Episode 19: The Power of Believing Yourself with Michael Augustine

How much faith do you have in yourself? Meet Michael Augustine, who believes that we should believe in ourselves until it becomes a habit.

Michael Augustine is a writer-director and cinematographer who has worked on films such as She Was Famous (2016) and If I Am to Continue (2021). My Prayers are Precious to God (2022), his directorial feature debut, is currently in post-production. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, before moving to Atlanta in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Michael earned degrees in creative writing, film, and performance from Louisiana State University.

In this episode, Michael discusses his upbringing, how he got into the film industry, the various films he has worked on, and words of wisdom for aspiring filmmakers.

Listen and learn from Michael.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[03:39] Michael’s move to Georgia

[07:45] Moving back to Louisiana

[10:55] How Michael got into film

[14:42] How Michael got his first job while in school 

[19:35] How Michael became a writer

[21:33] What did Michael’s script look like?

[24:05] Michael’s experience collaborating with other writers

[28:03] Prayers are precious to God

[30:41] Building a film empire through community

[34:23] The decentralized processes in which filmmakers could be relentless within the filmmaking community

[37:01] Finding your tribe and staying on the truck

[40:01] Michael’s parting words you want to leave in upcoming filmmakers

Magical Quotes from the Episode:

“Champion your vision, and do not allow people to be the gatekeepers for whether you can move to the next step.”

“Believe in yourself so long that you know it to the point where it’s no longer to believe.”

“There is nobody in Hollywood who can say that this particular film cannot get made because you just gave and funneled money into a movie called Cocaine Bear.”