REALITY CHECK: Your Filmmaking Job vs. Your Filmmaking Dreams

The Huffington Post is running a new series called The Sundance Diaries where a handful of 2012 Sundance filmmakers are guest-blogging their experiences. I wanted to share one of those posts from Stephen Neary, a young man I first met when he was just in high school and touring my area, The Production Center, at NYU film school.

Fast forward some 8 years later and Stephen has graduated NYU where he concentrated in animation, been snapped up by a major animation production company, Blue Sky Studios, and now has his own short animated film in Sundance 2012 entitled Dr. Breakfast. (see full film below)

Coincidentally, the animation area at NYU Film/TV is managed by my wife Sonya who always told me that Stephen had “it” early on. (“It” being that undefinable, but easily recognizable combination of talent, hustle, temperament and originality that separates a handful of film students from the pack as more likely to succeed in the industry.)

I wanted to share Stephen’s film, but more importantly I wanted to share his most recent blog on the Huffington Post, because it illustrates one of those real-world conundrums that many us face as filmmakers who are fortunate enough to be gainfully employed full-time in the industry working for a larger company:

The common dilemma that occurs when you finally land a stable, well-paying industry job that is giving you a good professional experience, paying your bills and providing you with a higher quality of life, but ultimately leaves you with little time or energy to pursue your original dream of creating your own films and videos…and maybe even screening at Sundance one day .

What’s an aspiring filmmaker to do with dreams deferred?   Here’s how Stephen worked it out:

Read Stephen’s Sundance Diary

Dr. Breakfast – Sundance 2012

…You can see more of Stephen’s animated work HERE.