Are we still making films?

Zak Forsman said:
User Films is there for aspiring filmmakers to get feedback, yes. But in my opinion, it's at its best when someone is traversing new ground and generously sharing that experience with the rest of us. We could all stand to learn more about how to attract other people's money, casting stars and working with their agents, hiring professionals, working with guilds and unions, and more.
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Personally I'm not really looking for feedback because my job is writing and directing. Screenshots or trailers isn't enough material to give me proper feedback, that's more for cameramen, sound technicians and editors. My feedback would come in the form of reviews or blog entries.

As an indie producer I'd love to share my experiences when it comes to financing, finding collaborators, talking to agents and casting stars. Problem is, this is the internet and it's a public forum. Certain types of negotiations need to be kept private, and it's often necessary to not reveal who you've been talking to until after the fact and by then threads like the ones in the User Films forum are often obsolete anyway. At that point you're not in the development stage anymore, you're in post or finished, and you use other channels to get word out.

Also, as an indie producer, you might not want to go out publically and say "here's five things you need to say and do in order to get companies and stars to work with you". Company execs and agents will likely google you.
 
i would give my right nut to have someone watch my crappy home movies on Vimeo. there....i set the bar low. i'll be a genuis filmmaker one of these days.
 
I put my last film on Vimeo. So far 800 or more people have watched at least part of it.

-Nate
 
Thanks for starting this thread. It's exciting to get people over to the UF section and really share what is going on. I can understand how things can get busy, which is why it's helpful to reserve a few posts at the beginning of the thread, and update those pages as one has time. I personally type things out before hand and edit them when I have time, then copy/paste them into DVXuser and format. Just a thought for those with little time.
 
i feel that, as a noob, i lack the 'street cred' to give any feedback. i.e. 'who am i to critique?'

maybe other new comers feel the same way.

maybe, just maybe, every new UF thread should contain a generic poll that asks 'what did you like best about this project?' with the answers being 'cinematography', 'concept', 'locations', etc.

granted it'll be a less personal form of feedback, but feedback none the less.
 
Fahad said:
maybe, just maybe, every new UF thread should contain a generic poll that asks 'what did you like best about this project?' with the answers being 'cinematography', 'concept', 'locations', etc.
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If you're gonna do that, a better question might be 'what did you like LEAST', since negative feedback tends to give you something to work with.

As long as it's constructive.

But again, I still think it's unfair to judge a film or present any kind of feedback without having seen the whole thing.
How can you decide whether cinematography is suitable to the story based on a short clip? Can you say if it's 'good' or 'bad' without knowing that?
 
Jawa Ex Machina said:
If you're gonna do that, a better question might be 'what did you like LEAST', since negative feedback tends to give you something to work with.

As long as it's constructive.

But again, I still think it's unfair to judge a film or present any kind of feedback without having seen the whole thing.
How can you decide whether cinematography is suitable to the story based on a short clip? Can you say if it's 'good' or 'bad' without knowing that?
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To a degree I'd suggest you can... in the same way you can tell if someone can write within ten pages.
 
Heh

Want to get over negative criticism of your work? Just post it on youtube :) It has seriously helped me accept that no matter how hard you work or how much you like something, there are some rude dismissive people out there. It makes you thick skinned, BUT, it doesn't mean you won't learn. I've gotten comments on our last release that I posted in the UF that have been good (on Youtube) and very helpful to me.
 
I know the User Films forum gets a bad rap and some of what's said it true, but I think it's worth taking a new look at and I think it even helps to inspire others.

-Nate
 
I posted a very in depth article about my film "Bucovina Card Game" I titled it "Concept to Creation and Then Some"

A lot of people read it but noone posted comments. Then I posted my newer project "One Man's Goal. A few more comments but not very many questions were asked about the film. I even posted my own asking if anyone wanted to know anything about the film to no effect.

Lastly I finished my first full length movie and have been updating my User Films post but it seems like noone cares. It makes it really hard to spend the time putting up the info when theres little feedback for it.

I'm loving it and I know a few people are reading so I'll keep posting but I wish there more activity going on there.
 
Just keep at it. Also link your site to it, that way people who may not be DVX members but want to learn more about your projects can see what you've got going on.

-Nate
 
Wrapping up post on one feature and just wrapped production on another.

I don't go to the UF section because I lack the time to sit and watch the films.
 
If have you have some time check us out. I don't have the processing power here at home (the only computer I have access to here is my old Powerbook G4, which is only 400ghz, but my other computer is at my parents house. I always take not of the things I want to view and check them out there. I'm in the process of getting a new (new to me) computer soon.

-Nate
 
Zblock said:
I posted a very in depth article about my film "Bucovina Card Game" I titled it "Concept to Creation and Then Some"

A lot of people read it but noone posted comments. Then I posted my newer project "One Man's Goal. A few more comments but not very many questions were asked about the film. I even posted my own asking if anyone wanted to know anything about the film to no effect.

Lastly I finished my first full length movie and have been updating my User Films post but it seems like noone cares. It makes it really hard to spend the time putting up the info when theres little feedback for it.

I'm loving it and I know a few people are reading so I'll keep posting but I wish there more activity going on there.
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Please keep posting. I am one of those new guys who gets very inspired by those postings. I don't have much questions while reading the postings by people who are making a project like a feature or something other 'big'. But I do learn a lot from it. And, equally important: I enjoy following it.

I dare say I might represent a group of quite silent readers. No streetcredit yet, no big projects of our own (just the usual small projects and lots of ambitions, and building up to hopefully one day having our own work-in-progress-feature).

DVXuser changed my life (actualy, the secondhand DVX changed my life, because it led me to new paths to follow/find. One of them being this forum). I read and learn new stuff every day. The User Films and the DVX100 sections are my most visited subfora.

Regards,
Jasper
 
That's how I ended up here, researching the DVX100. I was here so much I finally joined.

-Nate
 
Let me rephrase a few things......

1. One of the reasons I don't post a lot in user films is I don't actually EP films. My role is usually "Producer" and "Tech. Advisor/Armorer" and occasionally "Kick-ass Actor who Deserves an Oscar"................okay, I keep suggesting it, but no one has yet to take me up on that particular suggestion/credit. Go figure.

2. Considering the above, I do not have creative control on how the film is promoted. Believe me, I suggest promotion here on every film I am involved in. I stress how this is THE site to get involved in. But only a few projects have gotten involved here. But that's, unfortunately, outside of my control.

So..........always consider that, even though I want to share some of the cool sh%! I am involved in, most times, I cannot due to NDA or due to festival reqs. Believe me, at my first production meeting, I bring up cross-promotion. Many films either don't understand the power, or feel Indie-arms will over shadow their film. Life sucks, but you roll with it, and I only color between the lines given.

My newest project, one I am VERY EXCITED about, and cannot wait to share here, is causing me intense stress. Because I cannot wait to share openly yet. But when you are asked to honor requests, your honor is the only currency involved.

Trust me, when I am greenlit to share, "User Films" will be over-run with my posts/blogs/ramblings/drunken monologues/etc.
 
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