Star Wars: Revelations (and the Raiders of the Lost Franchise)

[miker]

... they also have a deep love for an already existing film and just want to make one of their own. They want to take characters that they already know and like, and put them into a new situation - that's all.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I 'spose I can understand that. Still seems like a lot of effort to go to. They must really love Star Wars to point of being very scary. The closest I ever got was GM'ing a roleplay campaign that I largely devised myself. At least that was cheap and behind closed doors :-)

[ray_bog]

What makes you think they don't? Who says that the only films that these people make are fan films? It's pretty silly to think that they ONLY make fan films.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL -- I didn't say they ONLY make fan films.

I'd much rather put my creative efforts into something original -- something I've created from the ground up -- than use someone else?s material even as a base for anything I make.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 18, 2005 08:19 PM: Message edited by: ray_bog ]</font>

[Tasty Fish Lips]

I think you need to re-read the posts. Slowly.

[ray_bog]

Whoa, how Zen.

[ray_bog]

I don't know guys. I mean "Troops" was just fucking hilarious and did the rounds for ages (still doing them as far as I know). It was a really good example of filmmaking from some talented people.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No-one has been dismissive towards the quality of any fans films, just questioned their worthiness.

That's the (my) point.

Forget about quality -- the points raised questioned the worth of fan films and "originality vs. homage".

But, very little of it is his original work.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's simply ludicrous.

He may have been inspired by other works, something I wouldn?t dispute anyway, but he created new and original worlds and a vast army of ?great? characters that have entertained punted for 30 years.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 20, 2005 06:21 PM: Message edited by: ray_bog ]</font>

[jb_617]

[quote]Originally posted by ray_bog:
[QB]

Forget about quality -- the points raised questioned the worth of fan films and "originality vs. homage".
[QB]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Oh right. Well in that case, no, I don't think they're wasting their time. Everyone starts somewhere and I guess if you want to learn how to be a director, you need to shoot <u>something</u>. If you are making a no-budget short and you have no idea what to do, why <u>not</u> make a fan-film. At least it gives you an idea of where to start. Once you've got your technique down a bit, they you can move on. If that's how you want to do it.

Vaugely related to this post (Sorry Nigel [img]wink.gif[/img] ). There are entirely too many directors who think that they are also writers. When people start talking about plot, structure, story etc, you're talking about being a screewriter. If you want to try both, that's cool. But a lot of people can't do it. Some of them realise this and just stick to perfecting the art of directing, some don't and churn out shit. Not for lack of directing talent, but because they can't write.


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I'm not kidding.

[miker]

When people start talking about plot, structure, story etc, you're talking about being a screewriter.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Or a story editor, or an off-line editor perhaps. The director I would think also influences plot, structure, story by the various decisions he decides to make along the way. Movie making is a collaborative medium, sure, but it still needs leadership.

I have to say, though I have not watched "Revelations" in its entirety, it looks quite spiffy in places (CGI) though if the trailer is anything to go by it is let down by the acting. Obviously the music (Williams) and sfx (Burt) are fantastic.

And another point about Revelations, is that it has apparently been made by industry professionals. Perhaps they are hoping to go on to helm the TV series, though I thought Kevin Smith was on that.

And my point about Kevin Rubio is not meant to be defamatory, rather point out that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And, as they say, flattery gets you nowhere. (Obviously a distinction has to be drawn between flattering and kissing arse - a good R.Slicker can be a great survivor).

I dunno. Fan films. Made by people who are a little too fanatical perhaps?

[jb_617]

This is just getting silly now.

Look, you can't argue the relative merits of films. It just a stupid position to take. If someone wants to make a fan film, what do you care? Let them get on with it. If you think your film is better or more "worthwhile" then make the bastard thing and blow the fan films out of the water.

What all of this comes down to is money. A few people around here seem to be a bit jealous that some guy got funded for a fan film.

Here's the thing. NOBODY OWES YOU ANYTHING. People don't HAVE to make films at all and if they do, THEY own them, not the audience, not the public, and not you. So let these guys just do their thing, it doesn't harm you or the industry in any way, shape, or form. If that's how they choose to learn or work, so be it. Either get in the game and prove yourself or shut up.


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And one final thing. SHUT THE HELL UP ABOUT STAR WARS IT IS NOTHING SPECIAL.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 19, 2005 10:22 AM: Message edited by: jb. ]</font>

[Matty2phatty]

[img]eek.gif[/img]

[jb_617]

Oh yeah, I forgot.

Miker: In my limited understanding of filmmaking, I thought that editing came sometime after the story had been written and filmed. So, no. Editors don't have a lot of say about structure, plot, characterisation (and yes, I choose to spell it with an "s"), etc.

Pacing, yes. But let's give the writers credit. Most screenplays I've read have been almost word for word what appeared on the screen, with very few changes. And no, I wasn't reading scripts that had been written after the film's release. These were the actual shooting scripts.


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