Here's how you can harness confidence to take creative risks in film production.

Don't worry, folks. Whether you bombed that pitch, turned up to work with no trousers on, or realised that your mate Gareth who works in Halfords wasn't actually as close to David Hasselhoff as he made out, and there's no way he's going to star in your advert for Earwax removal spray (even though you promised the client and won the pitch based on that fact) - You can be safe in the knowledge that custard creams are a gift bestowed on humanity by a benevolent power. These little golden obelisks will always be there to comfort you when you need them most. Stock up, dream big, fail bigger. Eat Custard Creams.

Sometimes you are the only one who believes in an idea but that doesn't mean you are wrong! Take a moment to really think it through and listen to the other voices. But if you're really sure then have the courage in your conviction and insist that your version will work better. If you can, cover your bases by shooting two versions so you can decide in the edit. But do try above all not to have a discussion or disagreement on set while the cameras are waiting though!

One rejection isn't the end of it all. There will always be another person looking to hire, or looking for submissions. So much of the industry is a numbers game, so keep researching, keep applying, keep writing, keep meeting people, and tell yourself that you will get a bite as long as you keep trying. Also, it's never a failure to work at Starbucks temporarily if it means you get more time to follow your dream instead of packing it in.

Failure is a part of life. Great people have failed many times but they continued the struggle and achieved greatness. Even the greatest boxer ever, Mohamed Ali, got knocked down and lost fights throughout his career. He got up when knocked down and went on to became a champion. Keep fighting and always get back up to fight another day. Life is a journey, observe and enjoy the trip.

Harnessing confidence in film production means embracing creativity with courage. It's about trusting your instincts, pushing boundaries, and daring to think outside the box. Confidence empowers you to take bold risks, experiment with new ideas, and inspire collaboration within your team. It's the fuel that propels your cinematic vision forward.

If you believe in something and feel it is better for the Film and the communication, then it is worth fighting for. Sometimes people won't know it will work until they see it. It takes experience to know when something will work and to avoid doing something just for the spectacle. It's ideal if something comes up that not only works creatively and narratively, but also serves a communication objective or messaging. These work best when not forced. Collaboration is key. Work with the creatives/director/writers and see where things can take you. Often times the "light bulb" moments happen in the moment with a collaborative team.

Trusting instincts in film production is invaluable. My experience has shown that trusting one's intuition can lead to authentic narratives that deeply resonate with audiences. A sudden idea on set, though unplanned, can result in a more powerful scene if trusted and explored. Our instincts are shaped by our experiences, knowledge, and understanding of film production. By valuing and acting on our intuition, we enable unique and authentic creativity to flourish. Trusting one's instincts can be challenging, especially when it means deviating from the plan. However, recognizing and embracing this trust is a crucial skill in film production, setting one apart as a distinguished industry voice.

Its two fold: Embrace Your Vision: Confidence starts with a clear vision. Trust in your creative instincts and ideas. When you have a strong sense of what you want to achieve, you're more likely to take risks to bring that vision to life and others will notice! Surround yourself with talented collaborators whom you trust implicitly. Confidence in your team's abilities allows you to delegate responsibilities, bounce ideas off each other, and collectively take creative risks knowing that everyone is working towards the same goal. Say and do things with your chest! Mean what say. Say what you mean... love or "hate" people the set will get it.

Understanding and embracing your instincts — both good and bad is an important skill to build creatively, but perhaps even more importantly than blindly trusting one's instinct, is the ability to deconstruct how our instincts are operating and develop systems and formulae for directly applying those instincts to a given situation. It's better to be conscious and intentional in the application of our instincts than it is to be passively manoeuvred by them! Don't let it "just happen" to you! Know the internal calculus of why you are inclined towards a certain approach and be fully conscious in how you are deploying that calculus on the project.

Regardless of what level of experience you have, be open to constructive feedback from those working successfully in the field and apply it to your projects, then even if it doesn't have the desired outcome you were seeking, you can change course but be confident that you tried everything to achieve the best work aligned within industry standards and expectations.

One thing I’ve found about confidence is the unknown - when you get feedback you see more and less unknown: this breeds confidence

Constructive feedback is crucial in film projects. Surround yourself with trusted team members and mentors for refining ideas and improving film quality. Stay open to suggestions, even if it means deviating from the initial vision, as it can lead to elevated work. Creating an open dialogue environment involves regular feedback sessions, diverse perspectives, constructive criticism, and responsiveness. Embrace feedback for thorough vetting and refining of creative ideas, increasing the project's chances of success and resonance with the audience. Remember, feedback is about getting necessary insights, not just what one wants to hear, for better and more informed artistic decisions.

He or she who doesn't actively seek feedback cannot grow in the world and has no business being in a position of leadership, when hundreds of thousands or even millions of others' dollars are on the line. Seek feedback. Be hungry for feedback. Pursue it like cheesecake. Make it an addiction. But there's a catch: Only take feedback from those who are in the arena, those who are doing what you are doing, or who have done what you've done. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.”

This a tricky aspect because not everyone is apt to review your work, especially your family or friends. If you're lucky your family and friends might be skilled in the craft of film production, in that case there might be some legitimate merit to tapping in with their perspectives. Most of the time however, they will see the work through a smoke screen that is everything they know about you. That can be dangerous. Ill-informed feedback can create discouragement or a false sense of approval. The key is to have professionals or even industry strangers review your work, that way there is less chance for prejudice. Stay true to the idea that you fell in love with and work upon it until it feels correct.

I strongly agree with this! One sure thing about life is 'Change' We must not be fixated or feel superior about our years of experience in film productions. We must always keep ourselves updated in knowledge, advancement of technology is crucial to better production, never be left behind, and keep interaction with young creative chaps, sometimes they always have shortcuts to some unexpected errors that might challenge the very foundation of our productions. I actually abandoned a production for two to three years because of unnoticed technical issues at the location. Eventually, I decided to seek knowledge on social media platforms and I discovered it was just a piece of cake.

Having a deep understanding of the craft is a cornerstone of confidence in film production. In my journey, I've devoted time to mastering various aspects, from writing to sound design. Once, I was directing a complex scene. Thanks to my comprehensive knowledge, I was able to innovate while maintaining quality. This technical prowess not only boosts confidence but also enables boundary-pushing creativity. In-depth understanding of filmmaking is crucial for anyone aiming to be a 'top voice' in the industry. It's a solid foundation for innovation, ensuring the integrity of your work even as you explore new horizons.

Know the craft, yes. Even more importantly, know when you know just enough about something to be dangerous to yourself, or to others; It is better to know nothing about a thing at all than to know just a little about something, or just enough to make bad assumptions.

Seeing is believing. Strong believer that if you visualize what ever the outcome your brain preps your body for it... its survival 1:1. To that end, when the success happens; Celebrate! Confidence allows you to celebrate your successes and recognize the value of taking creative risks. When your bold choices pay off and your vision is realized on screen, it's important to acknowledge and celebrate those achievements, reinforcing your confidence and emboldening you to continue pushing creative boundaries in future projects.

Visualization is a powerful tool I've leveraged throughout my career. Before embarking on a new project or taking a creative risk, I make it a point to envision the successful outcome I aim for. During one particular project, we were about to try a new, unconventional approach. Before we began, I visualized the success we could achieve. This mental rehearsal not only solidified my resolve but also clarified the steps needed to realize our vision. This practice of visualizing success prepares you mentally for the challenges ahead and reinforces your belief in your project's potential. It's a potent confidence booster and a key competency that can set you apart as a 'top voice' in film production.

A practise of visualisation is critical for success. Make it a ritual. Be intentional with every send, and every creative decision. Give your thoughts volume and weight; see them playing out in the theatre of the mind, THEN make them actionable. This is not always easy to do in our fast-paced whiz-bang digital world, with goldfish level attention spans, but it is essential for getting one's work out into the world. Study visualisation techniques from the great masters like the Hermeticists or the Golden Dawn. Ritual is baked into our DNA as a species, and ritual is about intention and visualisation.

I have found visualizing a successful shoot (or meeting) to be a major factor in success! Before you go in, or the night before, sit quietly and close your eyes. Imagine everyone laughing and having a blast, things going smoothly, and getting the exact best shots. This works wonders for business situations. Imagine it going the way you want. Be specific. Imagine shaking hands and making everyone laugh. How do you want to feel? How do you want others to feel? This has a huge impact on it actually happening. I don't know HOW, just call it a kind of prayer. But it works.

Yes! Resilience is a key factor for the love and passion we have for film production. It is not always the bed of roses. There is always disappointment everywhere, from the source you relied on for funds, lackadaisical attitudes of some artistes on set, unexpected technical problems on set and at the post production stage. And mostly, the final stage; Marketing and acceptance. It is only Resilience that can keep you coming back. But one thing about Resilience is that, it can suddenly or one day, open you a door into the Fame Hall of the greatest.

Heads up - this is difficult. Stay Resilient: Confidence gives you the resilience to weather setbacks and criticism. Not every risk will pay off, and not every idea will resonate with audiences. But with confidence in yourself and your abilities, you can pick yourself up, learn from the experience, and come back even stronger.

In the world of film production, confidence is the secret ingredient that transforms good ideas into great ones and ordinary projects into cinematic masterpieces. So, embrace your confidence, trust your instincts, and never be afraid to take bold creative risks. Confidence gives you the courage to make bold decisions, even in the face of uncertainty. Whether it's choosing a risky shooting location, experimenting with unconventional storytelling methods, or casting against type, confidence enables you to trust your instincts and make decisions that push the creative envelope.

Harnessing confidence to take creative risks in film production is about knowing what you're good at and not being afraid to fail. It's important to trust your ideas and vision, even if they're different from what others may expect. Seeking feedback from people you trust can help you refine your ideas and build confidence. Start by trying small creative experiments and gradually challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone. By staying curious, resilient, and believing in your creative instincts, you can take confident steps to explore new and innovative ideas in your filmmaking journey.

This AI section of filmmaking is not properly trained with data. This requires breaking down of the topics in sub topics (focusing on basic and known terms).

Surround yourself with people who genuinely love and care for you. People in or outside film production but are very intelligent. People who will give you candid opinions on your piece. People that will represent individuals who will later watch your film and voice out their views, whether you like it or not. This will always give you room for improvement at the initial stage. And whatever the outcome of your production, they will always be there for you.

R.I.S.K.: Rehearse your skills, Inspire yourself, Seek feedback, Keep experimenting! Step out of your comfort zone and onto the set with confidence! 🎥🌟 Harness the power of preparation, soak up every bit of feedback, and let your creative sparks fly. Remember, every great film was once a risk—yours could be next. Ready to roll? ACTION!