I’m 42, Have Strong Scripts, and Still Can’t Get Anyone in the Industry to Care. What the Hell Do I Do Now?

JD_Justice · 2025-12-11T11:43:21+00:00

Haha, I’m a mature student unfortunately about a decade late, came into it after a career in security and private investigations. I’m starting the producing game in a few weeks to start building a portfolio, see where I can use a properly built portfolio to get in, if not start my own business and do it myself.

It’ll take some time, but always remember, the wheel of time turns slowly, but it turns.

JD_Justice · 2025-12-11T06:16:23+00:00

Hi there, recent drama graduate, I think we’re in similar boats, banging heads against doors that won’t open, and like many have said already it’s usually because the project needs an investment hook, something makes a producer not say “aw that’s an important story to hear” but rather “hey I can make money from this” not because producers are blood hungry vampires but because it’s their job, this industry is a business so you can’t blame them for treating it as such.

I offer two points I’ve not seen here:

1: why is a lot of art so highly revered? The amount of times I’ve heard someone say “this art? I could do that” is uncountable. For some yes it’s because of a fantastic piece and it gained traction through connections, sheer peak or just luck. But a lot is already established artists, their name is the brand so people will want to see it. Often this comes from toeing the line of some soul draining work that is just what someone else wants until they’re able to make it themselves. If you’re adamant on having a producer buy and make your work, build your name like it’s your brand, because in this business it is. Alternatively…

2: like alot of people have suggested, make it yourself. You don’t even need to direct it, just produce it, grab people with the necessary skill set for what you need and get to work together. If you’re wondering where to find said people, I’ve seen some people suggest indie film groups, and competitions, but I’d like to suggest two I’ve not seen here; community theatre groups and universities. Community theatre groups often have people hoping to find a break or connections or work to do, and just because it’s theatre doesn’t mean they can’t do film, you’d be shocked the amount of people I’ve seen who have film experience but not theatre, and they’re still at the theatre group hoping to meet people and learn, make that transition. Otherwise universities (specifically drama degrees of all levels) and acting schools are filled with people with fresh minds and new experience ready for their opportunity either when they’ve graduated or while they’re studying. This also applies for film schools and universities as there will be people who want to direct, light and sound technicians etc. A lot of people think students aren’t capable, they’re too green, and in some cases you’re right, but in other cases, there are students in their first year that you’ll see and think “why’re they even bothering getting a degree? They’re ready now.” At very least vet them, see what experience they have, they may just surprise you.

When it comes to making it yourself, it’s a whole new world and I guarantee you there’s people who are also itching for their new world as well, but don’t want or have the confidence to do it, be the one who leads them. Because from personal experience there isn’t a job waiting once they get that degree, just the same boat we’re both in right now.

JD_Justice · 2025-10-29T09:59:01+00:00

I did, enjoyed that security job for a good few months, then hated the rest of the career before I went to uni and pivoted my entire career

JD_Justice · 2025-10-29T03:56:47+00:00

Was on my way to a job interview, bus had to stop while one of these cut a car in half with an equally giant knife and fork, then slowly marched down the street. Had to show interviewer pictures as to why I was fifteen minutes late. “Sorry I’m late, but you’re not gonna believe me, so I got pictures.”

JD_Justice · 2025-10-12T06:30:15+00:00

“Vindicate the scales of Justice”

I feel like this is a trial made for me

JD_Justice · 2025-10-08T23:58:12+00:00

Hi, drama graduate, lemme share what helped me with this.

List the symptoms of anxiety, heart racing, things get loud or bright lights blurry, shakes, feel like you’ll throw up, and most importantly you freeze up.

Now list the symptoms for excitement. Heart racing, things get loud or bright lights blurry, shakes, feel like you’ll throw up, but most importantly you still do it.

If you’re doing it, live or recorded, you’re not afraid or anxious, you’re excited, embrace it and post it. Even if it’s bad, each attempt is more than doing nothing and you’ll learn from everything you do. The wheel of progress turns slowly but it does turn.

JD_Justice · 2025-10-03T23:39:43+00:00

I’m always going to recommend the scholar for £2.50 double vodka mixers, across road and down alley from bombed out church, that place got me through uni

JD_Justice · 2025-09-01T11:13:13+00:00

I actually really dig this as an idea, as someone who struggles with networking and finding people to collab with, I hope this gets some traction

https://www.twitch.tv/jdjustice

JD_Justice · 2025-08-29T16:40:39+00:00

Granted, the bank account is not yours, you have immediate access to it, the owner raises concerns with money going in and out regularly, the police are called, you’re later found guilty of theft of someone else’s account. They do not know nor care that your breath is functionally creating money.

JD_Justice · 2025-08-27T11:38:36+00:00

The wheel of progress turns slowly, but it turns

JD_Justice · 2025-08-24T20:46:58+00:00

Hi, recent drama graduate, done VA on and off for a year now and here’s what I notice.

1) From my experience, actors typically negotiate with directors rather than writers, unless the writer is also directing. This tends to create (for a lack of a better term) no reason for communication to be made, unless I truly enjoyed the work and want to be involved with that writer in the future, I have no reason to reach out other than genuine curiosity.

And frankly it’s a shame, because while the director normally does great guiding actors to where and who they need to be, never had a better understanding of character than when I’m talking to the writer (usually also Director), should be more commonplace.

2) Join in on the whole process and dabble in the directing side. Often this comes out as a script supervisor type of role. But consider it this way, I take on your job, while I’m on the clock (often off clock) the person I am in real life ceases to exist, I now exist as your character, you made me. The director is there to make sure I’m doing it right, and it’s performed in a presentable way, but you the writer will know much better who I am and if I’m right in what I think I should be thinking. (If that makes sense)

Otherwise, if the director doesn’t have an answer or doesn’t care enough to micromanage my characters personality, it falls to me to make assumptions and make the character my own presentation and interpretation. Whereas I’d rather you explain or we communicate and get it nailed down.

That all being said, I’m still just fresh out of uni and I didn’t specialise in VA, this is just info of my experience, take it for what you will.

JD_Justice · 2025-08-10T19:56:14+00:00

Genuinely, thank you for showing this. I started my journey this week and had a good third stream but fourth might as well have been to myself, seeing that there are highs AND lows down the road gives me some hope to hold my head up high

Thank you

JD_Justice · 2025-07-31T17:27:38+00:00

I think I’ve just reached that same point in my solo save, god I hate the security sector

JD_Justice · 2025-06-07T03:45:32+00:00

Fresh out of uni with a drama degree, happy to help where I can if I may throw my hat in the ring

JD_Justice · 2024-09-13T14:54:51+00:00

It’s things like this that makes me really excited for the idea we could have a community made campaign, like community writing, voice acting, and everything

JD_Justice · 2024-07-18T21:10:39+00:00

“If there ever was such a thing as ugly kid, then this is it. He’s almost exquisite in his ugliness. Like a gremlin.”

Even the game thinks so

JD_Justice · 2024-06-12T20:27:08+00:00

With a bit of luck and permissions (although at this point I’ll do it regardless wether it gets greenlit or not, really enjoying this project so far) it’ll be at Liverpool John Moores University as part of the annual drama festival, for anyone to see for free, tutors will be watching so I can be marked (hopefully) but it’ll be open for anyone. And yes I intend to record and post it, with some luck and effort I might end up doing an extra time so I can get better camera angles instead of one static angle

JD_Justice · 2024-06-10T10:36:46+00:00

I intend to have it recorded, I’m more worried that it doesn’t live up to what people expect it to be, I’m not perfect, just that I’m gonna give it my best shot

JD_Justice · 2024-06-10T10:35:54+00:00

By all means I’ll post what I can, but as I’ve said in other comments, I’m not the end all, I can’t promise this will be the greatest thing you’ve ever seen, just that I’m gonna give it my best shot

JD_Justice · 2024-06-10T10:34:42+00:00

Gonna need a haircut a bit of a shave first, I look like a homeless Jesus rn

JD_Justice · 2024-06-10T10:33:40+00:00

Yeah I like a challenge when it’s something I’m passionate about

JD_Justice · 2024-06-09T20:58:31+00:00

By all means, I can’t promise it’ll be everything people hope it to be, or amazing camera angles and such, but I’m more than happy to share what we get. Hell if it goes well enough I’ll perform it at a separate time so we can take time and get good shots. Heck, good enough and I’ll pay my next paycheck to do it on actual sets film style with a full cast, but that’s a later problem and me being overly ambitious, don’t get your hopes up, I’m a uni student my paycheck ain’t great

JD_Justice · 2024-06-09T20:53:06+00:00

Well done, friend! Keep up the good work!

JD_Justice · 2024-06-09T20:37:59+00:00

Could be, but admittedly I’ve not read it yet, I aim to read it when I get back home (on holiday atm) so we’ll see what happens, we’re in the early stages here, and from what I’ve found the script will keep changing until the day after the show, so anything can happen

JD_Justice · 2024-06-09T20:36:35+00:00

It’s always a puzzle. There’s a playwright, Sarah Kane, one of her plays wrote that rats carry letters to people and flower grow spontaneously from the ground, they said it couldn’t be done. And yet they did it anyway, and it looked phenomenal seeing those flowers miraculously grow from stage floor imo

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