I had a conversation yesterday with an up and coming actress who is taking her first step into the world of directing. She wanted to speak with me about my process creating Docket 32357 and my general thoughts on directing and film. I was flattered because I don't view myself as an expert on either one of those topics, but I knew I had experiences I could share. We ventured into the subject of web series. She had an immediate negative reaction when the discussion began. I understood her feelings on it. As we talked, I realized that the reason we both felt disappointed in many of the web based projects was laziness or more specifically, the absence of putting your best foot forward as a filmmaker.
I don't want to waste space by criticizing other people's work. That is not the purpose of this blog. What I would like to do is briefly touch upon the absolute need for filmmakers to maximize their current abilities with every project they undertake. I can't tell you the amount of times I've heard filmmakers raise perceived limitations for why they didn't create the work they envisioned. Some of my favorites are money, locations, bad relationships with crew members, "it's just a short" and "it's just for the web." In my mind, these are all opportunities to not only showcase your skills, but an opportunity to add to your toolbox. All of those limitations are potential contributing factors to creating work you didn't even imagine you could make. It all begins with the attitude that you're gonna demand your best regardless of the circumstances. There is no obstacle for that mindset other than yourself.