Hollywood Movies – in touch, out of touch, or just waaaay out there?

I think one thing that has hit me a lot lately is how so many movies come out with budgets of millions upon millions of dollars- movies after movie after movie- and even after just seeing the preview, much less the entire movie, I find myself thinking “You know, they could grab someone off the street at random, sit them down to watch the preview, and have them tell them how much the movie looks like it will suck… yet somehow, it has managed to make it to the screen and taken millions of dollars with it? HOW?!”

Even the ‘big ones’ still have ended up being pretty pathetically average- only a few tread new territory and try new things, or go into popular genres that just have less general acceptability (like Fantasy! Try more FANTASY folks- Lord of the Rings made it for a reason. But now you have all these Harry Potter clones and such that just mimic one original success…). And when they go into those genres- they have such a generic, BLAND feel that you have to cry out: “WHY? Can’t you put just a few REAL fantasy literature fans on your team? If you had, this movie wouldn’t suck so bad… and if you did, and it still sucks like this, obviously they did not have enough input!”

What do you think? Have you felt that way about movies in general? The market reflects it- theatre movie sales are going down, and down… prices for tickets go up and up… and DVD rentals go up with them. Only the really big ones really get much of an audience now. Even then- I find myself, three out of four times, not finding myself nearly as satisfied as I used to be by the movies I do see.

Hope for Movie Future- WE create the movies!

Yes, you heard me right! The internet trend of involving people in the input process- blogs of average people being a source for news, people buying games that allow you to build your own creations with them- even projects where a community of gamers help give input in deciding the type and production of the game… well, it has finally made music to some investors ears. Why do I say this? Because investors have FULLY funded a new, never-done-before project… where a group of everday movie lovers like myself will be a part of a community that helps to produce a movie. From start to finish. EVERY aspect.

Producer!

Every major decision will get input. Starting with choosing the script (that means both deciding what the movie will be about, the genre, etc… and what script will be used). Yep! We’ll get to go through and choose a script and I imagine it will be a kind of ‘majority rules’ factor. Then casting- we’ll get to look at audition footage and participate in the decision of who will be cast for which part based on the auditions. We’ll get access to ‘dailies’ (movie term for “raw footage”- the footage that comes out each day from the previous days film footage and sound that usually only the director and a few associates have access to at the time), and important key choices the director has to make in the process of filming. We’ll also have opportunities to be extras in the film, and even knowledge of auditions for parts as major roles if we are able/willing to try out (it is a professional Hollywood film… so, it isn’t like they won’t expect you to be REALLY good… you just get ‘the chance’). As the process continues, we’ll be able to take part in the editing process and make decisions throughout it. The same with the sound effects AND the musical soundtrack; in choosing a title, and in marketing as well!

Of course, the impression I get is it is set up so that you can decide what parts you can/want to help with- all of them if you desire, or just the ones you want. I have seen those behind-the-scenes extras on DVDs of movies I like (especially Lord of the Rings) SO often… and just plain yearned to be able to be a part of it. So this is so exciting!

A little money in it too…

Yes, you heard me right. I just found out about, lucky me, and am part of said group. I can’t disclose the details yet because- well, quite honestly, the larger the group is the less input I’ll have (yes, I know, I’m selfish ) so I am only sharing the details with close friends/family until after July 31st when stage 1 acceptance ends… then maybe I’ll share the scoop in more detail.

Do not fret- there is another lump (totaling to 55% of the profits!) that will go to those involved in the creation process in this way, and that includes a lump for those active ‘stage 2’ people (folks who join after the end of July). That would be you, if you were so inclined. Stay tuned and I will put up a link for the location as soon as August starts.

I’m not really in it for the profits as I may have stated- though it definitely won’t hurt us. In the situation we are in now- we’re pretty desperate, so something that is both a hobby AND helps us a little with our horrible financial situation would be great. I suppose it is a case of duty towards my family here: if I’m going to invest my time in something fun, that I will adore, I owe it to them to provide for them out of it. Otherwise I simply could not justify investing much time in something like this however much I desperately wanted to. This way I can do it AND support my family at the same time. Even if 10,000 people join up AND remain active from the stage 1 investor group and… if the movie makes, say, $100,000,000 (one hundred million) in gross sales through theatres, DVDs, etc… then that would mean I would make $3,000. NOT including extra for each specific project I am in (stage 1 can also qualify for stage 2 profits, etc). So it is a case of “If you guys really can make this movie better than it would be without your help, you’ll reap the rewards. And the more ways you help, the more you get.”

So… let’s make some movie magic!

So last night apparently I dreamed that I was going through my freezer and found a HUGE package of frozen hotdogs I had completely forgotten were there- but they had been opened, and after all the time in the freezer, they had gotten freezer burn and I had to throw them ALL out. I was so upset at the waste.

Two days ago I went to a family friend’s pool to swim- they live six minutes away from us, WC Hoeke’s family- he is the son of my mother’s neighbour and dear friend, Anna. She and her husband survived the holocaust (sp?) believe it or not, and they’re- obviously- from Germany, although they are Christians… not Jewish. Yep, the Christians were persecuted some at that time as well. They are very caring, and yet also very careful to appreciate and conserve resources- Anna hates it when she sees parents give their child a whole apple, the child eats around the outside and then throughs the core out along with all the rest they did not eat. It is her opinion on this that has caused me to often cut the ‘sides’ off the apple, close to the core, so that my son eats it all. Of course, not much issue there- when I give him the whole apple, he will often eat it ALL… core INCLUDED (no, despite the urban legend, there is NOT enough toxin in the apple seeds to hurt anyone).

So I swam there, and Anna happened to be there helping with house chores- and she let me have leftover hot dogs from lunch, as well as fresh squeezed lemonade and some home grown, vine ripened tomatoes that were delicious. I was thinking “Well, hotdogs are simple and not super healthy, but they don’t taste bad when you’re hungry- no wonder so many parents always stuff their kids with them. Cheap and easy. I don’t really have any at my house, though.” I guess that, and the combination of me trying hard to use the resources we have and not waste anything in this time of financial stress might have contributed to the dream.

Well I am sure you have all heard of things like animal poo being used to fertilise gardens. I found out something interesting this last weekend, however, while reading wikipedia. Under “urine”, you can find out in its history that it has been used as a fertiliser as well! I always thought that urine would be too acidic or useless- seeing as it is sterile and tends to contain waste minerals and such. But not true!

Due to urine’s high nitrogen content (nitrogen being a primary component of fertilisers), ‘pee’ has been used for centuries as a fertiliser. It is apparently just a less ‘socially acceptable’ one. Farmers would store it up and use it. Pee, as you all know, does not really smell that bad initially (especially when compared with its ‘sibling’). The reason it begins to smell rather raunchy is because the urea breaks down and the smell forms. Its the truth- anything that is good for fertilising tends to also smell at some point.

So, all you wives out there with lazy husbands who want cheap fertiliser for your garden- sit an empty wide-mouth gatoraid gallon jug next to your favourite couch potatoe and tell him “Hey, I have a great way for you to pee sitting down and save us some money on the miracle grow I usually buy…” Sorry girls… this handy method of fertilisation would be a bit more complicated for you unless you feel like going outside to use the restroom… Of course, you could also use this as a convenient excuse to send the men of the household outside to the garden to water the plants for you and avoid the unsightly splash marks that form on the bathroom wall/toilet from the drying process. Haha!

Just another way to help with crazy money-saving tips in a time where groceries are expensive and commercial growing products- often not worth the price in comparison to less commonly known, less pricey alternatives- are just way too expensive. Remember, however, when your neighbours and friends ask what the secret is to your super-large tomatoes and healthy herbs… just tell them that the trick is “love”.

-Patrick