John Waters is a unique voice in cinema that we listen to for the sage advice of creating work that represents who you are as a filmmaker. As the Pope of Trash, Waters is a controversial voice that isn't afraid to challenge the status quo with pure, brash, and beautiful absurdity.
Waters' films are celebrations of the world through an effective balance of humor, drama, and satire. While some of his films are banned in certain parts of the U.S., Waters has a distinct voice that has inspired multiple generations of filmmakers to create, film, and distribute films that showcase the world through a new lens, which is why we listen when he gives advice to filmmakers.

John Waters' Advice for Filmmakers

At the 2023 Fantastic Fest, Outfest posted a video of John Waters giving filmmakers advice on their official TikTok.

In the video, Waters tells us to "Go participate. Go see every movie, the bad ones, the good ones. Watch movies with the sound off, then you can see how a movie is made. If you ever think a movie you're making is too long, it is. If you ever wonder, "Should I cut this?" the answer is "yes." And somebody has to like [the movie] beside the person you're fucking and your mother."

This is pretty good advice to follow, and we recommend you do.

@outfest some advice for filmmakers from the legendary John Waters! #johnwaters #popeoftrash #film #legend #lgbtq #hollywood ♬ original sound - Outfest

Overall, it is clear that Waters wants filmmakers to be active members of the film community, which means watching and showing each other projects and being supportive of people's work. Even if you don't like a film, there is something that you can learn from the screenplay, the direction, the on-set stories, and more.

The beauty of being a creative is that there will always be something new to discover. I don't know about you, but that is what excites me about the world of film.

Source: TikTok

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