Filmmaking Advice from Casey Neistat

Posted January 19, 2018

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If you are reading this post, chances are when you were younger (or maybe still) your dream was to be a Hollywood filmmaker. You watched a lot of movies, idolized award winning directors, and envisioned your own Oscar speech. In most cases, the dream doesn't go the way you envisioned. We have all been there. This doesn't mean that your dream isn't attainable, it just means that you are going to have to work for it. This is what Casey Neistat believes, and he wants you to think so too. In many cases, and we've said this before here, all it takes is picking up your camera, taking your career into your own hands, and start producing video.

We like Casey Neistat here. If you are not familiar with his story, he is someone who's grit and perseverance launched his career. He vlogged, almost everyday, building an audience, finding his niche, and eventually getting a big payout from CNN. This may not be the track he envisioned when he was a teenager thinking of being the next Spielberg, but it was the path he worked hard to be on.

When Casey was a teenager becoming a filmmaker was a difficult process. The barrier to entry was incredibly high. The equipment was expensive, distribution was controlled by a handful of companies, and for many even producing any kind of professional quality video was out of reach. Now, with smartphones, almost everyone has a broadcast quality camera right in their pocket. Editing software is incredibly cheap and easy to use, and you can distribute your work, for free, on the Internet.

If you have thought to yourself that you wanted to launch a career in video, but didn't know how, you are your of excuses. It's time to start producing video. Follow Casey's advice: say yes to every opportunity you get to pick up a camera. Put everything you have into your work. Make as much as you can, and build your personal brand.

Need help doing any of these things, we can help you. Learn here how to shoot professional video, how to turn it into a compelling story, and how to turn those skills into a career.

Remember that even for Casey, the grind was not glamorous. It takes time, it takes dedication, but it can be done -- now more than ever.

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