I bought an XL1s so I could be hollywood film maker
 

They did it with Blair Witch project.

Cost of original film $50k. Three kids out in the woods, renting hotel rooms, buying booze, a dv camera, somedescent sound equipment and etc.

Then they sold it at a film festival for $1,000k (1 million$)

But thats just the start, then the buyer took it to a firm in Tulsa, OK for promotion. They charged about $1.6 million to come up with tee shirts, posters and advertisement that included sending young people all over the country to shoping malls etc.. to spread the rumor about the blair witch. Oh yeh, they also put up a nice website where the 15 year olds could go and try to solve the mystery.

After that the movie grossed around $200,000k (200 million$)

I'm finding it hard to get anyone interested though. People are so busy these days. I hope I'll be able to get his thing done.

I'm not rich either, if I come up with $50k out of my own pocket I'll be doing good.

Will america stomach more "B" rated horror flicks? We'll see.

Any one else around here experiensing this also?

I'm tossing around ideas and trying to find like minded people on what to make to take a shot at being the next "Blair Witch". $50k isn't the problem. The problem is shooting something that won't make people go "Oh, that's just another Blair Witch project..."

Ideas?
 

Oh yah... Ideas! Heres one-

The year, 2102. The cam pans in on an old lady describing what went wrong in the year 2002. She explains that a guy sweating in a suana in a fitness gym came up with the idea to sell his sweat as Brittney Spears own human sweat to thousands of adoring fans on eBay. A couple of years later Hillary Clinton is elected and the first thing she does as President is sign a bill allowing doctors to clone humans. Shortly thereafter peolpe with the frozen sweat they bought on eBay are taking it in to be cloned because they want to raise their own Brittney. But to there disbelief the children are born and in a few years they start to realize that these kids look just like Brad Pitt. Shortly thereafter Brad is arrested and confesses to coming up with the idea and using his power to get through legal glitches. Then in about 2050 when locked up in jail he summons his seed through now widely practiced mental telepathy which was proven only to work on direct descendants. They come and take over the prison and escape Brad to a foreign country. Meanwhile on the other side of the world Bin Laden who now has the second largest army of telepathic direct descendants with only Brad having more and human cloning since being condemmed and outlawed. Through the use of wireless headmounted cameras Brad and Bin can see the postition of all their descenants and fight---

Well, I've never tried to write a script but if I can't get some help soon I may just have to:-)

Oh yah, the old lady? Yep, an age enhanced 120 year old Brittney.
Brittney Spears theme music, Brad Pitt and ?

IF IF IF IF, you could get Britt and Brad to agree to this project the money would be there, no problem.

Big IFS!

I'm going to be very harsh here.... I don't think that is a great
movie idea (at least not for me personally). When hearing this
I do not want to run out and see it. This could be me ofcourse.

Why are you all wanting to do this? For the money? Hollywood
fame? These are usually not the right driving forces to get where
you want to go. If you love making movies; that is much better
way. Why do you want to be a hollywood film maker (see title
of this thread)? I personally just want to make movies. If that
one day gets me to hollywood, so be it. If not, no problem. As
long as I can make the movies I want to, and ofcourse, it would
be nice if that allowed me to make some money.

Your sci-fi idea is also hard to make as a indepedent movie
(notice that I do not use the term film here) maker. You have
people sweating in a sauna (how are you going to film in this
moist and hot environment?) ... you want to clone humans.
I'm hearing Britney Spears (yikes -> you saw her movie she
already did?) and Brad Pitt... You want 2050 Jail (which needs
to be build)... Then we even have Bin Laden and his huge armies
and what not.

Personally I would begin a lot and a lot smaller. You say you've
never tried to write a script (perhaps you should start here with
small scripts like a couple of pages -> short movies). I also doubt
you've ever made a (short) movie (not trying to be mean here or
anything). If not, try to make a short one first. I recently shot
my first little short (shot around 60 minutes of footage which will
end up with a movie of around 5 - 10 minutes if all goes well)
and I learned so very much.... I also made a couple of huge
mistakes. But that does not matter. My next one will be way
better, because I learned. Also, I'm glad I got to do this on
a relative small (and thus almost not expensive) project first.

Think hard about what you are doing and what you are going
to do. My last little piece of advice is to just do it. I plan to shoot
at least once every two weeks (I have a fulltime day job that is
something completely different) to learn my camera, try out
different things etc. and to keep me going. Every once in a while
I'm trying to shoot an actual idea or short movie and then I
plan weekends or take one/two week vacations from work and
try to get as much people on board with me.

I tried to be as sincere as possible when writing this. I hope I
have not offended you with my honest opinion. I wish you all
the best. Good luck.

You're right on, Rob. Here, where I live, writers, producers, and actors (and all of them GOOOOOD) are a dime a dozen. The market is flooded with product and there are few buyers. Unfortunately, experiences like BWP are rare. The scenario is one where you try to find backing for a project that has no market. Good luck.

This is so not the point of this thread, but in case anyone finds it useful...Rob asks how to shoot in a sauna. Easy enough, just wet down the actors with a spray bottle of water and use warm gels on the lights--the actors will have to take care of the rest of the illusion! If the preferred location is a steam room, same deal with the actors but add a fog machine (the Rosco unit available at any stage rental place will do fine) and smoke the room--have the unit just out of frame sending mists of fog every now and then. I've shot both and they sell just fine.

Bob, I love your idea! It made me laiugh out loud reading it. I for one, would go and see it TWICE! :)
However, if you had the money to get Brittney and Brad, you would be talking to producers right now, not us.

I would take Rob's advice very seriously. He makes a good point.
Make movies because you love movies. The good thing about people in the film industry being dime-a-dozen, is that many of them will help you out for free.

Rob also brings up another interesting point that I've debated before. Are you a film maker only if you actually shoot in film? What about if you shoot in film and transfer to DV?

I think it's useful to look at the filmmaking communities in other parts of the world.

It really seems to me that MOVIEmaking in other parts of the world where they haven't had the same amount of resources as Hollywood has relied more on ingenuity and a certain non-regulated environment to get the job done. I see this a lot in movies from Hong Kong and Japan, both of which have had extremely vibrant phases in its industry. Not only is there incredible output, there is also lots of chance taking. Crew sizes are extremely small there as are perks and salaries.

For example, MUSA, which is an epic historical adventure (saw it, loved it), looks like it could have been an $80 million picture by Hollywood standards. However, its budget was actually something like $6 million; a Korean-Chinese co-production. A very glossy movie with locations and extras and costumes and props. Very much like Gladiator. My guess, probably very much not MADE like Gladiator. Not just different economics, but probably different philosophies. I somehow doubt that any of the cast or crew in MUSA got the Russell Crowe treatment.

Better examples are the wave of Japanese shock-horror films that are popular on DVD here. Filmmakers like Takeshi Kitano (Beat Takeshi), Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Takashi Miike are insanely prolific. Miike makes something like 8 films a year. None of these films are glossy, but they have a craziness that is a mark of genius. Again, my guess is that they shoot quickly, eschewing complicated track or crane shots for handheld or tripod, and their cast is willing to play along with the improvisation and herky jerky atmosphere. One thing also: these are pulp films who have more akin to Troma, exploitation genres than they have to the thoughtful indie stuff that we think of coming from Sundance. To me, this is widening your audience. None of these films will win an Academy Awards, but they clean up in rentals.

This is probably the closest I will come to voicing a manifesto; just voicing a desire for bringing some of that craziness, that take no prisoners, no BS, no fat approach to MOVIEmaking.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa has a minimalistic approach that i love. Still incorporating some big special effects [as in KAIRO] but putting him in one sentence with Takashi Miike is doing him wrong -- not that Miike is bad, it's just a whole different league.

Build a story carefully and slowly, let the characters breathe and don't use too much editing. Also bring some real emotion to your script.

And i thought the [brad pitt/britney spears] idea was pure sarcasm. But you're for real, Bob?!

Classic line, I can see it playing out on the Simpsons ...

Homer: I bought an XL1s so I could be hollywood film maker!

Nelson: Ha haaaa!!!

Homer: Dohh!


No offense meant, that's just the first image that came into my mind

<<<-- Originally posted by mikeysbistro : Classic line, I can see it playing out on the Simpsons ...

Homer: I bought an XL1s so I could be hollywood film maker!

Nelson: Ha haaaa!!!

Homer: Dohh!


No offense meant, that's just the first image that came into my mind -->>>

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!!!

HAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA!!!!!

Oh, I know this is technically a free post, but that had me laughing out loud!

One more line.

Homer: "Stupid, lousy XL1." throws XL1 in garbage, sits on couch, opens beer.

"Anna Is Being Stalked" shot with the XL1 and 3X lens
 

Take a look at "Anna Is Being Stalked" by Scott Pendergrast and Gabriel Rhodes of Stalker Films [ http://www.stalkerfilms.net/site.html ]. This DV short received a large amount of praise (Iheard that Robin Williams was enamored by it) at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. It has a wonderful look. It was shot with the older XL1 and the 3X Wide Angle Lens. It is currently playing this month on The Sundance Channel during some of the "Intermission" segments.

- don

Sundance Channel?
 

Don, This is new to me. Are you talking about on cable TV, the web or what?

I am referring to the cable channel called "The Sundance Channel" - check with your local cable company about availability. It's not available everywhere, but if it is, I highly recommend it! It's all I ever watch, that is, when I actually watch television hehe

- don

<<<-- Originally posted by Don Berube : I am referring to the cable channel called "The Sundance Channel" - check with your local cable company about availability. It's not available everywhere, but if it is, I highly recommend it! It's all I ever watch, that is, when I actually watch television hehe

- don -->>>

I have both Sundance and IFC (Independant Film Channel) and they're both wonderful. IFC has a show called Dinner for Five. It's hosted by Jon Faverau. He and five different actors sit down and talk about film their experiences. It's really a great show. Any indy filmmaker/moviemaker should have these channels. Sundance is showing a movie called "WayDownTown" (it's in rotation now) you should check that out, it's somewhat like fight club but without the fighting. It's funny and pretty telling about office life, but they use some very nice techniques. You can somewhat tell it's not as polished as a Hollywood Production but it's damn good.

-Vinson

If anyone wants to watch "Anna Is Being...", it's playing on atomfilms:

http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/anna_stalked

I thought it had a few bits where it twinkled, but overall, I have to say that I'm a little surprised that this would be accepted into the Sundance shorts program. (Not that it's a bad film... I just didn't think it was "brilliant.") I guess I just have an unrealistic idea of how high their bar is. I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to short films... well, all films, really. I hope that I can catch it during one of the intermissions on Sundance so I can see it in NTSC.

I promise not to continue the negativity past this point, but I have to add my two cents on Dinner for Five... I personally think it's an affected, arrogant schmoozefest. OK, sorry, just had to get that out!

Keith & Emiel: Any good resources where I can rent R1 versions of the films you're discussing? I have been reading about this movement in Japan but have yet to explore it further. Thanks!

R1 versions are extremely difficult to find but you may want to check out the following vendors whom I have ordered from and received DVD satisfactorily:

www.pokerindustries.com (Poker Industries)
www.lfvw.com/mags-glit_image.htm (Luminous Film Wurks)

However, read the descriptions carefully for the regions.

I really think it is worth money to get a DVD region free player. That is, if you want to see films from around the world and like to order from overseas.

Also, check out your local film festival. Next week I will be seeing around eight films next week at the Vancouver International Film Festival including Takashi Miike and Takeshi Kitano movies.

Why make movies to make money? Well...
 

<<<-- Originally posted by Rob Lohman : I'm going to be very harsh here.... I don't think that is a great
movie idea (at least not for me personally). When hearing this
I do not want to run out and see it. This could be me ofcourse.

Why are you all wanting to do this? For the money? Hollywood
fame? These are usually not the right driving forces to get where
you want to go. If you love making movies; that is much better
way. Why do you want to be a hollywood film maker (see title
of this thread)? I personally just want to make movies. If that
one day gets me to hollywood, so be it. If not, no problem. As
long as I can make the movies I want to, and ofcourse, it would
be nice if that allowed me to make some money.
-->>>

This has to be the craziest question ever asked. I don't mean any offense but you know what, between this and other forums, I'm finding this very odd, Someone says "I want to make a movie." and someone else says "why?" And gives all this philosophical reasons why it shouldn't be done. The logical answer is "I want to do it." How can you question someone's artistic endeavor.

Bob, your idea was great. The whole Britney Spear/Brad Pitt thing sounds hilarious. There's money to be made here. Your concepts says alot about our culture and sounds more entertaining than a lot of the crap coming coming out of Hollywood. People like to laugh and it seem like the makings of an intellegent sci-fi comedy. I'd copyright it ASAP. What's with all these pissed off video people or pissed off wannabe film people asking "why?" Most movies in Hollywood are made to make money, it's a business, so if someone else whose not a Hollywood bigshot makes a movie to make money why does this shock anyone? Who says it's not right to do something to make money. We all do. I work. If I don't work I don't make money. I'd rather make movies to make money, but I don't. I work a tedious job at a law firm to make money only to spend it on something I really like.

For years I wrote, drew and published comic books for the "love of it". You know what, the money never came. And as I got older I realised I wanted a wife and family and figured out that starving artist bull is for those who like to starving. The key is if you're a big Hollywood producer and you like producing for Hollywood, do it, if you're a little guy with with an XL-1 and you think you got what it takes to make it in Hollywood or even as an indie, do it. Trust me, I'm not even thirty yet but I can tell you, there's nothing worse than looking back and saying "what if?" That's why Rob, and to other nay sayers on this and other forums. Exhaust all your efforts, then give up. But I can say "I was in the comic book industry or I did make a movie." That's worth something. You make one movie, you make be able to get money to make another. I hope to make my digifilm and Bob I hope you get to make yours (maybe you can get a big studio interested in this). And let no one stomp on your will to make movies if that's what you want to do, be it for making money or making art. It's your camera, your money and your life.

-Vinson

Re: Why make movies to make money? Well...
 

> This has to be the craziest question ever asked. I don't mean
> any offense but you know what, between this and other
> forums, I'm finding this very odd, Someone says "I want to
> make a movie." and someone else says "why?" And gives all
Well... I was just trying to show that it isn't that easy to make
movies (I know). The whole post just sounded like someone
wanted to make a movie just because and to break into
Hollywood (which is very very hard). I was just trying to show
a realistic side that it usually doesn't work out that way. So
perhaps he should not be aiming so high right away (and that
also goes for sets and things he will need to make his idea).
But if he thinks this is possible and such then I can only support
him wish him luck and ofcourse he should do it. It is great that
someone wants to make a movie. I was just doubting his
motives... That is all. Oh and one other thing: as I clearly indicated
the dislike for the idea was purely my taste and only my own.

> this philosophical reasons why it shouldn't be done. The logical
> answer is "I want to do it." How can you question someone's
> artistic endeavor.
I wasn't (at least that was not my intention). I just didn't want
to send someone in blindly. If he wants to make a movie I say
go out there and do it! But be realistic about it.

> Hollywood. People like to laugh and it seem like the makings of
> an intellegent sci-fi comedy. I'd copyright it ASAP. What's with
Can you indicate why you think this is an intellegent idea?

> all these pissed off video people or pissed off wannabe film
> people asking "why?" Most movies in Hollywood are made to
I don't think anyone was being "pissed off" here. If you read
closely around this board you see that everyone here tries to
help eachother very much, and friendly! That does not mean
we cannot tell you or anyone else what we feel.

> make money, it's a business, so if someone else whose not a
> Hollywood bigshot makes a movie to make money why does
> this shock anyone? Who says it's not right to do something to
> make money. We all do. I work. If I don't work I don't make
I wasn't saying that it is bad to make money, anything but. Nor
did anyone else. The very harsh reality however is that VERY FEW
people (in comparison to the numbers that try) actually do make
(much) money in that business... That is all. Ofcourse we all
need to pay our bills. But how many independent movie makers
do you know that breakthrough on their first movie?

> Trust me, I'm not even thirty yet but I can tell you, there's
> nothing worse than looking back and saying "what if?" That's
> why Rob, and to other nay sayers on this and other forums.
> Exhaust all your efforts, then give up. But I can say "I was in
> the comic book industry or I did make a movie." That's worth
I must say that I find it strange that you'll mark me as a nay
sayer while you've only posted here yourself a couple of times.
I've done nearly 1000 posts and am an active moderator here.
I think most people will agree that I tend to help out were I
can. I've only seen an angry talk from you here. And again I'm
not saying that he shouldn't (or anyone else for that matter)
make movies. Please let a lot of people make movies. I'm again
just saying that you should do it realistically and not get your
hopes up to high. And I've already accomplished a lot of things
in life on my own power to be more than proud, so don't go
saying things about me that you cannot know.

> to make another. I hope to make my digifilm and Bob I hope
> you get to make yours (maybe you can get a big studio
> interested in this). And let no one stomp on your will to make
> movies if that's what you want to do, be it for making money or
> making art. It's your camera, your money and your life.
The last couple of things are the best things you've said yet. Go
out and make movies. And ofcourse it is your own camera and
money. All I'm saying is spend it wise, not stupid. But if you want
to even then it is your own money.

Good luck to both of you with your endeavours.

Thanks for the info, Keith!

Regarding the debate about the whys and hows of filmmaking, I agree completely with Rob Lohman: it's your money, effort, and time that you're spending -- do yourself a favor by spending time to learn the craft and the aesthetics, taking a realistic approach, and doing it for the right reasons. He was not being a naysayer.

I think we're all here to be virtual colleagues, of a sort. And let me just toss all political correctness aside and tell you, as your friend who seriously wants to help, the Britney/Brad/Bin Laden idea is HORRIBLE, in my opinion, for a feature film. I'm sorry, there's just no other way to say it! It could maybe work as a Saturday Night Live skit or something similar, but let's keep it real, ok? It's just simply not even approachable even as Hollywood fare goes. Again, maybe as a sort of goofy, short film, a parody, even animated, it could work. And I think the original poster knows this. (Maybe not.) That's why I posted before that I believed it was a joke fired of the cuff. It really sounded like one.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but if the original poster (and anyone else) truly believes that this idea is a sure-fire winner that would get greenlit if only you could get in the door to pitch it, then I am doing you a favor by bursting your bubble. If you ever do get in the door, you'd better have something tremendously better than that. I'm not saying to give up! Lord knows I've had plenty if really lame ideas for movies (still do, actually) but I've luckily had people I know (and some I didn't) tell me so, and this has caused me to work harder towards coming up with something better.

P.S. If anyone ever does come up with something truly good, I wouldn't post in on the forum. 'twould get stolen immediately.

The best way to protect your movie idea is to hurry up and make it. I've often thought about this even for big studios who want to grab a neat concept before anyone else. Why not assign a handful of people and shoot a quickie DV 'sketch' of the entire movie and then screen it to enough 'witnesses'. Not only will this put the ideas down as done, it will also let the studio decide whether the 'real' movie is worth doing.

For the record, per the director, DV was not used in BWP. film and hi8 was used. no dv at all. nope nada. He's heading up the film program a University of Central Florida now. He keeps telling everyone he didn't use DV, but people continure to say he did. Oh well.

BTW, it's widely believed that BWP was a rip off of another film actually shot on DV called 'The Last Broadcast'. Made for $900.00 (thats nine hundred), shot on a VX1000 and kept it's video look to great effect. When they submitted it to Sundance, guess who was on the acceptance commitie? The producer of BWP. BWP was in post at the time. The Last Broadcast was shot a full year before BWP, and had a web site too.
Go figure.

I've seen 'The Last Broadcast' for sale at BestBuy in the horror DVD section. Excellent example of ultra low budget filmmaking and getting the best use out of the 'Video look'. Didn't need the so called film look at all. creepy, scary.. very good horror film.

You might see it occasionally on premium cable too.

Joe

Re: Re: Why make movies to make money? Well...
 

<<<-- Originally posted by Rob Lohman : > This has to be the craziest question ever asked. I don't mean

I must say that I find it strange that you'll mark me as a nay
sayer while you've only posted here yourself a couple of times.
I've done nearly 1000 posts and am an active moderator here.
I think most people will agree that I tend to help out were I
can. I've only seen an angry talk from you here. And again I'm
not saying that he shouldn't (or anyone else for that matter)
make movies. Please let a lot of people make movies. I'm again
just saying that you should do it realistically and not get your
hopes up to high. And I've already accomplished a lot of things
in life on my own power to be more than proud, so don't go
saying things about me that you cannot know. -->>>

I apologuise for the way I must have came off back there. I just get tired of hearing people say "you can't" or "you shouldn't" or "don't". Or questioning the filmmakers intentions. I get this (not me personally but some) at the DV.com forum and from a lot of video people who wonder why do people try to do this. This whole "what do you get out of it?" attitude. It's just someone else's expression. I'm sorry I yelled at you but it just ticks me off sometimes. I mean we all know it's not going to be easy but we try because if we don't try then we never know what could've happened or what could've been. Think about the BWP kids (not that I seek to emulate them) but I've always wanted to do this I went to film school years ago and just recently shot my first short on DV. I guess I just took it personally.

As far as the idea, I think it speaks to our culture as far as the type of pedastool we put people on and who we are as a people. What guy wouldn't want a Britney for himself :) but the whole thing sounds totally silly but that's the beauty of it. Like "Dude Where's my car." It's so brain numbingly silly but you have to laugh. And that dialogue, "We're not dudes, we're hot chicks." And a lot of people liked Dude, where's my car and would probably like Bob's movie too. See just because we like something doesn't make it good. We all have our guilty pleasures. Mine's American Ninja.

-Vinson

ummm showgirls got made....

anyone can do anything they want, as long as it dosn't harm others. Nobody should question the idea behind the wanting to extend one's self.

Personally, i come from a very far place and i still am activly involved in producing and shooting short films, i spend almost all my free time on the run shooting/editing/writing and i wouldn't have it any other way.

All i hope for is to be able to support myself doing what i love, i don't care if i end up in hollywood having someone wipe my nose for me, or just stay here making little features for seminars or similar, just want to do what i want to do. And everybody has that in them to follow.

kermie

I'm sorry gentlemen, but someone mentioned this awhile ago: are you sure BobKloss (that's the original poster's name, yes?) wasn't kidding? His post reads like an angry sarcastic comment on the kind of stuff being made today.

I'm pretty sure BobKloss was kidding. That's why I thought his idea was great and said I'd go see it any day.

We will probably never know for sure since he doesn't seem to
take an interest in this thread anymore (though he is coming
to this board now and then it seems).

Okay. Because I saw an awful lot of people posting long replies and getting worked up.