Inspiration.

Brian Standing · January 6th, 2008, 12:16 PM

Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger than Paradise" was the first movie I saw that made me think "Maybe I could do that."

A few years later, I saw Errol Morris' "Vernon, Florida," and Les Blank's "Gap-Toothed Women" in the span of a couple of weeks. That's what sent me over the edge. I collaborated on my first documentary feature in 1986 and never looked back.

John Dennis Robertson · February 23rd, 2008, 04:25 PM

Biggest inspiration would be Bruce Brown.The godfather of surfing and motorcycle films.Steve Mc queen told him never to work with a major studio, and he never did...Still got nominated for an oscar for his movie On any Sunday...a true legend

Stuart Graham · September 8th, 2008, 04:06 PM

I'm not sure exactly what fires my movie making boiler. But I guess I always had an artistic side waiting to come out. I never thought it possible to make your own movies until DV came along. It all seemed a bit out of reach before digital.

I do dislike a lot of the films on at the cinema these days, too much CGI and unrealistic action for my taste. And not enough focus on character development and plot. I saw the new Indiana Jones (The Kingdom of the Crystal Wotsit) movie this year and felt almost suicidal by the end of it, I had a similar feeling when I saw Transformers and the recent King Kong film. My favourite director is Alfred Hitchcock and when I watch his masterful movies I really can't understand why people watch the big Hollywood films at the cinema, when to me they seem vastly inferior on so many levels.

I guess I hope to redress the balance and revive the old Hitchcockian days of traditional filmmaking!

I seem to have the bug for filmmaking now and I can't remember the precise moment it bit me.

But I intend to make a good go of it and make the movies I want to see!

Nick Orsini · January 26th, 2009, 09:20 PM

I got the knack for filmmaking from my uncle. It kind of runs in the family. I don't know if I would have been aggressive or ambitious enough to attack the film industry if my uncle didn't lead by example. He is the Director of the Monaco Film Festival and has produced various television shows and indie films throuhgout the years but has never lost his passion for the art of filmmaking. He has always been there in support of my pursuit to succeed and I don't think I could have done it without him.

As far as movies go, I actually was inspired by X-men. Sounds silly but I have been a long time lover of comic books and action figures and new I wanted to transfer that passion over to filmmaking. Now I simply wish to create great films with a fantastic story.

Bradyn Villebrun · January 28th, 2009, 04:37 PM

VBS.tv for the idea of citizen journalism. Les Stroud for combing my love of the outdoors with DV.

Josh Cupp · February 7th, 2009, 06:40 PM

This will sound sappy but my inspiration is my wife. If it wasnt for her, I'd probably be living in some ditch somewhere. I want to make my wife and I have the best life we can. Because of her I went back to school and learned my trade and am now setting my goals high in the industry that I chose. I now shoot in many different areas. From sporting events, concerts, music videos, weddings, and corporate videos.

I owe my career and the way I live to my wife.

Brent Tam · June 10th, 2009, 05:39 PM

I really like this thread, it's great hearing how everyone is motivated and to see the background behind the passion!

Movies have been a huge influence in my life. Some of my most memorable summers are ones that I spent movie hopping and watching movies all day long. I never really considered filmmaking seriously because it seemed like such an impossible undertaking. All the equipment, people, time and management involved. Scary!

I basically did everything I could (not consciously) that would eventually build the skills to create enough courage to start. I was always artistic as a kid, so I did a lot of pencil drawings and continued that through High School. In College, I satisfied my thirst for technical knowledge and finished with a degree in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering. Towards the end of my College career, I did an advance computer graphics course and produced a short animation. In my professional career, I've been doing a lot of project (and people) management and it's given me great insight into team building and being detail oriented to keep project milestones on track.

Just recently, I reached the tipping point when I helped a friend out on his feature film. When I went on set and saw a movie being made in front of my eyes, it hit me: "People can really make movies!" Since then, I've been on a quest to learn as much as I can and explore the field to find my true interest.

Matt Austin · September 18th, 2009, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan Mitchell

If there's anything that inspired you to try to get into the bussiness, or take up film/video as a hobby, please tell us here.

-Thanks

Without a doubt, the HBO Miniseries, Band of Brothers.

I first saw the series on DVD in November 2008. Immediately I went out and bought the Blu-Ray edition; friends and family got B.O.B. DVD sets that year for Christmas.

I've seen the series now five times in the 10 months since; I was incredibly moved by the interviews with the men of E. company, especially the Documentary at the end, "Band of Brothers: We Stand Alone Together". So many shots and clips from that film as well as the supplementary documentary simply leave me in tears; every time I watch it I see something new. I'm awestruck with the level of gentle care, detail, respect, and admiration Hanks and Spielberg gave every frame of the project from start to finish. I have never seen anything like it. (as an aside, I'm already reading, "With the Old Breed" and "Helmet for my Pillow" to ready myself for 'The Pacific' which debuts on HBO this coming March)

It was partly from seeing that film that I decided to finally interview my 83 year old grandfather who served in the Navy during and after WWII. This interview project was what facilitated the purchase of my Canon HG10 as well as a wired lav mic and two soft lights. Hopefully i can do his story justice. I never felt an urgent need to do this project until I started reading online about what's left of the men of E. Company. They interviewed 25 or so veterans for the Band of Brothers project between 1999-2000, and today there are only a handful of the men left, many dying mere months after they were interviewed for the HBO miniseries.

Yi Fong Yu · September 23rd, 2009, 08:16 AM

that's noble pursuit matt =)

Ben Tolosa · October 2nd, 2009, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan Mitchell

I was just wondering what movie, actor, director, or anything else, inspired everyone here at dvinfo, to the point at which they wanted to make movies in some form or another.

Quentin Tarantino is my favorite director now. I saw his first movie, only two years ago, when I was 16. The biggest inpiration, for me, was when I first saw Reservoir Dogs. The first time I watched this, not only did it jump into my top ten list, but it changed the way I looked at movies.

Reservoir Dogs interested me in making movies. It was not just the movie, but the story behind it with the director that intrigued me. It was the idea of the little movie succeeding that inspired me.

Reservoir Dogs really brought me into the idea of making movies. I have always loved movies, but now I love the idea of making them, and I enjoy watching them in a new way.

If there's anything that inspired you to try to get into the bussiness, or take up film/video as a hobby, please tell us here.

-Thanks

Hi everyone,

Living in VT and being an Actor inspired me to become an filmmaker to create my own opportunities. Also, my Dad always told me (and keeps telling me more now he knows my intention): 'You've always been very good with you video camera when you where young'. I am 30 know, and I started recording when I was about 9 or 10.
We will see, time will tell; but I want to start shooting scenes and eventually short movies.

On the best of the best, here are my inspirations:

Actors:

Marlon Brando
Al Pacino
Robert De Niro
Johnny Depp
Anthony Hopkins
George Clooney
Jeremy Irons
Colin Farrel
Edward Norton
Alec Baldwin

Directors:

Michael Mann
Robert Rodriguez
Cohen Brothers
Tim Burton
I love all of their very different styles...

That is my inspiration ^_^

Nice to meet you all!!

Ben Tolosa

January 6th, 2008, 12:16 PM	#76
Brian Standing Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 586	Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger than Paradise" was the first movie I saw that made me think "Maybe I could do that." A few years later, I saw Errol Morris' "Vernon, Florida," and Les Blank's "Gap-Toothed Women" in the span of a couple of weeks. That's what sent me over the edge. I collaborated on my first documentary feature in 1986 and never looked back. __________________ http://www.prolefeedstudios.com/blog/ Documentary for the masses!

September 8th, 2008, 04:06 PM	#78
Stuart Graham Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: York United Kingdom Posts: 230	Uncertain Inspiration I'm not sure exactly what fires my movie making boiler. But I guess I always had an artistic side waiting to come out. I never thought it possible to make your own movies until DV came along. It all seemed a bit out of reach before digital. I do dislike a lot of the films on at the cinema these days, too much CGI and unrealistic action for my taste. And not enough focus on character development and plot. I saw the new Indiana Jones (The Kingdom of the Crystal Wotsit) movie this year and felt almost suicidal by the end of it, I had a similar feeling when I saw Transformers and the recent King Kong film. My favourite director is Alfred Hitchcock and when I watch his masterful movies I really can't understand why people watch the big Hollywood films at the cinema, when to me they seem vastly inferior on so many levels. I guess I hope to redress the balance and revive the old Hitchcockian days of traditional filmmaking! I seem to have the bug for filmmaking now and I can't remember the precise moment it bit me. But I intend to make a good go of it and make the movies I want to see!

September 23rd, 2009, 08:16 AM	#84
Yi Fong Yu Trustee Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,557	that's noble pursuit matt =) __________________ bow wow wow

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February 23rd, 2008, 04:25 PM	#77
John Dennis Robertson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johanesburg South Africa Posts: 216	Biggest inspiration would be Bruce Brown.The godfather of surfing and motorcycle films.Steve Mc queen told him never to work with a major studio, and he never did...Still got nominated for an oscar for his movie On any Sunday...a true legend

January 26th, 2009, 09:20 PM	#79
Nick Orsini New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 6	I got the knack for filmmaking from my uncle. It kind of runs in the family. I don't know if I would have been aggressive or ambitious enough to attack the film industry if my uncle didn't lead by example. He is the Director of the Monaco Film Festival and has produced various television shows and indie films throuhgout the years but has never lost his passion for the art of filmmaking. He has always been there in support of my pursuit to succeed and I don't think I could have done it without him. As far as movies go, I actually was inspired by X-men. Sounds silly but I have been a long time lover of comic books and action figures and new I wanted to transfer that passion over to filmmaking. Now I simply wish to create great films with a fantastic story.

January 28th, 2009, 04:37 PM	#80
Bradyn Villebrun Tourist Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 2	VBS.tv for the idea of citizen journalism. Les Stroud for combing my love of the outdoors with DV.

February 7th, 2009, 06:40 PM	#81
Josh Cupp New Boot Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: winter park, fl Posts: 11	This will sound sappy but my inspiration is my wife. If it wasnt for her, I'd probably be living in some ditch somewhere. I want to make my wife and I have the best life we can. Because of her I went back to school and learned my trade and am now setting my goals high in the industry that I chose. I now shoot in many different areas. From sporting events, concerts, music videos, weddings, and corporate videos. I owe my career and the way I live to my wife.

June 10th, 2009, 05:39 PM	#82
Brent Tam New Boot Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 8	I really like this thread, it's great hearing how everyone is motivated and to see the background behind the passion! Movies have been a huge influence in my life. Some of my most memorable summers are ones that I spent movie hopping and watching movies all day long. I never really considered filmmaking seriously because it seemed like such an impossible undertaking. All the equipment, people, time and management involved. Scary! I basically did everything I could (not consciously) that would eventually build the skills to create enough courage to start. I was always artistic as a kid, so I did a lot of pencil drawings and continued that through High School. In College, I satisfied my thirst for technical knowledge and finished with a degree in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering. Towards the end of my College career, I did an advance computer graphics course and produced a short animation. In my professional career, I've been doing a lot of project (and people) management and it's given me great insight into team building and being detail oriented to keep project milestones on track. Just recently, I reached the tipping point when I helped a friend out on his feature film. When I went on set and saw a movie being made in front of my eyes, it hit me: "People can really make movies!" Since then, I've been on a quest to learn as much as I can and explore the field to find my true interest.