My mother always asks me why I work so hard. But I don’t see it as work. If you love it then it is not work. I do love what I do, even those most days end in frustration and sleepless nights, but I look forward to each new day, to carry on the adventure.

Yes, I love what I do, but it doesn’t always love me back. Film making, like writing software, is a creative process. I can speak from both of these perspectives: when you are in the zone there is nothing quite like it. There are many frustrations and there are always things to fix and change. But when it all comes together there is no better feeling. It is magic.

Developing software and film production have two very different trajectories. Software can grow and improve and become popular over time. A film, on the other hand, has an opening weekend (if you get a theatrical release that is) and this generally determines its path. If the opening weekend is not fantastic then the outlook won’t be good. I know, I am stating the bleeding obvious. But most people don’t seem to get this. You often hear indie film makers say things like “Maybe word of mouth will kick in by next weekend.” No ways. If you don’t open with solid numbers you will lose. It is that brutal.

This weekend again there will be another bunch of Hollywood movies that open and fight for supremacy. And any indie film releasing will have to contend with the hype and attention that all the new big studio product will receive. Not easy at all. In my view, there is nothing harder.

We must constantly remind ourselves that it’s just a movie; no one dies.