sonickel wrote:Well I've just dropped out of my film course, because I couldn't come up with a decent script to shoot. I didn't want to just shoot other student's films, either, because they are all using video (and I wanted to shoot on 16mm)...
I might go back when I've got a few decent scripts....
I am sorry to be so critical, but I'm writing this more for other people to see it. I think this is a very bad way to go about the experience. A lot can be learned about film making from shooting on video. I've had friends snobbishly "not want to shoot on video" for years, but go that time without shooting anything on film either.
I'm not sure what level you're working at presently, but the biggest advantage I find in working on film at my level, over video is when you have a director who will exploit the economy of video only to end up with 7 hours of footage for a 10 minute short. While that isn't entirely unreasonable, much better if you can shoot it in less.
Of course, this doesn't apply so much if your sole focus is cinematography. But I hope more people place more consideration into video before spending large amounts of time and money on their first short.
sonickel wrote:Well I've just dropped out of my film course, because I couldn't come up with a decent script to shoot. I didn't want to just shoot other student's films, either, because they are all using video (and I wanted to shoot on 16mm)...
I might go back when I've got a few decent scripts....
I am sorry to be so critical, but I'm writing this more for other people to see it. I think this is a very bad way to go about the experience. A lot can be learned about film making from shooting on video. I've had friends snobbishly "not want to shoot on video" for years, but go that time without shooting anything on film either.
I'm not sure what level you're working at presently, but the biggest advantage I find in working on film at my level, over video is when you have a director who will exploit the economy of video only to end up with 7 hours of footage for a 10 minute short. While that isn't entirely unreasonable, much better if you can shoot it in less.
Of course, this doesn't apply so much if your sole focus is cinematography. But I hope more people place more consideration into video before spending large amounts of time and money on their first short.
Ya I agree too but let's get back to the subject, generating ideas. At my school, we all used to be required to take a course on developing concepts, this is the book we used: http://cgi.ebay.com/Developing-Story-Id ... dZViewItem
It's probably in most libraries, really it's not bad. I still love writing down all my dreams, they will come in handy at times.
Hey John (Johnnhud), do you know what you're going to do now? each one here has his favourite books. In general I think the responses are fine. Just wondering what you are going to do with it.
The problem for many would be writers is, that they read a lot and keep reading a lot but never get to write a script. In the interview book I mentioned the writers themselves have only read a few books or followed one course or so. It seems that there is a group of students who know each other from seminars throughout the U.S. and have payed thousands and thousands for all that but have never written anything. That would be my nightmare. Reading and doing seminars may be a way of postponing and never getting to anything. That's a reason why I try to avoid reading too many books, although sometimes they are hard to resist since they seem so promissing. I would advise not to read too many books. Experience is invaluable.
I must confess I made a few notes on some of the books mentioned, and plan to read some (although I try to fight it as well). I've only completed my first script (I am happy about) my self, and have been going to the same difficulties as you have, before that. I'm rehearsing with the actors now. Hope it will be great. I am already looking forward to write the next script of one of the numerous ideas I have.
paul wrote:The problem for many would be writers is, that they read a lot and keep reading a lot but never get to write a script. .... Reading and doing seminars may be a way of postponing and never getting to anything.
Guilty. Same with buying super 8 cameras. I think I'll stick with two or three: Nizo 6080, Nizo 561, and Canon 310xl. The other 15 or so can go to the Salvation Army. (everyone and his brother keeps giving me cameras..)
unit22 wrote:....A lot can be learned about film making from shooting on video. ......
Right on and and the opposite applies too.
If you take your film shooting knowledge to video and approach it in the same way you (and Im speaking to the choir now) get better video. At least, once I got it through my own thick head to do this my video work approached visual satisfaction and I didnt, like you said, have 10 or 12 hours of footage to look through for a five minute piece.
Having a solid plan (script) helps and once or twice when real inspiration or pure luck strikes I always try to take advantage of it much like this still from a scene from The Red Dragon for SEI Industries.
This whole thread has been VERY helpful. Right now I’m reading Peter Jackson’s “Authorized†biography and the story I think is very inspirational. He was making films using his own money for no other reason than he wanted to make films. It was only later that the Film Commission of NZ started helping him out. I find it hard to plow through books on writing technique and theory because they tend to be so boring. But I also feel like I need to learn more of it if I want to write some decent screenplays. I’m not looking to write the next Die Hard or anything but I would like to be able to put something together in a way that makes sense.
I downloaded a Word Template “Simply Screenplay†and started scripting a short story that I wrote about a year ago. Once I started scripting I started to feel the creative juices flowing and started generating new ideas and details to the story that I had not thought about.
