Nothing Left to Prove: My Solo Filmmaking Career Is Over, but a New Visionary Journey Has Begun.

Independent filmmaking is not for the weak. It’s not for the strong either, because they usually end up with real jobs.

However, with the rise in content creation and social media storytelling, seemingly everyone is becoming some degree of a filmmaker, which has made it increasingly difficult for the tried and true auteurs to cut through all the noise. And while that reality may have discouraged many from continuing, and even more from ever starting, I personally found myself caught in between both of these conundrums.

The MISREAD Crew on DAY 1. I assembled an experienced DP/sound operator and filled in the remaining crew slots with students from The LA Film School.

It was Summer 2024. I found myself living back home in the Carolinas, after leaving Hollywood because of the lack of work and the growing uncertainty surrounding the future of the film and television industry. I was creatively blocked for years. I couldn’t get anything made, let alone get anything on the page. But ironically, it was that one move back to the South that finally unshackled me from the creative captivity I was under for so long in Los Angeles. I suddenly had scripts for a new feature film, two shorts, and a 3 part series presentation that I produced on the fly over the span of 5 months in Charlotte, NC.

While I had written myself out of the discouragement that made me take a break from creating, I still had too much work and not enough resources to keep making them. I also had no proper plan for what to do with the one project I had managed to find the resources to produce.

One of the few scenes i got to direct without having to worry about acting.

I had all the ideas, but no idea where to start. So I did what many of us do when they find themselves in this position. I started doom scrolling on instagram, finding inspiration and experiencing a little jealousy while watching creators on my feed who seemingly had all the resources and support I needed to launch my ideas. And then like clockwork, I stumbled across the Visionary Justice Story Lab, who had just started accepting applications for their Resisting Narratives of Erasure Film Fellowship.

This was one of the rare occasions I was happy to suspect the FBI had been listening to my thoughts to advertise me exactly what I needed.

Long story short, I applied, got in, and received grant funds to kickstart the journey to producing my next short film. It also came with an amazing mentor, DP Alexxiss Jackson, a hungry cohort of fellows, and the guidance of Lara Davis and Shontina Vernon to support me along the way.

And still, it’s crazy how you can have all that as an indie filmmaker and still be unbearably lonely on the road to getting the actual film made.

I didn’t foresee the next chapter of isolation, as I was surrounded by family and well nourished by my parents in Charlotte when the fellowship began. But soon after, I found myself getting shipped back to LA when I received news that I’d be coming back on as a writers assistant for season 4 of Netflix’s My Life With The Walter Boys. Just like that I realized my RNE short would need to be shot in LA, where it’s far more expensive to live, let alone hire a great crew that’d be strong enough to help me level up from everything else I’d made before.

Still, I accepted the challenge. There were a few false starts, crew changes, and even a last minute pivot regarding which film I’d actually make… but that’s a story for another day. Ultimately, I walked away with a new film, MISREAD, that I couldn’t be more proud of.

What makes me most proud, but also exhausted and completely drained in every way conceivable, is the fact that I achieved all of this as a solo indie filmmaker. What I mean by “solo,” is that I didn’t have the luxury and necessity of another dedicated producer to manage the logistics while I prioritized the creative.

I managed the entire budget, made every hiring decision, secured every location with all necessary permits, and planned the entire shooting schedule while also handling all the creative responsibilities that come with wearing the hats of director, writer, producer, and lead actor. I’m entirely spent in every area imaginable, but on the bright side, I feel like the final product has certainly given me my next calling card.

And while I believe that’s a remarkable achievement that would make anyone feel like they could continue to carry this load while achieving the impossible for years to come, it’s made me come to the decision that it’s time for me to retire from independent filmmaking.

final day of production just so happened to coincide with the first day of the weeks long heat wave in LA. And the entire day was all exteriors. It WAS HOTTTTTTT, hence the rag on my head lol

LOL. I just thought it’d sound cool to say that, because after wrapping MISREAD (my third produced short film), I kinda feel like Michael Jordan in 1993 after winning his third consecutive championship and deciding he had nothing left to prove. And Ironically just like Mike, I’ve also realized I have an insatiable gambling problem.

Not with sports betting, but with betting on myself. And while that’s something I’ll never stop doing, (because if you don’t continue to bet on yourself, who will??) I'm no longer gonna approach this work believing I have to do every single thing by myself.

And thanks to the extremely supportive community I’ve gained with the Visionary Justice Story Lab, it’s safe to say I no longer have to.

Until next time,

tevin scott