Letting Your Dreams Go Isn't A Bad Thing

I secretly get happy everytime I hear someone I know get out of the movie business. It’s not what you think. I am happy for them.

I recently listened to a podcast with screenwriters who spoke about this. What they were talking about is following your dreams and working for your dreams. A lot of questions they got was people letting go of what they’ve done in their perspectives lives to pursue a nagging dream of working in storytelling. Two things that I can tell right now. It’s most likely the story you want to tell isn’t worth $1. Certainly won’t make millions of dollars. And second it’s most likely this will be a passing fancy once you realize the insanity that is involved in this business. The smart person will weigh their options and realize how there is no logic to this business and go do something else. The endless line of corpses who believe they had talent and never give up attitude will die with years of bitterness.

The percentages of making it in this business is insane. Everyone likes to believe they are unique and different. But there is a LOT against anyone who wants this career. It’s a career of disappointment and constant voices in your head. It does take a stubborn mettle, but at a certain point, many people don’t allow themselves to just give it up. I realize it is painful to give up what you think you will love in work. But it’s hard work. Yes...work. The very thing you wanted to work in entertainment to get out of.

Many people believe that if it could happen to so-and-so it can happen for you. That’s because the only stories we hear come from the winners. Winners write the history. They make podcasts to push that dream. Let me give you some stories that you may’ve heard:

“I worked as a stripper and worked on my time off. Eventually, I wrote a script about the business and sold it.”

“I worked at a video store. Gave so many suggestions to awesome movies. Eventually a person in the business wondered if I had a script and the rest is history.”

“I wrote ten scripts. Kept sending them to every agent I knew. Every actor I knew. Someone bit. Then the rest is history.”

Bullshit. The stories they should be telling:

“I collected cans to recycle and eat. What I owned, fit in a suitcase and at some point I’m sure I’ll sell it all and go into gay porn.”

“No one liked what I did. They still don’t. My stories sucked. I’m not unique or interesting. Nor can I figure out what is worth making a good story from. Life sucks.”

“I am still a production assistant and making enough money to buy gas to drive home where I’ll go back to living with my parents.”

This is the truth.

Keep trying, if it makes you happy. Stop trying if it makes you miserable. Life is too short.