u/MeasurementLazy1652

Hi everyone,

I'm currently finishing my first psychological horror short film screenplay and my goal is to direct it myself.

The problem is that I'm starting from almost zero.

I don't have:

• industry connections
• access to actors
• access to a crew
• professional filmmaking equipment
• a production company behind me
• an existing audience to crowdfund from

I also don't live in a place where filmmaking opportunities are common, so simply "meeting people locally" isn't very realistic for me right now.

I'm not asking for shortcuts or hoping someone will magically fund my film. I'm trying to understand what the realistic path looks like for someone starting completely from scratch.

If you were in my position today, what would your first steps be?

Would you:

• try to find a producer?
• apply to screenplay labs?
• make a proof-of-concept first?
• save money and self-produce?
• build an audience before attempting crowdfunding?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who actually started with no connections and eventually got their first film made.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently finishing my first psychological horror short film screenplay and my goal is to direct it myself.

The problem is that I'm starting from almost zero.

I don't have:

• industry connections
• access to actors
• access to a crew
• professional filmmaking equipment
• a production company behind me
• an existing audience to crowdfund from

I also don't live in a place where filmmaking opportunities are common, so simply "meeting people locally" isn't very realistic for me right now.

I'm not asking for shortcuts or hoping someone will magically fund my film. I'm trying to understand what the realistic path looks like for someone starting completely from scratch.

If you were in my position today, what would your first steps be?

Would you:

• try to find a producer?
• apply to screenplay labs?
• make a proof-of-concept first?
• save money and self-produce?
• build an audience before attempting crowdfunding?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who actually started with no connections and eventually got their first film made.

Thanks!

I’ve been dealing with a very confusing set of symptoms for about 2 years and I’m trying to understand if anyone else has experienced something similar.

The main issue is a constant deep pelvic / perineal discomfort that is hard to describe as pain. It feels more like:

internal pressure or fullness

a sensation like something is pushing outward from inside

sometimes a pulsating / heartbeat-like feeling in the area

not exactly pain, more like a constant uncomfortable awareness of the area

At times it even feels similar to arousal, but it’s clearly not sexual and feels more like a misinterpreted body sensation.

🔹 Pattern of symptoms:

It never fully goes away

Intensity changes throughout the day (around 25% to 80%)

Sitting makes it worse

Lying on my back can trigger discomfort around the tailbone / pelvic area

Movement and posture clearly affect it

🔹 Additional symptoms:

Occasional genital sensory changes (reduced sensation at times)

Feeling of tightness or restriction in movement / posture

Tailbone discomfort especially when lying on my back

🔹 Medical tests so far:

Pelvic MRI: no significant pathology found

X-ray: only old-looking coccyx angulation mentioned, nothing acute

Urology: no clear issue found

🔹 What I’m trying to understand:

I feel like this could be related to pelvic floor dysfunction, nerve sensitivity, or something functional rather than structural, but I’m not sure.

Has anyone experienced something similar where:

MRI is normal

but there is persistent pelvic/perineal pressure + altered sensation

symptoms fluctuate but never fully disappear

If yes, what helped you the most?

Hey everyone,

I’ve just completed a highly radical, experimental film/video test that blurs the line between Analog Horror and Avant-Garde Cinema. To be completely honest, it’s so unconventional that some might not even call it a "film" in the traditional sense, but I wanted to push the boundaries of the medium.

The Concept:

The video is shot entirely from a POV perspective, utilizing a raw, distorted VHS aesthetic. The narrative subtext follows a man whose physical body accidentally merges with a woman’s soul. As these two distinct consciousnesses fight for control within a single claustrophobic vessel, their shared trauma and identity crisis begin to literally bend time, space, and reality itself.

Think of it as Marshall McLuhan’s media theories meeting David Lynch's dream-logic, mixed with the visceral body-horror subtext of Cronenberg's Videodrome, but told through the lens of modern analog dread.

What I’m trying to achieve:

I wanted to use the glitches, tracking errors, and audio degradation not just as cheap jump-scare tools, but as an active psychological metaphor for identity erosion and societal masks.

Since this group has some of the sharpest eyes for atmospheric storytelling, I would highly appreciate your honest, brutal feedback.

A few specific questions for those who watch:

Does the POV angle combined with the analog noise successfully convey that suffocating, split-identity claustrophobia?

When the reality breaks and the visuals become completely abstract, did it alienate you, or did the dream-logic pull you deeper into the nightmare?

How did the sound design feel? Did the lo-fi parazites and low-end hums support the visual madness, or did they overpower it?

the link

Hi everyone,

I need to vent, but more importantly, I need some brutal, realistic advice on how to break through a systemic wall.

I’m currently based in a small, isolated city in Turkey. Culturally, socially, and industrially, filmmaking here is non-existent. There are zero resources, zero local budgets, no rental houses, and absolutely no community. I am fighting this battle entirely alone. I don’t even have a guerrilla indie crew to rely on.

The biggest irony of modern cinema is the industry’s performative obsession with "discovering raw, auteur talent with a distinct voice," while simultaneously shutting the door on amateur filmmakers who actually have something raw to say but lack the financial backing to execute it smoothly.

Despite having no gear, no crew, and no money, I refused to sit still. I shot a micro-short completely from a POV perspective using minimal tools, and it actually managed to land a selection at a Lift-Off Global Network festival. Following that, I put together a pitch deck for a project and submitted it to Sundance Ignite. While I couldn't move forward contractually into official programs due to age restrictions/legal bureaucracy, the reviewers at Sundance specifically called the pitch deck "comprehensive" and noted its strong vision.

Yet, when the festival high wears off, I’m right back where I started: in a room, in a small town, with no one to shoot with and no camera in my hands. The gap between international validation and my physical reality is driving me insane.

How do you scale up from this position? How do you form a remote network or a guerrilla collective when your local scene is a desert? If you started from absolute zero, without capital or a film-school network, how did you climb out of this void?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, strategies, or even just some shared frustration. Thanks.

küçücük şehirde sinema ile ilgilenmek gerçekten kendi ayağına sıkmak gibi bir şey oluyor, yönetmen olmak film çekmek isteyen birisin, ama elinde ne para ne ekipman ne ekip ne de oyuncu var, böyle olunca gerçekten insan çıkmaza düşüyor, ne yapacağını bilemiyor ve umutlarını yitirmek zorunda kalıyor, ve işin belkide en zor kısmı ise elinde ne varsa onunla bir şeyler üretip yinede festival, network gibi şeylerde ilerleyememek oluyor, bu döngüden çıkmanın bir yolu yok mu?

Project Title: Forgotten Format: 10-15 min Animated Short Film (Psychological Drama / Thriller) Inspirations: Ingmar Bergman’s Persona, Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue, David Lynch. About the Project: Forgotten is a highly atmospheric, dark psychological short film exploring abandonment, identity dissolution, and emotional isolation between two sisters trapped in an increasingly oppressive, minimalist home. The script is 100% complete, and I am personally handling the entire post-production, including a deeply immersive, industrial/ambient sound design and score via FL Studio. Director’s Track Record & Project Status: Sundance Ignite Approved: The pitch deck for Forgotten has already received official positive feedback from the Sundance Ignite program. Lift-Off Filmmakers Sessions Selection: My previous work has been officially selected by the Lift-Off Filmmakers Sessions Network.

This project is strictly aimed at major international film festivals (Sundance, Cannes, Annecy, etc.). What I’m Looking For: I am looking for a passionate 2D Animator / Illustrator / Character Designer to collaborate with. Note to ease the workload: You don’t have to carry the weight of a full production right away. Initially, I am looking for someone to help co-create the visual identity—specifically designing the two main female characters and a few key brutalist/claustrophobic background concepts (Storyboard / Visual Development). If our creative energies align, we will transition into full production.

What You Get: A powerhouse project for your portfolio with pre-established festival traction. Working alongside a dedicated director with a proven network. Full creative freedom in shaping a raw, avant-garde aesthetic. IMDb credit and official festival exposure.

Link to the Full Pitch Deck: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18FEa5DvkP5TAmLd6X1kSv9jZVNSJ_aZN/view?usp=drivesdk

If you are interested in transforming a psychological maze into a visual masterpiece, please slide into my DMs with your portfolio/showreel, or reach out on Discord: [alexanderdelarg3].