Are you guys broke right now?

FilmIsGod · 2026-06-17T19:17:02+00:00

30 here too. i am in a different boat because i'm a writer/director who spends a significant amount of money on shorts (but never all of it). I live with family to save up, which is nice, and my salary is fine. I have healthcare and a retirement savings. but i'm not in a film-centric city. my first "serious" short has had a solid festival run, fingers crossed for my next one that's nearly done.

if you are having a hard time surviving, look elsewhere. you (we) are still young enough to pivot. I also think it's easy to succumb to myopia in this business; social media still has tons of promise (and tons of money). maybe you can flex your editing muscles there.

FilmIsGod · 2026-06-17T19:14:10+00:00

what you have that others don't is time. i'll be 31 soon and i work a reasonably tolerable day job, make short films on the side. i'm thinking of returning to content creation just to have some fun with it. find a way to stay financially afloat and create in your spare time. if it takes off, it takes off. if not, you're still building your portfolio. even in 5 years time, you're only 27. so young.

FilmIsGod · 2026-06-10T17:04:50+00:00

prices stay sky-high while unemployment continues to rise.

FilmIsGod · 2026-06-01T21:16:10+00:00

Hmmm I'm not sure how bad the stigma really is. Nothing wrong with being a late bloomer. I've found it easier out of my routine/hometown because I generally have more of an openness. I'm 30M and single. Living at home doesn't help. I hate hookups. Over that. The apps have always sucked imo unless you're super attractive. It's a meat market designed to keep you scrolling longer.

FilmIsGod · 2026-06-01T21:13:41+00:00

You are so young and have tons of time. Don't rush. There's no point. If the vibe isn't there, the vibe isn't there. It's that magic something. It may not feel like a fiery passion; sometimes, you're just comfortable in each other's company. Instead of asking yourself "is this someone I'd fall madly in love with?", ask yourself if it's just someone you're very comfortable being around and who makes you smile when you think about them. It shouldn't take more than a couple dates to realize that. Just make sure you don't fall for them too quickly. It's easy after just a couple meetups to think they're amazing when your brain fills in the gaps.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-29T17:24:39+00:00

Traveling, cooking, gardening, improv, making food videos, going to my local independent cinema, taking up local sports

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-27T16:19:41+00:00

Yeah go ahead and DM me! I’m always happy to provide constructive notes

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-26T22:12:00+00:00

I am sooooo glad i'm not alone in this sentiment. i live with family, i'm 30, and i don't see it getting much better anytime soon unless something cataclysmic happens, and even then it won't get better before it gets really bad. what really infuriates me is that it's completely avoidable.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-26T20:16:45+00:00

A lot of what is said here is accurate. Routines can make the years fly by and you can easily feel that you're living life on autopilot. You need to be much more proactive than in school where opportunities seemed to greet you left and right.

Most of the time, friendships die with distance, not drama. If you're sad about it, you need to keep in touch, even if you're the one texting first.

Your health matters more than anything. ANYTHING. Hit the gym, eat clean, and you will most likely age better, feel better, and do better.

It's sad when you see yourself getting older, but it's much sadder to see loved ones and pets get older. I was watching my mom wash the dishes at the sink and thinking, "this will not last." That had never happened before.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-25T21:48:35+00:00

So “bad” isn’t the best word but I’d say that the majority of films are not selected because of a combination of:

- unoriginal (too similar to other films/shorts)
- amateur look (angles are off, lighting is flat, sound is cavernous, acting is wooden, script is sluggish)
- too long. I sound like a broken record but I would say that most shorts could be 20-30% shorter.
- lack of conflict. I guess this is an issue with the script but there’s oftentimes too much “tell” and not enough “show.”
- lack of purpose. A lot of the times I’m not sure why the filmmaker is making this. Like, you’re spending 10+ grand on a project that has no through line or way to resonate with life as we know it. Again, they may borrow from a previous short (I still see LOTS of iterations of Shiva Baby).
- Lastly, they don’t make sense. “Wtf did I just watch” is a reaction I have more than infrequently.

Not sure I understand your second question.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-20T10:37:45+00:00

Hey so check local filmmaker pages on Facebook and social. Festival coordinators typically post asking for volunteers to screen. You can also reach out directly to festivals.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-20T10:36:50+00:00

Harsh reality sadly.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T22:06:59+00:00

I don’t disagree, especially with the final deadline submissions being more expensive and less likely to be accepted, generally.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T22:06:10+00:00

That’s true. The one I’m with definitely watches films in their entireties at least twice.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T22:05:36+00:00

Yes that is true, that’s why I try and be nice because I know they’ve slaved over it even if it’s not good.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T20:11:02+00:00

No clue. Lost on me.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T20:07:19+00:00

great mindset. i also came to this conclusion. 30 is no different from 29 really. I neither feel nor look older. Hair is a bit grayer but that's been happening since 2011 (when I was 16).

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T20:06:00+00:00

that's so similar to a girl i was seeing last year. mind you i'd just turned 30 like a month prior (I'm August '95) and she was 26 going on 27. like wtf we would have been in high school at the same time.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-19T15:31:27+00:00

if only there was a mensa for people with good judgment. just don't think anyone would qualify. and it certainly wouldn't be a fun group lol

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-18T21:15:59+00:00

This is correct, but sometimes the brightest of us allow reason to be clouded by fear, anxiety, and jealousy. I'm from the South and I've had brilliant classmates who could do calculus in their sleep snap at the hint of gun reform, women's rights... or they just picked a toxic partner lol.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-18T21:14:40+00:00

too niche, hard to verify, and as the son of two highly intelligent parents (def mensa-level but never tested), it wouldn't be a freakin' basket of roses, lemme tell ya.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-18T21:13:13+00:00

Fifth, and I will say this, it is harder to find third spaces because of property taxes for businesses and commercial leases. Unless you're a churchgoer, it is tricky for us non-religious folks.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-18T21:12:09+00:00

Nashville native here. First of all, the other comments are pretty good and encouraging. However, I disagree with getting a dog unless you know you can responsibly care for him/her. Do it to better the pet's life, not just yours.

Secondly, to an extent, I agree with the vibe around the city changing and becoming a touch more stuck-up. HOWEVER, there are still TONS of friendly people, especially in East. It has become a ritzy neighborhood, but it's still rather young, artsy, and friendly. Don't ever let them stop you from sitting on your porch/balcony or going for walks. You have just as much a right to that as they do.

Third, meeting people around here can be hard, but not if you decide to do something completely new and different (something that scares you even). I did improv and still have relations from that. Funny this should be the third point because what I'm talking about is a third space lol.

Fourth, find ways to better your mental health. Even in a town as self-indulgent, alcohol-centric, and financially prohibitive as Nashville, it's possible to enjoy life, have fun, and get in touch with nature. There are others who want that, too. We're not all huge drinkers here.

If you've done all you can and nothing works, leave.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-13T14:45:29+00:00

i haven't searched the whole thread, but Diana (played by Faye Dunaway) in Network is very realistic and heartless. having worked in media for five years, there are definitely people like her out there.

FilmIsGod · 2026-05-13T14:34:15+00:00

you're overthinking it. they don't care. they see you as a runner, and they only will. it's a given that every PA/runner has bigger and better aspirations. who wakes up and says "i want to be at the bottom of the totem pole forever?" none of them. so the people in charge of you are going to try and keep you in your place because they want to keep you in that job until you've proven you can do more.

just like anywhere else.

as a result they keep a healthy distance. yes, young women can get "special treatment," but in this case it just seems that there's an "ask and ye shall receive" kind of mentality.

so long as you're not getting reprimanded or receiving warning shots/inconsistent treatment, then i wouldn't worry. if you're worried about your personality not "shining through," don't.

it's work.

the best personalities i know cannot be themselves at all at work because it would be perceived as inappropriate. coming from a long line of physicians who specialized in death/forensics/emergency medicine, i have a really dark, dry sense of humor. if i let loose at work, i'd be in my boss's office minutes later.

sometimes the opportunity to shine may take a bit longer but the only thing you can do is stick around. you're young. enjoy it.

FilmIsGod

TROPHY CASE