Am I dreaming?

[jwli]

I am a sophomore in high school, and I will appreciate anyone who will give me the time of day.

I'm still trying to find my "passion", and I was just wondering is it impossible or too late for someone like to me start pursuing a career in film/cinematography? I have no experience whatsoever with a video camera, stage lights, or anything really. All I know are definitions I find and vague descriptions of the field that people tell me.

So if you can, please tell me realistically what chances I have in making it in this industry, how I can get started (if I should), what I'd have to do if I chose this career, if you enjoy what you do, and how life is really like having chosen this profession.

I'll appreciate any input, and thank you in advance!

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I get emails from 40 and 50 year-olds wondering if it's too late to start a career... you're plenty young enough!

I was about your age when I took up an interest in Super-8 filmmaking, which I persued through college, studying film on my own while getting a degree in literature. I finally went to film school when I was 26, didn't start a career until I was 30 basically. But I had a decade of self-teaching in filmmaking before film school so I was pretty proficient when I arrived, which is how I became a cinematographer: everyone who saw my work asked me to shoot their films.

At your age, just get ahold of a camera and start experimenting.

 

[directedition]

We always hear about the prodigies in the industry who were making skillful movies while still learning to read and it can frustrate you, make you think everyone else has a leg-up on you somehow. But really, you can start anytime.

One of my favorite cinematographers is Christopher Doyle. Before becoming a cinematographer he "worked as an oil driller in India, a cow herder in Israel, and a doctor of Chinese medicine in Thailand." Now he makes movies. You don't have to be born into the industry or really start early. I didn't know I wanted to work with cinema cameras till I was a junior in college. All I had to do was show an interest and I'm pretty well underway. You don't know what opportunities will come your way unless you have your eyes open and take them when they come around.

Look up 'cinematography' on Amazon, there are many great books that go into detail about what cinematography is and the basics behind it.

Read, play, but most of all, pay attention to world around you. Watch how color changes through the day, what changes in the light when a cloud comes over, just be observant. And of course listen to David . It is a great opportunity to have someone skilled and experienced to ask questions.

 

[lotrfan]

Hey I'm a sophomore in high school as well! I first became interested in filmmaking around 8th grade (funnily, I can't remember exactly when it happened). I think I was sort of interested before, about as much as any average person who likes to watch movies, but I became REALLY interested after I saw the extended cut of The Return of the King, and watching all the behind the scenes stuff. At that time, I thought it was basically impossible to get into the film industry, and I stopped pursuing it until I did some google searches one day and found some links about filmmaking. So I think that's a great place to start. And also, while I haven't made any films yet, I have made some videos, and they are a great way to improve your editing, shooting, and even directing skills. Then when you are done shooting, edit it. It might not be perfect, but neither was my first video (nor the ones I make now). If you want to get better at cinematography, I would take a photography class or something similar. At least, that's what I'm doing right now. Although a lot of the things in the class I had learned before taking it (thanks to google , it will still help a lot if you are just getting into cinematography. And finally, (or firstly), make a film. Even if it's only you, or your friends, make one and have people critique it. Then repeat. Although I haven't made any films myself, I will definitely have one or at least be editing one by fall. And lastly, don't feel bad if your camera sucks. I made my first video near the end of 8th grade about our school trip to Cedar Point with a camera that shot about the same quality as a camera phone (320x240 @ 10 frames per second). And while it was far from perfect, I'm still very proud of it. Hopefully this helped a bit, and please feel free to pm me, since we're both in the same grade and aspiring filmmakers and whatnot.

 

[petersrin]

Weirdest thing. . . I knew I wanted to make films the moment I saw (as a sophomore in HS) behind the scenes of LOTR: Fellowship extended. . . odd. I'm presently a sophomore in college studying film. I say sophomore is a splendidly ripe age!

 

[Gohanto]

Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra were both professional engineers before going into film. Engineering is about as far from any film class that you can find, yet they still figured everything out anyway.

 

[element80]

I changed majors from computer science to film towards the end of my sophomore year in college. I have to go for an extra year, but it's been worth it.