Corrado Part II
- Thread starter taormina
- Start date
hmm its alright that you didn't meet them. Its a learning experience. I just think that the way you hype up your film with the amazing 'Tom Seizmore' :laugh: the audience should expect a little more quality than a B grade action film. Don't you think?
I'm not 17. Not sure where you got that from.
Gohanto
Veteran
That seems like a bit of an insult to B-grade action films. Raiders was a B-movie with Harrison Ford. Shoot 'Em Up is a B-Movie with Clive Owen. Deperado with Antonio Banderas. Scorsese even said The Departed was a B-movie with... well a lot of people.
All of those directors deserve a lot of credit for making fun and entertaining films.
yeah i guess it is an insult to those films. My mistake.
lawriejaffa
Veteran
I think Taormina was being generous guessing this guy was 17... my bet is 14!
troopercooper
Active member
I'll agree on all counts, excepting the fact that Shoot Em Up wasn't all that entertaining
I am a massive fan of Doom. God knows why, but it's a special passion of mine and it got me through many lonely nights as a security guard through 2006 and 2007. Actioner B-Movies are awesome.
Glad to see the corrado updates are back. But really what did you expected to see? Your not going to see a mission impossible style movie here with the budget he had so why come on here with the "Oh it looks like a B grade action film"? Just because Sizemore is in it doesn't mean just by him on the screen its gonna look like a multi million production.
taormina
Hates to Rent
From this post:
jonesy123
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
man, im 17, living in Australia and want to do make films as a living, reading this thread has given such inspiration to me. thank you so much.
congrats and good luck on your next films. Hopefully i'll be able to purchase this film from over here
Zak Forsman
Major Contributor
I had a conversation yesterday about taking criticism. Having noticed I don't seem to get defensive when someone is critical of my work, I was asked how I handled it. He asked, "do you just not care?"
I told him, "of course i care." It hurts when I put something out there and someone thinks it sucks. But I've also learned that by talking with the detractors, engaging them in a discussion and treating the whole thing lightly (like jokingly asking for their permission to quote "The Ending Was Lame" at the top of the poster because it would look hilarious) has actually enabled me to win over about half the people who did not initially like what they had seen. I've gained their respect and now they are fans, supporters.
an example can be found here, in the comments of this article about IFHY... http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/go-ahead-hate-yourself/
Ted Spencer
Veteran
On Criticism:
I was a graphic design major in college, studying under the notoriously, brutally tough Gordon Salchow at the University Of Cincinnati College of Design Art And Architecture, one of the top design schools in the US. Each week all 20 of us in the class, some of whom were extremely talented, would put up our latest projects on the bulletin board, and a stone-faced Salchow would, in about 95% of the cases, mercilessly rip them to shreds - once, literally. Unfortunately, that one happened to be mine....
Many of us in the class felt his critiques were abusive, and an argument could be certainly made that they were.
I left the program after three years, not because of Salchow, but because I decided I wanted to be a music recording engineer, not a graphic designer. I succeeded at that, and still do it for a living these many years later.
One of the first things I discovered was that my trial-by-fire at the hands of Mr. Salchow had toughened me up - a lot. When people knocked my recording work, which they frequently did, I was better able to handle it than most of my co-workers. Compared to Salchow most of these critics were pussycats anyway. Some of them weren't though, and more skin-thickening ensued on my part.
Eventually, "take all the criticism and *use* it to improve" became my mantra.
And...it worked. Ever since then I've welcomed criticism, painful though it still is to receive it. It's one of the best ways to advance your game artistically.
On the other side of the coin, I think one of the worst things an artist can do is to seek out, or only listen to, positive comments. These are unfortunately all too readily available, from friends and family in particular. So, to borrow taormina's old pet phrase...
Here is wisdom:
IGNORE ALMOST EVERYTHING NICE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY ABOUT YOUR ART. THEY WANT TO SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE THEY LOVE YOU, AND WILL LIE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD AND BAD ABOUT IT.
And the corollary:
SEEK OUT THE OPINIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE BUT *NOT INVESTED IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER* IN YOUR SUCCESS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL EVENTUALLY BE YOUR AUDIENCE ANYWAY, AND WILL MAKE OR BREAK IT WHETHER YOU YOU AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT. THEY *WILL* TELL YOU THE TRUTH. YOUR FRIENDS WON'T.
I think it's quite worthwhile sometimes, if possible, to actually *trick* people into thinking it's not even your work. I've gotten some wonderfully candid critiques from knowledgeable friends this way.
Either way:
ONLY HONEST CRITICISM WILL SERVE YOUR ART. PERIOD.
IMHO, a place like DVXuser can be a very good source for this. While we are, loosely, "friends" here (this is the one of most civilized internet forums I've ever seen), there are enough of us willing to give their (relatively) unfiltered opinion on things to actually have real value.
Sometime in the near future I'll be asking for comments on my first film here. I expect that the criticisms it generates, however unpleasant it may be to read, will help me improve my work the next time.
And that, my friends, is money in the bank...
Soap Box mode: off
I was a graphic design major in college, studying under the notoriously, brutally tough Gordon Salchow at the University Of Cincinnati College of Design Art And Architecture, one of the top design schools in the US. Each week all 20 of us in the class, some of whom were extremely talented, would put up our latest projects on the bulletin board, and a stone-faced Salchow would, in about 95% of the cases, mercilessly rip them to shreds - once, literally. Unfortunately, that one happened to be mine....
Many of us in the class felt his critiques were abusive, and an argument could be certainly made that they were.
I left the program after three years, not because of Salchow, but because I decided I wanted to be a music recording engineer, not a graphic designer. I succeeded at that, and still do it for a living these many years later.
One of the first things I discovered was that my trial-by-fire at the hands of Mr. Salchow had toughened me up - a lot. When people knocked my recording work, which they frequently did, I was better able to handle it than most of my co-workers. Compared to Salchow most of these critics were pussycats anyway. Some of them weren't though, and more skin-thickening ensued on my part.
Eventually, "take all the criticism and *use* it to improve" became my mantra.
And...it worked. Ever since then I've welcomed criticism, painful though it still is to receive it. It's one of the best ways to advance your game artistically.
On the other side of the coin, I think one of the worst things an artist can do is to seek out, or only listen to, positive comments. These are unfortunately all too readily available, from friends and family in particular. So, to borrow taormina's old pet phrase...
Here is wisdom:
IGNORE ALMOST EVERYTHING NICE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY ABOUT YOUR ART. THEY WANT TO SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE THEY LOVE YOU, AND WILL LIE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD AND BAD ABOUT IT.
And the corollary:
SEEK OUT THE OPINIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE BUT *NOT INVESTED IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER* IN YOUR SUCCESS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL EVENTUALLY BE YOUR AUDIENCE ANYWAY, AND WILL MAKE OR BREAK IT WHETHER YOU YOU AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT. THEY *WILL* TELL YOU THE TRUTH. YOUR FRIENDS WON'T.
I think it's quite worthwhile sometimes, if possible, to actually *trick* people into thinking it's not even your work. I've gotten some wonderfully candid critiques from knowledgeable friends this way.
Either way:
ONLY HONEST CRITICISM WILL SERVE YOUR ART. PERIOD.
IMHO, a place like DVXuser can be a very good source for this. While we are, loosely, "friends" here (this is the one of most civilized internet forums I've ever seen), there are enough of us willing to give their (relatively) unfiltered opinion on things to actually have real value.
Sometime in the near future I'll be asking for comments on my first film here. I expect that the criticisms it generates, however unpleasant it may be to read, will help me improve my work the next time.
And that, my friends, is money in the bank...
Soap Box mode: off
Last edited:
taormina
Hates to Rent
:thumbup:
filmman
Veteran
When someone puts his life savings on the line and makes his first movie, it's hard to take certain type of criticism.
One has to be constructive in giving criticism. What was exciting for me was that Adam got a lot name actors without having to show the money.
Also Adam followed the action movie formula successfully. Corrado looks like a successful effort. I'm eager to see him get a distribution deal that guarantees him at least a million dollars in the first year.
Now, I consider this constructive criticism
One has to be constructive in giving criticism. What was exciting for me was that Adam got a lot name actors without having to show the money.
Also Adam followed the action movie formula successfully. Corrado looks like a successful effort. I'm eager to see him get a distribution deal that guarantees him at least a million dollars in the first year.
Now, I consider this constructive criticism
Rubbersquare
Well-known member
I wasn't a big fan of Adam's methods, preferring the more methodical methods of another forum regular, but I have to admit, I was like "WOW!" when I saw the Corrado trailer. There was a rebellious, guerrilla vibe that, knowing the behind the scenes stuff, that bled through into the rawness and realness and immediacy of the trailer (and, I presume, the whole film). I was ready to dismiss it based on Adam's methods, but the work won me over. There's something to be said for the passion of the work, rather than calculation of the ROI. Not that Adam's not concerned about money, but, as he's said, he's working to get his next films financed - a goal I very much admire. I still prefer to have things planned and covered and legal, but huge kudos for the end product, whatever the means.
Nathyn
Low Budget Ninja
Believe me when I say my friends love me enough to tell me when I make crap! :beer:
-Nate
As far as you know.
russc
Active member
Unfortunately there is no true "objective" or "non-invested" criticism. Anyone whose comments you may seek on your work, will most likely have something to do with the art, craft, or business you are involved in anyway. Otherwise you would not want their thoughts. That means, to some extent, they do what you do. With that, there are always egos, particular tastes, angles and points of view. So you will very rarely get something completely unbiased. It would be hard to tell, in any event, anyway.
What criticism must become, in order for it to be beneficial, is a math formula.... The most common denominators of a whole host of critiques. Also to be truly effective, each critique must be blind to the other. So you don't start to develop a group mentality (which always happens and why focus groups must kept silent from eachother. also why these boards can be difficult to weed trhough)
YOU then must have the confidence and knowledge of YOUR OWN objectives with YOUR WORK to weigh those common answers against what YOU are trying to achieve and THEN decide which changes are best... or not.
In this thread, Adam, regardless of how he takes or doesn't take criticism, whatever is coming his way, he is weighing all of it. Good and bad. Regardless of how he responds here in public, I can only hope he reacts for the good of his movie in private . Otherwise he doesn't get as far as he does.
What criticism must become, in order for it to be beneficial, is a math formula.... The most common denominators of a whole host of critiques. Also to be truly effective, each critique must be blind to the other. So you don't start to develop a group mentality (which always happens and why focus groups must kept silent from eachother. also why these boards can be difficult to weed trhough)
YOU then must have the confidence and knowledge of YOUR OWN objectives with YOUR WORK to weigh those common answers against what YOU are trying to achieve and THEN decide which changes are best... or not.
In this thread, Adam, regardless of how he takes or doesn't take criticism, whatever is coming his way, he is weighing all of it. Good and bad. Regardless of how he responds here in public, I can only hope he reacts for the good of his movie in private . Otherwise he doesn't get as far as he does.
taormina
Hates to Rent
Interesting point - Only one friend of mine has seen pieces of Corrado. Only my wife has seen all of it. None of my family or friends has seen any of it besides the trailer!
You can't rely on this feedback so I don't solicit it.
I've had overwhelmingly positive feedback on Corrado. I'm very surprised people like the movie and the trailer as much as they do. That's why I'm in heavy negotiations on a deal, I guess.
And the best part is those that like it are industry people, not my friends and family.
I'd never make decisions based on what my friends and family thought unless they were industry folks. Even then not so sure I'd listen!