By Joshua Kazemi
When the stars align and art meets commerce, audiences are treated to incredible films. These films are forged in the struggle between making earnest art and making money. While this struggle isn’t unique to filmmaking, filmmakers do need to wrestle with it in unique ways because making films is so expensive. It requires a lot of people at the top of their field, all working together in tandem, to try to capture lightning in a bottle day in and day out. That said, every Writer/Director needs to come to terms with what it means to walk down that path from a creative and business perspective.
The Story Is Yours To Tell
What does it mean to be a Writer/Director? Obviously, it’s that you’re directing a movie that you yourself have written. But more specifically, it means that you have a story to tell and a clear vision for how to tell that story. The same story in different people’s hands can result in radically different retellings. On a film set, there are countless decisions to make, and in each of those moments, a Writer/Director is imparting more and more of their personal voice, changing the final product into something that is uniquely theirs.
So it goes without saying that to be a Writer/Director, you must have your own personal voice. All roads of creativity on your project lead back to you. There is no source material. You have to have a strong foundation to build your house on. A lot of writers take up directing to “protect” their script. It’s understandable; they have spent a lot of time and energy crafting every comma. They want to make sure their words stay intact. However, the greats also write and direct because this is a story only they could write and a story that only they could tell. Writing and directing a film requires a lot from you, so you must make sure you have a voice to speak from.
In addition to that voice comes important questions to ask yourself, like what kind of Writer/Director do you want to be? How do you want to showcase your voice? And how do you want to introduce people to your voice? Any Writer/Director worth their salt has multiple stories they want to tell. They are an endless source of ideas. So there is certainly a strategy in choosing the right ones first. Do you have a script that’s cheap to make? One with a solid, straightforward story that can really showcase what you can do and doesn’t ask too much of an audience or a producer right out of the gate? In the business of being a Writer/Director, there are countless examples of debut feature films or short films acting as almost proof-of-concept before those filmmakers got big checks to make something on a grander scale. Take the time to find out which idea would be the most advantageous to start with.
The High Cost of Creative Freedom
On top of requiring endless amounts of creativity from you, writing and directing also demand sacrifice in the beginning, whether it be personal, professional, or both. You obviously have the skill to write a great script, and you have the ability to be a leader on set and direct a movie. Those are two different skills and two potential revenue streams. If you insist on being a Writer/Director, you have potentially cut your income in half and have directly tied those skills together. Your chances of getting work as a hired gun significantly decrease if you hold out to do both jobs.
The inconsistency of the industry, on top of the inconsistency of getting work doing one very specific thing, can cause financial instability and, with it, emotional strain. It requires a great deal of stamina, drive, and a deep belief in your own personal voice. Because on top of all of the rejection, which the industry is built on, Writer/Directors must persevere through it on two levels. They have to learn to sacrifice emotional and financial stability to bet on themselves again and again.
Of course, if you’re willing to be a hired gun while you work your way up to your first project as both writer and director, you may have an easier time paying your bills, getting experience, and meeting people on the job. If not, you may need to be willing to develop some sort of side-hustle, part-time job, or a full-on day job to make ends meet while you work toward your next project.
Building Relationships Is Key
Through the hardships, as you’re crafting and sacrificing to make that perfect piece of art that also has commercial appeal, it’s vital to remember why you do it. You can’t forget how it makes you feel to direct your script and see your vision come to life. It’s a privilege to make art like this, and we should all be grateful every single time we get a chance to do it. And that level of graduate and joy also has practical benefits on a set.
Morale is important on long shoots, as is cultivating a good reputation. With how competitive this industry is, people have their pick of who to work with. More often than not, people choose people they like spending time with. Being nice, considerate, and easy to work with goes a long way in planting seeds that will bloom into more work. You may be a tortured artist, but you can still be good company, and you can certainly still be kind to those working alongside you.
There will also come a time when you need representation, studio executives, and producers to have your back and offer support to get your movie made. When the material is right, and you’ve done the work, those relationships will present themselves and it will be crucial to be ready for those meetings. You’ll need to be personable, you’ll need to be able to clearly articulate the abstract ideas in your head and in your script, and you’ll need to make real connections with these people.
The beautiful thing about filmmaking, even for Writer/Directors, is that you can’t make a film by yourself. It demands many people with a wide range of skills. It’s built on creative relationships. You’ve heard that this business is all about who you know, and that cliche, like most, stems from the truth. So prioritize building connections and treating people like people. Invest in those around you, and make a lot of friends. Reach out, not up, and create community.
Decerning If The Road Is Right For You
Directing your own scripts can be a long, lonely road that demands a lot from you. But if you look down that path and it seems like something you can not only endure, but thrive in, then you have to give it a shot and never give up. But looking down that road means being honest with yourself about its many speed bumps. Can you turn down other opportunities to bet on yourself? Can you survive on long stretches of no work? Can you deal with the rejection? Can you maintain relationships, really invest in people, and be someone people want to spend time with, even on your worst day? If so, this might be the right path for you.
Script to Screen
If you’re ready to take the next step beyond theory and start shaping your own voice as a writer-director, we’d love to see your work. Enter the Script to Screen program today — it’s a rare opportunity to get in front of esteemed industry mentors, refine your craft through practical directing sessions, and connect with a community that can help jumpstart your filmmaking journey.
