to the resources you have available already. Keep the budget as low as possible.
Do you have connections in the local filmmaking community? A 2 day short can cost 3k and yield great results and could prove to be a great learning experience. This would largely be relying on free labor (favors) and just minimal gear rental. Most of the money would likely go to food and crafty (please don't skimp too much on this - especially if people are working for free).
Happy to give you a 30min crash course on expensive lessons to avoid as a first time writer director.
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u/SharkWeekJunkie 6h ago
Stop asking for permission to make your movie and just make your movie. Start with the short. You need to both raise as much money as possible while simultaneously spending as little as possible. Beg, Borrow, Steal. Pay your crew. And don't expect immediate results.
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u/CarsonDyle63 3h ago
Direct enough stuff so that when a script of yours gets momentum, there’s no question that you can direct it.
I’d directed 100 music videos, two dozen ads, two shorts … and when people liked my script – and I had compelling things to say about it – there was no question about me directing it. That doesn’t mean it’s not really hard to get a film made … but it can mean you’re accepted as its director.
But no one will take on teaching you to direct.
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u/GFFMG 11h ago
You start by taking a few more passes at that screenplay.
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u/CoOpWriterEX 11h ago
Should really take a few more passes at the ins and outs of filmmaking, to be honest.
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u/CrimsonCrabs 9h ago
You don't, tear it up and use it as a firestarter. Just as useful.
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u/Crafty-Analysis-1468 director 8h ago
Aren’t you a ray of sunshine
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u/CrimsonCrabs 8h ago
Nobody watches movies anymore.
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u/Substantial_Swing625 3h ago
Maybe you’re in the wrong crowd
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u/CrimsonCrabs 1h ago
Idk I'm looking at a stack of screenplays I spent over 15 years writing gathering dust? Maybe you're all the wrong crowd
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u/Thunderflipper 13h ago
The only way to do it is just to do it. Find the money, even if you have to save and beg, work within your limits of production, and find people you like to collaborate with. Nobody will hand it to you on a platter, you’ll have to fight and claw and stretch your imagination to make what you want.