July 28, 2008
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Let’s Make a Professional Movie!
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!