Do film students really need their own cameras?

John_Hudson said:
In the end it is God Given indeed; some people have it and some don't and it's painfully obvious

id definitely agree to that. ....somewhat harsh to say, but all the training in the world isnt going to teach a fish to fly like a bird.
 
A fish to fly like a bird. I like that.

Interesting insight. Scary to think there are working professionals that don't have it:

George A Romero - Has ZERO filmmaking skills. Very rudimentary

Uwe Boll - Jesus. Unbeliavable. Who has this dude slept with to get these gigs?

John Woo's Action Scenes do Not! :laugh: - Thats right. His action scenes are A TEAM rip offs.

Paul W.S. Anderson - Another dude you wonder who he is sucking off to get the gigs he keeps getting

Renny Harlin - Dud after Dud after Dud after Dud and still keps getting jobs. A total enigma.

George Lucas - Sorry. Loved THX, American Grafitti and Star Wars but the crap he has 'Directed' since is shite

Kevin Smith - Stick to writing. Totally unskilled filmmaker. Another enigma

John Carpenter - Had it. Lost it a looong time ago.

Tim Burton - Hit miss hit miss hit miss
 
....yeah, but if anyone posts a pic of a flying fish, im going to find them and force them to watch clips of David Hasselhoff in baywatch over and over.

bt thats basically what those filmmakers are.. just swimming hard enough somehow to break the surface and pretend to fly for a while, and then sink back into the water where they belong.. heck if i was on a boat id knock them out of the air.. and yell "stop making those stupid movies" as the fall.
 
D_and_G said:
PS - Don't take anyones judgement of your whether you are a "filmmaker". Chris Doyle didn't pick up a camera until he was 34. Today he is arguably one of the best cinematographers in the world. He also didn't go to film school. What makes you a filmmaker is your own passion (with or without a camera) and God given talent.

mmm said:
Tina, may be late in the day to ask, but what do you plan to specialise in? Directing? Camera? Writing? Editing?

Thanks, D_and_G. Fact is, I'm NOT a filmmaker, as I've never made a film. I'm a newbie, but I've always wanted to be involved at some level. Fact is, I've just always been an artist, and this is an art. Originally, I wanted to get involved with motion picture graphics -- title credits, designing movie posters, that sort of thing. But in all honestly, I feel that I will probably more than likely be involved in post production work -- though I do have some ideas for some documentaries that I would like to persue. But I'm not ruling anything out, because sometimes when you do something you fall in love with it. So I'm not limiting myself, and I want to allow myself to learn and do a lot of things. If this makes me inauthentic to some of you, so be it; I don't live or die according to public opinion, and we each have to live our own lives.

To me, what sounds attractive is being able to find that exact moment when the light becomes magical, and it can transport viewers into a scene of languid beauty -- like Darius Khondji's work in STEALING BEAUTY. But who knows?

Some people know *exactly* what they want to do 'when they grow up,' and others sort of grow into it, kind of like what you said, D_and_G. On the average, those who knew from an early age are likely to be better at what they do and more successful, I would think, but not always. For me, I was always told, growing up, that it wasn't practical to be an artist, and it wasn't something I should persue. Then I ended up getting married and having a child, and my life took a different turn.

Now, being in a different relationship (with an editor boyfriend who really supports my goals and desires), and with my son being grown, my life is my own to decide what path I will take. So yes, John ( :happy: ), I'm going to *play* and have fun, and learn and start the next chapter of my life, doing what I want to do.
 
An "editor boyfriend", "who really supports my goals and desires".....but you ask here about "Do film students really need their own cameras?".

I think this thread was dead before it began.
 
To you. Because you see what you want to see, pookie. Enjoy the view. (no rolling eyes smilies, eh?)
 
The best way to figure out if it's something for you is to pick up a camera and shoot something. Any camera will do. DVX, XL2, ZR20, cheap-o CVS one-time disposable $20 video camera... Whatever. If you're good, and you like it, it'll show.

Seriously, beg, grovel, borrow, steal, get yourself ACCESS to some little rinky-dink camera, and start shooting the world. If your boyfrend is an editor, GREAT! You won't have trouble with post-production. Go out there and shoot stuff. Throw some music on it, edit the thing, and see if you liked the whole process. It's the only way to be sure.
 
Okay. I do have a couple of questions. What do you think of Vancouver? I've heard it's gorgeous there, and that the movie biz is booming. Are you Canadian, BTW?
 
Vancouver is great, kind of like LA, but smaller, cleaner, friendly, there are actual seasons, great scenery, CHEAPER, and on and on.

The movie biz is good, as is the TV production, but it's mostly based on the exchange rate and the tax breaks they give.
 
Do you find it's difficult to go back and forth between Canada and the US to work, after 9/11? The pictures I've seen are stunning -- even more beautiful than my neck of the woods, which is about 3 hours north of LA. We also have a lovely juxtaposition of ocean and mountains, but nothing as dramatic as the pics of Van that I've seen.

I ask because I may be moving there in a few years (not trying to sicken you or freak you out at the thought :laugh:).
 
I'm beginning to like the irony of your handle, pookie. You're crusty, and not at all what someone would consider a "pookie" would act like.
 
Tina C said:
Do you find it's difficult to go back and forth between Canada and the US to work, after 9/11? The pictures I've seen are stunning -- even more beautiful than my neck of the woods, which is about 3 hours north of LA. We also have a lovely juxtaposition of ocean and mountains, but nothing as dramatic as the pics of Van that I've seen.

I ask because I may be moving there in a few years (not trying to sicken you or freak you out at the thought :laugh:).

Travelling between the US and Canada?
I think I know every customs inspector by name, but watch out for those hand-held metal detectors (or at least ask them to warm them up first.....:grin: .

Moving from north of LA to Vancouver, you'll never go back.

A pic from Grouse Mountain, overlooking Vancouver.
rg_IP_265_GrouseMtn_Vancouver_BC.jpg
 
It was until Michael Jackson got here.

Was looking on your site, John. Zombie movie, eh? My favorite category within the Horror genre. The first I remember really vividly was being 12 years old and watching Night of the Living Dead, when it first came out, at this old, gothic theatre in Ventura. Some guy was having a bad acid trip in front of us, and it just added to the whole thing. Since NOTLD I was hooked, forever and inescapably.
 
Holy **** Pookie; stunning.

I sailed by Vancouver once during the evening on the way to Aluetian Islands; thats as close as I ever got.
 
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