About the Book
From an award-winning filmmaker who writes, produces, and stars in her own projects-an actionable, motivational guide to everything you need to know (and how you should think) about making your first feature film.
As an aspiring actress, Selina Ringel waited for years for her train to arrive. She did everything "by the book"-went to film school, attended endless casting calls, and searched for an agent. Then, instead of waiting to be chosen, she chose herself.
She realized she had to become the train-creating momentum by inspiring others to join her own projects. Regardless of where you are in your career, Selina will teach you how to bring your projects to life and will give you the most important tools that filmmakers need to succeed:
The relentless mindset needed in creative industries
How to get funding-and how to get things done without it
How to build and steer the right team into the station
How to find joy and fulfillment in the process
More than a traditional filmmaking manual, Be the Train is a powerful blend of real-life examples, practical advice, and a call to action for creatives to take control of their art. Stop waiting for permission-get your projects on track. All aboard!
About the Author :
Selina Ringel is an award-winning writer, producer, director, actress, and entrepreneur whose work includes three feature films, a comedy special, and a digital series. Her first feature, The Best People, was sold to Samuel Goldwyn Films (MGM) and distributed in more than forty countries. She won the Award This! honor for Best Indie Drama with her second feature, Single Mother by Choice, which was sold to HBO and doubled its investment in the sale. Her stand-up comedy special, 2 Moms, 1 Mic (with Kaela Crawford), and her digital series Tuning In are both on Amazon Prime. Her third feature, You, Me & Her, has a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and has won fourteen awards. Over a fifteen-year career, her scripts have won or been finalists at Slamdance, WIF, and the Blacklist, and she has been a guest judge for festivals including Film Outside the Frame and Tilt Up. She is a graduate of AFI's MFA producing program and runs her own production company, Two Hands Productions, with her husband and business partner, Dan Levy Dagerman.
Review :
"If you're feeling stuck and tired of waiting for everything to fall into place, Selina Ringel's Be the Train is exactly what you need. Her compelling story will show you how to build unstoppable momentum and turn your dreams into reality. As an award-winning filmmaker who dared to do things her way, Selina offers practical tips and insights to help you take control of your future. Whether you're making your first film, launching a new career, or getting ready to take charge of your life, Be the Train will ignite the fire within you to make it happen." -Mel Robbins, New York Times bestselling author and host of The Mel Robbins Podcast
"This book should be required reading at every film school. The cold email outreach chapter alone is worth the price of the book. But the real value is in the mindset she outlines. Inspiring. Motivational. Revolutionary. I'm on board the Selina train." -John Fithian, former CEO, National Association of Theatre Owners, and cofounder, The Fithian Group
"Selina is an undeniable force of nature. The advice she gives is invaluable for anyone who struggles with self-doubt or needs some practical guidance in this crazy industry. I wish I had read this book when I was starting out as a young filmmaker in Hollywood!" -Amy Wang, writer of Crazy Rich Asians 2
"Even in my fourth decade as a professional filmmaker, I learned important essentials from Selina Ringel's Be the Train. The specificity of her advice, earned from her own hard work, speaks volumes about subjects like making genuine contacts, finding an agent and/or manager, production, distribution, rejection, resilience, failing better, and so much more. If you're looking for guidance, either as a rookie or as a refresher course for an old hand, this book is a must-read." -Michael Miner, cowriter, Robocop; director, The Book of Stars; and lecturer, University of California, Santa Barbara
"I'm only halfway through Be the Train, and I already feel inspired to produce my own movie! Selina Ringel's advice isn't just practical-it's a mindset shift that makes you believe you can make your film happen. A must-read for any aspiring filmmaker." -Angela Guice, Emmy-winning executive producer
"I can with absolute certainty say that I would never have directed my first feature if it hadn't been for a single phone call with my fellow Train, Selina Ringel. Be the Train is your phone call-actionable items from a passionate creator who brings positivity to a creative world that can often be riddled with self-doubt. The mindset she offers in this book will change your life and your ability to see yourself as a powerful force in the best, weirdest, most demanding industry in the world." -Anna Campbell, director, actress, writer, and producer
"Selina's book not only motivates you to create your own brand but gives you the actual tools and tips on what steps you need to take to get you to where you want to go! This book is one you can read over and over again for inspiration. Having worked with Selina, I can confidently say she walks her talk. She is the Train, and she will inspire you to be one too." -Kaela Crawford, comedian and costar of 2 Moms, 1 Mic
"In Be the Train, Selina Ringel reminds us of the innate power that we have to truly enjoy our lives. This book will give you all the tools you need to create your film, celebrate the process, and inspire others." -Jorge Perez, author of The Shut the Fu*k Up Method
"Selina's writing goes deep, dismantling the surface-level approach so many books take when it comes to making a feature film. While others hold back or engage in gatekee
