Poke...
<anyone can put together a big budget spectacle, but it takes a storyteller to make the crowd go "WOW!" In my opinion, this is what sets aside most independent film from Hollywood films - indies usually have a clear and concise story. >
Not always. Many indie's stay indie forever because they don't have a concise story. I've always said, if you're working on your 55th indie, then something is wrong with your work, unless you just choose to be that way. I mean there are some indie's that have 10 million dollar budgets, and if these people stay here it is because they want to. But someone working on their (by today's standards) 7th Mini-DV film with no more budget than in the first. It might be something about your ideas that not many people want to see other than you and your friends. I hate to sound like that. But it's true. I've been out to many people's websites to check out their "new mini-dv" film and less than 10% have I ever actually wanted to see. I look at their trailer and see bad lighting, bad sound, a bad story, silliness in direction or sexual perversion that someone thinks is funny. Many indie's are good, but most who are good indies become good Hollywood players.
I look at it like this. Indie films come in many catagories: Some people want to make Artistic or Solid Films, others want a Gateway into Hollywood. Currently I think most of the "indie" world is in the later. So indie's are like going to a fair with your "film" as your resume. Many people will see you and say I like that, but at the end of the day only the cream of the crop will get a Hollywood deal, and even then many will never see another one.
<In my opinion, it is probably because an indie writer/director is usually working to put together a movie for a long, long period of time. >
There's an old addage "Think long, think wrong." I wrote my current screenplay in about 2 weeks. Even though I realize it's not the best screenplay ever made, I rate it a C myself. But all my actors and other people in the industry that have had a chance to read it, think it's one of the best they've seen (Only a few people have seen it. Maybe 3 or 4)! I'm not saying you should only take 2 weeks, my wife for example takes a long time to write, but she is very good, better than me. But time doesn't really mean that much. I think if the art is in you, it's in you. Sometimes people take forever because they only have a little art and their trying to sqeeze it all out. While others are bursting with it. The guy that wrote "Weird Science", "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles" wrote all of them in one weekend! Three screenplays in 2 days!
<I also think that indies do well if they have something "alternative" or "artistic" to offer. People love to watch. That's why so called reality TV does so well, people want to watch someone who is not them. >
I agree that many times indie's do take a concept and are not afraid of it. Hollywood is concerned with too many things. I was so surpised to see the Matrix Reloaded rating at R, until I almost passed out. It's not PG-13? Maybe it was a typo. But it should be R. I remember when all action films of worth were R. Why is Hollywood afraid of the rating? Indie's aren't afriad of things like that. And I admit that is a bonus.
As for reality TV. I think people are into it because they are nosey. Same way people are into Celebrities lives, not their work, their lives. Like I study R.Rodriguez like the next filmmaker. I've studied Speilburg, Stone, Lee and others. But I don't know their birthday or who they are dating. People get into other people's lives I think because they are missing something in their own life or they just don't have anything to do. I'm always busy. I work a 9to5 and then work my movie at night. I could give a less of a crap about who is eating spiders on Survivor. In fact, the shows are so bad they make celebrities for people to follow. None of them are "fair." I tell people all the time the show should be called "Don't Vote Me Off!" If I had a Survivor show people would have to sign a waver saying "if I die during the course of this show. I will not, nor can my family sue." hahaha!
I'll make you survive!
pika :-D