Ever notice how Hollywood movies look more indie than ever?

H

harmonica44

Hollywood is going indie doing things that were trends in indie movies. For example the shaky cam, since their may not have been a budget for camera support equipment, or very shallow DOF and rack focusing, since their may not be enough budget for a lot of lighting. Or shooting day for night, and adding post effects, instead of doing it live on set, like gunshots, etc. And things like slow motion are hardly ever used in Hollywood movies as much as they use to be, kind of like how indie movies cannot afford slow motion. Although that's different now with twixtor.

Everyone wants to get their movies to look like Hollywood movies, but since Hollywood is going for indie styles, their's really not a lot of difference anymore to try to aspire to. What do you think?
 
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Perhaps the films you have seen are just successful indies? I, for one, don't see slow motion phasing out at all.

And Hollywood as always day4nighted when the budget required it
 
post effects have always existed.


"And things like slow motion are hardly ever used in Hollywood movies as much as they use to be"

Actually, it's used too much now, particularly action movies.

"Or shooting day for night"

Directors do this because its much easier.
 
a) Things aren't done in Hollywood for lack of budget
b) Slow motion has never really been 'too expensive'
c) Hollywood films still look, feel and sound like Hollywood films
d) You may be thinking of the more successful indie films.
e) Whilst I can think of Hollywood films that have more of an indie 'feel', I cannot think of a Hollywood movie that looks identical to an indie - I've seen many films, both Hollywood and indie, in the past year that have slow motion, shots on a tripod, deep focus, on-set SFX etc.

Also, night-for-night is still done on the biggest of budgets, and even smaller budgets. Sometimes day-for-night is easier and cheaper (as you don't have to pay crew night loadings) but it depends on the movie.
 
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the movie "Punch Drunk Love" looks indie... no, a better word, amateurish.

It wasn't an indie film, but it looks like a ten year old made it
 
How is slow motion expensive?

I see it all the time...like mentioned, in fast action where its slomo to capture a facial expression or a high jump or landing or in a teen drama film where the character is coming down the stairs to some funk music.

I wouldn't understand how that would be expensive?
 
Well slow motion is still used but I don't see it used in movies as often as it was used, compared to say, the 90s for example.

And a lot of movies today are shot with shaky cam, especially in action sequences, but back in the 90s and before, the term shaky cam did not exist in Hollywood films. This seems to have originated more so in movies like The Blair Witch Project, then made it's way into Hollywood action movies, and thrillers.

Plus there are other things you don't see anymore near as much. Like power zooms for example. From the 60s to 80s power zooms were very popular, but now you hardly see them, which gives the feel that the filmmakers don't have a power zoom lens, more like an indie film.
 
It's really just an evolution of styles, more than anything. I don't think it's directly or indirectly related to indie films.
 
That is because Hollywood is getting bigger with all of the new production companies. Singer Alicia Keys and former model Tyra Banks even have a production company. And new production companies are likely to spend 1 million or less to make a film. The good news is that these production companies are making it a little easier to break in. For an unknown it is a win win situation. Also, television is expanding with all of the new networks in need of programming.
 
I see. Another thing I have noticed is that most Hollywood movies nowadays are done with computer color grading, rather than film chemical color grading. This gives the movies a look closer to modern indie pictures, but not indie pictures of the 90s of course. But Hollywood is still doing what indie films are doing and going digital, with the color grading. I think that's one of the biggest changes in the look, I could not put my finger on before.
 
harmonica44 said:
But Hollywood is still doing what indie films are doing and going digital...
Click to expand...

If anything, it's the other way around! Hollywood (and TV production) have used DI's and digital technology for 15 years or more and indie has only caught on as the price of the technology has fallen low enough to make it affordable. At the end of the day there are still a significant number of cinemas which are not yet digital and very high quality digital capture is still pretty expensive. This is really all that's held Hollywood back from going digital sooner, it's got nothing to do with any influence of the indie filmmaking world.

G
 
harmonica44 said:
And a lot of movies today are shot with shaky cam, especially in action sequences, but back in the 90s and before, the term shaky cam did not exist in Hollywood films. This seems to have originated more so in movies like The Blair Witch Project, then made it's way into Hollywood action movies, and thrillers.
Click to expand...
*cough*MichaelBay*cough*
 
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