Filmmaker or Not?

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY!!!!

(theblackandblue.com)

In the past, it was much simpler to identify yourself as a filmmaker because you would actually work with celluloid film. The process to shoot, develop, edit, and distribute a film was both tedious and expensive; only a certain group of people would be willing to put in all this effort to get this done. Fast-forward to the present where technology advanced to the point where essentially anyone can shoot a film. The cameras on cell phones produce high enough quality to make a short film.   Lens not included (http://img.xcitefun.net) For the record, I am not complaining about how much easier it to make a film nowadays. I am very glad for the technology and resources like YouTube allow for my content to be distributed more easily than before. However, there suddenly was this "us vs. them" mentality that began to pop up. People began to separate themselves based on whether or not someone used specific equipment or based on the type of content they produced. For example, a friend of mine was looked down upon as a filmmaker because he used a DSLR camera to make a short film. That person, on the other hand, bragged about using a RED brand camera, which is a brand that is also used in Hollywood.  In the simplest terms, this is how I define a filmmaker. If you ever created a film, congratulations you are a filmmaker. When people think of the term "filmmaker", they usually think of someone raking in the big bucks. I honestly see the word as just a description of someone who made a film. The difference is not whether or not you call yourself that, but how much success you have doing so.  One can dream...(geek.com) The real question should be "are you a professional filmmaker or an amateur filmmaker?" I do not consider myself a completely professional filmmaker because it is not a main part of my career at the current moment; I do not make a living shooting films or making content for clients.  All in all if you are calling yourself a filmmaker and have completed a film, by all means own that moniker. I do not believe the equipment you use or the amount of money you make should completely discount someone from that title.