I have to RANT.

J.R. Hudson

J.R. Hudson

Spirit Animal
So, I finally get the DVX100. THis amazing tool that will help me realize my passion for filmaking by giving me hands on access to working and learning at will.

I have so many ideas that have stacked up over time that I want to do; horror films, sci-fi, action, intrigue. You name the genre or the storyline and I have envisioned it in my dreams.

Those of you that know me, albeit virtually, know that I am not the expert and am learning. My film experience comes from working on "everyone else's films" as a GRIP and/or P.A..

So, I'm not a stranger by any means to filmaking, hell, I even drank beer with Pierce Brosnon and Tom Skerrit. But for all practicality, I am a ****ing newbie when it comes to "Having a camera and being in the position to Direct and D.P.". Yo know, to really create and become an artist.

My art background consists of Oil Painting, Watercolor, Guitar Playing in a band (sigh... to be 24 again) and basically reading and sponging everything that has to with with films my whole life. (sigh... to be 14 again with my Super 8).

Getting this camera was a major ****ing big deal to me. It's not often I am in a position to drop 3 grand on this kind of TOY. I do not want to "make money" doing this; I just want to make films.

We all know that I need certain things (VEGAS, TRI, MIC and the other accessories that can complete my mini-production needs) and I know in time I can gather these items.

The problem I am facing now, is with what I want to do, and what I should do.

I want to make the films I have always wanted to make. I know, I am not ready to do that just yet. I feel it would waste mine and everyone else's time if I tried to pull "those" off.

What I should do, is short films that are very limited in scale. Films that I can learn from, and hone this craft. The problem is, I am so not motivated by doing these types of films. I want so bad to get busy doing the real deal. I know that I should write, shoot and edit a film that is realistic to my current level of knowledge.

That's my rant. This is the cafe. Thanks for listening.
 
Re: I have to RANT.

shoot.. get off your ass and shoot something. (with your new camera)
 
Re: I have to RANT.

nice rant  ..i give it a 8 out of 10. :)
best of luck to you john. i just want to encourage you and tell you not to sell yourself too short though. always aim high.if you dont aim for what you want.. youl never hit it.  if you never step out on a limb and take the risks, youll never know how far you could've gone . youll learn way more by trying to do the unimaginable than you ever would by doing the easilly obtainable.  just do whats in your head/heart to do and figure out a way to make it work. there have been hundreds and hundreds of filmmakers that get stuck in the mode of "playing it safe" and never really going for it. and therefore never really achieving anything.  it may be painful to learn some things the hard way. but your skills will come out of that fire pure and refined.  go for it man!  just a little pep talk. .. illbe the guy in the adma sandler films yelling "yoouuu can dooo iiiiitt!!!" ")
 
Re: I have to RANT.

Thanks guys. I was going through a mini-depression. You are soooooooooo right. Both of you; I need to shoot something (my dad? doh! I meant with my new camera) :)

And IAL, you know what. I have spent my life playing it safe and doing the right thing (not like the Spike kind). Okay. I am encouraged. So, failure is an option? :)

I will.
 
Re: I have to RANT.

yes.. look in the paper for a public event today... then go out and pretend you are being paid to shoot it, or even that the event is a set and its your talent walking around. Shooting isnt the hard part, framing, learning your axis, pulling focus and remembering focal length is when it gets interesting.. and then there is a whole other ball game called lighting :P
 
Re: I have to RANT.

..well you should still do the right thing.. as far as morally goes.. but just spread your wings man .. reach the heights -touch the sky. grab the stars and put them in your pocket. the biggest enemey and obstacle of any artist is themselves. .. yes failure is an option.. you brush yourself off, and you walk away a little wiser-stronger-closer to your goals. your failures will never kill your dreams unless you let them, but you can kill your dreams without ever failing once, simply by never even trying.
again good luck
 
Re: I have to RANT.

JOHN, MAN! And you were complaining about me being indecisive about the DVX!! :P ;)

Go and shot, go, go, go, go.... 8)

The way I figure, if you don't get right the first time, try it again. If it doesn't work, try it again, and again, and again. All the while modifying the way you do things at each itteration. Successful people fail 7 times out of 10; that's how they become successful; they don't quit at the first sign of difficulty, lack of knowledge, or experience. For humans in general, trial and error is a big factor in our learning process. And, if you can learn from the mistakes of others, so much the better. That is why wonderful forums such as this exist.

You have learned so much already by reading books, magazines, and in actively participating in this forum and others. What makes you think you can't continue to absorb all this positive energy to buildup your confidence. We all believe in you John; we all know you can do it, regardless of the obstacles. And don’t chase 2 rabbits at the same time; you’ll end up loosing both of them. Just take it one step at a time, and you’ll get there.
 
Re: I have to RANT.

Damn! Took to long to reply. So many replies popped up in such a short time.

Anyway, if you start ranting like that again, I'll just cut and paste the text.  ;D
 
Re: I have to RANT.

hey where did you end up buying it?

I suggest making a fake commercial before short.
 
Re: I have to RANT.

Yeah! And you can be surprised at how long it can take to do a 30-minute commercial. Another good starting project is to make a music video, and match the clips to the beats, all the while trying to convey a story. Ever think of getting that guitar out of the attic?

----

Correction:
Damn!  I meant seconds, not minutes. Sorry!  :-[
 
Re: I have to RANT.

screw 30 minutes... youd be amazed how long a 30 Second commercial takes.
 
Re: I have to RANT.

"The problem I am facing now, is with what I want to do, and what I should do. I want to make the films I have always wanted to make. I know, I am not ready to do that just yet. I feel it would waste mine and everyone else's time if I tried to pull "those" off. "

You have just expressed wisdom far beyond your years (and I don't care how old you are, it's wisdom far beyond almost all indie filmmakers' years!) 99.999% of "indie films" (defined as homemade no-budget camcorder movies) are flat-out unwatchable (some would say "horrible crap") because people are too fired up on desire, and have no idea what they're doing. Desire is necessary, but it's not enough. It's like in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure": they wanted so bad to be The Wyld Stallyns rock band, but it wasn't until the END OF THE SECOND MOVIE that they bothered to learn how to play their guitars!

Read. Study. And shoot, shoot, shoot. Don't worry about making your opus yet, because if you do it before you're ready, it'll probably not turn out like you want, and THEN you'll have depression. Make some commercials. Make some shorts. Learn how to work with actors. Find your groove, your style. And read, read, read. Read "The Writer's Journey" and "Story" and "How To Write A Movie In 21 Days" and "Film Directing Shot-By-Shot" and "Cinematography" and "Feature Filmmaking At Used-Car Prices" and "Rebel Without A Crew". Watch "Bowfinger" and "Ed Wood" and "Living In Oblivion" -- those aren't "comedies", they're practically documentaries! ;D

You NEED hands-on experience, but hands-on experience is not enough. You NEED book-learning, but book-learning isn't enough. You have to have both. Then, when you're ready, write that great screenplay, and submit it to contests. If you win the top prize, THEN you're ready. And you'll make something that will not only "not waste everyone's time", but it'll be a lasting legacy to you, and it will be the most satisfying feeling you can imagine. And it'll sell, which will give you the foot-in-the-door and the cash-in-the-pocket to pursue your next film. And your next one.

Good luck!
 
Re: I have to RANT.

I am honestly overwhelmed by all the great feedback. Wow. Support.

Thanks everyone. I am all fired up again. I am going to start shooting this weekend (day job tends to get in the way!) for real. A legit short. A legit attempt to say" Hey, check this **** out"

Serious. Your words of encouragement kick ass. I hope to one day look up and not only have the skills and talent to make quality films, but to owe to all of the support and education I get here!

Damn, I'm stoked. Why do you all have to live all over the states and canada. I wonder if we can make a town called DVXville? :)
 
Re: I have to RANT.

Hey John.. Ill be in LA on tuesday.. maybe you should go for a little drive to check out the new dvx100a :) (if in fact they have it at DVexpo)
 
Re: I have to RANT.

Congrats on the camera, I am picking mine up in Houston this weekend.
Regarding shooting, the best thing is a commercial. It's easy conceptually and it makes you think a simple story through to the finish. Do a simple storyboard to block it out.

Shoot it so you don't have to fix in post and don't forget the 180 degree rule.

Good Luck
 
Re: I have to RANT.

screw 30 minutes... youd be amazed how long a 30 Second commercial takes
Click to expand...

Aw shoot! I meant 30 seconds. I must be in a time warp, or something. Why in the world did I ever write that? Must be the carribou sightings this time of year. They can really shake you up! ;)
 
Re: I have to RANT.

Here's a suggestion -- first camera I got, I followed my girlfriend around the apartment and complex, having her narrate a little tour. Then I edited the footage into a 10-minute mini-movie that she was able to send to friends and family. Did it in the style of a TV show -- teaser, credits, establishing shots, transitions, the whole works. Used some funny and appropriate music, sound effects, etc.. It was nothing, but it was a whole lot of fun, because I was creating something that felt like a mini-movie -- or a sitcom pilot, at least. Got to set up shots, do retakes, film out of sequence, be a director.

Next thing I did was adapt individual scenes from favorite stories and books -- Asimov, Heinlein, etc.. Five-minute shorts, usually with only two characters in one room. Again, they weren't art. But they were fun and a learning experience.

What I've ended up doing to make some money is commercial real estate work. I've been chronicling the conversion of an old textile mill into retail and office space, and I did some promotional shorts for it; I'm also working on a video diary of the project. What really helped is to think of movies I've really enjoyed the style of, and tried to emulate it in editing. A very good learning experience, and heck, who wants to watch a boring, lifeless documentary of a construction project? People watch movies and TV; it's kind of what they expect from their entertainment. Why not give it to them in that style?

Don't know if that helps at all, but it's some things I did which really helped get the juices flowing.
 
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