If luck = preparation + opportunity, then it worked out for him.

It's easy to look at how he could have gotten lucky, but it's easier for an agent to say no than yes. In the end, he made something impressive enough for the agent to be interested. That meant he put the work into it.

Luck isn't always happenstance.

Creativity is not in everyone?? Maybe you don't understand what creativity is.

He shot his original film for $7k, editing on VHS. He showed it to an agent, who took a liking to it, and got a studio to buy it and remaster it for a theatrical release.

What's the lie? He still shot it himself, got his friends and town locals to act in it.

It's not a conspiracy theory. He made a good enough film, someone was willing to buy and put money into to improve the quailty.

It's happened to other filmmakers too.

So you never heard of After Effects? It's professional. It's being used on both high and low end tv shows and movies.

Lots of people find AE intimidating, I can only imagine what they think of Fusion.

We'll see how Fusion evolves. I'm not expecting it to steamroll over After Effects and Nuke.

What's why most small boutiques stick to After Effects.

It's still valid to learn from those who are learning with you. You supplementing seasoned experience with a new perspective. Think of it as a virtual study group.