A lot of newbies to this town have this notion about what it takes to work in Hollywood. Even though they haven't lived here or worked here. They say things like "Oh yeah, it's a grind in this business, you have to stay on top of your craft."
They haven't worked a day here and they have an opinion.
These people grate on me the most.
Why? Because they're theorist.
I'm trying to remember if I did this when I was in my 20's having graduated from film school. I probably did, which is why a lot of people wanted to backhand me. Film school makes you retarded.
But no one ever listens. The arrogance is everywhere.
But then again, there are no answers how to break in. I don't know the path. BUT you're sole goal, at this point, is not to make stupid assumptions about how the business is. Because you don't fucking know. Pretend you're a child on a field trip to school. Then do this for the rest of your career. Because someone will always put you in your place. Always.
Unless you do what I do, which is fund your own shit. Then no one can fuck with you. And you don't have to give a shit if some Hollywood types wants to sabotage your shit. You move on with the next thing. It's essentially what I am saying to anyone who will ask. DO YOUR OWN SHIT USING YOUR OWN CASH.
The minute you deal with studio, the more you have to try to break down their walls. And their walls don't want you. Because your tastes aren't relevant. It's all who makes the movies to make money.
I was listening to a pod cast with Brett Easton Ellis ("Less Than Zero") and he was interviewing Anne Heche. Remember her? She came out as bi-sexual and scissoring Ellen DeGeneres right before a romantic comedy was set to release. It tanked the movie because no one can believe this lesbo would fawn all over Harrison Ford. Also, great escape for shitty movie maker Ivan Reitman to put a shitty movie on her shoulders. ANY WAY, Anne concluded that her announcement, in her ditzy self important mind, at the time seemed to make sense. She felt like the empowering figure (gag) of women who felt strongly about coming out as you are. The studio wanted her to keep it under wraps. NOT because they cared about which muff she dove into, because they knew that shit would cost them money. They're sort of right. Might've been no one wanted to watch it either. Also that it was a shitty movie. Who knows? Though the lesson here is Hollywood is about and will always be about making money. They could care less about your woke cause. Black people are spending more and more to go to movies. It's a market worth tapping. A LOT of studios are taking Chinese money. Guess who they will pander to?
So, yeah, you can try to juggle all these dumb things that studios require you to do, suck it up and take their deal (IF you even get that far). Or just make your own shit and tell the powers that be to suck your dick. I do. Feels great. I have no aspirations to work for any studio regardless of money they give me. Or if anything ever hits, and they want to give me money to make a movie, I'd contractually want them to leave me alone. You think it's big talk on my part that I would turn down money to make a movie. Truth? If would have to be a deal I couldn't pass up with money up front. Again, money means nothing but more time. To me, I'd want to be able to have my friends work. Who gives a flying fuck about that cuck face Chris Evans or whichever Hemsworth. If they paid me enough, I'd hire someone else to work like that. I don't need notoriety and I just need enough to pay bills.
So young folks...STOP chasing trends and stop thinking you know anything about the business and just focus on your movie. Stop dreaming of a day where someone sees it and plucks you out from obscurity. None of your favorite directors made movies because they thought it would segue into an easier lifestyle. It was that they had a story to tell.
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