I can tell i'm on my way to being a film-maker. Today I got my first rejection letter, from those worryingly nice people at the times BFI London Film Festival.
Essentially while they dont like my film "theyre grateful I gave them the chance to see it" [img]eek.gif[/img] , they "hope we can work together in the future" [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] and ask me "to make sure I send them any of my future work" [img]confused.gif[/img]
Plus the usual wishing me the best in my future career.
All this niceness somehow makes it worse. I wish they'd said:
Dear Genny Skin,
What the hell was that? Was that supposed to be short film? You think you're pretty arty with your black and white and your super 16 do you? Well you're not mate. I dind't understand a fucking thing that went on. And the acting? Don't get me started on the acting. Not so much wooden, as finest mahogany. However we feel that despite its shortcomings, it is not a film to be tossed aside lightly. No sir. It should be thrown with great force. Please reconsider your career.
Yours
Underpaid film seclection grunt #237
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 03, 2004 09:43 AM: Message edited by: Generic Skinhead ]</font>
Irritating isn't it. I got something similar from Raindance - and Chichester of all people (what?!). No rejection from bfi - yet!). [img]graemlins/cry.gif[/img]
It's similar to job rejection letters (something for you to look forward to Gen) - why do they always say 'We'll keep your CV on file for future reference' - it's so spineless. I must have had at least 30 of those when I first graduated - but it didn't stop me and now 10 years later I've won some awards, had work featured in the press, and feel like I could take on the entire imperial army myself [NB this is in the design industry field (my real job) NOT film-making] - so it just goes to show - stick with it.
So let's not allow them to beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve - and we'll come back even better next time. Yay, we'll show them..won't we... [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img]
EDIT:
That's a good one from Winner miker - you could sell that on ebay.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 03, 2004 11:42 AM: Message edited by: Justin M. ]</font>
I rationalise my rejection: The majority of the films I enjoy are quite esoteric. Thus, in order to make films that a minority of people find highly appealing I have to exclude the majority of people - including the conservative decision makers of the film making world, rather then imbracing the genre driven middle ground.
I fund my projects by working a near mimimum wage paying job. Rejection is nothing new to me. Compromise is unnacceptable to me.
OK.
I'm a photographer by trade, a few years back I took what I considered a really cool photo of a friend in a tree house, (B&W arty, kind of Elliot Erwert style) and it spoke words to me.
I remember showing the picture to people and they'd say 'so what, its someone in a tree house' which it was,
anyhow I loved the picture and didn't care what anyone else thought.......!
Eventually I was nominated for Independent on Sunday Black & White Photographer of ther Year Award from this pic. Biggest thing to happen to me.
The moral is:
The most important thing is that you like your own work.
Your also dealing with someone else's opinion which you may not respect, so ignore it.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's good business to be nice, so it doesn't come back to haunt them when you make it big.Originally posted by Generic Skinhead:
...from those worryingly nice people...
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I concur.Originally posted by jungleguy:
The most important thing is that you like your own work.
If one considers the film world from a purely fiscal standpoint, there is a market for anything that is not poorly technically executed.
The reason big studio Hollywood produces so much crap is because they understand the economics of the business. There modus operandi, like that of any major share holder controlled corporation is "Above all, profit". I don't need to tell you all that they don't give a shit about artistic integrity. Who would expect a monolith like AOL Time Warner to produce anything better then this anyway?
That is the great thing about being at this end of the pecuniary scale: We are not answerable to 10,000 shareholders. We have the luxury of allowing ourselves to go a little (or a lot) nuts.
Some interesting points.
Poor old Miker. I was just gonna throw my letter in the bin. Why do you keep yours? I'm curious.
The main problem is, of course, the amount of unanswerable questions posed by such a letter.
Was it not good enough technically?
Was the story too hard to understand?
Too weird?
Was it the acting?
Is it because its student work?
V low budget?
They just don't like it?
Was it close to being included?
Or was it a no-hoper from day-one?
Jungle Guy: Can we see the picture? Sounds cool.
Justin, I hope you get in. When you get a reply post it on here so we can compare!
I am (was anyway) pretty pleased with this film. Despite being quite esoteric, it went down very well at college. Empty rejection letters teach a young guy nothing except how to be thick skinned, and thats a pity. Who says I wont make the same mistakes again on the next one?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 04, 2004 06:56 AM: Message edited by: Generic Skinhead ]</font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Probably the same reason that I keep callsheets for stuff I've worked on. I guess nostalgia mostly, but it's also to remind me "it's not what you know ..."Poor old Miker. I was just gonna throw my letter in the bin. Why do you keep yours? I'm curious.
Hey Skinhead, do you have the movie online or some sort of trailer?
We might be able to tell you why your movie sucks. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
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