Do you remember the first time you saw a Monet or a Kandinsky or a Schiele?  You probably thought to yourself, "My god, that's beautiful.  And you know what?  I could probably do that, too.  And I wouldn't even need any training.  That's just how good I am."

Do you remember hearing The Beatles for the first time?  Or Nina Simone or Igor Stravinsky?  You probably thought, "Man, that's some good stuff.  And I bet I could pick up a violin or a guitar and just know how to play.  I could look at an instrument and grasp the fundamentals of music theory, orchestration, and four-part harmony in a flash.  I mean, how hard could it be?"

What, this never happened to you?  Huh.  Me, either.  So, why is it that so many people these days are picking up digital-video cameras and shooting movies despite knowing nothing about the art and craft of film-making? 

Now, please don't get me wrong.  I'm not bashing amateur filmmakers, and I'm certainly not bashing the concept of learning by doing.  As a matter of fact, I'm a fan of both.  As a founder of the Boston Motion Picture Awards, I've seen some rather amazing films from student and amateur filmmakers.  My problem is not with artists or craftspeople who are early on in the learning process.  My problem is with people who think they can produce quality work while bypassing the learning process.

"Yeah, but what about artists and musicians who are self-taught?" I often hear.  Well, stop for a moment and think that question through.  "Self-taught" implies some actual teaching.  Great self-taught artists and musicians rarely sit in a room and practice without any other source of education.  They go to concerts and watch musicians play; they go to museums and study the color choices and brush strokes of master painters; they listen to the works of great musicians and try to recreate the music on their own instruments.  They absorb as much information as they can, and they do it actively.  They don't assume that because they go to the movies once a month, and because they can quote Ghostbusters from start to finish, that they've somehow studied film-making.

"Yeah, but there are no rules in art, you know?  Besides, I like to break the rules."  Okay, well, if there are no rules, then you can't break them, but let's put that aside for a moment.  There's nothing wrong with breaking the "rules."  Most of the great artists do.  These great artists, though, study color theory or music theory and make a conscious choice to do something different--to surprise their audience or force the audience to re-learn how to look at a painting or read a novel.  Great artists work hard to perfect their craft; they educate themselves in every way possible so they can get better at what they do. 

So, what is it about film-making that's so different from other arts?  What is it that makes so many people think that you don't need any experience or education?  And this isn't a rhetorical question.  I'd really love to know, so if anyone out there has any thoughts, please add a comment or send me an e-mail.

In the mean time, I have this to say: to all out you out there who are working hard at your craft, I commend you.  I hope you'll continue working hard, and I hope you find success.