Film Software and Technologies

Hey everyone, My name is Rob, and I'm new to Indie Talk. I'm currently in my Senior year of Film School, and working on a project to use technology, and computer Software to make filmmakers lives easier.

Thinking about software like Movie Magic, and Final Draft, Final Cut Pro, and Communities like this, I am trying to think about some awesome ideas to use software to make filmmakers lives better.

If you guys have any ideas, I would be so grateful. If all goes well i'm looking at getting grants to put these technologies into play.

Great to meet you all. -Rob
 
Tech is cool

You put your ear to the ground for DIY in filmmaking and you'll get plenty of ideas. Think of all the small one man crews out here..

Hers a potential million dolor invention for you. A pull focus robot. Using face recognition software, motion tracking and what not, allow for the camera operator to select a face or object from a group of faces or objects and lock focus to that face or object. Now the operator can keep the frame while the robot pulls the focus. Do this all in software and you can sell it to Canon or Sony and it might end up in the next gen cameras.
 
Welcome, Rob!

Sounds like a fine idea. What have you thought of so far
that might make filmmakers lives better. It seems like
there are plenty of great online communities like this
one, several excellent pieces of software for screenwriting,
all the pre-production and production software is available
and there are several different editing programs already
developed for all price ranges and skill levels.

Since you are the one thinking up awesome ideas, what have
you noticed while making movies that you might need that
you don't have?

Right away I can't really think of anything. Maybe you could
start the ball rolling with your ideas and that would spark
something.
 
Welcome.
You may approach your development ideas from two angles: technical and creative.
For the first one read communities, identify tech or workflow problems, research for any solution already available and then develop your own stuff.
Aesthetically, or in the creative side, think of some visual result not done or hard to accomplish, and develop a soft solution to do it. (This is hard : ) )
Anyways, keep working on it.
 
Ideas

Well i'm thinking of a way to bring everything together, maybe a way to pull make every filmmaker's job easier, not just one. like a way for locations to be able to scout locations without even having to leave the office, a way for the AD department to have a program to share call sheets instead of having to make their own that sort of stuff.

What do you guys think.
 
artsy independent types resists rigid processes.

Additionaly, such a suite or all in one solution is really only usefully to the larger production companies, which if they've been in business for any time, already have solved these types of problems. To be taken seriously, by the big boys, your product would have to be priced out of the reach of small \ indie companies. This works to LIMIT your market. If you can pull this off, then it could be VERY lucrative, but its a very small market.

Knowing your customer needs in any product development effort is vital. Sounds like you have a solution looking for a problem!

You really need to to some analysis to figure out where you can maximize your market share. Would you rather sell 100 units of a product for $1000 each, or 50,000 units for $100 each?

The indie film maker can justify a $100 for a specific fix. A good color correction plugin, an intermediary codec, some really great stock footage for composting, etc.

How many people have droped a c note in the last year for a plugin, or cineform etc..
 
Well i'm thinking of a way to bring everything together, maybe a way to pull make every filmmaker's job easier, not just one. like a way for locations to be able to scout locations without even having to leave the office, a way for the AD department to have a program to share call sheets instead of having to make their own that sort of stuff.

What do you guys think.
I still think you have a great idea.

Right now there are several websites that list available locations
with pictures, amenities, parking info and rates. All the big
cities have them and many smaller ones do to. What do you think
you could offer that’s even better than what is already there?

There are several great programs for AD’s that are just fill-in-the-blank
templets. Call sheet can then be sent to phones, Blackberry’s and e-mail.

I’m all for new things that can make the three stages of a
production easier. What kinds of ideas do you have for the AD
department that aren’t being met with the current programs?
 
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