'Lego' Filmmakers: 8 Building Blocks for a Documentary Career

Directors Daniel Junge (L) and Kief Davidson

Waiting for that big break? Well, you may have to keep waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting.

“There’s no such thing as a door with someone who says, ‘Come on in and just fill out the application to be a filmmaker,’” Oscar-winning director Daniel Junge tells Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition.

But the good news is you don't have rely on that someone.

“Film is about do-it-yourself: Literally the only way to make films is to make films," says Junge. "The tools are at everybody’s disposal today, there’s no excuse why anyone from a 5-year-old to a grandparent can’t start picking up a camera and making a film.”

For his latest project, Junge teamed with director Kief Davidson for “Beyond the Brick: A LEGO Brickumentary,” chronicling the meteoric rise, dominance and influence of one of the world’s most iconic toymakers, LEGO. The documentary arrived in theaters on July 31. Junge was honored with a Best Documentary (Short Subject) Oscar in 2012 for his HBO film "Saving Face," and Davidson earned his first Oscar nomination for 2013's "Open Heart."

“This toy is being used for very serious applications,” Junge says. “Things like therapy, engineering, city planning -- It’s gone far beyond, not just for kids and adults, but for really serious applications.”

With their days as rookie directors long behind, Junge and Davidson are sharing their eight best pieces of advice for aspiring filmmakers with Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition.

Daniel Junge accepts a Best Documentary (Short Subject) Oscar "Saving Face" during the 2012 Annual Academy Awards

1. Don't break the bank. Junge advises those starting out to not worry about purchasing fancy, expensive cameras and gadgets. “I don’t think there should be a hierarchy on what the best tools are,” he explains.

2. You likely already have what you need. An affordable and easy way to begin recording stories is with a smartphone. “Any digital camera now, including the one on your phone, and there’s digital systems on almost every computer,” Junge says.

3. Remember what's most important. Documentary filmmaking is the process of sharing, highlighting and presenting the real world. "I think the main thing is to find stories and express yourself,” Junge says.

4. Pursue your passion. Davidson says he was unhappy with his first "staff job" ahead of pursuing a career as a director. “I was pretty young when I took it and I realized very quickly that I wasn’t a staff, corporate guy,” he explains. “I needed to pick a career that was going to have a creative arc to it. That’s the good thing about filmmaking, even if you do make a film that’s successful and good, you want to make something better.”

5. Don't make excuses. “Invariably you’ll never get there,” Davidson warns. “You have to just pick up a camera and start shooting, get in the editing room and start cutting.”

6. Time is not on your side. "I placed artificial deadlines when they weren’t there,” Davidson recalls of his start, adding that by waiting for “money” or other cursory filmmaking business elements can often create unnecessary delays.

Filmmakers Daniel Junge (L) and Kief Davidson

7. Hit the road. “If you don’t have a story yet, get out and start traveling,” Davidson advises, recalling that his early projects were of his summer vacations.

8. Everybody has a story to tell, so tell it. "They say when you write a novel, write what you know. With film, film what you know, what you’re passionate about," Junge says, adding, "That passion will help you get through as a filmmaker."

"Beyond the Brick: A LEGO Brickumentary" hits theaters on Friday. Watch the trailer below.

https://youtu.be/hw53u2mtpMg