Is it harder than ever?

ernesto

ernesto

Well-known member
It seems that since digital cameras came into the market there are many, many more people who want to be filmmakers. Almost all high schools now offer video classes, and there are lots of websites (like this one) online with many young members who want to make it into the industry. In YouTube, there are tens of thousands of people with Director memberships, and although this doesn't mean that they're filmmakers, it means they're interested in it. 3CCD cameras are selling like crazy, there are film festivals popping up all over.

I thought that filmmaking would be like painting, only a small niche of people were interested. But it seems like since digital cameras were introduced, and it's so accessible everyone wants to be a filmmaker now.

So isn't this surge in interested people going to make competition harder than ever?
 
no, a vast majority are still talentless hacks who just dont get it. same as usualy. just in larger numbers. it just means you will be forced to prove yourself before someone believes you as being a good 'film'maker.

if someone says they are a painter, then you assume they are good, its a fine art known for dignity somewhat, ya know. if someone says they are a film maker, then its like, um ok, sos my 15 year old nephew , lets see something please.

Same thing with poker players, 99% are kaka players, who crack you then get crushed and dont know what happened.
http://my.break.com/media/view.aspx?ContentID=252007

thats everyone i play against.
 
I don't think it's harder. I think it's easier. Because there was a time when no one really could make a film unless they had access to Hollywood. Born in the wrong state (or gawd forbid the wrong country)? You probably would never make a film. Born in the wrong social standing? Good chance you wouldn't make a film either. But now you can make a film no matter where you're from or what family you were born into, and now the real question is what it always should have been: "who has the most interesting story to tell?" rather than "whose dad works for Paramount?" The best story to tell will win out, and if you're a real filmmaker then things are better for you than ever. Certainly entertainment content is being consumed at a higher rate now than in all of human history, and it increases every year. But not everyone is a writer or actor or composer or filmmaker. Considerably more people think they want to be these things than will actually end up being them.
 
Everyone has already said it well.

Sure, anyone can make a movie now, but very, very few can make one that's actually interesting and unique.
 
In theory, it should be easier. Realistically, it's harder to seperate yourself from the rest of the class. Especially when you're all writing with the same color ink.

Most of us can spot DVX100 footage from a mile away, same for HVX200. It takes a lot to overcome the "oh this is digital" thing. Thus leaving it all up to the content. A good deal of us really can't fathom spending more than a year in pre-production stages, then months in principal, and more months in post... and more months marketing. When, honestly, that's really the way to do it. A mass amount of we microfilmmakers are neglecting screenwriters and the importance of the process. Just wanting to do to say we did, and that's all well and good... but, then there's complaint about why this and that and the other.

Really? To me-- and this is theory again-- it's easy to make a movie. Harder to make a stand out movie in the digital age..
 
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While this doesn't directly address the subject I personally gave up worrying about others a LONG time ago. I'd rather spend my time doing something useful (like posting on DVXuser... heh...). Those who spend their time worrying about making it never do.

EDIT: Just to clarify - didn't mean that in a negative way. I just don't worry about overwhelming competition. There are certainly other people who I care about!
 
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This is the same argument that was brought out for writing when the word processor took off. The tools are available to everyone, so a lot of people give it a go. The reason it is harder these days to get a book published is because publishers, editors and agents are flooded with manuscripts because anyone with a PC can churn some dross and clog up the pipes. I guess it is a similar situation in that getting your work seen can be just as difficult, but I think Shaw said it nicely, just get out and do your stuff and forget about the competition.
 
I think forgetting about the competition isn't such a hot idea. I mean, when it gets down to it, this is a copetition. Taking the time out to see what other people are doing, right or wrong, can only benefit you if you learn from it.
 
It's definitely easier than ever. Technology has provided the tools for people to make films who never would have been able to otherwise.

If you mean becoming a "rich filmmaker", I dont know, but if so the movie business probably isn't for you. Today or 30 years ago, the odds have always been WAY against you, just different obstacles.

If you're like me and what you wnat to do is make movies, then now the best time in history.
 
Is it harder than ever?

Damn right it is.

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ProjX v2.0 said:
Is it harder than ever?

Damn right it is.

viagra.jpg
Click to expand...

THAT is what I was expecting this thread to be about! Was I surprised!

Is it easier to make films? No, you still have to jump the hurdles, and go through a few Rings-of-death. Most of all, you need some talent and skill and tons of dedication. Just because camcorders are accessible to almost everybody has little influence. You can give anybody a knife, but only a surgeon and his team can do open heart with it.
 
easier

easier

My take is that while everybody and their grandmother are making movies, very few have the commitment and skill to tell a good story and make a good piece of cinema, weather it be digital, HD or on film. I think those that have the talent, skill and more importantly, work hard to "make it", are going to rise above the sea of low quality productions and amateur video.

I think the same applies on the web. YouTube makes it easier (in theory) to get noticed, but a short film is a drop in a lake, so to speak. My prediction is that in the next couple years, as networks and other major content distributors make stuff available online, people are going to gravitate away from user-generated-video and the professional stuff will stand out. Good news for us.

My 2 cents...
 
some people are better than me, others are worse. but in the end the only thing i'm competing against are my own limitations.
 
I think forgetting about the competition isn't such a hot idea. I mean, when it gets down to it, this is a copetition.
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I'm not saying be oblivious to what's going on. I consider akin to waiting for a perfect opportunity vs creating the perfect opportunity - the latter being far more likely to succeed.
 
There are several analogies - everyone tries to tell a joke, some succeed, very few are successful standup comics. Closer to the point, look how long still cameras have been around, and how many billions of pictures have been taken. We want to be (like) Ansel Adams or David Douglas Duncan (or Speilberg). We don't have to worry about the proliferation of camcorders, we have to worry about whether we have the right stuff.
 
I think pretending that the competition isn't tougher is wishful thinking. If 5 million more people start making films, all 5 million aren't going to suck. There's going to be the same percentage of those 5 million that actually have talent (say... 4%?) as those already trying to make it. That's 200,000 more people who we have to compete against. That's a lot of people.

HOWEVER, there are more revenue streams and media outlets than ever before, giving more people a chance to succeed. So maybe it evens out somewhere.
 
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