Experience
by Michael B. Druxman on 12/19/10
December 20, 2010
I thought I'd rant a bit today.
The subject: Experience...or the lack of it.
Ever since Hi-Def video cameras have become available to the public at an affordable price, everybody around the country and his brother seems to be making a movie.
Very occasionally, one of these pictures turns out to be a PARANORMAL ACTIVITY or some other gem, but most of the stuff that is made by your local filmmakers and actors is virtually unwatchable and will wind up sitting on somebody's closet shelf. I'm talking here about pictures that have anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 or more invested in them.
Since I moved to Austin over 18 months ago, I've had the opportunity to view a few of these misguided efforts...and they all seem to have one thing in common.
They were made by amateurs who had no experienced hands to guide them.
When Roger Corman hired me direct, he knew that this would be my first feature film, so he surrounded me with a group of very experienced people: line producer, cinematographer, sound recorder, art director, editor and so forth.
Yes, I was the director and the final artistic decisions would be mine, but these people were there to watch my back and make sure that I didn't make any mistakes. I was smart enough to listen to them.
There is definitely raw talent evident in the locally-produced movies that I've seen. The cinematographers may know how to frame a shot, but when it comes to lighting and making sure that the different shots can cut together, they appear to be totally inadequate.
The actors may be great on stage, but they are certainly inexperienced when it comes to film, a completely different medium. They seem to be playing scenes alone, rather than with the other actors.
And the directors, without an experienced crew to help them, are totally lost.
Everybody wants to make movies, but movies are a business.
If you can't sell the movies that you make, then you're going to go out of business fast.
So, if you're an aspiring filmmaker, surround yourself with experienced professionals who have made films that have been sold.
Oh, yes...and listen to them.
Remember, when first time director Orson Welles made CITIZEN KANE, he surrounded himself with the finest talent he could find.
You have a creative day.
Michael
