Thanks, that's first time anyone ever accused me of being wise. It took years of learning and making mistakes before I started having a successful business. I respect MACv's point of view, whatever it is, I'm still not really sure what it is. But he offers a lively discussion nonetheless. I think he's just angry at the Major Studios, but to believe that a newbie producer can choose to only work on quality productions and make a living......well, I wish him the best of luck.
Being a film student.
- Thread starter MacV
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Thanks, that's first time anyone ever accused me of being wise. It took years of learning and making mistakes before I started having a successful business. I respect MACv's point of view, whatever it is, I'm still not really sure what it is. But he offers a lively discussion nonetheless. I think he's just angry at the Major Studios, but to believe that a newbie producer can choose to only work on quality productions and make a living......well, I wish him the best of luck.
I've been re-reading your posts and found some new ways I should be looking at films, especially creativity wise. Also I may have some insight for you.
Inspiration, personally, does not have a distinct means of unsurfacing. Sure great films like Manhattan have inspired me into film making, but so has Bad News Bears (The remake) Hot Rod, and Snakes On a Plane. These by no means are Great films, but they are entertaining as hell. They have inspired me to make the most enjoyable films that I can make. As I am currently watching Iron Man, it is quickly showing me that median between Entertaining, and Great, can be achieved.
After reading Hugh Macleod's blog, I can easily see where your point of view is coming from. His post only strengthen's your reasoning and has defiantly, for the better, changed the way I should be approaching film making. Balancing "Sexy & Cash" and "A Hobby is not a Job" seem to be the perfect match for your cooking and film making career. I should also be much more aware of what I need to learn and how to execute creativity. More importantly spend more time thinking, before providing advice.
As for working on bad films....Maybe you should approach it the way you have approached directing. That in the preformances you get on a take, may not be what you want, they may even suck completely. But that one moment that does go right, is what makes it special. Once these are strung together these moments, you've got something top notch. At all moments, on any setting, you won't be learning something new, but their will always be unexpected little things that will surprise you which you can learn from. VPTurners example is a good one.
If you want to make a good name for yourself, why not do it by being the shining star inside the crap. Even if it is a shitty film, their are bound to be people to network with. They will notice your hard work and creativity. In the future,they can potentially be a huge asset.
Summary: inspiration has no specific way of unsurfacing, though their are ways to make it come through faster, and better, one shouldn't rule out every possibility. Aka I like bad films and they inspire me. After reading that blog though, I certainly must rethink how I approach creativity.
Name for yourself: This past summer I worked a shitty job. I was a flag man for a road crew and stood in the road for 8-10 hours a day. Usually doing nothing. I fucking hated it. But I did the best I could do at it. I've been told quiet a few times they want me back, best flag man they have ever had. A well known man at the head of the county is letting me use him as a reference, and just so happens to have a relative who was an editor for Pixar. Even the shit jobs help out in unexpected ways when you make a name for yourself.
Inspiration, personally, does not have a distinct means of unsurfacing. Sure great films like Manhattan have inspired me into film making, but so has Bad News Bears (The remake) Hot Rod, and Snakes On a Plane. These by no means are Great films, but they are entertaining as hell. They have inspired me to make the most enjoyable films that I can make. As I am currently watching Iron Man, it is quickly showing me that median between Entertaining, and Great, can be achieved.
After reading Hugh Macleod's blog, I can easily see where your point of view is coming from. His post only strengthen's your reasoning and has defiantly, for the better, changed the way I should be approaching film making. Balancing "Sexy & Cash" and "A Hobby is not a Job" seem to be the perfect match for your cooking and film making career. I should also be much more aware of what I need to learn and how to execute creativity. More importantly spend more time thinking, before providing advice.
As for working on bad films....Maybe you should approach it the way you have approached directing. That in the preformances you get on a take, may not be what you want, they may even suck completely. But that one moment that does go right, is what makes it special. Once these are strung together these moments, you've got something top notch. At all moments, on any setting, you won't be learning something new, but their will always be unexpected little things that will surprise you which you can learn from. VPTurners example is a good one.
If you want to make a good name for yourself, why not do it by being the shining star inside the crap. Even if it is a shitty film, their are bound to be people to network with. They will notice your hard work and creativity. In the future,they can potentially be a huge asset.
Summary: inspiration has no specific way of unsurfacing, though their are ways to make it come through faster, and better, one shouldn't rule out every possibility. Aka I like bad films and they inspire me. After reading that blog though, I certainly must rethink how I approach creativity.
Name for yourself: This past summer I worked a shitty job. I was a flag man for a road crew and stood in the road for 8-10 hours a day. Usually doing nothing. I fucking hated it. But I did the best I could do at it. I've been told quiet a few times they want me back, best flag man they have ever had. A well known man at the head of the county is letting me use him as a reference, and just so happens to have a relative who was an editor for Pixar. Even the shit jobs help out in unexpected ways when you make a name for yourself.
You're talking as if working on a bad film is inevitable. Maybe it is. But right now, for the next couple of years, I'm going to be making the shit that I want to make. And after that, I am going to go out of my way to forge my own path so I won't have to approach a bad film set at all, I can avoid them altogether.
So right now, my attitude is still screw shitty productions. If I find myself making a shitty film, but in no position to fix it, then I'll come to terms with it. Probably by cashing my check.
I always wondered why bad films inspire you. Is it really a bad movie if it inspires you? Or maybe the good parts inspire you, and its the rest that make it a bad movie.
Usually what inspires me with bad films is the experience that comes with them. When I saw Snakes on a Plane in theaters(twice) the audience was shouting at the screen, laughing out loud, and yelling quite a few snide remarks. Each time and in different theaters. Now, if you pick that movie apart, it's terrible. It was entertaining as hell, and that is how I have come to judge films. Technically speaking it is terrible. Their are many unmotivated shots and some terrible performances from the lead and supporting actors (Excluding Samuel L Jackson of course!).
Now that I am thinking, what really inspires me is the dialogue more than anything. Loving both the ridiculous ( "Mother fucking snakes on this mother fucking plane" - SoaP) and Rewarding ("in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!" -Truman Show). Entertaining Dialogue super-ceeds other aspects of film making personally.
I'm guessing that's how it is for many filmmakers. The one aspect that interests them the most is the one they will pick up on first. This, in turn can make a bad film, inspirational to them if their favorite aspect of film making is executed with a style interesting to them.
Now that I am thinking, what really inspires me is the dialogue more than anything. Loving both the ridiculous ( "Mother fucking snakes on this mother fucking plane" - SoaP) and Rewarding ("in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!" -Truman Show). Entertaining Dialogue super-ceeds other aspects of film making personally.
I'm guessing that's how it is for many filmmakers. The one aspect that interests them the most is the one they will pick up on first. This, in turn can make a bad film, inspirational to them if their favorite aspect of film making is executed with a style interesting to them.
Speaking of another terrible movie that is somehow rewardingly entertaining: Mama Mia!
Get drunk, get some girlfriends together, watch the movie while alternatively shitting on it and singing.
Camp has it's place, alright. There are some director's who can use camp to great effect (Eli Roth). Others use camp to shit effect (George Lucas). I just really don't want to be on the shit show camp set. Because while you have fun watching it, and I'm sure the director is having great fun shitting on everyone's expectations, and the actors are having a ball with some ridiculous lines... you know there are people (read: everyone else) who have to take the job seriously to make it work. And I don't want to be that person. And honestly, it ain't my style. I know I can do non-campy stuff better.
Get drunk, get some girlfriends together, watch the movie while alternatively shitting on it and singing.
Camp has it's place, alright. There are some director's who can use camp to great effect (Eli Roth). Others use camp to shit effect (George Lucas). I just really don't want to be on the shit show camp set. Because while you have fun watching it, and I'm sure the director is having great fun shitting on everyone's expectations, and the actors are having a ball with some ridiculous lines... you know there are people (read: everyone else) who have to take the job seriously to make it work. And I don't want to be that person. And honestly, it ain't my style. I know I can do non-campy stuff better.
Yeah, but that was as Exec. Producer.
There are no more terrible films than the last three he wrote and directed.