• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

How to decide about which in films?

nobody

nobody

As a software/IT man, I should explain how IT works. There are differences between IT and film. In IT, the work is more easily measured, and that's less about quality of code, but the testing. We know what should be done, of course, it can change among the way, because we didn't estimate some things. Additionally, in choosing software, there are two types. Those pieces of software known as Components are written by some experts and others using them if needed. It is a kind of collaboration. Usually, department of sales differs from technical, so, we only focus on doing what even others can understand, because it is measurable.
I think in film it differs. Expensive Movies are harder to direct, and harder to make, as they need more money. And those films differ in one thing from cheaper movies, more people thought about it and so it can be repetitive more probably. Also, in Hollywood, film makers want to use success formula again, and so copy. Another thing is that fashion is often repeated thing, and some times, just different.
Smaller films can be made of an idea of a film maker that is thought by him to be good. The bigger films are more than that in my idea...
Usually films which are less big mean expertise in films and bigger ones mean love by audiences. But I am totally unaware of smaller films, because I didn't watch them, unlike those who watched these movies a lot.
And a question: Is it really easier for a writer to expect his smaller project be made easier because it needs less budget and more people can do it. How to decide about plots of such movies? Because they are harder to decide if win. Also, is it possible to find a director of such movie before writing in Hollywood?
I liked China's cinema, too, and can write them, but found no one and think it is hell hard to find big ones in China, too...



Thanks!
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Film is not just about the amount of money it takes to produce and distribute any given project, be it a no-budget student endeavor, or a multi-million dollar - or its equivalent - extravaganza, and all the films in between. Film is an art, science and business that requires multi-faceted talents and time commitments - and usually money - to go from concept to screenplay to delivery.

Of course there are formulas applied, from the writing, to profit engineering, to run times, location scouting, equipment hauling, support staff food and beverages, and on down the line to the smallest of details. Not all projects adhere to tried-and-true formulas (thankfully), and freak success stories do pop up from time to time, but even with the best minds, truckloads of experience and even bigger truckloads of cash and and star draw, projects do fail, and fail big, taking down careers and studios with them.

Point? there is NEVER a gaurantees any one project will succeed. I have seen numerous no-budget student and pro short films that kick some serious ass (some even made on I-phones) and are truly entertaining and maybe even a little thought provoking. Meanwhile I am scratching my head as to why and how a big-screen project got funded in the first place. Was the script bad to begin with, or did production go out of there way to drive it off a cliff? How can I get that 90 minutes of my life back?

One does not just write a screenplay and toss it up in the air hoping (begging) for someone to produce it (find locations, secure insurance, find a cast that matches the roles perfectly, hold readings, find a competent crew, work out the logisitics of moving everything from here to there and back again, make a shots list, set aside money and time for unforseen issues, interpret the script with production design, buy food or get it donated, find props, design the sets, make-up and costume, original score and sound editing, lighting, post issues and any CG, graphics, green screen, and actors storming off set - along with of gamut of other concerns that need FULL attention to pull off with any sense of production value.

When you write a screenplay, you are writing with ALL OF THIS in mind, not just the story. You must write a compelleing story in an acceptible format that takes budget and logistics into consideration. You cannot write a short film with exploding bridges, large casts and multiple locations and expect someone to scoop it up EVEN IF it's a great story. These short films are often (not always) meant as a calling cards for name recognition and the opening of doors to paid work and bigger projects. A body of work. There is usually (not always) NO RETURN on the investment, so the less spent up front, the less the pain.

As a writer you are part of a collaboration of artists, scientists and business people (in short film, that is often - not always - the same person wearing all the hats). You first duty if you will, is to write a solid story. It doesn't need to be wholly original, just well crafted. Your second duty is to make sure the screenplay fits all the required budget and logistics limits any one crew or production company has. You are writing for actors who need to sink their teeth into a well-developed and interesting character. You are writing for cinematographers that will be 'painting' your words into moving images. You are witing for sound and lighting dudes and dudettes that will make the images glimmer and pulse. You are wititng for people who create, people who pull wire and change lenses, and you are writing for folks who find the appropriate platform to get this entertianment into the hands of an audience.

And lest one forgets, the audience is the end user. The reason we did this at all (and the profit if it was factored in, which it often - though not always - is).

We want warm fuzzies for our work, and for our ideas .We want generally positive feedback and reception for a film, whether we wrote it, lit it, packed it in a truck, or directed the actors.

My only advice to you is to sit back and enjoy the ride of making films. It may take a year, it may take ten, but at some point you will achieve a level of success worthy of your own praise and satisfaction. Tossing out poorly crafted screenplays is wasting this time. Hoping a famous director will snap up one of these poorly crafted screenplays is simply ludicrous.

There is no instant fame - okay, it's super rare - and part of the profound completeness that comes from having even one small success, no matter how long it took to achieve, is that you learned more about the craft along the way. And at some point you find this rhythm, this symbiosis with words that lets you write PRODUCABLE screenplays that get made into great films, short or feature, that you can proudly say 'I was part of that'.


alex
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Well, we have worked some together on GG/aka George project. Though, it was international, it was hard to make CGI film probably, or I was in a hurry.
I am patient, enough in tech that I learned many software tricks without going to school. It took me many years... But it doesn't make me a great person even in tech.
I have a love for doing things, and that's what I do..
Film has more collaboration requirement than freelancer programming, even tech can be some part of as you know... I don't know how a project is well crafted, but I have no idea for a small good thing yet. I didn't think of it yet.. Maybe if a Western is called small is okay. I see it in myself, and that capability is not first day guess. I think I did write and I can write, but how much well? I must learn from experts probably...


Thanks!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
nobody said:
And a question: Is it really easier for a writer to expect his smaller project be made easier because it needs less budget and more people can do it.
Click to expand...
No, it is not really easier for a writer to get a smaller project made. In
many ways it's more difficult. A big studio has paid “readers” who can
cover a few hundred scripts a week to find the right script. A low budget
producer doesn't have that. They can't possibly read even 50 scripts a
week looking for the perfect fit. So a writer without a direct connection
to a low budget producer or director finds it very very difficult to get
their script into the right hands.
nobody said:
How to decide about plots of such movies? Because they are harder to decide if win.
Click to expand...
Yes, they are harder to write. That's the challenge. I know you don't
know much about smaller films because of where you live. But you
have internet access so you can read about smaller films.
nobody said:
Also, is it possible to find a director of such movie before writing in Hollywood?
Click to expand...
No, it is not possible to find a director before writing. You need to
actually WRITE. A screenplay writer without any screenplays is not
a screenplay writer.

I know you are in a big hurry and you want a movie made from one
of your stories as soon as possible, but you don't have a finished script.
You need a finished script in proper format.

"Hollywood" isn't your solution. "Smaller films" are not your solution.
YOU need to write in proper format before you can get a film made.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top