What's Stopping the Revolution?

Cracker Funk

Cracker Funk

I happen to be of the opinion that we have just entered the New Golden Age of Cinema, and it's only gonna get better. More films are being made now than ever before, that much is a statistical fact. Sure, most of those films are crap, but it's always been like that.

What's great is that everyone is a filmmaker. The smartphone, the inexpensive SLR camera, the accessibility of computers and the online world -- all of this has made filmmaking a real possibility for anyone.

For decades, filmmaking was an art that only rich white males could take part in. Those days have ended. And what happens when an art-form becomes accessible to the masses?

It flourishes. What a beautiful time to be alive.

There will be a revolution in Hollywood, of that I am certain. What's stopping you from being part of it? What's stopping the revolution from happening right now?
 
I am the revolution brother.

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I can only lose weight so fast, but my masterpiece and final short film Divinity is coming once I get into movie star shape and can do kung fu like keanu reaves.

I've begun actively brainstorming for my first feature script.. a sci fi crime thriller.
This script will be finished and ready by the time Divinity si released and begins winning awards.

Late 2017 probably.. or whenever the next big festival is after its done.
Maybe 2018 :/

These things take time. God willing I will have more than one script in the bag and ready to go by the time Divinity is finished.
I packed away a lot of doughnuts and they're not going to disappear overnight.

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sfoster said:
I am the revolution brother.

I can only lose weight so fast, but my masterpiece and final short film Divinity is coming once I get into movie star shape and can do kung fu like keanu reaves.

I've begun actively brainstorming for my first feature script.. a sci fi crime thriller.
This script will be finished and ready by the time Divinity si released and begins winning awards.

Late 2017 probably.. or whenever the next big festival is after its done.
Maybe 2018 :/

These things take time. God willing I will have more than one script in the bag and ready to go by the time Divinity is finished.
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YAAASSSSSSS!!!!
 
I would argue that the 'revolution' started 8 years ago when digital filmmaking suddenly became incredibly affordable with the RED One and the 5DmkII.

It's not easier than ever to make content and put that content somewhere where it will be seen. But that creates a problem with being 'revolutionary'. How does a diamond get noticed under a sea of dirt?

The 'democratisation' of the industry has introduced a lot more shi*t as well as a lot more good stuff.

I don't think the applicable knowledge you need has changed at all, the only thing that's changed is the means with which to capture it. If you want to get noticed, you still need to know how to direct, how to get good performances out of the actors, where and why to put the camera and/or how to work with a DP to get the best story motivated image. How, where and why to put lights. etc. etc. etc.

THere's more opportunities and avenues than ever before. But that doesn't mean there's more revolutionary ideas than ever before.

Look at a movie like Monsters. <$20k investment, and shot using an EX3! We're not even talking DSLR, Blackmagic - a freakin EX3!

The guy who did that went on to direct Godzilla, and is currently directing Star Wars: Rogue One.

Isn't that incredible?

It shows it can be done. You just need the right story and the ability to tell it in a compelling way.
 
jax_rox said:
Look at a movie like Monsters. <$20k investment, and shot using an EX3! We're not even talking DSLR, Blackmagic - a freakin EX3!

The guy who did that went on to direct Godzilla, and is currently directing Star Wars: Rogue One.

Isn't that incredible?

It shows it can be done. You just need the right story and the ability to tell it in a compelling way.
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YES!!! Lena Dunham made Tiny Furniture for $20K, shot it on a DSLR, and now she has a show on HBO.

But that's not even what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the people whose names you and I will likely never even know. But their contributions will be made to this industry and art.

The simple fact that there are more people taking part in this craft means that there will be more ingenuity. Films like Green Room and Sing Street, both of which turn conventions on their heads, are going to become more commonplace.
 
Cracker Funk said:
The simple fact that there are more people taking part in this craft means that there will be more ingenuity. Films like Green Room and Sing Street, both of which turn conventions on their heads, are going to become more commonplace.
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But here's an interesting question: There are more and more ingenious and great films being made. That's true, and that's freakin awesome.

But at the same time, there are more and more and more terrible films, and crap content being made. And I would say that as much as there are more and more great films being made - the terrible content vastly outweighs the good.

Look at the movie you've mentioned: Green Room. $5million budget, starring Imogen Poots and Anton Yelchin. Looks cool. 7.7/10 on IMDb.

Took $88,000 on opening wekeend.

Similar budget to The Purge (in fact The Purge's budget was smaller?), significantly higher rated on IMDB, and both films are classified R. The Purge took $34million on opening weekend.

Sure, there are other factors at work. But my point is - how do you make your content stand out? How do you make your film stand out?

Before, films and content was like a small trawler net full of a lot of rock, with a few gems and a couple diamonds.
Now, you've got a huge trawler net full of rocks, gems, diamonds and everything in between. So how do you make your gem, or your diamond, or even your rock, stand out from the rest of them? Why should people invest in, or go see your Ruby when someone has an Emerald over here that's just as attractive?
 
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jax_rox said:
But here's an interesting question: There are more and more ingenious and great films being made. That's true, and that's freakin awesome.

But at the same time, there are more and more and more terrible films, and crap content being made. And I would say that as much as there are more and more great films being made - the terrible content vastly outweighs the good.

Look at the movie you've mentioned: Green Room. $5million budget, starring Imogen Poots and Anton Yelchin. Looks cool. 7.7/10 on IMDb.

Took $88,000 on opening wekeend.

Similar budget to The Purge (in fact The Purge's budget was smaller?), significantly higher rated on IMDB, and both films are classified R. The Purge took $34million on opening weekend.

Sure, there are other factors at work. But my point is - how do you make your content stand out? How do you make your film stand out?

Before, films and content was like a small trawler net full of a lot of rock, with a few gems and a couple diamonds.
Now, you've got a huge trawler net full of rocks, gems, diamonds and everything in between. So how do you make your gem, or your diamond, or even your rock, stand out from the rest of them? Why should people invest in, or go see your Ruby when someone has an Emerald over here that's just as attractive?
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The issue of making your content stand out is more pertinent now than ever before. We've got more competition than ever, and traditional advertising won't cut it. But that's not my point in this thread.

I simply want to take a moment to look at the current state of the industry with awe and wonder. We are blessed to be movie-buffs and filmmakers at this time in history. If even tangentially, each one of us here is a contributor to a cultural movement. What will your contribution to that movement be?
 
Making a movie has never been easier.
Making a good movie remains just as hard.
Getting noticed may never have been harder.

BTW, this is a good thread with an excellent title.
 
_Rok_ said:
Making a movie has never been easier.
Making a good movie remains just as hard.
Getting noticed may never have been harder.

BTW, this is a good thread with an excellent title.
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+156734 :)

This sums it up and at the same time it asks for a revolution to turn the odds on getting noticed.
 
_Rok_ said:
Making a movie has never been easier.
Making a good movie remains just as hard.
Getting noticed may never have been harder.

BTW, this is a good thread with an excellent title.
Click to expand...

So very true. So how do we gain that elusive audience? My plan is to do it with a YT web-series, so that by the time the movie is made, boom, built-in audience. Also writing movie reviews. I'm spending as much time on the covert advertising as I am on making the movie.

What are some other ideas for gaining an audience? How do us little folk compete?

Aspiring Mogul, Lena Dunham made Tiny Furniture for $20K. The Duplass Bros. shot Tiny Furniture with a freaking camcorder, with no lighting. What's stopping you from joining their ranks? :)
 
Cracker Funk said:
So very true. So how do we gain that elusive audience? My plan is to do it with a YT web-series, so that by the time the movie is made, boom, built-in audience. Also writing movie reviews. I'm spending as much time on the covert advertising as I am on making the movie.

What are some other ideas for gaining an audience? How do us little folk compete?
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Cracker Funk,

I was thinking of using Youtube to gain an audience, and that remains a good idea. Another idea, at least for fanboys and fangirls, is to attend the conventions and various events and market the film(s).


Cracker Funk said:
Aspiring Mogul, Lena Dunham made Tiny Furniture for $20K. The Duplass Bros. shot Tiny Furniture with a freaking camcorder, with no lighting. What's stopping you from joining their ranks? :)
Click to expand...

I've been working overtime, putting my money aside, so that, when the time comes, I will be ready to go. My path is a very narrow path, with very little leeway, and it's also a steep climb, filled with obstacles.
 
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