I always told myself that USC would be the big-breakthrough opportunity I needed to enter Hollywood. And it was. I entered Hollywood... and immediately left after only 6 months at Warner Bros. I wanted to create my own films, but I continued to get caught up in "working to live." The creativity just stopped. I was working for a paycheck, rather than getting any individual inspiration. When I decided to leave and go on volunteering trips, I did so after an intense moment of meditation (similar to you haha). And I discovered that there were SO many different ways to incorporate my love of filmmaking into a sucessful and happy lifestyle. I never needed to be the next Speilberg in LA-- though for the longest time, I only wanted that. I could still make films without the notariety of a "big budget industry." I feel so much more at peace making these short docs of my volunteer missions than I ever would have recieved in LA/USA. Good for you for keeping up with these dreams. So many people loose focus of that after entering the workforce. Such an inspo!
@@savannahgriffin4641 Savannah! Thank you for leaving this comment 🙏🙏 I’m so happy that you relate to this video! You are right, there are so many more modes of success than just the LA-Hollywood-route. I’m happy that you’ve found a lifestyle and way of expressing your creativity that suits you the best. 😊🙌🙌 We got this!
Great video. It's a topic that most artists can relate too, not just filmmakers. It can be very depressing when you are not able to realize a dream, because it reveals a harsh truth about who you are. It triggers a lot of frustration. Why can't we express ourselves the way we want to. Why do we have dreams that can never come true. Why does creativity have to be so painful. The good news is...if you're a true artist your dreams will never die. Giving up on them is not an option because they won't let you. The bad news is that your dreams will haunt you to the grave. Which can be a blessing and a curse. This is the path of an artist and the cross you have to bear. It's why most normal people avoid creativity. Because when you open up your mind to consider all that could be...you risk losing your sanity in the process. So...if you're feeling lost...no worries...that just means you're normal.
Lucky UA-cam recommended me this video. The conversation with Monkey and the quote "Documentaries are a way of expressing love" really struck with me. This video kinda feels like a love letter to yourself.
Hi Aria's Lens I have been on a gap period for my research university for a while now. During this time, I mostly just spending time alone working on my portfolio for an Art University in the Netherlands. Ended up got accepted, when I came back to live with my family and let them know this. I feel so dreading about my decision because they wanted me to stay and help them. I got into a big existential crisis and still do. I lost my connection with myself and thought that I am forever stuck in a limbo between myself and my passion. It is magic that you posted this video. You show me that I am not alone and that no matter how I ended up, it is indeed possible, because you can do it, we all can do it. I'm still young but I want to be responsible haha, perhaps this is not the time. I'm happy for you that you restored an inner faith, I wish you the endurance of the sea
Hi Khôi, thank you for your magical comment! I am so touched that my video, which I made mostly for myself, is moving other people. I believe in you and hope that you will continue to pursue your passion in some way or other. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and the endurance of the sea! :)
Really insightful and well told, extremely relatable as well, I’m in Australia and it’s crazy that we can share such similar experiences from across the globe. Thanks Aria, keep documenting, keep creating, I believe there is a place for us all to succeed.
Hi there, thanks for your comment! I'm happy to hear that you related with the video, even though you are halfway across the globe. That means a lot to me!
Time sure flies! I remember 5 years ago subscribing to your channel when you got into usc film school. A lot of friends whom I knew from Chapman film school, UCLA, and USC ended up not being DP's or director's anymore after we graduated. Especially in LA where the cost of living is so high and since the industry is built upon nepotism it's really hard to get in so like your friend said you'd have to work from bottom up. My goal was similar to yours. I wanted to be a big hollywood DP. But to get there I would have to spend years 1st AC'ing... Assistant camera is great....the money was good. But it felt like I was chasing a paycheck rather than me getting to do what I actually wanna do which is to DP. But the more I worked I realized I didn't want to do that anymore. One year I ended up taking a break from film and went overseas to Seoul, South Korea and started shooting my own travel stuff because it was the first time I had content that I got to call my own. I started shooting these visual journals and people started taking notice. I was always assisting the DP so no one knew I could shoot/edit. Pretty soon through posting my own work, I got an opportunity to shoot a chili sauce documentary in Taiwan and realized I found more joy in traveling, meeting people, and giving life to stories which would have never been told. Life works in crazy ways because immediately after I shot the chili sauce documentary and came back home, Bopomofo cafe wanted to shoot a taiwan tea documentary in taiwan so I went back a second time the same year to Taiwan shooting a documentary. Keep chasing the dream and you'll eventually make it! It takes a really driven person to work a 9-5 but at the same time not lose sight in what they hope to achieve. Excited to see what lies ahead for you!
Hi Alan, thanks very much for this comment! I can’t believe that you subscribed to my channel 5 years ago when I first got into college! 😁🥹 Hearing about your journey was encouraging, and I’m glad you’re now working on projects that truly excite you. Thanks for sharing 🙌💌
I graduated from film school almost 9 years ago, I did a few films and worked on some shorts after that. I didn't go to L.A. to work in the movie industry, did a 9-5 while working on photography and weddings which I'm still doing now. I have been planning on reviving some of my old screenplays and getting back into filming and directing. I'm still in touch with former classmates that still have the creativity in writing and making films.
I always told myself that USC would be the big-breakthrough opportunity I needed to enter Hollywood. And it was. I entered Hollywood... and immediately left after only 6 months at Warner Bros.
I wanted to create my own films, but I continued to get caught up in "working to live." The creativity just stopped. I was working for a paycheck, rather than getting any individual inspiration.
When I decided to leave and go on volunteering trips, I did so after an intense moment of meditation (similar to you haha). And I discovered that there were SO many different ways to incorporate my love of filmmaking into a sucessful and happy lifestyle. I never needed to be the next Speilberg in LA-- though for the longest time, I only wanted that. I could still make films without the notariety of a "big budget industry." I feel so much more at peace making these short docs of my volunteer missions than I ever would have recieved in LA/USA.
Good for you for keeping up with these dreams. So many people loose focus of that after entering the workforce. Such an inspo!
@@savannahgriffin4641 Savannah! Thank you for leaving this comment 🙏🙏 I’m so happy that you relate to this video!
You are right, there are so many more modes of success than just the LA-Hollywood-route. I’m happy that you’ve found a lifestyle and way of expressing your creativity that suits you the best. 😊🙌🙌 We got this!
Great video. It's a topic that most artists can relate too, not just filmmakers. It can be very depressing when you are not able to realize a dream, because it reveals a harsh truth about who you are. It triggers a lot of frustration. Why can't we express ourselves the way we want to. Why do we have dreams that can never come true. Why does creativity have to be so painful.
The good news is...if you're a true artist your dreams will never die. Giving up on them is not an option because they won't let you. The bad news is that your dreams will haunt you to the grave. Which can be a blessing and a curse. This is the path of an artist and the cross you have to bear. It's why most normal people avoid creativity. Because when you open up your mind to consider all that could be...you risk losing your sanity in the process. So...if you're feeling lost...no worries...that just means you're normal.
Lucky UA-cam recommended me this video. The conversation with Monkey and the quote "Documentaries are a way of expressing love" really struck with me. This video kinda feels like a love letter to yourself.
@@biswassudipta05 Thank you! 🙏💌
Hi Aria's Lens
I have been on a gap period for my research university for a while now. During this time, I mostly just spending time alone working on my portfolio for an Art University in the Netherlands. Ended up got accepted, when I came back to live with my family and let them know this. I feel so dreading about my decision because they wanted me to stay and help them.
I got into a big existential crisis and still do. I lost my connection with myself and thought that I am forever stuck in a limbo between myself and my passion. It is magic that you posted this video.
You show me that I am not alone and that no matter how I ended up, it is indeed possible, because you can do it, we all can do it. I'm still young but I want to be responsible haha, perhaps this is not the time.
I'm happy for you that you restored an inner faith, I wish you the endurance of the sea
Hi Khôi, thank you for your magical comment!
I am so touched that my video, which I made mostly for myself, is moving other people. I believe in you and hope that you will continue to pursue your passion in some way or other.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey and the endurance of the sea! :)
@@ariasijiali1689 thank you for your kind words, cheers!
Really insightful and well told, extremely relatable as well, I’m in Australia and it’s crazy that we can share such similar experiences from across the globe. Thanks Aria, keep documenting, keep creating, I believe there is a place for us all to succeed.
Hi there, thanks for your comment! I'm happy to hear that you related with the video, even though you are halfway across the globe. That means a lot to me!
Scott Johnson, Film Composer to the rescue once again
🙏🙏🙌🙌
Time sure flies! I remember 5 years ago subscribing to your channel when you got into usc film school. A lot of friends whom I knew from Chapman film school, UCLA, and USC ended up not being DP's or director's anymore after we graduated. Especially in LA where the cost of living is so high and since the industry is built upon nepotism it's really hard to get in so like your friend said you'd have to work from bottom up. My goal was similar to yours. I wanted to be a big hollywood DP. But to get there I would have to spend years 1st AC'ing... Assistant camera is great....the money was good. But it felt like I was chasing a paycheck rather than me getting to do what I actually wanna do which is to DP. But the more I worked I realized I didn't want to do that anymore.
One year I ended up taking a break from film and went overseas to Seoul, South Korea and started shooting my own travel stuff because it was the first time I had content that I got to call my own. I started shooting these visual journals and people started taking notice. I was always assisting the DP so no one knew I could shoot/edit. Pretty soon through posting my own work, I got an opportunity to shoot a chili sauce documentary in Taiwan and realized I found more joy in traveling, meeting people, and giving life to stories which would have never been told. Life works in crazy ways because immediately after I shot the chili sauce documentary and came back home, Bopomofo cafe wanted to shoot a taiwan tea documentary in taiwan so I went back a second time the same year to Taiwan shooting a documentary.
Keep chasing the dream and you'll eventually make it! It takes a really driven person to work a 9-5 but at the same time not lose sight in what they hope to achieve. Excited to see what lies ahead for you!
Hi Alan, thanks very much for this comment! I can’t believe that you subscribed to my channel 5 years ago when I first got into college! 😁🥹
Hearing about your journey was encouraging, and I’m glad you’re now working on projects that truly excite you. Thanks for sharing 🙌💌
I graduated from film school almost 9 years ago, I did a few films and worked on some shorts after that. I didn't go to L.A. to work in the movie industry, did a 9-5 while working on photography and weddings which I'm still doing now. I have been planning on reviving some of my old screenplays and getting back into filming and directing. I'm still in touch with former classmates that still have the creativity in writing and making films.
Nice, I wish you best of luck with getting back into filming and directing!
Inspirational! really well made mini doc👍Keep dreaming, we will get there eventually💪💪💪
@@djin8939 Thank you! And thanks for agreeing to be interviewed 🙌🥰
This is an amazing video. Thanks for being vulnerable and all the best for you!
@@owenathanael thank you Owen!! ❤️🙌
Great work! This was an inspiring doc!
@@GOJAGI Thank you!! 😊🙏
thank you for this ❤
Thank you for watching! 🥹
hey this is so relatable...
@@NoHomage I’m glad you enjoyed the video!