Which Movie Made You Decide To Become A Filmmaker?

ayisha1978

ayisha1978

I'm not talking about a list of favorite movies here, I'd like to put together a list of films that have created the longing, absolute need, passion and inspiration to get into film. Those singular films that on their own became the 'point of no return' for the 'would be' filmmaker.

Which movie was it for you and why?

Thanks to all that take the time out to share their experience.

Have a wonderful day,

Ayisha
 
For me I would have to say it was Reservoir Dogs.

That's not because it's a favourite film of mine, but hearing about how low-budget it was what made me realise at the time that making films wasn't something that only the immortals could do, sitting atop the Mount Olympus of Hollywood. I saw for the first time that film-making is something that I could actually DO if I worked hard enough and had a lot luck to be in the right place at the right time.

No where close to being there yet, but I'm having fun trying and trying is something that I may never have even considered before then.
 
The Toxic Advenger 4 Citizen Toxie , that film was so outragious , I laughed my @$$ off. It looked like it would have been fun to film. At the time I saw it ,I was working for Sonic Records Filming music videos , and helping produce "Sonic Records Show Case" a 30 min tv show that aired late at night ,on any channel that had time slots avalible. So I decided to write a script . I met my buisiness partner while casting for it ,we shot our first short film ,That was it , We were hooked.
 
It's not really a classic, but if I had to pick just one it would probably be Shaun of the Dead. A simple concept but really well executed, and at the time the funniest film I'd ever seen. I think many romcoms could be improved with the addition of hordes of the undead*.

(*Twilight is an obvious exception to this rule. Unless the zombies killed the vampires. Even then, it'd probably still be insipid shite.)
 
PorkChop said:
For me I would have to say it was Reservoir Dogs.

That's not because it's a favourite film of mine, but hearing about how low-budget it was what made me realise at the time that making films wasn't something that only the immortals could do, sitting atop the Mount Olympus of Hollywood. I saw for the first time that film-making is something that I could actually DO if I worked hard enough and had a lot luck to be in the right place at the right time.

No where close to being there yet, but I'm having fun trying and trying is something that I may never have even considered before then.
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Thank you for your reply Pork Chop.

Yes, it is inspiring, the memorable films can be made on a low budget. Don't stray from the path of your dreams just keep holding on, there are options and resources out there for people who are just starting out in film, thank God for digital video cameras and libraries. Have you taken any film courses yet? Make sure you read a lot and experiment as well, one of my favorite screenwriting books is Ben Brady's "Keys to Writing for Television and Film" also anything by Syd Field is good too. A useful directing technique is to shoot your scenes the way you initially envision them in your mind when you first have the idea or first read the script.

If you've got pretty much 'no budget' to start with and just your video camera and you want to put together some kind of portfolio I would try to make one of those "home town" documentaries focusing on some point or statement about your neighborhood and the people in it, nobody will fret about getting paid because this way they'll get their few seconds or minutes of fame. Then after editing your film post your video on Youtube or Vimeo and invite people to see it and give you feedback. Then of course work on another low budget idea. Could I suggest a short comedy or horror film starring the local school kids? It could work out well if planned carefully.
 
sikandtwisted films said:
The Toxic Advenger 4 Citizen Toxie , that film was so outragious , I laughed my @$$ off. It looked like it would have been fun to film. At the time I saw it ,I was working for Sonic Records Filming music videos , and helping produce "Sonic Records Show Case" a 30 min tv show that aired late at night ,on any channel that had time slots avalible. So I decided to write a script . I met my buisiness partner while casting for it ,we shot our first short film ,That was it , We were hooked.
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Thanks for sharing your film title and your awesome story.
 
chilipie said:
It's not really a classic, but if I had to pick just one it would probably be Shaun of the Dead. A simple concept but really well executed, and at the time the funniest film I'd ever seen. I think many romcoms could be improved with the addition of hordes of the undead*.

(*Twilight is an obvious exception to this rule. Unless the zombies killed the vampires. Even then, it'd probably still be insipid shite.)
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That is a really funny , well executed movie, having a 'self aware' kind of quality similar to the way 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' did (thinking about the not so convincing 'Dumb and Dumber' movie with the same 'two dummies' theme helps show what I'm talking about here)
 
For me, definitely The Man Behind the Movie Camera by Sergei Vertov. I have never learned so much with one film, particularly how to edit to motion or shapes.

I loved his use of comparing human motion to the pistons of the a factory. Although one could argue that this film glorified Stalinism (and it would probably be a great arguments), his revealing the prestige behind the film making was brilliant - showing us how we are being manipulated. Also loved the rhythm of his montages.

I was an engineer and had been considering a change in career. When I saw that, I was certain that I wanted to be a filmmaker.
 
Difficult question for me to answer, cuz my evolution to indie filmmaker was gradual, and almost accidental. I've always dreamt of making movies, it just took me a (long) while to actually act on those dreams.

So, almost arbitrarily, I'm gonna go ahead and say "Indiana Jones, and the Temple of Doom". I was at the right age (10), for this movie to just completely blow me away. I think it was the first one to really WOW me, and it stayed with me a long, long time.
 
I’m gonna show my age here:

Mary Poppins was the first film I saw that made me wonder how.
Until then I only watched movies like the rest of the people. But
that film made me ask my dad the “how” question which lead to the
“You mean people do that?” question.

The next one was “Jason and the Argonauts”. Armed with the new
understanding that people made films happen that film made me
wonder how I could do it.
 
There was a photo I saw of George Lucas standing next to a storm trooper on Tatooine for A New Hope that made me ask the same questions as Directorik.

"What is a guy from the 70s doing standing next to a storm trooper?!?!"

Never looked back, since.
 
This 2-minute short film right here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3303695858465204196#


I'm dead serious.
smiley_colbert.gif


Sure, I'd seen the various "making of" specials for dozens of movies, and knew that people made them. It wasn't 'til I first saw this that I genuinely understood that I could too. I can say that I would not be making films, were it not for this flick.

No budget. No A or B list cast. No cgi'd backdrops, or *any* special effects tbh.

Don't mention the director's name, though. I hear if you say it three times fast, he'll hunt down the thread... and po(a)st in it! :eek:
.
 
Two movies, Paranormal Activity and District 9.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Paranormal Activity story line: A ghost or evil spirit who's had nothing better to do with it's after-life than follow one very mediocre girl around her entire life, finally posses her and she kills her husband. The end. Oh yeah, it lives in their attack and occasionally comes down to use the bathroom. It also likes to step in baby powder and play with car keys.

District 9 story line: A bumbling local official, dealing with the aftermath of aliens becoming stranded in his home town, accidentally touches one of their batteries and becomes an alien himself. He then lives out his life making artsy-craftsy knick-knacks and leaves them on his former wife's doorstep. (I wonder if the Aliens would become human after touching one of our batteries?

If these two disastrous plots can be sold to the general public ... anything can. The bar for entertainment is at an all time low. Time to buy some gear, throw together a script over some beers and a pizza, raise some money and go to work. Then hire a viral-marketing firm to help hype the hell out of it. It's not about great stories anymore - just marketing.
 
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Papertwinproductions said:
Marketing may bring sucess, perhaps that is a perception of your career ideal. Success. Yet, there are plenty of great-stories in cinema that have escaped the public eye, you may just have to broaden your viewing.
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Wow, that was poignant. I really feel shallow now.

Now answer the question: which movie made you decide to become a filmmaker?
 
StokLeopard said:
For me, definitely The Man Behind the Movie Camera by Sergei Vertov. I have never learned so much with one film, particularly how to edit to motion or shapes.

I loved his use of comparing human motion to the pistons of the a factory. Although one could argue that this film glorified Stalinism (and it would probably be a great arguments), his revealing the prestige behind the film making was brilliant - showing us how we are being manipulated. Also loved the rhythm of his montages.

I was an engineer and had been considering a change in career. When I saw that, I was certain that I wanted to be a filmmaker.
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Hmm, sounds interesting, I'll have to check that movie out myself, thanks for sharing your story.
 
Cracker Funk said:
Difficult question for me to answer, cuz my evolution to indie filmmaker was gradual, and almost accidental. I've always dreamt of making movies, it just took me a (long) while to actually act on those dreams.

So, almost arbitrarily, I'm gonna go ahead and say "Indiana Jones, and the Temple of Doom". I was at the right age (10), for this movie to just completely blow me away. I think it was the first one to really WOW me, and it stayed with me a long, long time.
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Hmm, this reminds me of my own experience a bit, when I watched Dark Crystal believe it or not, it left the filmmaker seed in me, when the movie was over I was sad and envisioned a continuation of the story in my head (I was too young at the time to have the idea to get into a film career).

I dabbled in writing stories when I was doing my high school and watched a lot of great movies and became a film buff I really fell in love with Blade Runner (yes I love the Indiana Jones movies too :) But it wasn't until Terminator 2 : Judgement Day came out that I knew I wanted to someday get into film. And this was kind of funny too because the the first Terminator was also the first film to leave me with nightmares, lol.

Soon as the sequel came out however I went and bought the novel, read it and thought, "This is what the movie was made from, whoa, I got to do this". Then I found out about screenwriting and started my research from there.
 
It as a B-movie called Dracula Vs. Frankenstein.

It was so hokey it seemed doable, even though I liked Frankenstein Vs. The Wolfman and still do. And, it has better production values.

It wasn't long after I wrote a fan screenplay, just for the heck of it called, Tom Swift Vs. Dracula. If anyone remembers the old Tom Swift science wiz kid children's novel book series, that is the Tom Swift. To me, it's about what if's with my own twist.
 
laughingcrow said:
Wow, that was poignant. I really feel shallow now.

Now answer the question: which movie made you decide to become a filmmaker?
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I apologize, that wasn't my intention.

It's just a common turn-of-phrase that "Great-story driven narratives" no longer exist. Of course it's subjective, oppinions will differ. Yet, i assume this is echoed decade after decade. However, we're able to say that there have never been so many films, so many opportunities for people to make movies.

Aslong as there's a voice, there'll be a story. It's whether or not you believe it to be great or not.

Personally, i wasn't soley inspired by a "Movie-moments" per se. I found solice in the getaway of the theatre. But there's no solitary moment in my life i could pin-point, or infact recognize.

I'm in love with creation, that's all i know.
 
SLACKER by Richard Linklater, CLERKS by Kevin Smith, EL MARIACHI by Robert Rodriguez, and IN THE COMPANY OF MEN by Neil Labute.
 
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