Is it possible to make a 44 minute movie in 10 days?

harmonica44 said:
I know it's been said on here, that once you start, you get it done, but that's within reason, right?
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Absolutely, I would not advise traveling to the USA and filming for 5 days and THEN throwing in the towel halfway through.

However, right now, if you ask me you haven't really started yet.
It's the perfect time to walk away if that is what you feel is right.
 
Okay thanks, but I feel guilty since he has helped me out with a short a few years ago, which was bad too, so if he can help me with a bad movie, I feel like maybe I owe him one. But his is more ambitious and requires more travel and all.

If I turn down projects from now on, if I think they are a lost cause, script, or equipment and crew wise, it will limit my options in the future of people helping me though. If I want help on projects, it will be tough to find people, if I say no to ones, I feel won't make it. What do you think? Is it smart to turn them down, since I have trouble finding help for mine?
 
But his is more ambitious and requires more travel and all.
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If the guy is driving his car into a wall at top speed, do you really think it's good to come along the for ride?

Is it smart to turn them down, since I have trouble finding help for mine?
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That depends on where you are in your career. When you're beginning, you may find yourself where you have to take what comes along just to expand your contacts pool. If it's just you and another dude who you already know and the project will be a bust, there's little benefit to getting involved without some Quid pro quo.
 
Okay thanks. I just figure the more help I could get, the better. However, he hired me on as director, not just the camera operator, but director. He is the producer, so much control do I have over what shots are decided?

Since there is no one to boom, I could storyboard the shots, so that everytime the camera is on him, his co-host can boom above him, and he could pretend to be talking to his co-host, when the co-host is actually booming. And vice versa. I coudl also storyboard it, so that every shot with visibly spoken dialogue, is a close up of just one person, so neither him or his co-host will have to swing the boom from person to person and just keep it on the same person.

I feel that as director it's part of my job, to choose shots to overcome obstacles and low budget, and I have the power to do it, if he wouldn't challenge me on it, and say he wants more master shots, of both of him and the co-host speaking. What do you think? How much power should the director have in deciding shots, over the producer?

I mean in El Mariachi for example, Robert Rodriguez wasn't able to afford to have all the actors in the same place at the same time, so almost every shot of an actor, is a close up, and by choosing to do that, he saved the movie and made it watchable. If I can do that, that will increase the quality a lot.
 
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Since you're unlikely to listen to the answers people give you anyway, yes.. go forth and make a terrible documentary. While you're at it, start a forest fire in the pacific northwest, tell border patrol you're smuggling explosives, and deliver a crate of bacon to the nearest Jewish synagogue and/or Muslim mosque. Because, those are all great ideas too.
 
Okay, you're right. I am just tired of everyone around me making movies, that are foreseen as going to be terrible. I just want to do make something good.
 
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To be fair to H44 on this one, it's quite hard to bail on a friend (or friendly aquaintance). But if it's going to cost you money (or a significant amount of your time - which is valuable) then you should drop it. If you let it go ahead, the guy's only going to waste further money and time. You should both get out while you can.
 
harmonica44 said:
Okay, you're right. I am just tired of everyone around me making movies, that are foreseen as going to be terrible. I just want to do make something good.
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Is this movie giving you the signs and feelings that is going to be something good?
 
Since you're unlikely to listen to the answers people give you anyway, yes.. go forth and make a terrible documentary. While you're at it, start a forest fire in the pacific northwest, tell border patrol you're smuggling explosives, and deliver a crate of bacon to the nearest Jewish synagogue and/or Muslim mosque.
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I'm going to be disappointed if he doesn't do this now.

I just figure the more help I could get, the better.
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A life lesson I learned a long time ago. Some people just cannot be helped.

El Mariachi for example, Robert Rodriguez wasn't able to
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STOP. Robert has a clue. You do not. Please stop this lunacy.

How much power should the director have in deciding shots, over the producer?
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It depends. If I were director, the way you're going, my first shot would probably be you at the end of a sniper rifle.

Why are you contemplating continuing, spending your cash, time, and sanity on someone elses train wreck. If I were you, I'd use the cash on a project that has some chance of success. Maybe a good idea would be putting your money where your mouth is and shoot your own master piece instead of poking holes in everyone elses production.
 
Okay. Well we are good, old friends with good memories. If I new he wanted to make movies, I would have kept it strictly business, up till now. Before I can decide whether or not to drop out, if I could persuade him to get a PSM with the right equipment, and to get a telephoto lens for wildlife shots, do you think that, the project will be save-able? His co-host is more understanding of needing pros and equipment, and is listening more to me. But do you think it is, if we can persuade him?
 
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I think that biggest problem is the fact that there's such a very small window of time in which to complete the project for the deadline of possibly obtaining a grant, and if you had known before you were actually informed about it then on your side of the fence you'd be in a better position.

My suggestion would be to say to your friend that there's no way to get the project done in the amount of time, and so as a result the possibility of the grant would then need to be taken out of the equation.

It would be better to do a proper job of the project, of a really good standard, and not get the grant than it would be to try and get it done in the small amount of time available and still not get the grant because the project would seem rushed.

I think your friend needs to realise he's left it too late to get it done before that deadline and that if he is really passionate about it he will continue with the project but with a more lengthy amount of time to get it done, and done properly but forfeit the possibility of obtaining the grant.
 
Well I was told by my fiance that the problem is, is that every filmmaker I have worked under so far, is just not serious about their craft. Which is why I every project I helped on, has never been finished or has been, but is unwatchable. If they were serious they would try harder, and pay more attention to details, she says.

And even if he doesn't get the grant this year, I think they give it out once a year, so I can try to talk him into next year.
 
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