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Why is it that every time I log onto this site. I see someone or a group of people attacking a person and there body of work. I feel like as a community we need to work together to build each other up. Not tear each other down. As indie filmmakers or aspiring filmmakers we already have to work over time to achieve our vision or dream. So we need to work on being more polite to each other. If you agree or have had a similar thing happen to you. Let's discuss it.
 
If you can point me to an example I'll be glad to help.
 
If you can point me to an example I'll be glad to help.

Here are a few examples that I've seen. It's terrible how people always feel the need to attack others instead of helping them or offering real solutions.

The fact that you think you could execute your project to perfection just by getting your funding is the very fact why most of those who know anything about filmmaking would not donate, because we know it takes a lot of skill and experience to even execute a project well, let alone to perfection. So, the fact that you think you could execute your project to perfection just given the funding, is a very strong indicator that you wouldn't even execute it well!

I saw what you call a line item budget. It tells me you do
not have the knowledge and experience to manage half a million
dollars.

You have a really bad thumbnail image on your page that wouldn't get 3 thousand.
You need to have images that are a lot more polished and professional if you're asking for 7 figures.

it's not going to happen, you need to pay your dues and put in the ground work to develop your abilities before expecting anyone to back you financially.

you say it was unnecessarily rude. It looks to me like it wasn't rude enough because the message did not get through!! You are wasting your time.

If you thought that was rude, it's pretty clear you haven't crossed my path yet.

I'm going to give my honest opinion, as I don't think it's worth giving anything else..

Your alien really isn't convincing at all. It's a cheap Halloween mask and a spray painting overall.
 
I apologized for saying that. I was out of line and apologized.

At the time you told me what you sent was a line item budget.
Later you told me you felt it was unnecessary for you to show
me your full line item budget. If you had been honest and up
front with me I would have never said what you quoted. That
is NOT an example of tearing you down, it was a misunderstanding.
 
The last couple are mine, so I’ll address those:


I'm going to give my honest opinion, as I don't think it's worth giving anything else…

You disagree with this? Do you think people are better served being told that what they are doing/have done is good, even if it’s not? Do you think encouraging people down the wrong path is the right thing to do? Personally, I’d want honest feedback, no matter how brutal, so that I can improve.


Your alien really isn't convincing at all. It's a cheap Halloween mask and a spray painting overall.

You disagree with this too? You found their alien to be convincing? Regardless, you’re taking that statement out of context. I did exactly what I said I would do; I gave honest feedback based on what I saw, with no other information, in an effort to be helpful. What I then did was offer suggestions and examples on how I’d improve it, which you have chosen not to quote here. In what way do you find that objectionable? How would you prefer people to go about this?


As for the other quotes - I think you are being too sensitive about being told the truth. It’s not what you want to hear, but people are being honest with you. You should be grateful for their honesty.
 
I guess many people on here are experienced in some kind of field involving filmmaking; so they can give you the best criticism - which you need to get better. Every script I advertise on any filmmaking website gets totally slaughtered. xD But it helps me grow and learn.
 
I honestly prefer honest crits, however harsh. Sometimes I've seen things get personal, but as noted, they are usually a result of a misunderstanding.

I really value the comments and crits I've had and this community. :)

(mushy)
 
I'm involved in a couple online creative communities, and while I am less active here than in the others, I really find this one to be much more polite in its criticism. To be honest if I had a script and was looking for critique online, this is the board I would put it on. Even the snarkiest members here are helpful and generally refrain from full-on attack mode.
 
The last couple are mine, so I’ll address those:




You disagree with this? Do you think people are better served being told that what they are doing/have done is good, even if it’s not? Do you think encouraging people down the wrong path is the right thing to do? Personally, I’d want honest feedback, no matter how brutal, so that I can improve.




You disagree with this too? You found their alien to be convincing? Regardless, you’re taking that statement out of context. I did exactly what I said I would do; I gave honest feedback based on what I saw, with no other information, in an effort to be helpful. What I then did was offer suggestions and examples on how I’d improve it, which you have chosen not to quote here. In what way do you find that objectionable? How would you prefer people to go about this?


As for the other quotes - I think you are being too sensitive about being told the truth. It’s not what you want to hear, but people are being honest with you. You should be grateful for their honesty.

I quoted that specific part because it came out rude. No one has a problem with you helping someone, but when it comes out rude or seeming like your attacking them more than a helping. It has a tendency to look bad. I'm all for the helping of others and I love to get as much help as I can get, but you have to be careful about going all in on people because you could end up discouraging them rather than helping them. Some people may even just throw in the towel and give up because of something you may say. I'm just trying to urge people to be a little nicer when they post. I don't think that is being too sensitive.
 
I'm involved in a couple online creative communities, and while I am less active here than in the others, I really find this one to be much more polite in its criticism. To be honest if I had a script and was looking for critique online, this is the board I would put it on. Even the snarkiest members here are helpful and generally refrain from full-on attack mode.

That's good you have had a different experience.
 
I quoted that specific part because it came out rude. No one has a problem with you helping someone, but when it comes out rude or seeming like your attacking them more than a helping. It has a tendency to look bad.

Nothing I've ever seen mad_hatter say has come across as rude as taking his out-of-context comments from a thread you weren't involved in (when the OP didn't seem to have an issue with them) in order to publicly criticise him.
 
That's good you have had a different experience.

Sorry, I meant in general. Including the quotes you had above. Sure some are a bit snarky (I think the filter of a computer monitor and keyboard brings that out) but I certainly would not consider most of them to be an "attack."

You'll disagree with me, and that's fine. But here is what I see happening all the time, and your situation is no different:
Screenwriter/director/filmmaker joins a message board, doesn't contribute anything at all, and immediately begins spamming the group looking for critique and/or Kickstarter funding.
The critiques start coming in. They are honest, not sugar-coated, and most definitely not the heaps of praise that the filmmaker was hoping.
The filmmaker dismisses the criticism and blindly defends his or her project, which is perfect in the filmmaker's mind.
The critics become frustrated that the filmmaker refuses to listen to the opinions that he or she asked for. The next round of comments devolves into the aforementioned general snarkiness. Round 3 of comments devolves further into accusations of personal attacks.

The comments you posted above were mostly directed towards your own passion project. And I get it, man - I showed my wife the last short that I completed (which won a few awards) and she said that it sucked. I get that it wasn't her style, and she doesn't know squat about cinematography or filmmaking, but it still stung a bit. I took it as a personal affront. When it's your own work it's hard not to do that.
 
I don't believe attempts at reality check as attacking anyone. Most everyone here (with more than half a dozen posts) are trying to help out. Sometimes there is some back and forth but that is typical of what I consider "friendly banter". There are a few persons that apparently do not like each other but that is life. Movie business requires thick skin. It also requires you take into account the information dispersed to you and to not just shrug it off. I completely understand wanting to get your project done and to get it done the way you think it should be done, but I also look at things realistically. No one on this site is required to take the advice from anyone else on this site, but bitching and calling everyone attackers just because they do not agree with what you say or your style or plan is just insane and crybaby.

Bye.
 
If you feel you are being unfairly treated or the criticism is bashing instead of constructive you can click the Report button so we can take a look and possibly steer the topic on course.

Everyone should feel comfortable posting their projects here. We'd like most criticism to be constructive as to not keep anyone from posting their works.

Didn't read all of the above, but it is out of context anyway. Like I said if there is a real problem click Report. ;)
 
I learned long ago that other film makers are the harshest critics of film.

That's okay, they have their place.
Just don't make a film where your target demographic audience is other film makers. Your target demographic should be a different kind of person.
 
I get together occasionally with some audio post pals. We rip each others work to shreds. It's absolutely brutal - and extremely educational. I have learned to love it, despite the pain.

In the entertainment biz you had better develop a rhinoceros hide and put Kevlar over it; even then it's going to hurt a lot - and often. You get used to it.
 
It's terrible how people always feel the need to attack others instead of helping them or offering real solutions.

So far your film funding campaign has achieved $0, do you: A. Want us to praise your lack of achievement and encourage you to carry on doing exactly what you're doing or B. Want us to point out why your campaign has achieved $0. Why, even if you miraculously got your funding, it still won't result in what you seem to expect. And, suggest how to potentially avoid those errors in future?

If A is what you want, then you're contradicting yourself because that would pretty much be the exact opposite of "helping them"! If it's B that you want then why, when we point out your errors and potential solution/s, are you whining and calling it an "attack", instead of treating it as info which you could perhaps learn from?

Is this and the previous response of mine you quoted a little harsh? Sure, a little harsh maybe but: 1. As others have pointed out, it's way less harsh than you'll have to deal with in the film world, 2. It's only "a little harsh" rather than rude and, 3. It's potentially useful info, or it might be if you could look beyond your butt-hurt. :) (#3 was even more harshly worded but true/accurate nonetheless!!)

G
 
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.......... If you agree or have had a similar thing happen to you. Let's discuss it.

Let's get snarky here: disageeing is not the same as attacking and a discussion where everyone agrees is not really a discussion :P
Some comments are indeed harsh sometimes, but it hardly ever gets 'brutal' or personal on IT.
Which is a great thing.
We can't learn from each other and always agree at the same time. That would mean we wouldn't say what could be better, smarter, wiser.
However, it is always a shock to find out that what you yourself think is perfect, someone else can easily pick some elements that could be better. We all have blindspots and the more experienced you get, the better you know they are there.

In the confusion with Rik: you didn't sent what he expected, so he thought he saw one of your blindspots and gave you an head's up about it. I know Rik to be always polite and constructive. In the light of the info you gave him he was being supportive.

The really rude and abusive posters are banned, btw.
 
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