Eric SamulskiMaking Films
October 11th 2006 03:39
Duke & Leon's Film School
People stop me in the street and frequently ask me one question;
“Leon, how can we make films that really make a difference?”
The answer is simple – don’t go to film-school. I’m not against film-school, someone has to make TV commercials, it’s just that film-making is not about tofu sizzling catering trucks, sissy nappy-wearing tantrums and snorting crappy cocaine in toilets – it’s about entertainment.
“Leon, people don’t want to see sexy glamorous starlets in our movies, they want to see believable women – let’s go to a caravan park.”
And he’s 100% right – it’s all about knowing your target market. But you’ll never learn that from a lecturer who’s only ever made one Government-funded short film on mangoes that no-one has ever seen – there’s no pulse, he’s DOA. Studying is all about becoming a dentist not a film-maker.
So how do you start making films? Chances are someone in your family has a job and works hard enough to afford a video camera. Borrow it. Everyone raves about 8, 16, 35. Yesterday’s heroes. Cry-babies hold on to shooting on film like hillbillies think country music has a point. Re-think. Go to your local video store and walk up and down the isles. The movies you like to watch are the ones you should be making. Then head for a cemetery. I’m not sure why, but if you can’t shoot a good scene in a cemetery, maybe you should think about becoming a dentist.
You might just make a difference.
Until next time and happy film-making.
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Comment by Anonymous
But what also helps is making sure you do work, not just talking 'bout working.
Its like doing a shit. If you just talk about doing a shit, then you got nothing to flush at the end.
~kennedy