The general advice given to budding filmmakers tends to go along the lines of "go make something!" But there’s little discussion of the hard fiscal realities of moviemaking, even on an independent level. So Paul Greengrass has called on the British film industry to address the creeping financial imbalance that novice filmmakers are presently facing.
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"Young people starting out are being screwed to the ground. If you don’t have a rich mum or dad, that’s a problem," Greengrass said. "Our industry is not the plaything of the aristocracy, but there’s no question that being able to be sustained by your parents when starting salaries are luncheon money and contract length is tiny is invaluable. It’s being filled by people with means."
It’s a powerful statement from the director who was mentored at Granada TV and has undoubtedly witnessed how the industry has changed since. Thoughts? Is this a problem facing American cinema as well? Let us know below. [The Guardian]
Trying to launch a film program for inner-city teens. We encourage these kids as it helps them with team work, self esteem and community involvement
My friend, a young actress, is going to take out a 20K loan to live off of for the next year or two while she tries to get her acting career going since the job she has now stops her from being able to audition, etc.
Having said that, if you look back on the 90s with filmmakers like Tarantino, Kevin Smith, and Linklater, these were guys who came from very poor/middle class backgrounds. They took huge risks to make their first features and were able to be recognized for their talent. This is just to say that times are definitely changing.
I think the proof is in the pudding. Take a look at the new crop of directors making headlines. Most come from families of means and don\’t speak of financial struggles and going all in on their feature projects which got them recognized. Having money invariably creates a platform to even be creative and most importantly (even moreso than actual talent), get exposure. I hate to throw a blanket statement like this but for the most part, I find it to be true. I mean, it speaks to a deeper sociological issue of imbalanced wealth in this country but I\’m not gonna wax political. In any case, it\’s hard to get your first film off the ground when you\’re just worried about feeding yourself or your family.