The Sacrifices of Filmmaking

Sometimes the most interesting film narratives are the ones that take place off the screen. I love hearing stories of how people got their big breaks. Unfortunately, these stories are often finessed into something that may be more entertaining and inspiring than what really transpired. I often wonder about the snippets that end up on the cutting room floor. The part of the story that comes right before "...and then Steven Spielberg saw my short." The part about how one got their short into Spielberg's hands in the first place.

That's not to say that just because you have a cousin that knows someone you aren't talented. Success is never really about one thing. Talent, timing and a little bit of luck usually play a part. In theory all those stars align.

The truth is we never see the whole picture. Careers are not born out of single moments. They gestate over time unseen by the general public. These are the stories I want to hear.

For that reason, I was really excited to see this post by Filmmaker Magazine. They asked Sundance filmmakers what their greatest sacrifice was while making their films. For some, such as Nick Ryan during The Summit and Dylan Mohan Gray of Fire in the Blood - the sacrifices of their collaborators can't get any more real. Others such as Roger Ross Williams of God Loves Uganda and Shaul Shwartz of Narco Cultura put themselves in harms way to get their stories. And then there are those that speak more of the sacrifices I know and relate to - the self-doubt one has to overcome like Randy Moore of Escape from Tomorrow or the time away from family so eloquently spoken of by James Ponsoldt of Spectacular Now.

As a new mom I think a lot about the sacrifice of spending time away from family to make my dreams come true. My husband and I have both given up vacations, sanity and financial stability in our creative pursuits.  But when a kid enters the picture some sacrifices start to feel more real. I was really touched by what Liz W. Garcia had to say about making The Lifeguard. I too hope my daughter will be proud of her mom, even if it means I am not always there to tuck her in at night.

Collectively, these stories are a really interesting look into what goes into making a film. Some answers are better than others, of course, but it's worth taking a read.