Worst feeling?

[colcam]

How about going to a festival, winding up seated next to a clueless "filmmaker" who cannot understand why "the studios keep young talent out" after his so called feature has unspooled? And after the presentation trying to ask him a question, only to be brushed off as too old, along with several others who wanted to talk to him?

That hurts. It really, really hurts.

He only wanted to talk to young, studio guys who were willing to give him money with no strings attached so he could express his "vision."

So four of us who were looking for young talent went to the next screening.
.

[Brian Mix]

Colcam,

Your approaching the wrong filmmaker. 20 something’s that are young, dumb, and full of cum, don't know how to make a movie under constraints, and guess what, all features with outside funding have constraints.

You should approach filmmakers that know how to make their day on a set and why that tow-shot for a single line in a car has to go.

Brian
Not -20 something :D
www.5SOB.com

[colcam]

At every festival there are anywhere from a half dozen to two dozen "old guys" (often in their twenties, but sometimes much older) looking for the new, on the edge of making it type talent. If what is on screen doesn't interest us, we never say a word, but even if the festival entry looks good we are getting the "I am entitled" and "old people are out of touch" lines from almost all of the "filmmakers." (Okay, so most of them are video, they call themselves filmmakers.) Sometimes we actually are interested in the editor, or the sound will be perfect while the rest is best forgotten quickly, or even one of the actors will catch our attention. Some directors are of interest, because it appears they did well with limited resources and talent.

We don't even need to like the submission, just see something of interest in it. I'm not a fan of some of the "new wave of talent" that includes QT, and I understand a bit of bluster, but I don't understand why anyone starts his reply to a question with "You're to f***ing old to understand," and ends it with ". . . so don't waste my time." Almost always these guys cite "Pulp Fiction" as the greatest movie ever made. Watch it three times in one day and you usually wonder why you liked it at first.

Expecting someone to cut a budget and keep running on schedule is one thing, and those are things you can learn. We cannot expect new talent to know everything. But simply rude and ignorant brush offs-- that is something else. In six or eight festivals and twenty five, thirty attempts I've gotten maybe three or four polite replies.

Why?

And why do so many people believe the director is GOD incarnate, and that everyone and everything must bend to the will of the director? Walk out twenty feet in front of a speeding train and tell it to stop because you are a director and see how far that goes. Has the kid with a camcorder fallen prey to his own ego? In one case I asked a "director" (who could not have directed his way out of a paper bag with the aid of a lighted exit sign) about contacting the writer. I was informed that it was the director's movie, and that the writer didn't matter, and if I wanted to talk to anyone I talked to him, or f*** off.

Movies are chains. If any link fails, the whole thing fails-- it isn't just a star and a director.

.

[FilmDallas]

Originally posted by colcam
But simply rude and ignorant brush offs-- that is something else. In six or eight festivals and twenty five, thirty attempts I've gotten maybe three or four polite replies.

Why?

I don't get that at all. It doesn't take anything to be polite, and even if I think you're an idiot, I'm still going to be nice to you. To me, it all comes down to liking my work so much that it becomes infectious. When I make a short or a feature or whatever, I'm so proud of it, I gush to anyone who's willing to spend two seconds talking to me. I would imagine that most people who ask me a question about something I've done wish they'd never have asked because I'll keep going well beyond answering the question.

But hey, I guess I'm an old guy, since I am 32 years-old and all. So, I guess I don't understand, either. I just know that if I had talked to anyone like that when I was in my early 20s, my father would've tracked me down and beat the hell out of me.

I don't understand why anyone would think an older person wouldn't understand anyway. It's the younger people who haven't lived long enough to gain understanding. Those who have put on some years probably lived through something very similar to what the youngins today are going through. If anything, people with some age behind them probably understand better than anyone would imagine.

But maybe that's just me.

[mynameisnobody]

I find the best filmmakers are those who love film (such as myself) and are willing to spend their time with others. There are some in Hollywood who think that if you're older than 35...you're out of touch. This belief is incredibly fallacious. A great movie transcends all boundaries...and that includes age. A great producer and/or filmmaker is one who is able to connect with their inner child...and don't get me wrong...great producers and filmmakers should know their market (because this is a business)...but, they shouldn't rely solely upon fads, gimmicks, etc. when making films. A great producer and/or filmmaker has the innate talent of being able to focus upon the most imporant aspects within a script...aspects that most can identify with...such as, loneliness...love...rejection...or, overcoming difficult odds. Finally, those that truly make a difference...are those who have the special gift of being able to connect to a large audience (emotionally, etc.)...on many levels...by telling a well-crafted...compelling...commercially viable story. If the filmmaker you're referring to had to explain his movie...he failed. Btw, I'm in my mid-twenties.

[sherlockjr]

I am 55 years old and have been seeking, finding and helping young filmmakers since I was one. I am surprised to hear so many are being dissed by young makers. When I'm at a festival I just approach those whose work intrigues me and start a discussion. Nobody has ever be discourteous..to the contrary they are enthusiastic and usually ask to exchange cards.

I may know more than they do about certain aspects of this business but they just finsihed a movie that I thought was good and without that what I have to offer is worthless. Mutual respect is the way I look at things.