Your First Film Sucks – Make It Anyway

Your first film sucks.

Uncertainty is a sinking feeling. Not knowing what comes next, or why things unfold the way they do. That feeling sits with all of us at the beginning of something new, sometimes even at the end of something we once believed in.

For most aspiring filmmakers, the thing that holds us back the most isn’t just a lack of equipment, budget, or connections — it’s fear.

Fear of falling short.

Fear of criticism.

Fear of not living up to what others expect — or worse, what we expect of ourselves.

That same fear keeps countless storytellers from ever pressing “record.”

Yes, the limitations are real. The tools might not be ideal, the setup might be improvised, and starting can feel unfairly heavy. You want to start, but nothing makes sense, you don’t know the right terms, the technical steps, or even where to begin. 

But here’s the shift that matters: you don’t win by waiting for everything to be perfect. You win by working with what you have and taking the leap anyway. That first act of creation (however small or imperfect) is already a step toward everything you’ll eventually achieve.

A young woman sitting at a desk, focused on her laptop screen as she edits her film project, with notes around her. (Image from Freepik)

Ask any seasoned director, actor, or even vlogger or streamer, and they’ll tell you how painfully cringe their first-ever project was. Their first short film, audition, or YouTube upload is something they both laugh at and secretly treasure. Because they all learned the same truth: your first film will be bad — and that’s exactly why you need to make it.

A messy first attempt doesn’t mean you’re not meant for this industry. It doesn’t invalidate your passion or your potential. What it actually means is that you finally gave yourself permission to experiment, to fail, and to discover who you are as a filmmaker. Growth doesn’t happen in silence; it happens in motion.

People don’t like admitting it, but it’s true: in film, you do need a break to make it. A festival nod, a chance encounter, a grant, a mentor, something that tells the world you’re worth watching. But here’s the part no one talks about: breaks don’t come to people who stop. Your first film might fail, your second might be ignored, and your third might barely get a like — but every project sharpens your voice, your instincts, your discipline. And that consistency, that refusal to disappear, becomes the thing that eventually attracts the “break” you’ve been chasing.

There’s a line from the Bar Boys: After School trailer that has been circulating recently:

“Missed opportunities will haunt you more than failures.”

There will always be room to grow, room to aspire, and room to create something better. Maybe your first film wasn’t what you imagined. Maybe it was awkward, technically off, or not quite the masterpiece you pictured in your head. But it wasn’t your last.

By taking that first step, you already proved something important: you’re willing to move. Now you get to take what you learned — the good, the bad, and even the embarrassing — and make something new. Start with something small or chase something bigger, but don’t let your passion burn out just because your beginnings weren’t perfect.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Your first film might suck. The tools, the setup, even your own doubts will try to stop you. But none of that matters when you finally take the leap. Your story deserves to be told.

Make it anyway.

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At The Film Dream, we want to be there for that first step and for every step after. We’re building a community where filmmakers of every background can learn from one another, collaborate, grow, and build confidence to start… continue… or even start over. We want to be the space for all those who aspire to be more, even if others say otherwise.

Because they’re right:the film industry isn’t easy.

But with the right community —

it doesn’t have to be quite so lonely.