Watch this TED Talk from American philosopher and author David Kelly as he explores the relationship between creativity and the confidence that is needed to create. How can you apply these lessons to your life? 

Skills

Build your creative confidence.

Do you suffer from feelings of inadequacy and distrust your abilities? Do you ever feel like you aren't prepared to do the work or don't deserve your success? Learn ways to fight this! 

Career

Learn how to fight against imposter syndrome.

Get started with these general tips and start working on your own documentary film idea about you or a topic that interests you. 

Make your own documentary film.

Producers and Directors

Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

First Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Second Interest High-Point

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Write and edit news stories from information collected by reporters and other sources.

Plan details such as framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement for each shot or scene.

Communicate to actors the approach, characterization, and movement needed for each scene in such a way that rehearsals and takes are minimized.

Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education.

Coordinate the activities of writers, directors, managers, and other personnel throughout the production process.

Study and research scripts to determine how they should be directed.

Supervise and coordinate the work of camera, lighting, design, and sound crew members.

Confer with technical directors, managers, crew members, and writers to discuss details of production, such as photography, script, music, sets, and costumes.

Research production topics using the internet, video archives, and other informational sources.

Review film, recordings, or rehearsals to ensure conformance to production and broadcast standards.

Consult with writers, producers, or actors about script changes or "workshop" scripts, through rehearsal with writers and actors to create final drafts.

Identify and approve equipment and elements required for productions, such as scenery, lights, props, costumes, choreography, and music.

Establish pace of programs and sequences of scenes according to time requirements and cast and set accessibility.

Conduct meetings with staff to discuss production progress and to ensure production objectives are attained.

Compile scripts, program notes, and other material related to productions.

Perform administrative duties, such as preparing operational reports, distributing rehearsal call sheets and script copies, and arranging for rehearsal quarters.

Resolve personnel problems that arise during the production process by acting as liaisons between dissenting parties when necessary.

Perform management activities, such as budgeting, scheduling, planning, and marketing.

Compose and edit scripts or provide screenwriters with story outlines from which scripts can be written.

Negotiate with parties, including independent producers and the distributors and broadcasters who will be handling completed productions.

Cut and edit film or tape to integrate component parts into desired sequences.

Choose settings and locations for films and determine how scenes will be shot in these settings.

Review film daily to check on work in progress and to plan for future filming.

Obtain rights to scripts or to such items as existing video footage.

Write and submit proposals to bid on contracts for projects.

Develop marketing plans for finished products, collaborating with sales associates to supervise product distribution.

Hire principal cast members and crew members, such as art directors, cinematographers, and costume designers.

Hold auditions for parts or negotiate contracts with actors determined suitable for specific roles.

Select plays, scripts, books, news content, or ideas to be produced.

Electronic news gathering ENG cameras

Laptop computers

Newsroom digital audio workstations

Personal computers

Tablet computers

Teleprompters

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript

Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffects

Adobe Systems Adobe Audition

Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver

Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign

Cascading style sheets CSS

Email software

Extensible markup language XML

Google AdWords

Google Analytics

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Word

Twitter

Grass Valley Ignite Automated Production System

Lens finders

Multi-line telephone systems

Multimedia editing equipment

Robotic cameras

Sound mixing equipment

Studio lighting systems

Vectorscopes

Video editing equipment

Waveform monitors

I never went to film school or had any formal training. I got into filmmaking by accident in my 30s and had to learn everything from scratch. I would compare myself to others and feel like I was never good enough.  

Sonja DeVries

Filmmaker/Activist

Videos

Sonja DeVries

Milestones

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Film

Non-Profit Organizations

Upholding a Cause and Belief

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

Challenges I Overcame

Imposter Syndrome

Sonja DeVries

Filmmaker/Activist

Videos

Sonja DeVries

Milestones

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Film

Non-Profit Organizations

Upholding a Cause and Belief

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

Challenges I Overcame

Related Leaders