BillyBob wants to race cars...

LOL, I wrote something like this in the User Films section and tried to get it made into a sticky, I had my whole feature and everything up for discussion, but no dice. Glad yours got up. Mine was more of a tutorial, but said some of the same things. Mine is here for indy filmmakers who want to jump off into the deep end, but would rather learn from someone else mistakes (mine) versus making them. As for festivals I think AOF and Slamdance are good for indies.

-Nate
 
Last edited:
I am one of those crusty old guys these kids refuse to listen to. They are all in a mad dash to sprint head long off the cliff. They seemed like such nice kids too.
 
Is it time for my old Beethoven story? I believe it is:

L. V. Beethoven was once approached by a proud father asking if Mr. Beethoven could please teach his son to compose sonatas. "How old is your son?" asked the master. "10" the proud father replied. "Then, he should probably wait a few years". "But you composed sonatas when you were nine!" the proud father protested. "Correct" said Beethoven, "But I didn't have to ask how."

So, I can see the attraction in submitting your first feature, but unless you're Beethoven, don't be too disappointed.
 
Networker said:
Is it time for my old Beethoven story? I believe it is:

L. V. Beethoven was once approached by a proud father asking if Mr. Beethoven could please teach his son to compose sonatas. "How old is your son?" asked the master. "10" the proud father replied. "Then, he should probably wait a few years". "But you composed sonatas when you were nine!" the proud father protested. "Correct" said Beethoven, "But I didn't have to ask how."

So, I can see the attraction in submitting your first feature, but unless you're Beethoven, don't be too disappointed.
Click to expand...

Awesome. (Everyone on Forum wondering (or convinced) if they are Beethoven I am sure.)
 
PerroneFord said:
Imagine the following conversation taking place at "F1Racing.com"



...Hi, my name is BillyBob and I want to race F1 cars. It's been a dream of mine all my life. I am 16 and I don't have much money, but I got some money from my parents, and I am working at a local restaurant to save up money to go racing.

I don't have a driver's license yet, but I read all the magazines, and online forums about F1 racing, and I know that's what I want to do. I want to start racing this fall season, so I need to get started getting some gear.

Here are my questions.

1. Where can I get an F1 car cheap? I know I won't finish top 5 my first season so I don't need the top of the line, but I want to be competitive right away, so I need a good car. As long as it isn't too expensive.

2. How do I get sponsors? I see a lot of the other guys have some cool sponsors and I know they pay for hotels and stuff, so I need sponsors.

3. Do you guys think I should get a red car or a blue car? The red cars always seem faster when I watch the races.

4. I see a lot of the guys have their friends working for them changing tires and washing off the windscreen. Some of my buddies are into this too and are willing to help me. Do you think the sponsors would help them with travel expenses and stuff too?


Basically, I just need you guys to tell me everything I need to know to start racing so I can get started.

See you on the track!

-Billybob
Click to expand...

OK, I know it's not really in the spirit of your nice ranty thread, but hey, this is the cafe.

I find your analogy a bit exaggerated. Why choose Formula 1? I mean, you say Formula Ford instead of Formula 1, and that's a reasonable question I've heard many times. I don't think most people you are analoging to are expecting to make a Hollywood blockbuster on their first attempts, they're looking to make small independent low or no-budget films. So, say SCCA instead of FIA or FOCA; say Formula Ford or Showroom Stock or Street Prepared instead of Formula 1. Go to an SCCA meeting... it's exactly like what you've said, not at all outlandish.

I mean, most people here are thinking autocross or road rally, not Grand Prix or Indy or Paris-Dakkar...

-Barry
1987 NY Region SCCA Autocross Champion
(by persistence more than skill, and driving Mom's car!)
 
Loved this post. I think the one that really gets me upset is how focused the younger generation is on HDSLRs and how much Dynamic Range a camera has. They all need to realize something

Frame Rate
Dynamic Range
ISO
FStop
LUTS
(etc)

These are not fads, or key things that will make you an award winning cinematographer overnight, they are just parts of a tool and the tool is as good as its operator. Beginners need to stop focusing on tech specs and focus more on content and building a look that can be a calling card for them to get work. A camera is not going to save you and frankly, i find younger filmmakers who boast about what camera they own to be very conceded.. I had an 18 year old look at something i did with my varicam (varicam f mind you) and they asked what camera i used, i told them varicam, and he looks at me and said "you should have used something more relevant"... im sorry, i didnt realize you knew how i worked or that unless you are using whatever bullshit HDSLR (have you noticed i just dont care for HDSLRs) or RED or Alexa then its not relevant.. I implore filmmakers to work with as many cameras as possible and figure out the pros and cons of each. I see digital cameras as their own film stocks and working your way up in gear as opposed to taking out a loan and buying a EPIC Dragon or Varicam 35 as the first thing.. its just ****ing ridiculous. My film school I attended, students were bitching because they were using an HVX200. Its just unreal.
 
I don't think this thread has aged well. I liked it ~5 years ago... but today? Today things look a whole lot different.

Entry-level cameras look as good as pro cameras.
$99 microphone ain't that bad.
Steadicam operators? Who cares.
Entry-level NLE not as good as FCP? No, they're just as good.
Footage going to look like crap without real movie lights? No, your footage will be fine.


Generally, I'm not sure what the point is of all this needless elitism. Beginners should get in over their heads, make mistakes, and learn from their mistakes over time.

Recording audio and video of actors behaving is not very hard. Technical stuff should take about a year of study to reach intermediate skill level across all relevant domains.
 
Drew Ott said:
I don't think this thread has aged well. I liked it ~5 years ago... but today? Today things look a whole lot different.

Entry-level cameras look as good as pro cameras.
$99 microphone ain't that bad.
Steadicam operators? Who cares.
Entry-level NLE not as good as FCP? No, they're just as good.
Footage going to look like crap without real movie lights? No, your footage will be fine.


Generally, I'm not sure what the point is of all this needless elitism. Beginners should get in over their heads, make mistakes, and learn from their mistakes over time.

Recording audio and video of actors behaving is not very hard. Technical stuff should take about a year of study to reach intermediate skill level across all relevant domains.
Click to expand...

Pretty much nailed it. Only quibble I'd have - and it's just a small quibble - is about the lights... not so much that without lights it will look like crap necessarily always, just that lights expand your options and artistic control - but even this has to be qualified, after all, to some degree it's also an artistic choice and the look of an era - back in the 30's - 50's a different lighting look existed partially due to technical limitations, and partially established through tradition - in the 60's the look changed again, as it did in the 70's. Today, it would look very artificial if you lighted your production like they did in the 50's - unless you're making a point - and so fashion changes... less controlled light, more natural sources, more practicals, more sensitive cameras, faster production, music video-reality TV-run'n'gun docu look is far more accepted and no longer screaming "amateur" - the aesthetic is a lot more flexible.

But, otherwise, yes, it's always - as ever - content over details of presentation, and the elitism sometimes exhibited on these boards is not just offputting but simply irrelevant - like an old man screaming for the kids to get off his lawn. The times are different. Talent matters. Technical facility is not the enemy, but it's not your boss either - what you have to say is so much more important than how you swing your camera. Nobody cares about your nattering on how it was back in the day when everyone knew how to expose for this or that or whatnot... because it's always the same story and has been from the beginning of film (or any human endeavor, really) - "you must know how to cut on film", "you must know x, y, and z" - get over it, nobody cares. Only one thing matters - can your film engage the audience. Full stop. Nothing more and nothing less. If you can do it with an iPhone and pocket recorder, doesn't matter - is it engaging? "But knowing all the technical stuff gives you more tools to express yourself" - maybe true, but just as often what you "know" can limit you and circumscribe you and narrow your horizons, and a kid with no preconceptions does things just because they didn't "know" "it couldn't be done".

To all those "get off my lawn" "kids these days" and other elitist nonsense - get over yourself. Deliver results - any way you can, but make it good... that's all that matters. And no, you don't have to know how to do this amazing technical trick to show you're a "real pro" whatever LOL that means. Just deliver good stuff, and it has been done. If you can't, I guess you can always natter on about frame rates and whatnot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top