Too many ideas....

Michael Anthony Horrigan

Michael Anthony Horrigan

More Cowbell Pictures
Do you ever have so many ideas for a Fest that it's actually more of a curse?

I had to pull out of the Fest with my original idea because I just can't pull it off in time. Actors pulled out, location fell through, blah, blah, blah.

So I decided to start writing, big mistake! Now I have half a dozen or so 'Betrayal' scripts and a few of them are just not going to happen.
Some due to the time and SFX required. Others due to scheduling conflicts and the amount of props needed. Now I'm having trouble picking a direction to go in.

My biggest obstacle is finding people here in Ottawa to help out. I'm having a REALLY hard time finding new actors who want to go out on a limb.
Tough to find a dedicated experienced crew as well.

Sorry, just ranting.

I feel better now. :)

MAH
 
The acting problem I'm familiar with, here in the UK. We often have Idea's but there's normally a small number which could be filmable for some reason or the other. This time, we have like 3-4 that ARE all filmable. It's just locking them down to which one now..!

In this case, we got a meeting on Wednesday in the Capital, and if that goes well. We'll create a thread the following week and film on the 11th. But It'd be a major push close to the deadline.
 
I feel your pain...on a daily basis. It's hard to believe there aren't more people into this stuff in my area too, both cast & crew.
 
It must be the town because I never had problems with people wanting to be part of something - guys at the gym, college students, etc.
 
Guy's at the gym eh Charli.

If It wasn't for Charli giving my a polite kick up the ass, I wouldn't be making my first film in a fortnight. Thanks girl :)
 
Kiki - you're welcome. Go to any pub and take a look at the folks around and just approach a few for extras in the background of your story, promise them beer
after. People are constantly seeking an adventure, something new, you just have to let them know you're out there.

MAH - the problem I'm running into is having those involved connected with the script. The story has to hit the filmmaker in the gut and you must film it.
Reason you have so many ideas is that none of them have hit you in the gut.
 
Charli said:
MAH - the problem I'm running into is having those involved connected with the script. The story has to hit the filmmaker in the gut and you must film it.
Reason you have so many ideas is that none of them have hit you in the gut.
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Quite the opposite! As you may or may not know I've entered more than my fair share of DVX Festivals.
I've also done them by myself, with little to no crew whatsoever. Most times entirely on my own.

It weighs on you after a while. I guess you would have to experience it to understand.

I have a few scripts that I would LOVE to do. That's hardly the issue here.
It's finding talented actors and getting someone who can do more than point the camera that's the issue.

MAH
 
Charli said:
Go to any pub and take a look at the folks around and just approach a few for extras in the background of your story, promise them beer
after.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a really bad pick-up line and you'd end-up in jail if you tried that around here! :shocked:

Upstate NY is NOT California...where everyone wants to be a star. (...well, just about everyone):happy:
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
Do you ever have so many ideas for a Fest that it's actually more of a curse?
Click to expand...

My biggest problem is 1) have no money... 2) have an incredibly large amount of, essentially paralyzing, anxiety about asking people for 'locations' for free. If I had the money I'd rent an appartement, or office, or whatever location, and just be done with it...

The other paralysing inhibition is asking attractive women to take off their clothes and stand, or something like that, in front of a camera, for free... again money solves that problem...

Salesmanship... I couldn't sell an Eskimo a heater in the dead of winter.
 
lol ZaZa - depend on the pub, my neighbor went to one few months back and saw Kiefer Sutherland and had a few drinks with him.

A guy at the gym I frequented in Santa Cruz was asked to start in a series (he was a sheriff) and a another one got a short gig in supporting role in a reality series, he was also from the gym.

So MAH sounds like you don't have enough people interested in the crew part, not sure if your crew pool is small there or you're not serving like Theo's buffalo wings for lunch - that will get any crew jump on board.

Again, if you have a college nearby, you should be able to find a crew that will 'grow' with you or a 'public tv station' should have a billboard of people wanting
to work on projects.

Santa Cruz was a small town but we had a college and a public tv facility. Not the highest quality crews, but people who definitely had potential.
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
The other paralysing inhibition is asking attractive women to take off their clothes and stand, or something like that, in front of a camera, for free... again money solves that problem...
Click to expand...

You HAVE to get over that! ... I've never had that problem.:happy:
 
Charli said:
lol ZaZa - depend on the pub, my neighbor went to one few months back and saw Kiefer Sutherland and had a few drinks with him.
Click to expand...

Like I said...this ain't Calibaby. We mostly cater to serial killers, rapists and thugs in general... but the next time I see Kiefer, I'll be sure to ask him if he'd like to work with me!:thumbsup:

...are you sure thay didn't see him in jail?
 
Charli, I guess the problem with that is I don't want to take a big step backwards as far as production quality goes. Sure, I could hand some kid a camera and let someone who doesn't know a thing about sound try to capture it but I barely have time to do this stuff in the first place, and I certainly don't want to have to waste it on teaching someone else how to do it.

The first thing I do is ask for a reel. After I look at it and realize that there is no way that I would let this person DP for me I imagine what it would be like to have the money to afford to pay for a good one. :)

Sure, I could get any schmo to crew for me but then it would suck. There are a lot of talented people here on this board but not too many live in Ottawa. Don't even get me started on finding good actors. Why do you think you've seen the same guy in all of my movies? :)

I'm not giving up, just finding it rough.


Richard J. Johnson said:
You are too damn good not to be shooting all the time. If I lived in Ottawa I would ride with you.
Click to expand...
Thanks, man.

ZazaCast said:
Me too!
Click to expand...
Many thanks.


MAH
 
Ottawa -

Public Universities: Carelton University, University of Ottawa

Private Universities: Dominica University College, Saint Paul University

Public Community Colleges: Algonquin College, La Cite Colligiale

Private Colleges: Herzing

****

Filmmakers of Ottawa Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&viewas=0&gid=2229082109

****

The Independent Filmmakers Co-op of Ottaw IFCO

crew list: http://www.ifco.ca/crewlist.html

****

Ottawa Filmmakers launch a locally made movie

http://news.ca.msn.com/local/ottawa/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23348018

****

Ottawa Public Television Stations

http://www.ottawakiosk.com/television.html

****

Ottawa is the fourth largest municipality in the country and second only to Ontario, population - in 2008 898,150.

Population of Santa Cruz - 56,124.

***

Now MAH go out there and network, network, network!
 
Charli said:
Ottawa -

Public Universities: Carelton University, University of Ottawa

Private Universities: Dominica University College, Saint Paul University

Public Community Colleges: Algonquin College, La Cite Colligiale

Private Colleges: Herzing

****

Filmmakers of Ottawa Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&viewas=0&gid=2229082109

****

The Independent Filmmakers Co-op of Ottaw IFCO

crew list: http://www.ifco.ca/crewlist.html

****

Ottawa Filmmakers launch a locally made movie

http://news.ca.msn.com/local/ottawa/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23348018

****

Ottawa Public Television Stations

http://www.ottawakiosk.com/television.html

****

Ottawa is the fourth largest municipality in the country and second only to Ontario, population - in 2008 898,150.

Population of Santa Cruz - 56,124.

***

Now MAH go out there and network, network, network!
Click to expand...

Charli, I'm already a member of many of those groups on Facebook, ACT Ottawa as well. I guess you're just refusing to listen.

And if you knew anything about IFCO you would know that they are against video almost entirely. They look down on anyone who won't use FILM. It was a ***** for me just to rent a mic from them after they found out what I was shooting on.

If I want to let someone who is just learning how to use a camera I'll contact a college or university, and believe me I have. Still waiting to find that talented someone. I know they exist, I've just had very little luck.

EDIT: It's easy to talk from the cheap seats and I've entered my share of festivals here, more than most.
So it's not like I don't have the drive. I think I've proved that already.

MAH
 
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