The bigger your project, the more you have to keep track of and I really like this software because it is SOOOO important to stay organized when you are doing a feature.
Here’s the official description: “MovieSet is a platform and tool kit that integrates with the actual production workflow process in order to enable the creation of authentic real time content. Its ultimate objective is to build core audience over each project’s life cycle from Development through Distribution. Fans can authentically track each film’s progress from green-light through to delivery.”
Great site and the software they have looks really good. I’m about to sign up for it. I’ll let you know how it is! If you have used it, please comment below and describe your experiences.
I found this site a long time ago and was somewhat impressed by the content of what they were teaching…
Apparently, the 4-day Travel Channel Academy teaches you how to shoot travel videos so that you can become a professional videographer for the travel genre of filmmaking.
I was at one time considering this indulgent program because at the time I was doing so much traveling and still photography that it seemed like the obvious next step.
But after thinking about it I recognized that 4 days was a bit short to get one’s career rolling.
Additionally, I am now in a program (at Northern Arizona University) that costs about the same (for one, 4 month semester) but is infinitely longer, more thorough and will teach me more and leave me with a much better reel.
And it’s accredited, so I’m getting a legit degree as well.
On a website/blog like this that encourages you to go out and just start shooting, would say that there are three steps to getting good at all this.
The first is to go out and do it and learn as much as you can on your own.
The second is to get a mentor and around people so that you can watch and pick up their better habits and techniques. (actually, the best thing would be to combine the first and second steps)
The third is formal education, but only if you’re still getting to work hands-on and only it is an excellent program.
Don’t do 4 day programs that promise you a career. It’s a good place to start for some people I suppose. It’s a FUN place to start for a lot of people, which I think it what initially drew me in.
I would love to get some feedback on this… Anyone take this course or one like it? Any thoughts on this subject?
I have been going through a number of director reels right now and I have a sample of three reels that I would like your feedback on…
The first belongs Jake Barsha of Right Hook Films. I have worked with Jake and I really love his reel… especially the visual quality of it… It’s sexy and has great visual quality (reminds me of a music video). The thing is that we never hear the actors interacting (except for the very end), which is a big part of directing.
The second reel belongs to my friend Jeremy Feig. His reel mostly contains clips with dialogue. I like this because you get a sense of the story and the transactions between the actors.
Third, is my reel. It’s been a “rough cut” for the last year, but now that I have a bit more access to better editing programs (and have become a better editor myself) I’m feeling compelled to redo this…
I would love feedback on how to make my director reel better… (and I’m sure my readers would like that, too!)
Do I add more music? Keep it with dialogue only? Make it more flashy? Playful?
I’ve been tempted to “front” the reel myself… shoot a “hello” intro… What do you think of that idea?
A lot of actor reels do this, and I like it because it puts a face to the material (something that most director reels don’t have).
But is that unnecessary?
Dunno.
I also didn’t add the “Grey Street” music video. I feel it is actually one of my best productions, but it is also a bit violent and I don’t want to repel anyone (Jake’s video is awesome but it’s also a bit violent for me at the end).
Additionally, do I jump genres too much? I know I go from commercial to comedy to drama. I’m really most interested in comedy, so I don’t want to give the impression that I’m aiming for horror or drama (not that I can’t do that, but I have a luke warm feeling toward drama and horror down-right repels me now. I won’t take jobs that are for horror movies.)
Soooo………..that’s why I’m asking you for feedback.
I encourage you to leave comments below. And please add links to YOUR film website, blog and especially to your own director or acting reel.
If I get one or several cool reels, I will maybe do an entire post to highlight them.
This one is just Matt Stone and Lloyd Kaufman, taped in April 2006.
I love this one because he gets more into the business of it. Still funny, too.
“Just keep going. Forget about that. Just do something and keep doing something new…”
While Trey Parker and Matt Stone (South Park Studio) were shooting Team America, they were interviewed by Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Films for his (Lloyd’s) documentary/instructional film “Make Your Own Damn Movie”.
This is Part 1 in my blog article series for two reasons…
1. It was shot several years before the other videos I will be posting later this week.
2. Their attitude is pretty bleak. They were not having fun with working with marionettes and apparently they got screwed in their contract, and their probably exhausted from the shoot… so they are a bit down in these two videos.
Still, it’s good to be aware of the down side of things. If the folks at the top are being dicked over, how can you carve out the filmmaker lifestyle that you want, and still get paid the money you deserve for all the long hours and work you put in?
Not that they don’t have lots of money. But I’m thinking, “I want creative control (Trey has final cut on all movies he makes) and I want to get paid”. HOW? HOW? HOW?
If you figure it out please let me know.
(BTW, there was a first video to this series on YouTube but nothing really happens in the first one).
In the process of creating new articles I believe would be useful to you, I have come to the conclusion that this blog has ADD!
This started as a way to empower actors by teaching them to produce. Or how to become an actor by producing.
In retrospect, what possessed me to get a domain name like yourfavoritedirector.com is beyond me. I think it was a wishful attempt to consider me as such, but the ironic thing is that I do much more than direct, so it’s a bit limiting.
It could also be about my (Leslie’s) favorite director… or directors… Like Trey Parker or Kevin Smith… which I have written about on occasion.
But I tend to write about comedy in general if I am going to write about a specific work that I like. And it’s rarely just about the direction of the film.
I added my first movie review in July… That’s a whole other direction this site could go.
And then there’s the vlogs that I create, usually about my own work. This was never meant to be a space for that, but it kind of turned into that because I started to write here more often than on my personal blog: www.leslielello.blogspot.com.
So what am I to do?
My first decision is to write more articles about movie directing, since that is the topic related to the domain name of this blog and I noticed that I only have one page up about directing, which I found pretty ironic.
So I’m going to write more about the basics of directing… basic shots, storyboards, etc…
I have always oriented this site toward the actor that wants to make the leap to production in order to empower oneself as an actorand to put creative control back in to one’s own hands.
A major premise of this site is getting the job done, which is why the emphasis has been on producing. Again quantity is better than quality.
The posts about directing will help with how your project comes out.
Another way to say this is… once you get the quantity part of the equation, you’ll want to start honing what you have created. You’ll want to greater control the outcome of what you are creating by understanding how to create an effect or have something implied to those who view your film.
Essentially, you’ll want a more effective, crafted film.
What I’m saying is producing=quantity on this site and directing=quality (along with other aspects of film that create the nuance you want to have in your scenes.)
So I ask you now, in addition to the new category I have added (movie directing), what else do you want to see here? Or are you liking the pattern of content I have been posting (despite the random, attention-deficient pattern to my post topics)?
Speaking of randomly switching topics, I’m not just going to write my posts in this post, I’m going to leave you with a couple of YouTube videos about how to make your own green screen. In the first video, the guy sounds like he’s reading of a teleprompter that isn’t scrolling well, but the content is really good. The second vid is shorter… also good information.
