Let's work together

Pryce · Jul 20, 2007

In another thread, I've been discussing the possibility of a collaboration between any interested members of the forum.

What I'm really interested in is coming up with an idea, or ideas, for short movies that are realistically make-able at the film student level. That is to say that I'd be willing to make the short video, if the story's suitable. I'm not too lazy to come up with my own ideas, it's just that the first things that pop into my head concern hijacked planes, and car chases and other expensive sequences.

I know that if I had read this thread, my first questions would be "Who is this guy? How serious is he about this?" so please ask any question you have.

pansy · Jul 20, 2007

Typical stories

I have worked with many, many young and newbie filmmakers all over the world. The hardest thing for them to overcome, is a willingness to work on material outside their realm of experience. It seems 98% want to film something that is, will be, or has blown up.

Recognizing a good story that will not only be doable on a student budget (more affectionately known as zero), but also have great cinematic qualities, challenging roles, and engaging concepts is key to being a successful filmmaker. These are the films more likely to win awards in one or several catagories in the festivals circuit. While peer and industry recognition is not 100% essential to success, it sure as $%&ç helps. Make films, stack up the credits. It's your resumé.

Look for a story outside your realm of thinking, or experience. Look for the story that will most challenge you as a filmmaker, not a pyrotecnics dude.

That said, visit my site at www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com. There are a few scripts available under 'short scripts', or we can start from scratch.

p

mommyjo2 · Jul 20, 2007

I would be interested. Lately the things that have been popping into my head are more character studies and vignettes, not full movies! Also, I'm on the east coast and can use experience with collaboration, etc.

Rainy Night · Jul 20, 2007

I have short scripts on my website, www.rainynightproductions.com

Since my friend who has all the camera and editing equipment is in Seattle and I'm currently in Phoenix, soon-to-be LA - Rainy Night Productions really isn't producing anything right now but scripts.

Let me know if you like any of them.

krano · Jul 20, 2007

i just finished a 7 page script two hours ago. it's a creative project for a job application. after i tweak it, i'll post it in the SYW forum.

Pryce · Jul 21, 2007

Thanks for the feedback! I've read most of Pansy's (I'd be much mroe comfortable calling you Alex) short scripts. I'll read Rainy's soon (computer issues). The scripts are good in themselves, but I feel we should try to come up with something new for two reasons:
1. I can't do justice to most of the scripts for lack of resources. I have no actresses available to me, for example.
2. I was hoping to achieve a collaboration where we could write something new, designed from the start for "a student budget (more affectionately known as zero)."

What I do have at my disposal are two guys and a tiny blue car, assuming my friend is willing to lend it for production purposes. However, don't let this limit you; in my last short, three guys created five characters, six if you include the dog.

pansy · Jul 21, 2007

Let's do it

You can email me at [email protected]

I'm serious if you're serious. There are a number of stories that can be written for two guys and a little blue car. It already screams comedy.

What matters most is that it looks and feels like a film when finished, not a couple of buddies with a camera.

P

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com

icerose · Jul 21, 2007

What I'm curious is, can the two guys act? I mean really convince an audience. In a movie a great script is only part of the battle.

If you're serious and you have guys who can pull off a convincing performance then I'll participate.

Guess it would help if I left an e-mail. icerose_of_smiles AT hotmail.com

Here is an example short of how I write. I wrote it this morning, it hasn't undergone any rewrites or adjustments yet. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1491079#post1491079

NikeeGoddess · Jul 21, 2007

filmmaking and scriptwriting are completely different types of art. maybe scriptwriting is not your strong stuff and filmmaking is the way to go.
but, have you guys been watching on the lot? http://www.thelot.com/ check out their submissions.
the critics are pretty tough but they are spot on with most of their comments.

icerose · Jul 21, 2007

I wish I could. No cable. I will check out the website though. And for unproven. It isn't good until proven otherwise, we're horrible until proven otherwise. Where as those already in have already passed that stage and they are on the good until proven otherwise side.

Pryce · Jul 21, 2007

I don't want to make any promises about acting or anything else. If this were a military endeavour, we could dub it Operation: Wing It.

Since everyone is leaving e-mails, I'll go ahead and drop mine too: [email protected].

icerose · Jul 21, 2007

See this is where the compatabillity thing comes in. I'm not fond of winging anything. I've been with a script writer who liked to just wing it and not bother with finding out the proper way to write it out.

Acting - just winging it and not actually working at it comes off cheap, cheesy, and unconvincing.

As another poster said bad films are worse than bad scripts as they stick in your mind longer.

pansy · Jul 21, 2007

Bad films and bad scripts

Usually if not 99+% of the time, the audience will never see the script, nor really want to. They came to be entertained, not educated.

If and only if it stands above the other seventy-thousand written in any given year, a passing reference in the Awards is about all they will ever hear of it, as they impatiently wait for the anouncement of the top catagories.

With a little panache, a good filmmaker can save a bad script, but a good script will likely go unoticed if it somehow manifests into a crappy film. IMHO, you need both a solid, well written script, and a filmmaker who knows how to take advantage of it.

Same goes with having good performers matured well beyond winging it. (not be confused with improv)

Once all the pieces and parts are in place, then you got the makings of a movie, not a weekend warrior hodgepodge of mirth.

What makes the difference is your level of commitment.

P

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com

Pryce · Jul 21, 2007

I understand that the quality level of a student video is not for everyone, so I'm being as clear possible in advance. I don't want to disappoint anyone.

As to limitations, I feel that I wrote around them successfully in my last short. A lot depends on your expectations. Objectively, my last short is probably what I've seen described as a "backyard camcorder epic," but subjectively, it met my expectations because I knew that it was the best I could get with the resources and time available to me.

javili · Jul 21, 2007

So true, pansy. Another thing I have seen in student filmakers is that they want to jump in and trash a script because it makes them feel Speilbergian. They get a professional writer offering them a script for free and they immedately get all "okay, but let's make it pink to match my sofa."

Pryce · Jul 21, 2007

Actually, my sofa is blue. Just wanted to make that clear beforehand.

pansy · Jul 21, 2007

Ready when you are

Now that we've arranged our furniture, and established this will be a backyard camcorder epic, let us know if you want to proceed, and with whom.

The link is to a student film. One character. Zero dialogue. Simple. Clean. And won some recognition.

It doesn't need to be complicated.

http://www.katie-flynn.com/stillfortress.htm

P

Pryce · Jul 21, 2007

Alex, you seem the most interested, why don't we get started and anyone else can pitch in along the way?

About the video link: a good reference for the kind of acting I had in mind. OK, no dialogue was an extreme, but the acting was more action-oriented, the actor being filmed basically in wide shots. I think my friends and I are up to that. I don't like those existential kind of endings, though.

pansy · Jul 22, 2007

Now you're pissing me off !!

Pryce said:
OK, no dialogue was an extreme

There's an old adage in screenwriting; If your story cannot stand on its own without dialogue, you need to rewrite it until it can. Then and only then do you have a potentially decent screenplay.

Film is a very visual art, and therefore you must write visually first. Dialogue is only there to support the story, not to drive it. When used, it needs to be clever and 'doble entender', not conversation as we understand it.

See the two attached 'dialogue free' shorts.

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2876700/channel/shorts

In this first one, we the audience are meant to 'feel' the old woman's fear of the big, noisy world. No words needed.

Then, this, my all time fave, and a winner of a gazillion awards, and not a word is spoken.

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2801548/collection/242/channel/shorts

P

Pryce · Jul 23, 2007

All is quiet on the Western front...

WarrenP · Jul 23, 2007

pansy said:
...

Then, this, my all time fave, and a winner of a gazillion awards, and not a word is spoken.

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2801548/collection/242/channel/shorts

...

I absolutely love that piece, I've shown that to lots and lots of folks. I'd be very proud to produce something like that.

Pryce · Jul 25, 2007

A lot of money was spent on that short. It looks like it was shot on film, with proper lighting, etc. I can't pretend that mine is going to look anything like that. As I've said, the idea behind this thread is to experiment, even if the end result is not outstanding.

Let's work together

Pryce

pansy

mommyjo2

Bad grammar make me [sic]

Rainy Night

INFJ

krano

Pryce

pansy

icerose

Lost in School Work

NikeeGoddess

icerose

Lost in School Work

Pryce

icerose

Lost in School Work

pansy

Pryce

javili

Pryce

pansy

Pryce

pansy

Pryce

WarrenP

Pryce