In 2013, I shot a film called "Sprouting Orchids". Here's a retrospective about the production. If you're a first-time filmmaker, you need to watch this.
So I have a few questions regarding your film. 1: Who was the casting director for your film? 2: Who was the videogropher for your film? 3: Who edited the film? As an aspiring creator, I would really appreciate the advice.
Can't believe you're anti-choice and homophobic. Disgusting. Anyone else who wants to see the proof search "Austin McConnell - Who Should Christians Vote for?" at about 12 min
@@tim..indeed Everything has been done, it's about putting your uniuqe twist on it. Not sure why so many fmmakers online are negative and enjoy spreading pretentious opinions
I'm 44 now, but I spent most of my "youth", lets say 16 to 32-ish, trying my hardest to make it in the music scene. That was a decade and a half that cost me so much money. It was very hard work. It never paid off. There were times when it came close, but something always "messed it up". Although not the same, I know how you feel. We bleed for our art. And now, I'm an old man and have given up on the "dream" for over a decade. I am not bitter though. Some of that time was the some of the best times of my life.
I would think the journey would be big part of trying to “make it”. Wiling to bet you met a lot of interesting people along the way, maybe even found love a few times, on your way to failing to make it. Because, in the end, you were doing something.
That pain in your voice at the end, I have felt it. Nothing can cut deeper than putting everything you have into something that ends up unloved. It's been nearly five years since you released this video and I'm just now seeing what you and your channel are about. But, I am willing to bet that what you have done with this past five years is awesome.
The important thing, is you did it. How many people have abandoned a dream before they even started. You followed, completed, and documented the process.
@@yanstein8464 thanks for asking I've been meaning to come back to this comment I've started a comic book club i haven't documented it but i will i was even thinking about making a movie using our phones then making a comic based off that movie but as of rn idk what i will do next but whatever it is I'll go through with it under almost any circumstances
Choked me up at the end. You’ve experienced watch all filmmakers experience. The majority. That’s why people say that you have to be crazy to make a film. But when you have a love for it, you go through it and do it.
Walt Disney said, "Everyone should have a big failure at a young age." He didn't say why, but he said it on film. His failure was loosing his Oswald character to a NYC distributor. He invented Mickey Mouse on the train ride back to LA. Hey Austin, you completed a movie. Completed. Congratulations. .
This wasn't a "making of" or a "behind the scenes video". This was a short film about the life of a filmmaker creating their first feature film. Simply an amazing short.
It was definitely a good confession about how he set unrealistic goals and expectations for himself, and then fell far short of where he intended to land. I mean how stupid was Austin? He convinces himself, at the ripe old age of 23, that if he didn't make a movie by the age of 24 he'd be a complete and utter failure. He was 23. A baby! Literally in the prime of his life! He has decades ahead of him. But if he doesn't make a movie by the time he's 24 that's proof he's not cut out for movie making and should give up his dream forever? Ridiculous! It sucks he had to spend thousands and make a movie he's not proud of, in order to realize what an idiot he was. We got a damned good video out of it though.
Austin, I found you by a recommended video of how to survive if my parachute failed, like I am sure many people have. Although I have never had any intention on jumping from a plane, for some reason I clicked on it because of, well, curiosity. I figured I would subscribe because that video was fun, short, and a break in my day that I desperately needed. I subscribed thinking that your channel was going to be full of content like that and because sometimes a 4 minute break from the stresses of work, life, and well anything stressful is a great release to recalibrate and remember that it's ok to laugh. I think it was the animation coupled with your voice and humor that made me click without thinking. Here's the thing... I stay because of things like this. I watch your honesty and raw outlook on yourself. I see me and the things that I did to try and make it (music) and how I failed. I watch you lay it out for everyone to hear and see and I will tell you the strength it takes to do that is inspiring. I am sure you may not read this based on the shear quantity of comments you receive, but know that this is the good stuff. This is worth something and this is the story people want to see and hear. You will get to make that film you want people to see, but in the meantime realize that this is how it should be set up and that this is what you will want to mold your film as. I know my opinion doesn't have any weight, nor should anyone care what I have to say, however you have your story right in front of you. Use your reality to create your fiction.
As an "emerging" filmmaker, I watched your video and had tears coming to my eyes, listening to your testimony. Filmmaking is definitely not an easy art, and talking about PTSD is not out of the charts either. I had to quit my job this year, working on a multi-million production movie, (I was at one of the lowest job in the food chain of that production), because I almost wanted to end my days due to bullying by one of my superiors on top of some extreme bad events happening in my personal life. Since, I got diagnosed with PTSD. Long story short, this inspired me to write a script, which turned out to be a feature length script. I feel it's about time to make this movie happen. So I will, because I need to like most filmmakers. I hope you are doing better (you sound like you are, towards the end of your video) and I wish you the best in the future to make new film projects, whether they will be shorts or features. Take care
@@anthony.esper21 Hi, thank you for asking! I am doing better, it was a huge roller coaster getting my life back together, but I'm getting there. And since I've been in the pre-production of my script so... fingers crossed!?
@@paulinerenoult1266 That’s wonderful to hear you’re doing much better now. Best of luck on your project; please keep all of us updated how the project goes! :)
@@mojo6112 and another back up on top of that back up and on top of that back there is another back up on top of another back up with a back up on top of that back up and then all those back ups are on all different engines that each have 3 back ups if that back up
I have no words. "I see a scared obsessed an angry 23-year-old who knows he's not going to be the thing he told himself he'd by 24". That phrase hit me hard This video just hit me hard. One of my favs original videos on YT. Amazing video Austin, soon as my financial situation improves, count with my support in Patreon, is the least I can do for you.
@@palsemanden471 1. How the heck do you think these people will understand when you write in Swedish? 2. YOUR commet is freaking stupid! Not Esteban's! 3. Delete your YT account or something, HATERS are NOT allowed!
"I see a scared, obsessed and angry 23 year old who knows he's not gonna be the thing he told himself to be when he was 24." Shit. I'm 24 at the moment and feel your old you so much. Thank you!
Seriously, this video was amazing. I sympathized this this dude, I learned a whole lot on what being a filmmaker is like, etc. I straight up said to myself "this is like a short film." lol He should be proud of this because he's just made himself an amazing idea for a movie/short.
The part where you said you wanted to make the movie not to tell a story, but to just be called a filmmaker hit me hard. “That’s vanity, not art.” I feel like a lot of people (including myself) are guilty of this, and great respect to you for being able to face your mistakes, learn from them, and share them with the world. This was a great story to tell :)
Guilty. Definitely. If I had a story to tell it'd all have been so much easier and have happened by now. Instead, I work a full time job that pays really well, and have a basement full of gear collecting dust... and still have nothing compelling to say :)
At the moment I want to make films just to have the fulfillment of doing all the aspects of film and not so much to tell stories. So am I okay for that or no?
@@KevinMcLean yes! There is a place for people like you in film. There are so many aspects to it besides just the storytelling. You can go and use your skills to help someone else tell their story. Making film can be a one-man show, but don't feel bad if it's not your "strength" right now
Alex Xavier When you make your first issue or even a decent rough draft you gotta come back here and link us to it. That way you have a good chance of getting some good support. Personally I’m always interested in seeing something fresh and different, so I’ll definitely give it a look whenever you make it.
the last few minutes hit me really hard, how insane it is to be an artist, and go through sso much pain and not even truly fully understand why at the time and only assembling the full picture years later, I embrace you virtually, keep yoour head up, you have done more than what many wish they could evven do, I salute you mad one
ima be honest i listen to this at least once a year because the ending is like a film in and of itself. i've wanted to use the audio in the ending for cinematic stuff in the past but never found a way to implement it. it's crazy man
This is by far one of the most expertly crafted, well structured and beautifully delivered 30 minutes on RU-vid. Honest, emotional and deeply personal, Austin, thank you for sharing your story.
GamerDudePlays This is better than Idubbbz in my opinion, but you can't really compare them, it's completely different. Idubbbz is not emotional, to me it's not expertly crafted, it's comedy, not a documentary like this basically is.
Hi Austin. My name, is Anthony. I've been watching a lot of your videos lately, mostly because I have interests in filmmaking...I have for some time now. I am, teary eyed, writing you this right this moment, to tell you...you inspired me to continue on, though it's harder than ever these days to even sit up in bed, let alone get out of it. You said that you can't look at pictures of yourself at 23...when you said this, it struck a chord with me, more than all of the videos of yours that I watched...because, as you were struggling then, I can sympathize...but in a MUCH different way. Before 23, I was into film, though I never made an impact on pushing myself to do anything about it, because I didn't really have anyone to push me on...not even myself, to an extent...BUT, there was still a fire in there that just, needed a little kindling. Then.... At 23, I suffered at the onset of something called Trigeminal Neuralgia; a serious and extremely debilitating condition that affects the a part (or more) of 5 branches trigeminal nerve (which gives us facial sensation)...also connected to this nerve is the occipital nerve (eyes) and the mandibular nerve (teeth). I had an accident that caused this (a few years after the accident) to grow worse and worse over the years. it's called Trigeminal Neuralgia, but also has different names, such as Tic Doleroux (I may be spelling that wrong), and.... ...The suicide disease. I DON'T believe in suicide (I'd rather suffer it to the end), BUT, there are people who are tortured by this pain, that jumps in and out, is random where it happens, and can last from 5 seconds to even days at a time. Anyways, I don't mean to give you my sob story, but, I was 23 when this came in, and, my life...the one that I had hoped for, an aspiring actor, a producer, even to own a film company...slowly started to dissolve. It's not possible to do anything...ANYTHING...while this pain is happening...BUT, I still have hopes...they never died...just, dissolved. in 2012, I discovered Adobe After Effects (I had used photoshop since high school, so I was attuned to adobe products), among a slew of others, including Cinema 4D, a CGI/Architectural/Film/etc program through an old buddy of mine (whom you remind me of, lol...that's not bad), and i became hooked. Then, I re-discovered 3DS Max (the first 3D animation software I had ever used, in high school...back then, simply called 3D Studio), and Maya, along with (recently) Blender. These, along with a combo of After Effects (Compositing) and Premier Pro (Editing), not to mention Final Cut Pro X, and a LITTLE experience in front of AND behind the camera, greenscreen (with OR without the screen itself), I found that fire re-kindling. A buddy of mine have a (SUPER) amateur film studio, which will go un-named (for now), but, it's just the two of us...much like "5 dollar film studio," (those guys have GREAT potential!), and we barely do anything with it...mostly because, I live about 40 minutes west of Kansas City, MO, and he lives IN KCMO, so, distance is a big factor. BUT, the biggest factor is the Trigeminal Neuralgia. Most days, I end up just watching RU-vid videos (like yours) and others who are actually doing anything with their talents, skills, and abilities (when I'm not scratching hard at my face to "quell" the pain, somewhat, kinda), but, after it subsides, I want to get in front of this desktop PC and jam it out...I built it just for that cause (I have a good video card coming in a few days.) typing this message is hard enough...staying in front of this big 50" 4k TV (it hurts my eyes after too long), i cant get much done before it sets in... What is the point to ALL of this that I wrote?! That, regardless, you have re-inspired me to WANT to continue with projects that I have started, and never finished...I realized that, though a huge part of me died when this torture set in, A NEW part of me arose FROM those ashes...the part of me that... ...wants to Grow Up. I don't know if you ever read this, or not...but regardless, I want to thank you for giving this hopeful filmmaker, a New Seed. So, Hi Austin. My name is Anthony. Thank you.
@@brancellbooks I'm still, after 15 years of it, going through terrible pain, but, I still have great moments of painlessness. I'm doing well, in that, I'll persevere through it all, because I've got a Strength that is my Lord and Savior, Yeshua (you may know Him as Jesus). He is my only reason for continuing on, and the only reason I'm still alive. I'm so thankful that you asked me if I was ok!!
That movie may have been many losts for you, but you took some perspective and now you made the most out of it. I love the narrative of this video by the way, is it one uncut audio track ? And... Deal !
Same age and my dream is to be the next zuckerburg(but not so creepy and sneezy) I am really into programming and know 6 languages already and I am hoping to be successful for I can support my family that has supported me for so long. (Sorry started ranting on ) Edit: ur animations are good af
This also has helped put me in check. I had high expectations for myself but it really did help A LOT. This same thing would have happened to me just not with film making. Eat your heart out kid.
ironically, more people saw this video than they did "sprouting orchids". in that way, you accomplished the goal you set out to achieve with that movie.
he showed that he is a filmmaker. he is now. He can tell that he makes short movies, sketches, films, for youtube. For an audience who doesnt go into theaters, but stays at home and watches his thinkings, his mind, hes movie projected onto digital media and sent onto the internet. I think OP is right, redstar is wrong.
Please, please send this to a film festival. Edit to be a bit more documentaryish if you want but just please do it. This was an interesting gripping story, and I'm not ashamed to admit i teared up at the end.
Zach Iremonger i really hope that he took your advice. This video was amazing. I never ever watch a 30 minute RU-vid video. But this one you just can't stop
You are by far, one of the most interesting people I've seen on RU-vid. I've been watching a few of your videos. It's nice to hear truths by other creative people. The projects that you claim you failed with are actually inspiring because you did the work and put something out there. They're all great and creative ideas. Keep it up man!
I tapped on this thinking I was gonna see a summary of your movie. I was expecting to be entertained. I was not expecting to be moved by a life story. Oh my god. The last few minutes were a rollercoaster of emotions. Made me tear up. It moved me. I watched the whole thirty minutes plus the last few seconds. I hope your in a better position, and I hope your friends are too. I just discovered your channel today after watching your review on the Harry Potter Cursed Child book.
I've kept this on my watch later for a long time (It's 30 min) and I finally got to see it, I cried. You bring inspiration to many aspiring filmmakers, like me.
I’m seeing a few of these pop-up. It’s so wonderful and courageous for filmmakers to talk about their production mishaps for others to learn from. Because it happens the majority of the times. Great video. Thank you.
Why don't you send this particular video in movie festivals as a short movie? Because I think this would win a lot of awards. This right there... was GREAT storytelling! I didn't even realise how these 30 minutes passed.
It would elevate RU-vid content to something of artistic value; quite interesting idea, I bet in 20 years there's gonna be Internet Video festivals.. online...
This was seriously so moving, and much needed in my personal life. A very accurate representation of the chaos behind the scenes of any production--and a wonderful reminder of why we still love it. Thank you for having the courage to share :)
I came here because of a video of some white dude bitching about the decline of a chicken-based fast food restaurant that is a shell of its former self and now here I am listening to him tear up over his insecurities and personal regrets related not only to his own artistic potential but also in relation to his value as a human being. 10/10 would stumble through the channel in a confused manner again.
Plagarizing means straight up claiming credit for someone else's work. A style is a format that has been developed. It encompasses a variety of traits working with each other to give something a distinct feeling or look. Now, someone please explain to me how you plagarize a style.
THIS is the story you should tell. Don't make a lame sci-fi story where the stakes are the fate of the world; leave those to DC and Marvel. You have a story, YOUR STORY, of a man with dreams and flaws where the stakes are his very identity. THIS is a story where you can make an audience feel something. Isn't that why you want to be a filmmaker?
So something like The Disaster Artist? Intriguing idea, although considering he's still somewhat experiencing PTSD from the production of the film, I'm not sure if he'd be the best person to tell his own tale, ironically enough. Since he already has his biases from his experience working on the film, this postmortem would probably be the closest he could get to making a film about himself and his own film without seeming pretentious or angsty.
I’ve come back to this video after making a short film with my best friend where we had a small crew and a teeny budget. I’m so happy I was able to take the lessons you put forth and make the most out of what was ultimately a hellish production loop. (2 shooting days, a hectic personal schedule and multiple last minute dropouts) however I’m happy with it and I’m happy I did it and I hope you’re happy too, Austin. The last bit made me cry a little bit and I absolutely hate crying but I’m so glad moments like these can still tease out the emotions. I’m so inspired to continue creating, and I hope you will always be too! Thank you.
i know its been years but this video came on my feed and I watched the entire thing. it brought me to tears and I feel like no matter how much time passes new fans will come and we are here to support you. thank you for making such a touching and inspiring video - 2021
this is so raw with emotion, i felt my eyes getting watery at the end. thank you for making this, for exposing your flaws. i'm scared about a paper i have to write for school, worried that i'll show too much of myself. this has given me confidence. i hope youre in a much better place, and i will definitely stick around to see more.
Doing such a raw commentary on your own work must have been extremely difficult, and I'm in awe with how you managed to be honest about it, even if sometimes painfully so. This was beautiful.
"A young man and a woman recover from separate tragedies. Unseen forces in the universe work to bring them together for a purpose far greater than themselves." (Pretty vague right?) Could even be Star Wars: A New Hope
This 30-minute video would actually make a really beautiful entry to a film festival. I honestly did learn a lot just by watching through this. I have never undertaken a production of anywhere near this size, no matter how small and independent this movie was, and I am not even sure if I ever will do something like this, but I do understand the type of stress that you must have been facing, being the single writer, editor, director, and even having to bear the weight of being a lead actor as well as a cameraman. As for my thoughts on this video, this video was *worth watching.* That is a distinction that I cannot make for practically everything I have ever seen at an Independent Film festival. Good work!
I feel like his story can be made into an award-winning movie. Maybe he should make a movie about this journey, because honestly, it was a roller coaster of emotions for me.
As an almost graduating architecture student that doesn't wanna be an architect but loves drawing, visual communication, storytelling, taking photos and edit them like his favorite cinematographers' movies cus he cant afford a video camera, this actually inspires me to work harder towards a career in filmmaking, thanks Austin
You seem like a really down to earth dude that's had a lot of adventures and learned a lot of lessons. I really do see huge things for you in the future. Good luck out there, man.
Hi. Ive seen this in my recommended several times when it was the first released, and I laughed a couple times at your ‘useless information’ series recently, and decided to dig deeper on your channel, 3 years later.. This absolutely blew my mind. I have quite a short attention span, I’m not diagnosed with ADHD or any mental illnesses, I just can’t look at one thing for more then like roughly 15 minutes. I need to watch more, and more, and more - it’s more of a bad habit then a shortened attention span. However, I watched this whole thing. Twice. In one setting. The first time, I felt bad that I wasn’t paying attention enough, and only hooking in on the part you got punched - and the end message. I was playing a game, and lightheartedly staring at my windows tab, so I rewatched it out of guilt. I undeniably cried. This was a beautiful presentation, and a outstandingly gorgeous message. Rewatching it was great, as I actually payed attention to the videos, the clips, the raw emotion, the amazing editing. I couldn’t really pinpoint the right word to describe how invested I was in this, and I will for sure rewatch it again. Lovely work Austin, can’t wait to see more of you.
Damn man. As somebody who's made a no-budget short film, worked on people making low-budget features, I can relate. You should know this 30 minutes is one of the best bits of storytelling I've seen in a while. I felt more at the end, then I have watching any film recently. You're doing what you set out to do, just maybe not in the way you initially imagined. Here's hoping you get that second go at things!
I was in tears by the end of the video and it felt like crying together with you. It takes great courage to pursue your dream, even greater courage to finish it no matter what and even greater courage to admit to all of the mistakes that you made along the way and let yourself grow and learn from them. I have nothing but respect for you and the character you built on this journey. And I applaud you.
Fellow Missourian here, working as an editor in LA. Everytime I watch this I get that curiousity bug of wanting to recut these scenes. Even having not seen the movie, your story on getting it made always intrigues me and I love that you put it out there. Wish the full film was still available, but this video definitely is the next best thing!
Man, from one creative soul to another, I respect you for your honesty, your ups and downs and for not editing out you crying at the end. I happened to find your channel recently and I'm so happy that I did. I hope things are going better for you these days and that someday, you can visit your home town without so much sadness. You had me crying at the end right along with you. Hugs. ❤️
Damn I relate so much to this. Especially the perspective when re-watching your work, and not seeing the story, or the cinematography, but seeing the stuff behind the camera and in your head that is happening.
This is such an important underrated movie for every bigger filmmaker out there. Might even say needed. So much to learn from. Delivered so well and with great honesty that made us the viewers to identify with any difficulty that you encountered. So inspirational, thank you!
Dude.... you made a movie. A feature film. No matter the results, YOU MADE A FEATURE FILM! That puts you head and shoulder above 99.999% of your critics. You rock.
yah those critics SUCK. its so mean to push people down like that. i'm making a movie and i'm proud of austin's work. its way better than i could ever do. mine's only 20 minutes!
This video is so moving. I’m new to this channel and I don’t know if it’s because making film and telling stories is a dream of mine as well and I’m scared I’ll never achieve it or if it’s because I could just hear the emotion in your voice about how much this meant to you. You can tell how passionate you are and tell how hard you worked for it. I just want to say thanks, and I know you will never see this comment- I’m commenting this months after the video was put out but, This genuinely made me feel something deep down. And yeah I cried at the end when I heard him well up as well. Thank you so much for spreading your passion to the world
Getting a feature made is such an amazing accomplishment that you should be super proud off! But this retrospective is perhaps the most honest and beautiful piece of art I've seen in a long time! It genuinely meant the world to me! Thank you so much for sharing!
I'm a teenager about to apply to college. I plan to study filmmaking. I want to be apart of great movies and make gripping stories. But this video did not just show me the good or the bad of my possible future in the world of film, it showed me reality. I'm still a kid and I do not know how I am going to steel myself for the impending difficulties my life as an artist is going to entail. I guess... I guess all I can do is remember to have fun and smile because that is what can keep anyone going.
Good work man. Just admitting to your failures is hard enough, but also giving yourself credit and recognizing your areas of success is also a sign of growth and strength. This is inspiring and I'll watch the film you've made.
You've just made a documentary, that made me, a sprouting filmaker about to work on his first ever feature length film, scared. Not of the critisism, but of the self hate I could experience if it flops. I know it'll get lost, but you put hope on my shoulders. I'm gonna use this as a starting off point, and take the leap of faith into the abyss and hopefully come out a better person.
Exactly, I'm in film school and we will make mistakes but that's how we learn. Austin needed to have less pressure and more humor, but what wisdom he ascertained.
I’m watching this four years after it was made and just happened upon your channel today from your self-publishing video. I got to watch this fascinating video and be moved by the sweet and hopeful ending. Thank you.
