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Subject: "The one thing that helped me out the most-" This topic is locked.
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hype_phb
Member since May 15th 2003
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Wed May-02-07 01:10 AM

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32. "The one thing that helped me out the most-"
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-was to constantly keep in mind that it's one foot in front of the other.


I'm currently a freelance designer/animator. I went to film school at UT, and always knew that I wanted to move to LA and make movies and cartoons. While I was making films in school, I would make animations for them, title sequences, etc etc etc, as well as other assorted graphic things--stickers and shit that my roommates would put up around campus. I hustled up an internship at Detour Films, the animation house that made Waking Life, and used that to build relationships with various artists and musicians around town.

I made a few things in Austin, but quickly learned when I moved out to LA that people don't really give a fuck. So I got a list of music video production companies out here, 206 of them, and called them all. TWO of them agreed to meet me. One was cool, but didn't have full time work; the other did, so I went with them. While I was there I became friends with the directors on the roster, learned how things are done, and even scored a couple videos myself based on my animation skills. I was living my dream; I've always been obsessed with music videos, and here I was, directing them for a living. It was great.

I ended up leaving that place, kicked around a few other shops, and decided to go completely freelance at the beginning of '06. And let me tell you, that shit was nerve wracking. But you know what? I made a shitload of phone calls, mostly to places that didn't know who the hell I was, asking them to look at my work, and eventually, people started hiring me. I got thrown on to some really cool jobs, working on feature films, network spots, even some music videos. I'm making a living with my art, I call my own shots, and, basically, I'm happy.

So what's my point? My point is that I didn't start out going "I need to find a directing job." I started out calling everyone I could, looking for someone to hire me. When I found someone, I kept busting my ass working with them and sharpening my skills until someone noticed and gave me a shot at something bigger. I built that into more work, which begat more work, etc etc etc. The whole time I focused on doing what I was currently doing well, knowing that if I take care of that, it'll lead to something else. Make no mistake, it took a bunch of hustle, too. But I found that if you concentrate on doing things correctly, they eventually lead to bigger things. I watched my old roommates do it, too. They're screenwriters, with a pretty good deal with a major studio. I knew them when we were all just young punks in film school. But I watched them bust their ass writing scripts, which led to getting a manager, which led to an agent, which led to a better manager, which led to studio meetings, which led to their current gig. It wasn't easy, but they focused on doing what they were doing well, with the faith that it would build.


ps. gotta link to my site:

http://www.milesforpresident.com

Bringing you unpopular posts since 2003.

"Einstein has a formula, Wu Tang has a formula. A part equals a square and all that stuff, you know what I’m saying? We have a formula, too."

  

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To those who have talent: Let's talk about actually doing it. [View all] , Frank Longo, Tue May-01-07 12:44 PM
 
Subject Author Message Date ID
Off point but one of the best ways to make it...
May 01st 2007
1
What is your actual dream? As in, where would you be if you could?
May 01st 2007
3
PTP saves my sanity at work
May 01st 2007
11
      What gig are you on now? Also, what's your bread and butter?
May 01st 2007
19
these boards actually stimulate me, creatively.
May 01st 2007
9
      I agree
May 01st 2007
16
congrats
May 01st 2007
2
seriously.
May 01st 2007
4
      Russell is my hero.
May 01st 2007
5
Wait, your name is Russell?
May 01st 2007
6
I'll have to hit this up later
May 01st 2007
7
Russell?
May 01st 2007
8
its official ernest
May 01st 2007
10
      Rusty for short
May 01st 2007
14
           Cere is so angry.
May 01st 2007
18
                I've KNOWN it was Rusty
May 01st 2007
29
                     LOL what?
May 01st 2007
30
                          I immed you that time and some broad said
May 02nd 2007
38
                               Oh, I knew you knew my name. That doesn't bother me.
May 02nd 2007
41
The thick skin will help
May 01st 2007
12
Thanks for the advice.
May 01st 2007
22
What I have done...
May 01st 2007
13
Well...
May 01st 2007
20
I swear if I could just get back into college...
May 01st 2007
15
Get it done, dude.
May 01st 2007
23
      I hate phrases like go out there and do it...
May 01st 2007
26
           But you know what I mean though. It's not overnight of course.
May 01st 2007
28
           I didn't think you were undermining anything...
May 02nd 2007
40
           Ultimately, that's what it comes down to.
May 02nd 2007
31
                I wasn't saying you had to have money...
May 02nd 2007
34
using my art and tech skills in the service of others
May 01st 2007
17
In what manner would you use your art to help others?
May 01st 2007
21
      RE: In what manner would you use your art to help others?
May 01st 2007
24
           That sounds really great and honorable.
May 01st 2007
25
                thanks...i'm thinking about going corporate though
May 01st 2007
27
im not in the industry and im not all that talented
May 02nd 2007
33
I'm making the films I want to make
May 02nd 2007
35
Ask yourself what you really want out of life first
May 02nd 2007
36
THICK THICK SKIN
May 02nd 2007
37
Music
May 02nd 2007
39

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