Yea, point taken. But Machete probably also had a very specific release date it needed to hit... and I'm sure the people funding the projects felt more comfortable using proven production methods than taking a gamble. But RR still had allot of involvement other directors seem to shy away from.. which is cool. He seems, from what I've seen and read, to always approach projects with the mentality of "how can we do this differently?" rather than... "well that's just how it's done".
Which leads me to specify my original question even further... I should have said in the beginning, "why are beginning/aspiring filmmakers so obsessed with the industry methods?" I get it, once you're established, nobody is going to let you tool around with their production money while you try to perfect doing 7 jobs... and you probably aren't going to have the time or ambition to attempt a new production model yourself anymore. So why are so many younger people just getting into the game so determined on emulating production models instead of finding new methods? I run into so many people in LA here at the same stage of their careers as mine who are constantly saying things like "yea, my last project didn't turn out so well because the DP wasn't that good". It makes me hit myself in the head every time... "DP IT YOURSELF THEN". If you don't have studio money to throw at an experienced DP, and you're unwilling to buy yourself a damn T2i and spend some time learning 3-point lighting, lensing, and basic framing... then, in my book, you just don't deserve a quality product. It's not the lack of a "good DP" that made the project bad. It's you not knowing what you're doing. But let's say the same person, just so happened to have a great DP that did his short as a favor or something else by chance... does that "director" really deserve to get anymore work after that? Shouldn't you really only be able to director others after you, yourself, have proven your capabilities and understanding of at least the basic crafts on a smaller indie level?
This just happened to me recently. I worked as a "DP" doing a few shorts for her and her friends... and by DP, I mean that I blocked every scene, lined up every shot, chose every angle, made sure continuity was maintained for the editor, made obvious production decisions like "hey, we should probably not shoot directly into this giant window for this scene", made sure we weren't breaking the 180 degree rule (which they didn't even know existed when directing their segments), ran sound, and did some basic set design. Now once it was all done, they screened the shorts at a few placed and some producers noticed "how professional they looked for such a small budget and crew"... the "directing" in a traditional sense, was pretty awful or non-existent (acting wise), but the producers wanted that "professional feel" for a few legitimate projects. The leader of their "group" stepped forward and took all the credit for "directing" and they gave him a more serious project now. I got a call the other day where he said "hey, I've got this bigger job now and I can't do it unless you "DP' for me." Which to me, is totally unacceptable. This was only this guys FIRST time directing anything and he only directed ONE of four segments. He doesn't even have any shorts or reel to back up his "directing", he just showed them some more of my stuff apparently and said "here's the "DP" I'm working with"... even when all my stuff clearly has me as the director on all of it. I tried to be nice at first, and told him that I'm only looking to work as a director in the future (because honestly, I've never even worked with a gaffing crew or done any REAL lighting setups... so I'd probably be a terrible DP in the real world) but he said he was already introduced to the producers as a director, and they don't want to change anything up now. So should I just tell this guy to "f** off or what"? The money would be good... but somethings are just more important.
I guess part of it is my fault in the beginning. I'm just not doing anymore "favor" shoots. And I'm also not taking anymore DP jobs just because I can. I don't want to get "production-cast" as a DP shooting other people's projects just because I've got "a camera" and gear. My gear and my work is for my projects alone from now on. Sorry if that sounds selfish, but I'd rather work at Ralph's than shoot other peoples projects. I just don't like it. It's probably just my personality in the end. I'm just too controlling myself to take direction. If that means I'll kill my career and chances of working in "the industry" then so be it.
rogar-KnockedOut(D
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