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Way to moviemaking ?

Discussion in 'Fan Films, Fan Audio & SciFi 3D' started by No-ShadowKick, Aug 31, 2002.

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  1. No-ShadowKick

    No-ShadowKick Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2002
    So, what education do you need to get a job
    inside "proffesional" moviemaking.
    Directing ,CG and SFX ,Acting ,Filming(cameraman),editing ...
    I really like to know, because i really love to do this stuff.


    Any suggestions,hint,tips would be great.



    Maybe some day i will be in the buissnies
     
  2. Rebel Scumb

    Rebel Scumb Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 22, 1999
    Well there's no offical way/ Plenty of people who never even went to hig school find jobs in the movie industry, others go to unniversity and earn their degree on the subject. You can study theory and technique, or do more hands on stuff. At the same time there's a wealth of info out there in books on the internet, and dvd commentaries are always a great learning tool.

    The main thin is initiative, you have to get out there and do stuff, as Brian Singer (Usual suspects, X-men) once said to me, keep making your movies, your way. Even if its some no budget video camera movie that has no market value, keep working hard and keep making movies and eventually some one will take notice.

    But it also depends on what you want to do, there are a million and one different jobs within the industry.
     
  3. WhisperingDeath

    WhisperingDeath Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    Wow, you have spoken to Brian Singer? I think everyone loved his work on 'The Usual Suspects' and his commentary on that is the best commentary I have heard, Great stuff all around :) .

    On filmmaking, I can only speek from the directing angle as that is the one I hope to pursue. Directing is a 1 in a million job, over 1 thousand student directors graduate film school every year and only a few hundred films are made each year. Not to mention the fact that everyone in the movie industry wants a seat in the director's chair. This leaves a large grouping of extremely smart, extremely talented people who have spent 8 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on education to end up waiting tables. Bleak.

    The game is all about opening doors, you must do everything to open every door for yourself and then have something in your hands to show people once they let you in for a visit, not just ideas.

    As for other jobs, I open the forum to all...
     
  4. brokenglassltd

    brokenglassltd Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 6, 2002
    Well, we're going to side quite a bit with RebelScumb on this one. It's not a bad idea to go to school for directing or acting, but most of your expertice is going to field work. You'll need to bust your butt to find work and get some experience in the field. Wether you're in school or not, the want adds will be your best friend.
    Animation, visual effects and editing you NEED to go to school. I can not stress this enough. You need to be an expert in these fields. If you walk in with this paper thin resume that says, "Broken Allegiance" and your title was rotoscoper, they'll toss your resume in the trash as you sit there! The film industry in America is cut-throat. Even more so is the visual effects and animation industry. Get to know people, find out what they do, express interest in their work. That's how you'll get on top there.
    Filming...again school will help out a lot. Some of this is very technical. A director wants to be able to call for a wide angle shot with camera one will camera two trucks in for 3 seconds so he can cut to camera three which is a extreme close up of an eye. But then you need a lot of field experience. Documentaries are great experience. Some directors just hire documentary camera men because they know how to frame anything and everything.
    That's all we have. What part do you like the most?
     
  5. No-ShadowKick

    No-ShadowKick Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2002
    Thanks very much guys

    I know filmmaking is hard work ,and as i can see getting a job iside the buissniese is very difficult.
    A problem where i live is that filmaking isn't very common ,so film schools and filmjobs are very rare .But at the other hand it means it doesnt exists so many people in the idustry (hope so).
    I have been thinking of trying to get one of my movies on local tv ,think it would be a smart move?

    And brokenglassltd
    If i understood your question right
    Directing is what i want to do the most ,then comes working as a Extra (you know part-time actor whit small roles).
     
  6. WhisperingDeath

    WhisperingDeath Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    Everyone wants to direct, from the Production Assistants to the Star Actor, from the cameramen to the cinemotographers. That is why it is so hard to get in.
     
  7. Rebel Scumb

    Rebel Scumb Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 22, 1999
    Where do you live? You might have to move. Actually on second htought you WILL have to move regardless of where you live, because thats part of the job, always moving. I'm fortunate to live in toronto so (except for the next 8 months while I'm finishing school in niagara falls) which is one of the fast growing film centers int he world, it is now second only to LA, and India.

    As per Bryan Singer, I met him while he was shooting Xmen up here. I'm an extra in the movie you can see me pushing a wheel barrow in the first scene in the concentration camp. The camera then goes in for a close up on the number on my arm. A very cool experience. Aside from talking with singer, which he was nice enough to do for a good 30 min over the lunch break, the second unit director was the guy who shot the ground footage for the battle of hoth. I recognized him from an old behind the scenes featurette fromw hen i taped esb off tv in 1988, which as fate would have it, was what inspired me to become a filmmaker. So fate has a funny way of delivering.

    But singer gave a lot of good advice, its cool to work on crews for cash, but dont let it take over your life, you can end up as a key gript he rest of your life. And there's nothing wrong with that, they get paid really well and its a good job, but if directing is your goal, its better to keep making your own films, try to challenge yourself with something new each time. Always look to do soemthing htat is new, don't simply reinact things you liked in other movies (although this can be a helpful tool early on) Always push the permainters of what you're doing, but be mindful of your limitations. Remeber your mistakes and learn from them, rejopice in every little victory. This year my latest short: The Island of Annabelle won the best film and best editting awards at my school, and its now entered in a short filmfestival. Its still a small victory, but its cool none the less. My goal is to write a script this year which is filmable, shoot it next summer and enter it in the toronto filmfestival the following fall.

    Have a plan, but be flexible, but not comprimising, directing is a swarm of contrdictions. Its important to work as a team, but at the same time maintain a singular vision. In short its about making something out of nothing.

    I'll think of some more stuff and post later

    OAO
     
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