How to Escape Filmmaker Tutorial Hell

Escape the endless loop of tutorials and start making real progress.

When I was starting out as a filmmaker, I wasted so much time.

What was I wasting time doing? Learning. Well, that’s what I considered it.

I was watching an endless stream of camera reviews on YouTube, reading all the “right” books, and engaging in spirited debates with my friends over the merits of certain films.

You know what I wasn’t doing? Creating projects. I made some sketches on YouTube, practiced my video editing—putting together random clips, and did the occasional VFX tutorial following a step-by-step video guide.

Looking back, those years when I was younger and didn’t have any real bills were the perfect time to be experimenting, failing, and learning.

But I wasted them worrying about what people would think. So I avoided the work.

I’m edging ever closer to thirty and creating my first short film in 8 years at the end of this month, and it has me reflecting on my journey so far. More specifically the lost time.

A bias for action is the single biggest superpower any budding filmmaker can have.

Stop letting pseudo-intellectual “learning” get in the way of starting projects and seeing them to completion. Projects are the only way to actually utilize the things you learn in a real world scenario.

“The purpose of knowledge is to enable action, not simply to accumulate information.”
- Aristotle

Instead of endlessly watching tutorials—take action first and learn along the way. Use tutorials to overcome the real obstacles that you face when creating your project.

Want to be a screenwriter? Start writing.

Want to be a cinematographer? Start shooting.

Want to be a director? Start directing.

Then, when you hit the inevitable hurdle—go find the knowledge necessary to jump over it.

Make things with what you have available and start practicing early. If you think sitting around watching YouTube tutorials for 5 years is the way to become a filmmaker, then I have really bad news for you.

This is just something I wish someone had told me earlier and hopefully it saves someone else from the challenges I went through.

So for those that don’t already know, Creative XP is a weekly newsletter for filmmakers ready to level up & take action.

Every single issue includes:

1. A creative writing prompt to get you writing

2. A film to study with a short breakdown

3. A workflow upgrade or tool recommendation

4. Insights from creatives to enhance your mindset

5. A weekly challenge to help you level up as a filmmaker

So, let’s get started with this week’s writing prompt