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Hi everyone, I have a little question for you: What is your opinion of young filmmakers today (as in teenagers, not the twenty something Hollywood people)? I have seen a lot on these boards, and I was wondering if the older, more experienced people would mind giving their HONEST opinion.
~Paige
Im young im 19 years old and ive been making films since i was 7 years old not verry good ones but they were still films ive worked with super 8 film but mostly video. id say the biggest problem now is there are to many people say they want to be directors not for the love of making films but for the fame and the money. when i started making films it was for the love of making the film and seeing the look on my mum and dads face its only as i get older i see it as a carear when i was 7 i wanted to be a police man.
it seems now every other teenager wants to be Quentin or Rodriguez filmmaking like football is becoming the new rock and roll.
Im not saying if you wanna make films start young there have been many fine films made by people to whome film making is there second carear im just saying make films for the love of film not just so you can live in the met bar and start shagging maddona.
you talk like wanting to be a rich acter or directer is a new thing !
i was just wondering what the point of this post was ? whats your opinion of us teenage wannabe filmmakers
( i say wannabe because i have read a lot of posts recently about robert r and i disagree calling myself a filmmaker until i make a film ! am i the only person who sees that logic ? )
your lodgic is spot on mate.
but ask your self why you wanna start making films.
is it for the fame or for the art
trust me now when i say i am NOT one of those kids who want to make films purely for money or even partly for money !
it was one of my points in a diffrent topic
"ask yourself if you had more money then you could spend in a lifetime on one film would you still make films" i can promise you i would.
i do it for the art
Here is a little tidbit:
Not all of us here want to be "directors."
I know I don't. I want to be operating a camera, or maybe direct photography.
That is maybe another question to ask yourself when deciding why you want to work in film... Do I have to be the director? and Must I get credit for my work?
I think that is a good point shirt.
I have lots of ideas for short films etc,but Im more interested in being a jack of all trades(probably master of none)
I have said it before...there are too many chiefs and not enough indians (especially in the film industry) I think its going to be more interesting being a small wheel in the film making machine.
Its not that i dont have ambition but the key buzz word in the tv industry is "multi-skilled".
It would be interesting to see if this idea is limited to mature visitors to this forum?
I think that is a good point shirt.
I have lots of ideas for short films etc,but Im more interested in being a jack of all trades(probably master of none)
I have said it before...there are too many chiefs and not enough indians (especially in the film industry) I think its going to be more interesting being a small wheel in the film making machine.
Its not that i dont have ambition but the key buzz word in the tv industry is "multi-skilled".
It would be interesting to see if this idea is limited to mature visitors to this forum?
Who knows. I'm 19, I made my short film pretty much all by myself. Why? I was the only one who cared about it, and I will not count on others. Besides, there simply wasn't enough money to pay professionals.
The technical side of filmmaking isn't really the hard part for me, that is if you know what you want and what to expect. Its the creative aspects that nibble at my brain. The story, the character(s), and the context in which the film takes is tricky stuff at times. I just try and follow my instincts and make the film how I feel it SHOULD be made. I would feel guilty if I put something in it that didn't feel 'right' for the film.
Its usually a painful process, but I enjoy it well enough to keep on pushing my stuff into existence. It's hard to show your stuff to people when its finished, especially if you really care about and have a deep connection with your material. Filmmaking is often very sad for me. Sometimes (and if you are a real filmmaker, you'll know what I mean) I hate it.
That's my two cents (sorry guys, "pence").
-N. Foster Tyler
19? N. Foster Tyler, did you mis-type that! You appear to me to be one of the more mature ppl on this board.
For my sins I am 28 (29 soon, eeeek!) and have only really just come to terms with the fact that I want a career as a director.
As for the young 'uns --- which I would class as anyone under 20. Well, film-making makes good use of natural selection! A LOT of ppl will 'drop out' of the scene and stack shelves for a living, but a few will persevere and 'make it', in whatever context they themselves see as being successful.
I think real, passionate, film-makers have the upperhand, much like anyone who is passionate about their career. I'm sure we all know ppl who are wasters because they just don't know what to do with their lives... by choosing a career in film-making you are ensuring that you will always have a goal to aim for - the completion of your next film (or your next contract as soundman, whatever)
But that doesn't really answer what I think of the whipper-snappers ... well, I was that age once and I felt very isolated, no-one took me seriously and it was a real pain. I also remember those feelings leading me to be a bit 'anti' and very pissed off that black/gay/disabled seemed to get precedence when it comes to funding - of course, I've grown up now and realise that you had to be black/gay/disabled *and* buddies with the folks on the arts board :-)
So fuck that, I have to fund my own films, inevitibly leading to low production values and feelings of being ashamed of my work cos the average joe couldn't see past the VHS fuzz.
Thankfully, that's changing thanks to the whole digital/communications revolution that *is* taking place. I really feel that historians will look at this era much as they do the industrial revolution etc.
And what's more my day job is contracting in IT, directly part of that revolution and it pays well thank you very much.
So do I go and buy some fuck off sports car?
No.
I invest in my foundations to become a truely independent film-maker working outside of the 'system' but realising that my art must make a transition to 'product' before I can hope to make a living at it.
So kids, keep at it. I'll need the cheap labour :-)
Well if this forum is anything to go by, then I think they are all a little bit too serious , dont get out much and watch too many blockbuster movies.
They will probably do very well for themselves .
I'm 17 years old and have already decided to pursue a career in film for as long as it takes me. I'm currently first year in film school and loving every minute of it.
As far as this argument goes about why people are getting into film i gotta say that i really am in it for the love of it. Admittedly i didn't really come to my decision until i read a tarantino biography but the fact is i always loved film and wanted desperately to be a part of it. The biography just made me realise that it's not just a profession people are born into or buy there way into alternatively, but someone can come from nowhere and make a living out of film.
The thing is i don't really care if i spend ten years breaking in to the system or twenty or never but i just want to give it my best shot really. I've already made one great achievment as it is with a film i made in high school. Probably 100 people maximum have seen the film but the greatest thrill was when i showed it to a bunch of friends (it was an arthouse effort so i was quite nervous at the time) as tehy were watching it i was watching them and they were genuinly interested and then as the climax came around one of my friends told me it was giving her goose bumps. That to me was the best moment in my 'career' so far.
I just hope that all the mature readers out there don't think that all the kids are vying for fame and fortune cause we ain't. I just want to make something i would like to watch and something that others would want to watch to.
me
------------------
"what if there is no tomorrow? there wasn't one today"
i think a lot of people like the idea of calling themselves a film maker, when they realise that it is a lot of hard work stress and commitment they soon disapear into the bowels of oblivion.
then theres the next bit, where someone gets film finished and relises its no good and give up so more disapear into oblivion
next level up form that is the people who send there films to festivals and get no where, then they dissapear.
then theres the bit up where someone gets something commisioned make it then dont want to go through the stress again and dissapear into oblivion
and so on until finally you get the filter process to the top where theres one person who has actually made it and now directing a multi million pound feature,
btw i have also come to the conclusion that most of the people who disapear into oblivion end up working at the Beep in a desk job/service/ssercurity role jsut so they can say they work in media and where there badge aroudn there neck down the pub
i have proof
Steady Chance.... you are beginning to sound a bit cynical.
By the way I cant update the website, Joe hasnt told me how to FTP to the site, the password seems to work but doesnt give me any permissions......?
TTFN
just thinking that if you were to meet everyone of this board in ten years time where everyone would be or done
btw is the site coming up with any exact errors or anything ? or jsut refusing to do nothing
Ok, well I'm the one who started this post, so I'll clarify a few things first and then answer my own question.
Ok, the only reason that I didn't mention the cinematographers and editors and screenwriters (oops, bc I'm one too) and camera-people
(have to be pc) is bc I've only seen the posts of the directors (or director wannabees, whatever you want to call it). So I'm sorry for that. If you guys did a half-ass job, the movie would suck, even if it was Spielberg.
Now to answer my own question:
I'm 15 and passionate about movies, filmmaking, etc. But I do get po'd when people around my age say they want to do movies to get rich or hang out with Sarah Michelle Gellar all day. Personally, if I got one movie in one theater, and got to see it I would be satisfied. What also annoys me is when people talk about their screenplay like it is the next Lawrence of Arabia and it really is a piece of shit with no structure, a vague, hard to follow plotline, and random characters entering and exiting (I read one like that once, it gave me a headache). But if people truly love what they are doing, and do it for the art, then that's great and I wish them luck. Oh and I have one little question: Sometimes I hate doing films so much that I love it and I get soooooo stressed out that I get an incredible high and need to keep going. Is that normal or am I just crazy? http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/smile.gif
Talk to ya later
~Paige
i think at 15/16 it is very hard for people to take your ideas seriously and for anyone to take a 15/16 year old seriously
Thats not just film, but everything
no one takes you seriously with the major excepion of other 15-16 year olds it should be said ! and it is possible to make a film with this age range just so long as there all serious enough ... well being 16 and trying to make my first film i would say this wouldnt i !
how did the more mature filmmakers here start off out of intrest
Deepcope, you don't know HOW many times a day I get told, "It's a hard industry so don't have too many expectations for yourself." And this is from my parents who have always said, "You can be anything you want to be."
Auy, sorry, just blowing off a little steam
Peace (sorry if that is a little too corny)
~Paige
No one takes just words seriously.
Do you?
If you have a couple of films, a showreel if you like on VHS, super8 whatever, then you are beginning to prove to people that you are serious.
Id trust a 16 year old who had a video tape with a couple of interesting short films on it. But probably not one who had 'just loads of cool ideas and wanted a break'...
Like the old saying goes, A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step.
Your first film is the hardest to do. (its also probably the most fun.)
So get out there and do it!
8 and 13 how far into making a film are you ? still just ideas a dream
(personally im working on a script and trying to piece a crew together out of freinds)
I'm going to start shooting my first feature next week!!!! I'm excited. http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I've written a lot of shorts and I have ideas for about 3 more features. I'm my own crew (except for some of my more fashion inclined friends who are costume people). I have friends as actors and a $150 budget, which won't run out. It's the ultimate cheap film!!! But it will rock!!! Sorry, really pumped about it.
~Paige
okay you got me intrested if its as good as you say it is, lets hear a bit about the story line etc of the one your working on
When I was 13 I made my a 15 minute long film. It was my own take on Aliens vs Predator. I was fond of the comic and concept. So my friend, younger brother and I got some materials together and made it. It was a lot of fun and really just for fun. I had made a couple of small films by that time but I never thought of it as a career because movies were like magic and only for the professionals. Then at 14 I got in a rock band and did that until at the age of seventeen when I made a mature decision to persue a career as a film maker. Anyway, enough with my life story. About the film:
My friend had a predator mask. A wooden chest burster he made and a predator gauntlet and shoulder canon he made. I guess you could say he was our special effects guy. He was good with materials.
We used an alien action figure for our full size alien. It was really cheesy but fun. I would love to be able to show it to you all but I can't.
Well, the title of this piece is my sn. (8 and 1/3 Minutes) This is how long it takes the sun's light to hit the earth. It takes place in the hypothetic present day, when scientists are afraid the sun's is going to "go out". These scientists have a way of monitoring the sun (some sort of satellite). My story centers on 5 friends who live at this time (2 boys, 3 girls; all around 15) and hear an announcement on the radio (they have a station that monitors the satillites) that the sun has gone out and there will be 8 and 1/3 minutes left before darkness covers earth. The story from there follows these five people and shows what they do. Before I tell you what they do I'll introduce the characters.
Mercedes: a self-assured girl who takes charge and lets it be known what she wants; she also has a crush on Quincy, but no one knows
Quincy: a laid back soccer player who defends people, and doesn't neccessarily take charge.
Shoot, I have to go, I'll tell you all teh rest later.
~Paige
Can I make one comment?
Einstein showed that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.
In your story you have scientists monitoring the sun. At some point the sun 'goes out'.
How come they know this before the last rays/photons of sunlight reach earth?
Not by radio signals, they travel slower than light.
Does 'information' travel faster than sunlight?
If you are interested in this (if it matters to your story) then take a look at some popular science books, such as those by John Gribbin.
There are all sorts of wonderful things going on in astrophysics that you might find interesting.
I wont go into anymore detail here, but if you want to go into any technical details in the story then make sure you get the facts right. It might be interesting to twist this paradox in with the characters relaitionships?
Just a thought.
sounds abit liek stevens king the beach ? , so far.....
on the other hand it might not matter at all, and they simply watch the deterioration of the sun and make a prediction when it will burn out.
blah blah blah
If the last light hit the earth at 8.30 minswouldnt there still be 8.30 light left as there would still be the light travleing from outer space at where the last light was along every second of the distance between the earth and the sun ?
What he means is that if the sun broke down at 10:00:00 am tommorrow, it wouldnt get dark straight away. It would gradually get darker and darker, until at 10:08:20, it would be pitch black, cold and not get light again. Ever. Bit like cornwall last August.
say they knew what the last "ray" of sun was then they surely would get that full ray for 8.mins 30 then it would just go black.
wouldnt it be like
full ray from sun hits eart 10:00
full ray from sun at 4 lgith years away hits 10:01
full ray from 3 light year away hits
10:02
full ray from 2 light year hits
10:03
obviuslyt a bit more detailed then that so they would have a full 8 .30 of sun then black
sorry Chance I dont understand a word of what you wrote, but this is probably not the place to try and work out astro physics problems!
A light year is the distance a photon of light will travel in one year.
god you guys calm down it doesnt matter that much wether the films scientifically realistic or not ! i mean in all honesty how many movies are !
(incidently the sun wouldnt just burn out it would first expand consuming the entire solar system so there would be no earth left .. correct me if im wrong i think this is right but i never exactly took much notice of scienvce in school)
waiting to hear the rest of the ideas 8 13 http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/smile.gif
Ok, first of all, before I get back to my story: I KNOW IT IS UNREALISTIC!!!!!! Ok, I'm done with my yelling, now to let you know how my very functional brain decided to make it as realistic as possible. (sorry if that sounded condescending)
>on the other hand it might not matter at all, >and they simply watch the deterioration of
>the sun a make a prediction when it will burn >out.
That was right, eddie, thank you.
Ok, now to continue.
Quincy: he has a huge crush on Mercedes and EVERYONE knows it.
Unity: her parents are hippies, she's more of a goth, alternative girl; she's depressed because she doesn't feel like anyone understands her--especially her parents
Larissa: She is a happy, naive girl who just wants everyone to get along; ironically she is Unity's best friend (she helps Unity forget her depression, but doesn't force her happiness on her like Unity's parents do)
Austin: a shy bookworm who serves as the brains of the group, he usually uses scientific fact to back up things; he has pushed himself so hard in school that he hasn't had much time for real fun (he also isn't self-confident in anything but school)
All righty then, well the sun will go out soon so everyone separtes. Larissa goes along with Austin to observe people in the park (see reactions). Instead they play tag and end up in a food fight. (Larissa and Austin have a little chemistry going between them during this time, but they don't do anything about it--they just aren't ready for it). Mercedes and Quincy play with a tennis ball downstairs, and they admit their feelings for one another. They kiss. Unity goes into a bathroom and slits her wrists, commits suicide. Their time is almost up when...the sun doesn't go out!!! Everyone (minus dead Unity) is celebrating when Larissa realizes that her best friend is no where to be found. The four scramble around, looking for Unity. After a few minutes Larissa decides to go wash off. She discovers Unity, dead, in the bathroom. Austin reads a suicide note nd Unity's will which she wrote, and handles the pressure. Mercedes lets go of her tough exterior and Quincy gains confidence. Larissa experiences true sadness for once in her life and becomes less happy and more cautious. They clean up the kitchen (where the food fight was) and talk about Unity's will and "what next". It ends with Quincy calling the police saying: I would like too report a suicide.
That's my movie. What do you think (besides from it not being very realistic)?
~Paige
why do they call the police if there s only minutes left ?
like the idea it sounds good
[This message has been edited by Chance1234 (edited August 18, 2000).]
No, they call the police bc she commited suicide. The sun DOESN'T go out, and they call the police after the 8 and 1/3 Minutes is up. I hope that cleared it up.
~Paige
i get ya http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/wink.gif
how far are you with it ?
Yeah, Joel did tell me that. Thanx for lettin me know though. Talk to ya
~Paige
I'm going to begin shooting on August 27th and Finish on September 3rd. (but it will take 3 to 4 days in that time frame)
~Paige
Joel Cox read your script and said he liked it BTW.
I dunno if he told you.