How do people live with themselves if they fail?

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So now that covid is getting better, I am going to attempt to make my first feature film to hopefully try to break into the market as a movie director, which is the goal.

But my anxiety is through the roof, and I feel that it's too much of a moment of truth, and don't know how I will live with myself if it it fails, and cannot make any of my savings back, since I felt it was all about living up to this moment. How do others do it?

Stand up. Learn. Try a different approach. Fail. Stand up. Learn. Try a different approach...

Also, failure and success are not binary terms. You usually partially succeed, partially fail. So, with each repetition, you can improve the ratio between the two.

The point is to never give up, even if you don't have a record-breaking success the very first attempt. I'm attempting to get two books, one fiction and one non-fiction, published, but as with all things success isn't guaranteed the first time. My one was actually accepted for publication but I couldn't accept the contract as I had to cover half the publishing costs, which was not possible due to the exchange rate. The second one, submitted to a local publisher was on her shortlist - she liked it - but her board of directors could only select one title out of 30, and didn't make it. But she said the standard of submissions was very high and I mustn't feel bad.

But I've been continuing to improve and rework the first one to make it even better, and almost ready to submit both to new publishers. Patience is needed to achieve our dreams.

I sincerely believe you'll make a success of your film venture and wish you all the very best.

Failure should never be a cause of guilt - you've done nothing wrong and failure is not a "crime" - just an opportunity to make a comeback. It could rather be said "how do people live with themselves if they are constantly cruel to animals"? History is full of people who never succeeded first time round but eventually found their breakthrough.

Maybe I could but no one wants to buy a movie unless it's already made, so I can't really have a plan to sell it, before it's made, and the best bet is to hope it will sell, since no one wants to buy unless they have already seen if that makes sense?

The trouble is that you're betting everything on one throw of the dice. So failure would be practical as well as psychological.

About psychological- every great person had to learn to overcome set backs. And you learn more from your failures than you do from your successes. You have to go up to the bat to practice hitting the ball - the more your practice the more likely you are to eventually hit a home run.

But apparently you invested a lot more into this movie than Micheal Jordan does in any single shot.

Babe Ruth was the king of home runs. But he was also the king of strike outs.


But Babe Ruth didnt loose his job, and home, etc, every time he struck out.

Sounds like you might loose all of your wordly goods if this movie of yours strikes out. Dont know what to tell you.

You can also pitch am idea - a summary of the movie - as authors often do when submitting a brief synopsis of their planned book/s.

I understand the monetary investment you're putting in, so am really holding thumbs that you can pitch the very best possible product. But if you can successfully pitch an original IDEA, someone might assist to sponsor it and be a business partner for it, while you retain the intellectual property rights or whatever they call it. Many people have been able to get sponsors for creative projects if they can find a trustworthy backer.

But I don't think people will be willing to fund a production if I want to direct it though. Maybe I am just pessemistic but I feel that it will come down to, if I want something done, I have to do it myself, but is that bad of me to think that way, even as a back up plan?

I'm not an expert on the film industry but the best thing is for you to do meticulous research into how to go about promoting your ideas and your venture. Seek reputable agents who ave good reviews, if possible. It's true you might lose some element of your freedom to do exactly as you wish with the creative







I'm no expert on the film industry but you should do meticulous research into reputable agents with good reviews. You might surrender a part of your creative freedom to do as you wish, but it might carry less financial risk. But nothing ventured nothing gained - I'd suggest that if possible some of your peers or target audience would be a good measure in determining the potential success - if it will be popular.

I know how you feel - what we like isn't necessarily what people want to read or watch, but don't give up on the dream.

They move forward and try again.

Or, perhaps they're content that they at least gave it their all and attempted to achieve their goal, even if they fail.

I have a goal like that. I'd rather spend all of my time and money pursuing it for a decade, and fail, than have money in the bank and wonder if I could have accomplished it.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

Move forward, if it doesn't work out you'll have to make a new plan.

And I don't want to be pessimistic but an amateur film with no professional producers, directors, acting ect, probably just isn't going to make very much money unless it's something spectacular that gains the attention of a film company or something that wants to invest in funding like promotion and such for it.

I don't think you should give up if it's a project you really want to do, but I do have doubts you'll be able to make a living from it...so may be good to at least have a back up plan.

If it's something really out of the ordinary that manages to beat the odds to become a phenomenal success, such as this one which won Oscars: My Octopus Teacher


https://www.netflix.com/za/title/81045007



Maybe research other independent projects like this one that definitely wasn't a Hollywood blockbuster yet turned out to become world famous.

I’ve failed many times. All you can do is continue to try.

I’m answering the OP question.

I can live with myself if I fail. I can’t live with myself if I don’t try.

I can try to look at it that way, I just feel I will feel bad if I fail too of course though.