The answer is No, if your goal is to be a cinephile and film buff.
And what’s wrong with that? Everyone should have a hobby… something to look forward to picking up after they are done with the other obligations in one has day to day, including the job one gets paid to perform so they are able to pay for their living expenses.
And there’s also nothing wrong with becoming an expert at something so you’re able to provide guidance to others about your hobby — “So, you’re looking for a good movie to watch this Friday… I think I know a film you’ll enjoy.”
However, if the question is a more complicated query, asking/implying if it is bad to be a cinephile/film buff if one intends to seek a future as a filmmaker... Well, my response becomes much more complicated.
No, it’s not bad when one knows about the film classics as well as the most recently released movies, and are able to put both into an insightful context. Unfortunately, the approach will probably end up be limiting if you want to be a filmmaker some day.
With the goal of becoming a filmmaker, your knowledge as a cinephile/filmbuff needs to be turned into a mental archive that services a greater demand — to see movie making in a way that will inform and inspire your own creativity.
I'm talking about A New Mindset.
At first, by focusing on something radically different when you view a movie, it will sort of ruin watching filmsfor entertainment as the sole purpose. If you’re doing it mentally right, you should notice "the zipper in the back of the monster costume" - i.e. the reality behind the artifice. This allows you to see the construction of a film, and then examine what makes a film capture the love of an audience. You will also see why one fails. And perhaps more importantly how no one seeks to fail in shooting a movie, but how shooting a film that will capture an audience can go so easily off the rails. Even when one is behind the camera shooting a family home video.
After awhile, looking at the construction of movies from this mindset you will hopefully gain the knowledge of what it takes to make your own creations work successfully.
This is a profound transition - From film enthusiast to one who Creates, drawing on their knowledge/love of what has come before. It’s a transition that very few people accomplish who end up being professional filmmakers.
No worries if you truly love movies. After a period of time, your love of movies returns even when you see everything with this new mindset. If you transition to working professionally, you’ll become blown away when a filmmaker does something beautifully, appreciating it more because you now know how hard it was to achieve.
And if you never become a filmmaker, the mindset still has value, not just one that leads to making movies. You’ll be standing at a place where you know more about the art and craft of filmmaking, but more likely you’ll have an even greater appreciation of how much movies/TV/Media have enriched your life.
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