Why you should never give up as an artist

When I was 12 years old, I remember seeing The Breakfast Club for the first time and loving everything about it. I had watched it because my older friends said it was a masterpiece. And wow, were they right.

The second time I watched it, I analyzed the script and storyline.  After restarting the DVD player a few times, I realized how much I loved the art and craft of the film. That was my turning point.

I wanted to create movies and be a part of the film business

As a lot of people know, making it big as an artist in the film/television/music industry is quite the task. You have to put endless hours of effort and determination in, sometimes just for a shitty outcome. Not to mention, in today’s world, the talent is impeccable and it’s hard to get noticed. It can take years for you to even get your name out there. On top of it all, this industry is about networking and who you know, which can get discouraging. Not all of us have the luxury of knowing a big name.

But that doesn’t stop us

We already knew how hard it would be to get into this art. And to be frank, as difficult as it might be, we don’t care. What dragged us into this field is the beauty of it all: coming up with an idea for a short film and quickly creating a beat sheet before you lose your train of thought, finally creating the scene you envisioned after 30 takes, finding the perfect song which ties all your b-roll faultlessly, editing just one shot for hours so it’s flawless. And after it all, nothing feels better than watching the creation you helped make and seeing it take off into something that might start your future.

That is, of course, one outcome

Another option might be rejection and having your feelings and dreams stomped on. But don’t let it stop you. Don’t give up.

In this business, you’re going to get rejected a lot. The word “no” is soon going to become your best friend. You’re going to feel like there is no use in trying and you just want to quit everything you’ve been working towards, but it’s the trap.

A professor said something which really stuck with me. He said people quit after being rejected multiple times. What you need to do is get past the hump and push yourself more than ever. Everyone who first starts out in this industry isn’t going to be amazing at it. With time comes practice, and practice will soon make perfect.

So this is for all the actors, actresses, writers, producers, editors, directors, colorist, cinematographers, music editors, and the thousands more: you’re doing just fine, and you will get noticed for all your hard work.

As Emma Stone said at this year’s Golden Globes, “To any creative person whose had a door slammed in their face, either metaphorically or physically, or actors who have had their auditions cut off or have waited for a callback that didn’t come, or anybody, anywhere really, that feels like giving up sometimes, but finds it in themselves to get up and keep moving forward, I share this with you.”