Field Guide to Filmmaking

Why Treating Your Fellow Filmmakers as Allies is the Key to Career Success

Why Treating Your Fellow Filmmakers as Allies is the Key to Career Success Learn why treating your fellow filmmakers as allies is essential to your career success. Discover the benefits of collaboration and building a supportive network.

My Top Tip For Preventing Burnout

My Top Tip For Preventing Burnout Learn my top tip for preventing burnout and improving your well-being. Discover effective strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

20 Things I’ve Learned in 20 Years in Business

20 Things I’ve Learned in 20 Years in Business Discover the top 20 insights from a seasoned industry professional with over 20 years of experience. Learn valuable lessons for success in film and video.

7 Proven Strategies for Generating Word-of-Mouth Referrals

7 Proven Strategies for Generating Word-of-Mouth Referrals Discover 7 proven strategies for generating word-of-mouth referrals and growing your business. Learn how to harness the power of positive reviews.

Successful people fail more often than unsuccessful people. They do. The difference is that they keep getting back up. I don't know about you guys, but I have files, folders, and drawers full of ideas for stories, short films, features, and other more off-the-wall creative projects. And to be completely honest, most of them either failed, got rejected, or didn't pan out. But some of them didn't. Some of them went on to become cool works of art that I got to share with other people. A handful of those good ideas ultimately became our production company, Shells & The Bear. And still more will make Field Guide to Filmmaking something to be proud of.
So keep failing, keep getting back up, keep creating, and keep on being amazing. :)

Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
Stewart Brand's mantra became famous after Steve Jobs's endorsement of these words as his code to live by. From hippie culture to the first personal computers, Stewart Brand has been right next to-- even propelling-- some of the biggest names and movements of the last century. And by the time the rest of us get there, he'd already gone on to something else more interesting. There's something about this quote that I really love. It reminds me that it's ok to pivot wildly from one project to the next-- it's what keeps things interesting, it's how I learn new skills, and how- as a company- we keep expanding our creativity.

Just because someone has done something before you– doesn't mean they’ve done it in place of you.

Lots of creatives get discouraged and even give up when they see a work of art, a film, or a book out there in the world with an idea similar to one they’d like to create. But the existence of similar work DOES NOT mean you’ve missed your chance! If anything, the existence of similar works or similar content means that there is, in fact, a market for it–- it means there’s a real appetite out there in the world for the kind of content that appeals to your tastes! The beauty of creativity and creative works of all kinds is that no two are alike. So keep creating, keep shooting, and keep on being a rock star.

The Top 3 Rules of First Contact

First contact with a new or potential client isn’t so different from first contact with an alien race. 👽 💫 In each case, you want to make a great first impression, avoid confusion, and start a great relationship. 🤝

Luck is a terrible driver!

If you leave the keys to your career in the hands of Luck… chances are high that Luck is just going to crash that car into a ditch and leave you stranded.

Too many new and aspiring filmmakers waste time, money, and energy waiting around for a “lucky break” that never comes! But great careers aren’t built on “lucky breaks” – they’re built on doing the work. I wish someone would have told me when I was just starting out that your career isn’t something that happens to you, it’s something you get to create.

You make your own luck by following up and following through.

What are you curious about? Where could it lead? 💯