When we introduce ourselves to someone from outside the industry we are “filmmakers”. But when we are talking to people from inside the industry we are “producers”, “editors”, “gaffers”, “dps”.

Yesterday a friend introduced me to her colleague, both working in a post production house, as a Director and Editor. Her friend immediately said: “Oh! so you are like a renaissance man!” Really? I didn’t really know how to reply to that. I remember this man being expert mathematicians, biologist, painters and many other things. Not just a painter and an illustrator.

What is it with the film and video industry with the specialization!? some of the best directors out there have done many other jobs. You should not go out and call yourself a producer if you have not really done other jobs. And a gaffer can very well be a grip, depending on what the needs are on set (unless you are part of the union and it’s a union shoot – they have strict rules about that)

For me is all a joke! We are filmmakers, we are artist, and no matter what part of the process we are working on in one project, we all have a whole set of skills would allow most of us to do different things within a story production.

I think as human beings we have the right, sometimes de duty, to fulfill many responsibilities. Unless you want to be just one thing on set, don’t call yourself producer, director, writer, dp or editor, call yourself a filmmaker!