One thing that you wish you would've gone to film school for?

Barry_Green said:
The world is full of horrible films (I know, I've made a couple of them). I applaud Kholi for wanting to take the time and GET IT RIGHT before leaping out there. As long as the delay is due to wanting to fix any inherent problems, rather than just being "chicken", then I think he's got exactly the right attitude.
Click to expand...

O_o; Whoa. I think you got it. It's definitely not about being chicken. I'm writing to make sure I have a good product to produce and put my effort into. I sit with four Word windows open all day and jot down notes on how to improve a character, or ways to turn the plot on it's head. I've been working the same Script since last year... ask Brandon about that one.

It's just how I am. So thanks for understanding that. It sure as heck is not about being afraid of failure unless I just don't see that I am. It's about wanting to show my ass (in a proverbial sense).
 
Someone is grasping what I am saying.

I was about to break the haitian child with the mango basket analogy.

Good being good is not liking the film as dmc just illustrated and usually they are one in the same and rarely they are not

Blair Witch Project - Enjoyable to many people but no one outside of the insane asylum is saying 'Oh yeah; that's a well done film'

You may hate classical music but who in their right mind is going to say Mozart's Piano Concerto No.24 in c minor isn't good in the sense we are using the word.

If you make a Blair Witch Project, odds are, it isn't going to surface. You make a Primer, it may or may not surface.

You make Goodfellas, and it's gonna get some heads turning.

=

These are extreme examples, obviously


No one's getting any younger and each day that goes by is an opportunity missed.
Click to expand...

Praise god ! Haleyluya !
 
Kholi: Do not under any circumstances drop 10K on your first movie!!(reiterating what has already been said)

If you haven't really made any flicks, start small, work on technical things first, then once you're confident and have had feedback start moving towards bigger projects or the big project to get noticed.

Robert Rodriguez suggests everyone has at least 8 crap films in them before they start making good films, so it's probably smart to get started if you wish to be a filmmaker.

I don't know how many times "want-to-be"(as in haven't made a film yet) filmmakers come along with grandious ideas of making the greatest movie their first time out and becoming a star. Most films either die before they get to camera, or unfortunately never get finished but the filmmaker lost a lot of money making their masterpiece.

So why not write a short film that centers around a technical aspect you wish to work on, or write a script that deals with certain emotions or dialogue that gets you working on your director actor relationships. You don't have to show anyone these films, or you could show them and explain "this is what I was working on in this short".

Try a 1 day shoot with like a 2 page script. Then try a weekend short film. A big plus is you get quick gratification from doing small projects to start, whereas a big project you want to be a calling card usually ends up as a stressful experience that takes months longer than you'd ever imagine.

I totally concur with John that you sound like you need to just go out and shoot. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but you seem to have the moviemaking virus, only cure is to shoot something!(but not by using $10k of your own money... you write the killer script, and someone else drops their money to make it - and cuz you've become a talented director with dozens of acclaimed short films under your belt they also want you to direct!)
 
Kholi said:
O_o; Whoa. I think you got it. It's definitely not about being chicken. I'm writing to make sure I have a good product to produce and put my effort into. I sit with four Word windows open all day and jot down notes on how to improve a character, or ways to turn the plot on it's head. I've been working the same Script since last year... ask Brandon about that one.

It's just how I am. So thanks for understanding that. It sure as heck is not about being afraid of failure unless I just don't see that I am. It's about wanting to show my ass (in a proverbial sense).
Click to expand...

knock it off

Make a movie already Kholi !

:beer: :Drogar-Evil(DBG): :kiss: :Drogar-Dum(DBG):
 
Staven said:
Kholi: Do not under any circumstances drop 10K on your first movie!!(reiterating what has already been said)

If you haven't really made any flicks, start small, work on technical things first, then once you're confident and have had feedback start moving towards bigger projects or the big project to get noticed.

Robert Rodriguez suggests everyone has at least 8 crap films in them before they start making good films, so it's probably smart to get started if you wish to be a filmmaker.

I don't know how many times "want-to-be"(as in haven't made a film yet) filmmakers come along with grandious ideas of making the greatest movie their first time out and becoming a star. Most films either die before they get to camera, or unfortunately never get finished but the filmmaker lost a lot of money making their masterpiece.

So why not write a short film that centers around a technical aspect you wish to work on, or write a script that deals with certain emotions or dialogue that gets you working on your director actor relationships. You don't have to show anyone these films, or you could show them and explain "this is what I was working on in this short".

Try a 1 day shoot with like a 2 page script. Then try a weekend short film. A big plus is you get quick gratification from doing small projects to start, whereas a big project you want to be a calling card usually ends up as a stressful experience that takes months longer than you'd ever imagine.

I totally concur with John that you sound like you need to just go out and shoot. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but you seem to have the moviemaking virus, only cure is to shoot something!(but not by using $10k of your own money... you write the killer script, and someone else drops their money to make it - and cuz you've become a talented director with dozens of acclaimed short films under your belt they also want you to direct!)
Click to expand...

YES YES YES !

Are you going to wait around until the perfect draft is ready and then throw it all into the ring ? Or are you gonna start making smaller, shorter projects to work on techniques and execution ?

This next short I am doing I am working on different aspects of the craft (Mis-en-scene specifically and telling my story through visuals). Do I think it is a perfect project ? Hell no.

But I'll walk away from having learned something and Ill apply that knowledge to the next one.

=

Come on ! Make a movie for dramafest before I BAN you !

LOL
 
John_Hudson said:
You may hate classical music but who in their right mind is going to say Mozart's Piano Concerto No.24 in c minor isn't good in the sense we are using the word.

If you make a Blair Witch Project, odds are, it isn't going to surface. You make a Primer, it may or may not surface.

You make Goodfellas, and it's gonna get some heads turning.

=

These are extreme examples, obviously
Click to expand...

Exactly - preference is not synonymous with "good".

To follow thru with John's analogy, Goodfellas is an exceptionally well crafted film that I happen to also really enjoy.

On the other hand, Moulin Rouge, also very well crafted, I didn't enjoy (for no other reason than I have a problem with people in films spontaniously breaking into song - generally speaking of course.)


dmc
 
My second time out of the box, we shot a feature. I had seen an extra feature about Vincent Price and was struck with an idea for a story. Based on what we had at our disposal, a killer location and some actors, we put the story together and put the wheels in motion. We had no illusions that we were making Casablanca or anything, in fact we revelled in our B-ness. It was made as a B-movie and we're pretty happy with it. We've gotten some good reviews and some bad reviews. We got it into a film fest, which got it onto IMDb and now we have a foreign distributor. Not to bad for three guys who just couldn't wait any longer and decided to do it.
 
Staven said:
Robert Rodriguez suggests everyone has at least 8 crap films in them before they start making good films, so it's probably smart to get started if you wish to be a filmmaker.
Click to expand...

I thought it was 10 bad films first. Oh, well... I have a few more bad ones to make then.:huh:
 
Writers write. Golfers golf. Swimmers swim. Filmmakers filmmake. Uhhh....
Quality over quantity but you do have to get the jitters out by exposing yourself out there without getting arrested. Ummm... Stopped, I meant.
 
jgastelb said:
Writers write. Golfers golf. Swimmers swim. Filmmakers filmmake. Uhhh....
Quality over quantity but you do have to get the jitters out by exposing yourself out there without getting arrested. Ummm... Stopped, I meant.
Click to expand...

Shortest post, most unstructured, but that's the damned point I'm trying to make

QUALITY over QUANTITY. I will NOT be forced to produce something I don't believe in or care about. If everyone else wants to exhibit half-hearted attempts, that's fine. I won't go out and shoot something then exhibit JUST BECAUSE. That's not the right way for me.

I want it to be as close to what I invision as possible. If I can't execute something above half-decent, then it's not worth executing to me.

I'll give you this, I HAVE been toying around with a drama-fest idea. If it doesn't cave like my Hero-Fest idea, I can probably pull it off. I won't dare make something on a short-wind. I do not subscribe to that method.

I get what everyone is saying: do do do, not wanna-be be be. I am definitely a writer, as I write. I'm working on being a filmmaker next. How's that sound?
 
Kholi said:
Shortest post, most unstructured, but that's the damned point I'm trying to make

QUALITY over QUANTITY. I will NOT be forced to produce something I don't believe in or care about. If everyone else wants to exhibit half-hearted attempts, that's fine. I won't go out and shoot something then exhibit JUST BECAUSE. That's not the right way for me.

I want it to be as close to what I invision as possible. If I can't execute something above half-decent, then it's not worth executing to me.

I'll give you this, I HAVE been toying around with a drama-fest idea. If it doesn't cave like my Hero-Fest idea, I can probably pull it off. I won't dare make something on a short-wind. I do not subscribe to that method.

I get what everyone is saying: do do do, not wanna-be be be. I am definitely a writer, as I write. I'm working on being a filmmaker next. How's that sound?
Click to expand...
Sounds like we're not going to be seeing anything from you...:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
Blaine said:
Sounds like we're not going to be seeing anything from you...:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Click to expand...

Might be the case. You sure as hell won't see anything from me that I feel is bad or not grade-a effort. What is the point in even starting something that you feel will turn out bad? I don't get that logic.
 
And for those who aren't getting my mantra, I'd like to strike up a point:

All of the Horror-Fest top entries were top for what reason? Because they gave a damned and weren't just entering to ENTER the contest. Jack painted his wall, Timur and Mark hosed down actresses with buckets of blood, the MEAT people went all the way with subtleties and satires. And the BROKEN CIRCLE guys went all the way with a single shot.

Those people didn't place high because of politics, IMO (like people wanted to claim). They placed high because they put together something that was intended to compete, not to just have fun. I mean, I bet it was fun, but it was to make something worthwhile and worth watching. And to that effect, they achieved a better product.
 
What about staying active ? What about working on technique ? Putting theory into practice ?

Even if it's a lighting lesson or a quick clip on creating tension ?

=

Stagnant for waiting on perfect is gonna be a long wait.
 
John_Hudson said:
What about staying active ? What about working on technique ? Putting theory into practice ?

Even if it's a lighting lesson or a quick clip on creating tension ?

=

Stagnant for waiting on perfect is gonna be a long wait.
Click to expand...

Who said I didn't do any of those things? I posted a few posts back that I have a two minute super-short involving lighting practice and scene file practice I made the day after I got my HVX.

I go out and shoot scenery every weekend. I don't feel that it's good, so I don't show it to anyone. Doesn't mean I don't go out and stay in practice.

I also shoot my girlfriend doing mundane things like washing dishes, and I've edited a few "dish washing" scenes on my G5.
 
Kholi said:
Might be the case. You sure as hell won't see anything from me that I feel is bad or not grade-a effort. What is the point in even starting something that you feel will turn out bad? I don't get that logic.
Click to expand...
Kholi, I don't think anyone goes into a project feeling it will turn out bad. We are limited by our knowledge and experience. NO ONE is going to make Blade Runner or Star Wars their first time out. It's called: Everyone has to start somewhere. Sure, you want to make something the best you can. But then don't try to do it yourself. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort. There are a lot of people with cross disciplines that I'm sure would be more than willing to help...as long as they believe you are serious and can complete what you start. Making movies is your on-the-job film school. You will learn so much more from getting out and making mistakes that just sitting around talking about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top