Making Goals

So the new year has started and everyone on all types of social media has been uploading their videos, posts etc onto the internet on their year in review. I want to do the same, but not to be a part of the mainstream, but to have an example to back up what I’m going to say.

Make goals.

In the last 52 weeks I’ve worked on:

  • 1x Independent Feature Film
  • 11x Short films
  • 4x TV shows
  • 1x Theatre performance
  • 2x Music videos
  • 1x Wedding
  • 2x Promotional videos
  • 1x Documentary
  • 1x Internship

How did I do this? I made goals.

12374759_10153714322493503_2836464817773161251_o

At 20 years of age I’m lucky to know what I want to do for my career, most people don’t. Some people never know what they want to do. That is okay. But I’m lucky I have found my passion, from which I want to make a career. I want to be a DP (Director of Photography). I want to freelance. I want to work for myself, as well with others.

Yes I know, these are pretty big dreams. But with goals, they will happen.

A year ago I new very little about film. Around July I sat in on a lecture where a speaker explained having a ‘triangle’. Three points to it. Experience, finance, portfolio. She said, anything you work on, if it fits two of the criteria give it a shot. It will benefit you in some way. Around this time I also went through some personal issues and I was looking to really get into working towards what I wanted. Because I am the only person that can reach my dreams.

I set myself a goal: one film project a week. Whether it was 1 week long, 1 day long or 1 hour long. Get on someone else’s or my own project. What points of the triangle did I cover. Experience and portfolio. I only received payment for one of the twenty-four projects I worked on. Why? Honestly because I felt like at my skill level, where I was at, I couldn’t ask for money. I still feel like that now to be completely open with you.

But I want the experiences and the knowledge. That is what I gained from 24 projects.

Yes I am still learning, I have so, so, so much more to learn. Everyday of my life I’ll be learning more about film, my passion. But with this continuos learning I now know enough where I can begin to teach others things that I have learnt.

This is so important to me. The creative industry, to my understanding at least, can become very competitive. Often it’s hard to break into a circle. I want to help others gain the experience, skills and confidence to break into circles and reach their goals. I would not be where I am today experience and also confidence wise if I did not have others that also believed in my ability.

 

 

This next year will be filled with even more goals. With these goals I will continue to step more closely to my dreams. One goal is being director of photography for a short film. Another is being director of photography for a music video. Another is beginning to start more freelance work.

So I encourage you to make goals. Whether it’s one film project a week, a fortnight, a month. Whether it’s film related or health related or family related, etc. It doesn’t matter. What matters is having something you are constantly working towards.

– H

2 thoughts on “Making Goals

Leave a Reply to SamCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.