Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh okay. And yes the person who told me that said that if it's a b movie, it's more likely to get funding. But I'm just not sure how to make it into a b movie.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Ah, but can one even make a b movie with intent? Are we sure those directors weren't doing their absolute best to make artistic gold, and ended up with a B movie instead? Despite what Tommy Wiseau says, The Room was not The Room on purpose.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh okay. Well when it comes to a movie in the genre I was advised to for and a movie like I Spit on Your Grave for example, was that intended to be a movie? The script does follow a repetitive formula and is more predictable, at least to me... So did they know that, or were they trying to make something really good, script wise? But also, if b movies are not meant to be made with intent, do investors still know they are b movies when they read the script, if they would rather fund b movies?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

They know it's a B movie when reading the script, just as some of the modern A movies are basically B movies.

Some B movies are better than some A movies, you just don't start writing a bad script for the genre.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh okay well they tell me the script will sell better if it was a b movie script more so, so they are implying it is not b movie-ish enough then, rather than already being a b movie script?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Are you sure you know what a B movie is? I suspect you have misunderstood the history. Low budget doesn't always mean bad, and some B movies are excellent - BAD movies die a painful death. Of course some are just not very good, but very famous actors were in B movies and it never did their careers and harm.

If you have a bad movie, it won't become good by getting a B movie tag. Really, I think B movies were like B sides on a record. They were the movie choice that came before the A movie - the one people really paid to see, that's all.

If you have crap actors then the movie is just a bad movie. If you know they're bad, it's pointless trying to justify the bad acting by calling it a B movie, because the B movie base is budget. Sure, it can mean poorer sets and costumes too, but primarily there is a B movie feel. The rush to get movie product into hire shops produced all those Hills Have Eyes type movies and of course Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Absolutely B movies, but studios here were churning out loads of budget horror movies too - the Hammer House of Horrors series. These were still decent movies. Peter Cushing and Vincent Price and Christopher Lee cleaned up. If your movie is going badly in the planning, it's bad to try to deliberately turn it into a B movie, but being very honest EVERYTHING about it I think you've now had issues with. A really dodgy script - simply because like me, wanting to write a script does not make it a good one. You have actor issues, camera issues, sound issues, set issues, location issues, music issues, content issues and of course the script you are struggling to make realistic.

We've never established what you're actually a natural at Ryan - you try so hard, but keep making the same mistakes. I wish we could sort it for you.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh okay, I am not sure then...

Well I did suggest before that someone else could go through the script and punch up the dialogue since I was told that was a major problem, but I was advised not to do that because it would cost too much. I was also advised before that I could bring in actors from other cities to have more options of a pool to choose from as well, but was told that would cost too much.

So I am not sure what to do then, if I am to keep the costs down.

And yeah, I know what a b movie is, something like the ones you mentioned, or I Spit On your Grave, or Invasion of the Bee Girls comes to mind as well. Something like that?

But I was just told by a couple of other filmmakers, that I wrote a script that is in the "rape and revenge film" genre as they put it, but I go against expectations of that genre, and I should just meet the expectations, rather than try to do something other than, if they have a point.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

It depends on how define a B movie, that's an extremely broad church, it covers more than slasher and exploitation movies.

"I Spit on Your Grave" is a horror film, with a long gang rape. I thought you wee making a thriller, You really need to know the story you're trying to tell and which genre it belongs in.

Is there a reason why you want to write this particular script? It just seems to be because someone told you that it would be easy to sell.

That sounds like the beginning of something has little to recommend it as a starting point, At least the writer of "I Spit on Your Grave" claims that it's inspired by an encounter he had with a woman who had been raped by two men. At least that has a starting point in the real world, rather than watching films.

There are a range of films that have rape and revenge, so what makes yours different?

Whatever film you make at this budget will be a B movie, unless you're planning to make an art house movie.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Yeah the script I wrote was a thriller, and no one told me to write it. I thought it was a good idea and came up with it on my own, and thought it was the best script I have for the lowest amount of cost.

But I was advised to make it more like a rape and revenge film like I Spit on your Grave or something like that and up the violence and gore, and graphicness of the whole thing. I was also told the plot may be too ambitious. But I did find I Spit on your Grave to perhaps not be an A movie, because the plot recycles itself, so I thought maybe it was a b movie because of that, at least in my perception.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

"I Spit on your Grave" would always be a B movie because of its budget it's nothing to do with the plot repeating etc.

There are A list movies, which are based on B movies.The difference being that they've got an A list budget, with A list stars, while the original had a B movie budget.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh okay well yes, in terms of budget, than my script would be a B movie too, but I was just told that people expect a rape and revenge film from my premise, and that means more violence, and more graphic content, and perhaps a different type of plot.

Too answer your other questions, about how mine is different from I Spit on your Grave; I think perhaps one reader at least, did not like how the revenge was not successful, and leads to other tragic consequences. Perhaps they wanted a successful revenge, and felt mine was different that way, but did not like that. But that is one guess for part of the story, as to why he may not have liked it, and may have wanted a successful revenge without consequences. Another thing that may make mine different is perhaps in other ones in the genre, the victim knows who the rapists are right away, where as in mine, the victim has to figure it out and pull on a thread to reveal one plot point, then another so to speak to find who they are first.

Another thing is, in I Spit on your Grave, the revenge of the rapists was done differently, where as in mine, the protagonist takes more of an approach where they play one against the other, so to speak. And the plan goes terribly wrong, and new approaches have to made. So I guess the structure and execution are different that way.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Instead of guessing what readers didn't like or why they didn't like a certain thing, why not EXPLICITLY ask them? Literally write down their responses. Take detailed notes. Poll as many people as you can. No one here has read more than a snippet of your script, whereas these friends etc. have apparently read however much you've written.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

I asked them but it's hard for them to put their finger, and when they say things like maybe it's that they do not like how the revenge was not successful... they didn't seem sure, but was contimplating if that were it or not, as well as comtemplating other things that could be the problem.

So I ask them but feel that the feedback does not come off as 100 percent certain, but more trying to figure it out.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Ok. Well at least you tried.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Feedback is never 100% certain, it's a subjective process.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Should I still take the feedback then, even if they are trying to put their finger on it but do not seem certain?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Feedback needs to be good quality, and evidentiary. People's opinions are subjective and always coloured. Making decisions on faulty input is pointless.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

You need to know what's useful and how to use it. Which parts you can use and which you can reject. You can't blindly follow feedback, because they can be wrong. There are examples where the feedback from experienced people was totally wrong - Star Wars is one example.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

I thought the last time he brought up this script that the final recommendation was to either buy a good script or pay a professional to review his. Not that I would ever expect him to follow good advice. What could go wrong trying to write a script despite not being qualified then have your friends give you free advice on how to improve it?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Well the other people who read it over are also writers, and filmmakers I know or have worked with before. But I can hire a different professional if that is better. I suggested on here, hiring one to rework the dialog and perhaps other parts, but it was said on here, that that would cost too much of the budget though.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Some of the feedback I didn't follow because I thought it lead to contradictory plot points. But sometimes I feel stubborn, like maybe I should have followed it, and was perhaps being too stubborn.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

You can't create anything unless you personally know roughly in the direction you're going. You seem to be very tied into plot points, what if they don't work or confusing and you're blind to that?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh well, I've taken the advice given me to me on the plot points too and applied it the best I could. So if I have done that, is there is left is to hope for the best that they work on a bigger majority later, or should I do more than take the advice on them?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

The best way with feedback is to take it, but male it your own.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

But when I do that and then make it my own, they then read it over, and say I applied their advice incorrectly, so I wonder if that is a bad sign then...

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

You should be getting feedback from non technical people. You want to know how they feel but you shouldn't be asking them how to fix your script THAT'S YOUR JOB!

When comedian is trying out new material they will go around to small clubs and test how the audience reacts. If the joke bombs they don't explain the joke or ask them how to fix it.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh well it's just it's hard to know how to fix it if I don't ask though. They tell me what they think might be wrong, and I can take stabs at it, but all they are are stabs, where as I thought if I ask then I am more certain.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Ryan, have you ever actually determined you’re a good script writer. As I have said before, my one produced script was terrible. I realised after it was finished. My friends tried to gently let me know but I pushed on, and they just went with it. Eventually light dawned and I’ve never done another one in 17 years. I’m good at lots of things but script writing, and to be honest, directing are not my area of even competence. I can function as a director for certain things. But in artistic areas I am badly lacking.

When it comes to music, some of the popular genres for younger people I am incapable of appreciating. If a director asked for a dubstep feel, I’d be totally stuck.

If you know in your hearts something is right, go for it, but production by committee is never a good way to work. If you ask ten people’s advice it will dilute your ideas to unworkable levels. So don’t ask.

Do you think other film makers work like you do, Ryan? I can assure you that none of the ones I have worked with in over 40 years do. Two from the 90s came close, and they thankfully vanished!

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

You seem to take things literally. Just because someone makes some points, the solution may not be exactly the one they've given. However, given how the discussions in the forums go, you may not be fully understanding what they're telling you, so you're not making use of their feedback.

We don't don't know much about your script; it may just need a number of adjustments or it might be fundamentally flawed and requires a complete rethink. For this reason, we can't offer meaningful advice.

It's also possible the advice you're getting from your readers is flawed, as the writer you need to workout what's required. You have to work out where they're coming from and how they interpret things. I once had to fire a producer, with her script editor because they didn't really understand the script and their feedback was conflicting to that of the funder's script editor (who was far more experienced)..

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh well, I try to figure out the solution as best I can, if they cannot quite put their finger on it. I don't listen to all the feedback though, or some is just not do-able.

I've gotten mixed opinions on the script so far, ranging from good to bad. I will get more opinions. I was told by other filmmakers that this is normal and you have to trust that it's good, because I will not ge a majority opinion, and it's normal for opinions to vary.

I was curious, who produced your script, or what did you do to get it produced?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

That particular script is still in development. The development budget has been bigger than the budget for your feature film.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

It went into theatres here, and while I produced it, we had a decent director who did what they could with my very average script. Got some nice revues, but I tried to do too much and had to give away the real roles I wanted to do to others, but I trusted them, and everyone pulled together. My usual areas were given to decent people and I ended up being music supervisor, which means all things music, including the legal stuff came down to me as we used quite a lot of pre-existing music and clearing the rights was a nightmare.

The hardest thing for me was letting others have control, and stopping me interfering. I know the script sucked in places, but we were stuck with it.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Ryan this goes back to what Bryan asked what is the purpose of this movie and what Paul just said. Every indication this appears to be a passion project with no realistic hope of any commercial success or even reel material.
1. You have little to no budget.
2. You want to micro manage and be involved every aspect.
3. You want to do everything your way. Not following accepted movie producing methods.

While in the short term it might feel good to control everything and indulge your every whim, it's not going to lead to a good result. Movie making is a collaborative process where you need competent people all doing their job.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

I like how Paul’s definition of failure is “got into theaters and got some nice reviews.”

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Okay sure, I can not micromanage then and be collaborative. I would definitely want success for the movie and possible release, but if that's not possible then it's good to just use it on my resume to show.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Forget the movie thing - perhaps you are a little optimistic? Have you tried perhaps doing some music videos for people in your area? Get used to the process. You might not see the link, but lets say somebody plays the guitar and sings, and perhaps noodles on the keys too. This will give you things to record and enhance, and be good test fodder. All the movie needs are there. Your actor, but s/he sings not speaks. You need to work on audio, set, lights, directing and best of all, it's not so huge. This will test your editing, and also how the audio has to fit. This is pretty much how I can make money. Big budget stuff has vanished with covid.

In the past you've mentioned editing audio. Do you have DAW software? If your singer doesn't play keys, can you? make a basic sing and strum into something nicer.

Music videos are all about manipulation and keeping the person playing happy. All the stuff in this video was not what it seems. Nothing you hear will be recorded live. Lip sync and finger sync (not sure if that is even a term) but whatever lights you have available, maybe a hazer and for set - upturned flight cases and black drapes are what I've made do with in the past. Process wise - take a recording of the guitar - edit and tweak then s/he sings to the guitar track, then you repeat it multiple times, take the best bits, then s/he mimes in the studio for the video. It's a good test of how you can integrate everything and put it back together. Unless you can manage this kind of thing properly and comfortably, I don't see how you can jump to the project you're currently struggling with - it's just too complex for where you currently are working.

I get the impression you need to do some client work, with timescales and problems to solve.

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

I think you may be forgetting the three or four other threads he's started involving various client projects and their attendant problems (martial arts video, religious guy in the woods, documentary about Vietnamese guy, etc.).

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Yeah I'm still working on the Vietnamese one right now, and I'm helping some others out with their movies. I want to take in all the screenwriting advice but I find there to be contradictions in some of the advice, and wonder if I could ask about one in particular. It was said on here before that I introduce too many plot points too soon, instead of spreading them out more. But it was also said that my first act seems too long and that I am leaving the audience hanging.

But what I don't understand is, if their are a lot of plot points to keep the audience busy, then how is that leaving them hanging exactly?

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

You should read a few more books on script writing, there's a wide range of them. Because, at the moment, you seem to have little understanding of the process and what engages an audience. .

Re: How do you get this type of blue sunlight cinematography?
 

Oh okay sure. So far I have read John Truby's The Anatomy of Story. I can read more.