Directing Your Debut

How to Hack Your Mindset to Direct a Badass First Film (Short, Feature, or Anything in Between)

By: Christopher Folkens

Narrated by: Christopher Folkens

Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

You've got a dream...a movie idea...that never seems to get made?

That. Ends. Now.

Finally, a book that confronts the challenges filmmakers of all types of films face when bringing their vision to the screen. Emmy-nominated director and multi-hyphenate filmmaker Christopher Folkens (www.mysticfilms.com) provides an in-depth look at the personal journey necessary for any filmmaker to take on their debut film (or really any creative project for that matter). He shares personal insights and strategies that took him from freelance filmmaker hopeful to directing his debut feature film Catalyst (www.catalyst-the-movie.com). This is a book for filmmakers unlike any other.

The lessons in this book are what they don't teach you in film school:

• How to tackle that "inner critic" voice and create amazing work anyway
• How to overcome the self-sabotage and other ways we limit ourselves from doing what we're on this planet to do
• Discover the three secret formulas to unlock your inner potential and begin creating epic results in your life.
• Discover how I shot half of my feature film in one night.
• Discover the seven internal roadblocks that are stopping you and permanently change your relationship with how you relate with them.
• Discover how to build self-confidence in your work as an artist.
• Discover how to be decisive and take committed action toward your creative vision.
• Discover a path for you to bring your debut film to reality through the seven core distinctions to mindset mastery.
• Discover how to apply the lessons I learned from directing Catalyst to any creative endeavor.
• All for less than the cost of a movie ticket

Taking a unique look at the personal journey of a film creatives' life and honing in on many of the areas we hold ourselves back, Folkens provides a fresh new look at what it takes to get out of your own way and direct your debut.

This exclusive bonus edition includes additional interviews and bonuses! www.directingyourdebut.com

©2019 Christopher Folkens (P)2020 Christopher Folkens

It's All About Mindset

I've read many books about filmmaking, writing, acting, and directing and Chris' book is a breath of fresh air. The essence of 'Directing Your Debut' will inspire any emerging filmmaker looking to get their project off the ground but it will also inspire a more veteran filmmaker, who may be in a rut, to remember why they first started making films and to jumpstart their mindset. This motivational book is well put together and I highly recommend it to anyone out there looking to overcome that voice of fear in their mind.

From not a director

"But I'm not/don't want to be a director, this book won't work for me." Well, I've got news for you. I've read and listened to this book and I am not a director, nor do I feel knowledgeable enough to be a director. In this book, you are not going to find a step by step guide on how to block a scene for maximum effect, how to choose the right lens, or how to add the right amount of lens flare. What you are going to find is advice on how to get the hell out of your own way and actually make the thing that you want to make. Music, writing, visual art, LITERALLY ANYTHING that involves you putting yourself out there.

If you don't get through this book and feel an overwhelming desire to put out into this world the thing that only you can and that the world so desperately needs, listen again and really pay attention. Masterfully written with maximum motivation in mind.

Nuggets of wisdom wrapped in excellent insight!

I enjoyed every second of this book. I am a screenwriter and director, and I feel forever elevated from this book. Highly recommend!!!

Very pretentious book full of shameless plugs

This is more of a typical “self help” book, than it is about feature film directing. The author is very self serving and plugs his online classes, short films, and ‘yet to be released’ feature film every 5 minutes, more than he gives practical advice about directing. The most helpful section of the audiobook is when the author interviews another director in the last 1/3 of the book. The main message throughout the book is simply to, “just get up, get out of your way, and do the work,” which can be applied to anything in life. I expected to hear words of wisdom on how the author finds financing, creates his shot lists, camera angles and art direction, his favorite lenses, what happens in post production, finding distributors, anything, unfortunately this book is void of all of that. But I definitely know how to follow him in Instagram after he repeated it 100 times. What a waste of time. SMH.