WHEN (IF EVER), IS IT OKAY TO GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS?

For artist, entertainers or anyone with ambitions beyond a dull 9 to 5 will know this question well. Either they have asked it of themselves, or a loved one has brought it up.  The thing is, this question is so personal that there can never be a definitive answer.  But what you can do is evaluate your progress every few years up until the point you’ve made the big time.

Here are some questions I think you should consider:

1. How is your quality of life?

     Since you started pursuing your dream, to the extent that it is a full time job, how do you feel?  If the dream brings you joy, relaxation, or a feeling of solidarity, that is a very good sign.  As long as these endeavors don’t drive you to live out on the street, you’re fine.  Now, if this is starting up a small business, and you have been only breaking even for years and it all feels like the slog of a day job, well, it may be time for a change. Are you not getting enough sleep and feel like you have no free time because of this double life you are leading?  Is there anything you would be happier spending your time and money on?  If so, why not give that a try, devote a month to it at least, maybe that could end up being your true calling. 

     Furthermore, how does all this make other people feel?  Other business partners, your spouse, your family.  Sometimes it is easy for us creatives to forget, the world does not revolve around us.  This brings us to question number two.

(I am never happier, or feel more complete, than when I’m writing, drawing or making movies.  Writing/Directing a feature was one of the most fun and challenging things I’ve done, I’m looking forward to doing it again.)

2. Do you have dependents?

     If you are married with children, the right thing, the adult thing, is to put their needs and quality of life as a higher priority than your own.  As long as your day job puts food on the table and lets you fulfill your job of life, as a spouse, parent, or guardian, go for it, keep on dreaming.

(I am a single guy, for now.  Keep swiping right ladies, I’m here.  No children.)

3. Risk versus Reward

     This dream train you’re riding…. where has it gotten you?  Have you made money?  If you’re a writer, have you been published or produced, won any contest?  Dancers, musicians, comedians, everybody has a way to get affirmation of their talent.  As long as you are out there dedicated, doing your thing consistently, you’ll know, the world will tell you, just take the time to listen.  That being said, I would never suggest to make your decision to keep doing what you love based on what other people think.  It does matter, however, if your goal is to have a career doing this thing you love.  If five years or more have gone by and you have not seen any positive growth, you may be on the wrong track. You can always get off at the next station and take the next train.

(In the last 15 years I have written and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl, written articles that were published in magazines… back when print magazines and book stores were a thing and I’ve had my first novel published.  I have made money doing what I love, paid writing jobs and royalties from sales of our movie. Perhaps, most important of all, even my day job is in the entertainment field.  So, for the last five years I have made a living entirely by living the dream.  I should also note, that the first 5 years of that, I did not have any of that good news, but I kept at it.  I never gave up and continued to believe in myself.)

4. Plausibility

     This is the easiest example, I like easy, if you want to be a pro athlete and it has not happened by the age of 40…. it’s time to get that desk job.  You can always shoot hoops with your co-workers and tell them about how you almost made it to the big show.  Do you want to be an actor but you cannot get over stage fright?  Do you simply not have enough time to dedicate to your dream no matter how early you get up in the morning? These cases are very rare, but if you find yourself in this position I am truly sorry.  It is surprising how far some people will go to keep living the dream.  Take the late screenwriter Scott Lew as an example.  He had ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease for the latter part of his career.  He had to use special software that let him write by moving his head to direct a laser pointer at a digital keyboard.  Then an assistant came in to polish the writing.  Scott Lew did not let these major physical hurtles stop him, he adapted to it.  The only bright side is this thing that is holding you back, is totally out of your control.  It’s just life, physical limitations or the weight of time.  Many people who have this happen to them end up teaching or training the next generation to pursue their shared dream.  This way you are still involved with the thing you love, just not in the spotlight.

(Thankfully, I can write as long as my brain still functions.  Former girlfriends make question my brain function now, but that is beside the point.  I plan on maintaining a healthy body and mind for as long as I can.)

     The decision is yours and yours alone.  How you interpret these questions and prioritize your answers is entirely up to you.  It's all personal, that is why I encourage you to find other relevant questions based on your position, your lifestyle.  Please note that these questions are only applicable if you have been doing the work required to reach your ambitious goals, that means it should feel like a second full time job.  A fair estimate is 21 hours a week, you should spend about that much time on it, because I can guarantee other people who have a career in your field did at least that.  If you have not put in the time, that is a strong sign that this is not a dream for you.... it is a hobby.  There is nothing wrong with that at all, hobbies are important, they balance out the stresses of life and if you realize it is a hobby you can relax, spend as much time as you want on these projects without the burden of success.

     Some of you out there, may have read the title here and said, “When is it okay to give up on my dreams? ...... NEVER.”  Good for you, that is a great answer, the kind that often yields results.  If your dream feels like work, instead of a passion, an essential part of your life, it might not be right for you.  Similarly, if you spend more time talking about writing than planting your butt in your chair (or at a standing desk) and writing, or watching other people dance more than you take the dance floor yourself, or listen to music instead of practicing your bars, it's time to get in the game, either that or try being a critic, teacher or assistant in that field.  Why?  Because actions get things moving, otherwise you are standing in place, watching the doers of the world lap you again and again.  We need more doers, join us.    

Curt Wiser is an Artist, writer and filmmaker.  He has written for Indie Slate Magazine and other publications.  His first feature Cam-Girl is available on DVD and Amazon on Demand.  Curt graduated with a BFA in computer animation from the University of Central Florida.  

TOP 10 FILMMAKING PODCASTS

These days aspiring filmmakers really have no excuse not to be prepared and well informed.  Whether it's the droves of articles, books, feature commentaries and FREE Podcasts on the subject, it is almost too much to choose from.  A nice problem to have.  On the podcast side, this should make it a little easier for you.

This list is NOT RANKED in any order, these are what I feel are the 10 best podcasts that consistently cover the subject of film and film making.  In full disclosure I have been a guest on three of the podcasts listed here to promote my first feature Cam-Girl.  I note which ones they are and promise you that did not affect my list.  These are all exceptional podcasts, so I was thrilled to be a guest on even a few of them.


1)     The Movie Crypt
Your two hosts are high level horror filmmakers.  Adam Green is best known for the Hatchet franchise and Frozen (2010) - Not the Disney movie.  Joe Lynch has directed such movies as Everly (2014) with Salma Hayek and Mayhem (2017) which starred Samara Weaving and The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun.  So clearly Adam and Joe are industry professionals, but above all they are close friends.  This dynamic makes for entertaining and informative conversations with a different film industry guest each week.  For the more dedicated fans, you can provide questions for them to answer on the show or get some time to talk with Adam and Joe if you contribute to their Patreon.  They even set the record for the worlds longest podcast last year when they hosted a 48 hour marathon to benefit the Save a Yorkie Rescue Foundation.

2)      Indie Film Hustle
Alex Ferrari, is a self starter and the host of this podcast which truly lives up to its name.  Much like his resourceful guests, Alex puts the "H" in Hustle.  He produces at least one podcast episode a week, publishes a gambit of helpful articles and social media posts through his IndieFilmHustle.com brand.  If that was not enough, he recently wrote/directed/shot and produced his debut feature, a comedy called This is Meg.  Alex Ferrari has even been generous to use his experiences from making that movie and seeing it through distribution to better inform his listeners, who he calls "The Tribe".  His web site is a one stop shop for the podcasts, filmmaking resources and other services he provides.  This podcast is helpful and often inspiring for filmmakers and creatives alike.

3)     Selling Your Screenplay   (I am the guest on Ep. 135 - Listen here.)
This one is by screenwriters, for screenwriters.  Writing is my favorite part of the process, so naturally I was drawn to this podcast.  Your host, Ashley Scott Meyers has been a working screenwriter for nearly 20 years, with his first produced script Dish Dogs (2000) starring Shannon Elizabeth and Matthew Lillard, up until the Crime Thriller The Pinch (2017) which he also directed and produced.  What I enjoy most about the Selling Your Screenplay Podcast is the variety of screenwriters he has on.  The guest could be anyone from first time indie filmmakers like myself, to Hollywood power players like Max Landis Bright (2017), Chronicle (2012) and Chris Sparling Buried (2010), ATM (2012), The Sea of Trees (2015).  Ashley Scott Meyers is quick to ask the questions you want to hear, such as how these screenwriters got their first script produced and how they landed distribution.  This confirms that no two success stories are the same.  Hearing these fast paced interviews will remind you of the one thing all these screenwriters have in common, they never gave up, never stopped writing.

4)     Scriptnotes
On the other end of the spectrum we have Scriptnotes.  This podcast too, is focused on the craft of screenwriting, but this one is hosted by A-list Hollywood screenwriters John August Go (1999), Big Fish (2003) and Craig Mazin Scary Movie 3 (2003), The Hangover Part II (2011).  They sometimes have guest on but usually Craig and John answer listener questions and talk about the art of writing or give tips on how to work within the Hollywood system.  When they do have guests, these are BIG names like Rian Johnson, Writer/Director of Looper (2012) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  This show gives you a different perspective on the industry from people who are usually inaccessible, that alone is reason enough to give it a listen.

5)     The Dave Bullis Podcast  (I am the guest on Ep. 168 Listen here)
Coming at you from Philly, PA is The Dave Bullis Podcast.  Each week Dave interviews a different person working in the film industry.  These guest work as Actors, Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, or even prominent Producers like Cassian Elwes The Butler (2013), Dallas Buyer's Club (2013).  What makes this show so fun is that Dave has a relaxed interview style, it is a conversation you are listening on.  It is the kind of tactic that can make a guest feel at ease and maybe talk about more than they planned on.  Dave has worked in production for around ten years now and boldly shares some of his horror stories and victories from that experience.  His credits include Writing/Directing a pilot episode for a TV series Game Over, which has been described as Clerks in a video game store.  He recently make the Game Over pilot available to watch on YouTube, you can watch it here.  A personal favorite of mine is the intro and outro Dave Bullis uses for each show, but I'll let you be the judge of all that.

6)     Film Threat
This podcast is a film review show.  At least one of these review podcast should make the list, I am happy to make it Film Threat.  The name comes from a popular indie magazine on filmmaking which was launched in 1985 and published into the 90's.  Sadly the magazine went away but the web site survived and now, after a successful kickstarter campaign Film Threat is back in podcast form.  Your hosts are Chris Gore, who is the founder of Film Threat and Co-Host Anthony Ray Bench.  They review all types of movies, from Blockbusters, to obscure cult hits.  Sometimes they record the show at conventions, which is a treat.  There is a cluttered mess of film review podcast out there, maybe too many.  I listen to some others, but I prefer Film Threat because of their tastes and the indie roots.  Movies - Movies - Film Threat!

7)     Q & A with Jeff Goldsmith
Your host is...... you guessed it, Jeff Goldsmith, who is the creator of Backstory Magazine.  In each episode Jeff interviews a major filmmaker in front of an audience after they all watched that filmmaker's latest movie.  He asks the usual fanboy questions such as "What was your budget?" or "How many days did you shoot?"  Yet the show also digs deeper in the analysis of the movies and the people behind them.  At the end of the show, the filmmaker takes questions from the audience.

8)     On the Page  (I was a Guest, Edited and Recorded Ep. 533 - Listen here.)
Pilar Alessandra is your well qualified host of the On the Page Podcast.  She has worked as a Story Analyst for Dreamworks SKG and is the author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter (now in its second edition).  Pilar sometimes has screenwriters, script consultant or other creatives on as guest.  The rest of the episodes is Pilar giving you a free lesson on the art and craft of screenwriting.  This podcast is fun to listen to and is very informative.  The opening theme song is also catchy.... careful, it might get stuck in your head (still worth it).

9)     Hilliard Guess' Screenwriter's Rant Room
I'm actually listening to an episode of this while I'm writing this.  My immediate thoughts are, Hilliard and his Co-Host give you the cold hard reality of writing for film and television.  They do not pull any punches and are not afraid to deliver it with an expletive or two.  That makes this a fresh voice on the subject.  The podcast also can occasionally deal with diversity and working as a minority in the industry, since Hilliard and others on the show know that from experience.  For a fun experiment, listen to a Scriptnotes episode and then the Rant Room back to back, it might feel like a punch in the face (in a good way.... I guess?)

10)    The Treatment
Your host is Elvis Mitchell, a well spoken, well read film critic who has written reviews for LA Weekly and The New York Times, just to name a few.  Elvis interviews big Hollywood names with a class and intellectual tone that is truly unique to this show.   You may have heard o some of these names, among his pasts guests are: Guillermo Del Toro, Sofia Coppola, The Coen Brothers and Jordan Peele.  This podcast is definitely last but not least on this list, well worth a listen.

There you have it.  I hope this list was helpful.  What are your favorite podcast on this subject?  Feel free to tell me one I left out in the comments.  Here are a few honorable mentions that did not make my top ten.

- BlackList Table Reads: This is a full reading of a screenplay by actors with sound effects, music and all.  It sure beats squinting at Courier font on white paper for hours on end.

- The Nerdist: With host Chris Hardwick (Often the guests are Film/TV related)

- The Nerdist Writers Panel

- The /Filmcast: Movie Reviews

- The Business: Industry News.

- Film Trooper Podcast

- The No Film School Podcast

- One Star Cinema: Play it in sync with the Netfilx movie they are watching and enjoy.  This is commentary Mystery Science Theater 3000 Style.

- How Did this Get Made?: Comedians roast a movie in front of an audience.

- The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast
  

Curt Wiser is a published Author and filmmaker.  He wrote and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl which is available to DVD, Amazon Video and other streaming platforms.