Young Filmmakers

I had a Mother reach out to me recently and ask what she could do for her 16 year old son who makes films but wants to know the next step to working in the business.
This is a slippery slope. She told me her son got a film into a festival but didn't win and was upset.
Since, reaching out I've expressed this one thought: festivals are useless.

Sorry, they are. And there are more and more every year. Not so much now. But there are.
What festivals do is give the people who need to showcase their movies a chance, and everyone else is funding it. In a festival runner's mind, it's a tax on stupid movies. Seriously, I wish I could pay idiots to watch crap.

Festivals is political. I'm not unveiling anything you probably haven't already suspected. It's a sham.
So, how does one get their movies seen. Well, to be honest, this is where the opposite of what you got into this business for.

You need to work.
And work for free.
Here's what I suggested to the Mother. IF he can...again IF, I would tell him to intern somewhere. A director's rep agency is a GREAT place to start. Because you meet some pretty cool directors (you meet some real shitbags too, as my internship at A Band Apart had many). But it is boring paper shuffling and taking lunch orders...you know...work.
And the more he gets experienced in making films the more you realize what idiots we all are working in movies. Seriously, a 16 year old kid could do circles around directors my age. David Fincher likes to think he's technically proficient, but he's just an anal asshat. Like we all are. That doesn't mean you deserve to be David Fincher, in fact, you're lack of rise will most likely make you HATE David Fincher. And get a sense of entitlement. It's all psychological. In the acting world, plenty of people who have sponsors (rich parents) who will outlast you from bad movie to bad movie. Paying for their reel. Yet, you toil in the trenches KNOWING you are much more talented but they move up. Makes you really not care. This is the failing of most.

I also suggested working at a camera rental place. It's the best way to get your hands on gear and know how it's used. A place like Panavision works you like the old samurai ways. Makes you clean cases with green spray shit until your hands bleed to make sure this is what you want. THEN you move up to loading the crates. They want to separate your desire to do something and want (presumably) the best. Some people just like cleaning crates. There's those people too. I am one of those people.

Also you meet people who work. They will take you on set if you're not some fucked up weirdo. They love showing the ins and outs of movies (they did when I was interning anyway). Find a mentor and shadow that person. They will be flattered. HOWEVER, don't be looking for that guy's job. That's retarded. Look beyond. The tech you shadow probably has been working for a long time and may feed you bitter angry ideas (like I would) but listen to what the person is saying in between, and learn it your way. People who have been working here forever are smart about the business. Simply because they finally are resigned to know it's a business. But they're also cutthroat when it comes to the business because they've learned no one is your friend. Friendships in Hollywood are messy. You have the directors who need to use other people in roles and actors who feel shitty about not getting certain roles that were promised. Or...a lot of angry politics. And you never hear about those.
You wonder why they abuse substances.
Also, when people go to the parties...meeeehhhhh...you kind have to know why you're going. Too many people attend parties thinking they just can be seen or heard and they'll meet someone. Typically, a writer's party are silent eyes of judgement. It's their job to observe. A roomful of screenwriters have nothing to write about. Because it's about observation.
Anyway, not to lead some ugly truth to someone starting out, but reality is reality. And as the lines are blurring more and more about what platform things can be watched on, celebrity loses a little of its shine.