That love of indie film evolved into a desire to create my own stories. I've written countless scripts, short and feature length, and I've directed a small fraction of those stories. I've worked with wonderful people and not-so-wonderful people. I've rode the roller-coaster of indie productions and lived to tell the tale. Throughout this time, I was always the one leading the charge. Out of all my friends and fellow filmmakers, I was the voice that urged us all forward. This isn't a boastful statement, merely an accurate account of my experiences in indie film.The one aspect I've always felt I missed out on was having a mentor. Someone to guide me through the pitfalls. Someone to help me find my way to the career I desired. Someone to push me. Someone to feed my passion. Someone to feed the right wolf.
I chose indie film because I've learned a few things along the way and maybe my articles and thoughts could serve as a mentorship tool for those young filmmakers looking to tell stories. Perhaps I can fill the void that was in my early life for others.The articles I've written have touched upon different aspects of indie film from story creation (Do Not Manufacture Story) to the technical with How to Paint a Green Screen. But it's not limited to just making indie movies. I like the idea of shaping the way people watch movies.
The audience approaches a new movie with a sense of "been there, done that." We're not surprised anymore by storylines, plot points or style. That doesn't mean these things don't exist on an elite level. It's important to understand why a movie doesn't work or why it does work. Sure, this is a subjective field and not everything pleases everyone, but there are multiple reasons why movies don't work. I explored this with Stop Blaming Actors which explains that bad acting doesn't necessarily mean we're watching a bad actor.
My voice is pretty strong in this field, but it still needs strengthening and focus. I've always written articles in the past about indie film, but they were for my personal blog. I've never been paid to write these articles. The second half of #506iv intrigues me. Perhaps I've experienced some of the information heading our way, but understanding it and using to my advantage is probably where I'm lacking. I've never been very good at pitch meetings. I have great difficulty with boiling down a script to three lines. The creation of a story or article is one thing. It's the mechanics of the business that I have difficulty navigating. Can't wait to start.
At this point in the semester, I’m looking for sentences. I’ve placed my roadblocks and almost everyone is either comfortable with their beat or making a thoughtful switch. Now I’m looking for authenticity.
ReplyDelete“The one aspect I've always felt I missed out on was having a mentor.
“Perhaps I can fill [that] void…in my…life for others.”
Those two sentences jumped out at me because I recognize the void, but they are also quite the mission statement. They give us a rare peak at you.
I’ve watched filmmaking instructions move from sci-fi magazine extras to the occasional television special to DVD standard issue to an online industry. I’ve always assumed it has something to do with unused energy. If you can’t make the film you want, you can at least talk about it. And we all know how hard it is to make the film you want.
Yet your thoughts on mentoring suddenly give your effort a different tone. One sentence can change how you approach every subsequent sentence. If your voice took on the avatar of a mentor, it would change everything from your subject matter to your headlines. It's a subtle difference, but important.
Your app idea has similar aspirations to Ivan’s musician app. How can we use the size of the indie film and music scenes to improve their output? It’s a good question. It also has your mentoring voice in it.
I find specific stories more engaging than general how-tos. I also liked your green-screen article because of its connection to a real project. I think your articles would benefit from more thoroughness, not just the details of your subjects, but also more of you, your past, your projects, and your present situation as a father, film distributor, filmmaker, and now mentor.
There is an art to combining all of these things, but that’s the reason we are here.
I look forward to reading your article.
Captain Fancy Pants Here,
ReplyDeleteHello Alex,
This is definitely a subject that can be embraced by a large audience. Films can take on any form and can the basis of any subject. So it is nearly impossible to please everyone when making a movie, due to the fact that there are so many different opinions out there. I like the fact that you mentioned some of the things you've obtained and some of the things you said you missed out on over the years. Having a mentor is great but learning on your own can help you discover more about yourself, and you can create and infuse your own style on things.
I remember reading your article about how green screens are made and how they work, which is something I have always wondered but never looked into. That's the great things about these blogs, the constant new information we obtain from each other.
I look forward to reading more article from you. Keep the films coming!