Community; a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals."the sense of community that organized religion can provide".
That's what film making should be about. Sure, it's a business and yes we all want to succeed as individuals, but without a sense of community, it changes the nature of the beast.
Lets look at it from both angles.
If you think it's about the individual being the best, achieving more and gaining power over all others. That's a way to go. But, what then? What happens after you are the best over everyone? You win while others lose? It means you are alone at the top, that's what being better than everyone means. You have no competition, which will eventually get stale. You will find challengers, much as the gunslingers of the old west, and eventually one of them will best YOU. Then you fall and on the way down, all those whom you have lorded it over will now stomp on you without much empathy at all. The industry itself will suffer as there is only one person (figuratively speaking) making good content that is promoted well and making money. Audiences are fickle and that will grow stale for them after a while. Then either the guy at the top falls or the whole industry tanks and has to start over.
Now, that's a bit of an idealized example, but it's elements are true enough.
On the other hand, if you build a community of like minded people who all want to make movies, using a wide variety of skills, and everyone is supportive of each other, you get a better industry. You have everyone working towards a common goal; great entertainment.
It's still a business. You are still required to make money, to support those that make entertainment and thus make more entertainment. Nothing wrong with striving to be the better.
What I'm talking about is what happens, has and can, when some succeed and then do nothing to help the industry get better by mentoring and encouraging others to be good at the craft.
That selfishness is like poison to the industry growth and any industry that doesn't grow will perish in the end and that's not good for anyone.
That brings me to my own experiences in the film making community. There have been some good and some bad, I mean, realistically people are people and imperfect in their treatment of others (I include myself, but the key is to learn from your actions and grow to be a better person, which I strive for every day).
I focus on the good experiences (while learning from the bad); my time as a screenwriter on Triggerstreet was awesome, working with some other wannabe film makers on Apple Tree, and now part of a wonderful Facebook group called ZERO DRAFT THIRTY run by the amazing Scott Meyers (https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/) .
This past weekend I participated in their monthly Scamper-a-thon, wherein a different person "hosts" an hour for all the writers in the group offering inspiration and encouragement through music, stories, quotes, memes and of course, hamsters. It was awesome and the group is awesome. We talk stories and techniques and it's just such a positive experience.
It has helped me become a better writer and also find a sense of belonging. Just knowing I'm not alone allows me to be more creative and productive.
So, I leave you with this. Find your community, your people. If you can't find any in your immediate vicinity, then go online. There is a group for you, to offer support, advice, and whatever else you might need.
Do it and you will be glad you did.
Ciao!
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