BEHIND THE LENS

BY JOEL BRYANT

Hey friends,

If you're in Australia, then you've probably noticed that the days are getting shorter. You can feel it now. The light fades earlier, the air's got that cool edge to it, and for me, my hometown Byron Bay is slowly emptying out the way it always does this time of year.

Upon reflecting a few days ago, the change in seasons made me realise something about myself that's changed this year.

For the first few years of my twenties, I hated winter. I lived for summer. For three or four years straight, I literally packed up my whole life and moved, either to the north west of Australia, or over to Indonesia, to chase the sun and the warm water year round. The cold months always felt like something I had to escape.

But this year, something's different.

I don't know if it's an age thing (I turned 25 in March), or just where I'm at in life.

But right now, I'm actually enjoying this slow transition into winter. Which is crazy because I never used to understand who would willingly choose to go outside less, stay in more, and hunker down.

But now I get it...

Because for me, this is the time to build. To really knuckle down and dedicate myself to carving out the life I desire.

The truth is, the months are going to pass either way. So the only real question is who walks out the other side of it. And I've decided that the person coming out of this winter is going to be a long way ahead of the person who walked in.

Right now I'm deep in the edit cave on a few documentary projects I've been meaning to get to for a while, at the same time as re-branding my filmmaking business and bringing to life something I've been wanting to for a long while.

And the best part is, now that we move into this 'boring' phase at home, I have time. There's no flights to chase. No sun pulling me outside (other than the occasional 30 min tan in between clouds when the weather allows). Just the work, my desk, and the time to do it properly. Turns out the season I used to run from is the one that actually lets me make the things I care about most.

So I can't speak for everyone - you might be in a different season - but for the ones building things, who need some time to dedicate themselves towards bringing their dreams to reality, bring on the colder nights and the shorter days. Because with every one that passes, I know that as long as I'm putting the work in, I'm moving closer to the version of me I can't get out of my head.

A few things this season's reminded me:

• The work compounds quietly. You don't see it day to day, but you'll definitely see it on the other side.
• Try to approach all things you do from a sense of passion and enjoyment. The more you can be grateful for the fact you're able to do the work you're doing, the more that mindset will shine through in what you're creating / building.
• The season you resist is often the one you need. I spent years escaping winter. It might've been the thing I needed all along.

Reflect on this: What's one thing you could use these next few months to build - quietly, without an audience, just because you know what's waiting on the other side of it?

Filmmaking insight: There's a reason most of my favourite films get made in winter and released in summer. Editing is a winter act. It's slow, internal, unglamorous, and it rewards the hours nobody sees. If you've got footage sitting on a drive waiting for "the right time," this is it. Stop shooting for a stretch and finish something you've been putting off.

This whole idea - building a creative life that moves in seasons instead of a constant grind - is at the heart of what I've been quietly building for a while now.

It's for the ones who don't just want to make good work, but want to make a living from it. The filmmakers and creatives who are serious about turning their craft into a real, sustainable career, without burning out, selling out, or losing the reason they picked up a camera in the first place. It's the craft, the business, and the philosophy of doing this for the long haul, all in one place.

I'm not going public with it just yet, and I wasn't planning on sharing this now, but if you're reading this, you're early... so here's the door to Northstar, the new project I've been quietly building, before everyone else gets it.

👉🏽 ​This is the link to apply​ (Quiet early access for the people who are here. I'll be opening this up properly very soon.)

Enjoy the slow season. Use it wisely.

See you next Sunday, Joel

Behind The Lens: lessons from life, filmmaking and creativity.

Unsubscribe