watching the big boys at work

[Mark Jury]

I was hanging out with Tom Hanks until sunrise watching him direct "Band Of Brothers" and it was indeed amazing. I'm going to hang out on the set of "The Mummy 2" tomorrow night -- they're filming on Tower Bridge in London. Anyone else like to hang out on film sets and watch movies being made? I think it's better than watching films.

[Eliud25]

I'd love to but I am in America at this moment. I would have to take the Concord.
Hey that is what Robert Rodriguez did before he became great. Keep it up and you will be great someday. Good luck.

[eddie]

liggers

[miker]

liggers? pls do explain?

anyway, all i would say is don't look upon them as 'the big boys', look upon them as your equals. they're only making films, after all. what makes them so different from you?

[eddie]

Ligger: Derogatory term applied to person
who hangs around famous or successful people, is constantly 'networking' or getting 'seen' with the celebs. Usually fawning and anxious to please.

Yeah it was probably uncalled for.

[miker]

oh, I dunno. I would guess that a ligger could never be an industry and/or indie equal.

I quite like it

[Mark Jury]

Well you're only ever gonna get your films seen if you have connections with people at the top of the industry. Steven Spielberg used to socialize with celebs before he shot Amblin... and so on.

[miker]

Yes, networking in the true sense of the word is a necessary evil, not just in the film industry.

I think perhaps a true ligger is just out for shallow self-promotion, with nothing to offer in terms of substance.

So how is Tom anway? Did he tell you about the time...

(My advice: watch Bowfinger)

[Eliud25]

I wouldn't call it a necessary evil or being a ligger. I call it learning from the best. I call it being smart. I call it learning to be a better filmmaker.

[miker]

I don't agree. You learn to be a better film maker by fucking-up on your own films, and taking time out to listen to structured criticism.

That's not to say that watching others has no worth, but wouldn't you rather be working with them, or have them working for you?

It was torturous for me in 1995ish at Shepperton, shadowing the sound recordist on Wind in the Willows, watching the well oiled machine at work and knowing that the majority of the crew were going on to work on Episode I ... the only thing I really learned is that I definitely wanted to make films, and none of the people on-set were 'better' than me ... just better connected. For instance, the video playback operator was kid who lived down Terry Jones' street.

Now I could bang on about 'hanging out with Terry' but that would be false. Okay, he said hello to a new face, and I gibbered something back (after all, this guy has worked for Lucas).

All that separates 'professional' film-makers from 'serious' amateurs is the professionals know how to work the system to get their film made. Now that *is* something to learn!!