I'm more sick of this conflict than anyone else.
Of course you're not, the opposite is true; you're less sick of this conflict than anyone else (with the possible exception of me). If you really were sick of this conflict you wouldn't have started this thread the way you did, let alone contributed to continuing it. I don't get this tactic of yours, here's another example:
Just leave me alone, why is that such a difficult request for you to comply with?
You aim questions and make points aimed at me, goad me into responding and then when I do you complain that I'm not leaving you alone?! If you really wanted me to leave you alone then why post statements specifically designed to do the exact opposite?
I'm investing time and money with the intent of making money. By definition, that's not a hobby.
That's not the definition of a hobby, the definition of a hobby is:
An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. I dare say that most hobbyist filmmakers dream of their films making money and most serious hobbyists put time and effort into certain actions with the specific intent of making some money. Just having an intent or dream of making some money does not suddenly make one something other than a hobbyist.
Why do you brandish that word like it's a weapon? ... You alienate all of us when you talk down to me like that.
Just in case I haven't already been clear, I'm full of admiration for hobbyist filmmakers!! It's not like playing footy on Sunday morning or having poker nights once a week with your mates. Even making a short is an achievement and completing a feature length film as a hobby is a huge achievement, an achievement which few who dream of it actually manage to realise. I don't think I could do it (!!) and I've already commended you for not only achieving such a daunting task but for going even further and demonstrating that you've achieved it better than many others who've also achieved this daunting task. Just to be crystal clear, I intend absolutely no sarcasm or patronisation in saying any of this!
However, you've decided not to talk about the huge obstacles and great difficulties of making a feature length film as a hobbyist and instead decided to talk about "Hollywood" and the film industry. Or rather, you haven't!! You're still talking about filmmaking in terms of the hobbyist filmmaking world but you're trying to apply the rules, goals, methods and approach of that world to an entirely different world. The film industry is not the same world as the hobbyist filmmaking world just with more money and fame, it's a different world entirely, with different rules, different goals, different methods and a different approach!
[1] Are you aware of the fact that people like me far outnumber people like you? ... I'm using it [Antihero] to increase the odds of my next project succeeding.
[2] Why won't you just allow me to do things the way that they best work for me?
[3] You're telling me to do things the way that professionals do. That's literally not an option for me. I have no choice but to find a path different from the one you are on.
[4] APE, the whole world doesn't have to be just like you.
[5] Some of us want to do things differently. Some of us enjoy doing things differently.
[6] And every now and then, some of us beat the odds and score incredible filmmaking success by doing things differently.
[7] Isn't that kinda what defines art?
1. Yes, I am aware of that fact. Are you aware by how much people like you outnumber people like me? There's how many videos on youtube, a billion? How many people have dreamt of making a feature length film, several million, tens of millions? Having already made a feature length film gives you some knowledge many/most others don't have and you've potentially dramatically reduced your odds, probably down to say one in half or a third of a million or so. Why stop there though? 1:300,000 is still 100 times less likely than getting struck by lightning!
2. But they don't work best for you, in fact, they haven't worked at all! Yes, they've worked very well in terms of overcoming the tremendous difficulties of making a feature length film as a hobbyist but as far as your stated goal of the film industry is concerned, you yourself stated that you have failed, the film industry has not noticed you and has not funded your next film.
3. This is not true, you do have the choice, you just don't want to take that path because you either can't be bothered or you just think it's not enough fun. Furthermore, there is a professional approach and professional methods which can be applied to greatly reduce your odds and which don't require a professional budget. It's largely for this reason that I post here! But you're not interested in discussing or even hearing about any of that, it's "your way or the highway".
4. Yes they do! OK, I don't mean this absolutely literally. The whole world doesn't have to be "just like me", only those serious about a career in the film industry and, they don't have to be "just" like me, just somewhat like me. I'm not saying this because I'm an egotistical megalomaniac but because I'm the opposite! I am the way I am because that is what I've had to become to survive in the film industry. They are not MY rules, I had nothing to do with setting them and I'm not egotistical enough to believe that I can single handedly revolutionise all the industry's rules. All I or anyone else (who isn't already a huge player) can realistically do is understand the rules, look at where the industry seems to be going and work those rules as best as I can.
5. I get it, you enjoy doing things differently. As I said (several times already!), I've got no problem with that, that's entirely your choice. But, don't try to kid me or others (kid yourself if you want), that doing things differently (because that's what you enjoy) is anything other than a hobbyist approach. It's not the approach of the industry or those seriously aspiring to enter it. And, are you really doing things all that differently to countless other hobbyist filmmakers? Don't countless other hobbyist filmmakers make films the way they enjoy and dream of "Hollywood" success?
6. No, not really! All of us have to beat the odds to get into and the film industry. Exceedingly rarely, someone succeeds hugely, against massively bigger odds and jumps many of the steps others have to take. Generally though, this isn't by doing things differently but INSPITE of them doing it differently and incidentally, they usually haven't jumped as many steps as the hype/myth suggests. Regardless of the details of those incredibly rare exceptions, you're now counteracting some of the odds reduction work you've already achieved. If this is your approach you're back up towards a million to one odds.
7. You can define art however you wish and of course you can make films according to that definition if you wish but obviously, that's YOUR wish and YOUR pleasure to pursue in your leisure time ("hobby")! The film industry on the other hand is, as the name suggests, an industry, NOT an art! That's not to say of course that the film industry doesn't contain a lot of art but art is just part of the equation and it's art which in general terms is defined and dictated by the industry, not by you. Or at least, not by you until after the revolution when you get to rewrite all the film industry's rules.
Okay, so I was wrong about your lack of risk-taking. I'm glad to see that your gambles paid off. Here's the irony - included in your success story was the fact that you did things differently. It paid off for you, I'm sincerely happy for that. Why can't you allow me to forge my own distinct path?
No, that's not the "irony". The irony is that you failed to understand what I wrote, misquoted it and then used that misquote to support your argument! I specifically stated that my story was NOT that different to most other pros I know, maybe in some of the fine detail but not in substance. Also, I didn't say I'd taken gambles or that they'd paid off! I've taken a number of calculated risks and failed on occasion. And lastly, I am not allowing or disallowing you from anything, you can forge any path you desire, however you desire and in any direction you desire.
G
