Filmmaking is Storytelling, Nothing More

As usually happens, when I think about making movies, I tend to focus on gear. It isn't just me. One reason that some folks decide to be self-proclaimed DPs or Cinematographers or Filmmakers is to justify buying tons of cool equipment. But at the end of the day, the equipment is simply a tool to tell stories. Until you can tell a good story, you have no place making movies. This can be done in any manner, even vocally. When you can tell a good story, figure out how to tell it visually. You don't need a Viper or CineAlta to do that. You can do it with pen and paper, or flash, or a cell phone. Any time you spend "filmmaking" that isn't spent learning to tell a story visually is a waste. Use what you got on hand and learn to tell killer stories visually. Then cash that knowledge in when you can get your hands on better equipment. Taking the time to get the chops increases your ability to get your hands on the means of production.