People will often say ti me "You're not getting anywhere, you've put in all this work and made no progress, when are you going to quit?" I laugh every time I read this or some one says it to me in person (usually this comment is said in e-mail) because while i agree with them that they are right I have put in a ton of work into this career already I also point out that they are also wrong because I have had a level of progress .
Again am I rich ? No. Do I have a big house ? No . but what have made progress in is my experience level and the fact the I have made enough progress to finish two feature films, I have made enough progress to have actors seek me out to work with me . While I'm still getting my feet wet in the business I feel like I'm always learning and that's making progress .
I'm working on a short film idea currently with 4 other projects on my plate right now . Short films are very much outside my comfort zone because I've never done one and I started in feature films . I was asked yesterday if I thought making a short films was a step down in my career and I thought about it for about half a second and said "No not at all because I think the short film format is 100 times HARDER to do then a feature film . in a feature you have 90+ minutes to tell a complete story, develop characters have subplots etc. in a short you have maximum of 40 minute (including credits) to tell your story and develop your characters as much as possible. I look forward to this challenge because I feel like I have a good concept and story to tell. we'll see what happens I will see if I can do it and if I can't make it happen in short form then I will develop it into a feature and go from there .
For this Short Film I was inspired by a song by the group Disturbed for this short film idea as well as a few of my friends / cast members from Sins of Man II : Vengeance Adam Ewing and Caitlynn McCauley they started their own production company and their first short is being filmed next month. I'm happy for them and wish them nothing but success . I hope I've inspired them in some way even if it was with my often used phrase "If I can do this anyone can do it" .
So yes I have put in many countless hours of hard work and while many folks would say I have made very little progress I think I've grown so much as a writer, director and artist that the amount of progress I have made is enough for me as I know I will continue to grow and make bigger movies and then I will make leaps and bounds in progress . as my Nana used to say "Slow and steady wins the race Jamie" . If my rise is a slow one that's just fine with me because I never wanted too much too soon because that can ruin someone very quickly slow progress makes all the long sleepless nights, the long car rides and the long hours on set worth it because I'm living my dream ....
STAY HUMBLE, STAY HUNGRY MY FRIENDS :)