a movie with a pen,paper and Mac mini

[Harva Raj]

See what a guy without a camcoder did with his pen,paper and a computer (video)

http://aspiringfm.blogspot.com/

Just buy this guy(me) a REDONE camera and let him make history with it! (Please don't flame me)

youtube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwAQMD8vnRc

[Eugene]

Lets hope he never gets a camcorder, let alone a RED. Then again maybe I should send him my iSight and see what he does with it. Nagh.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Couldn't get myself to finish watching it... Ugh.

[Blaine Golden]

http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/ohbfrank.gif

[Harva Raj]

maybe this youtube link will do. it's faster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwAQMD8vnRc

[Justin Anderson]

I really wanted it to be good. :confused:

[Stephen Gentle]

Couldn't get myself to finish watching it... Ugh.


I really wanted it to be good. :confused:

I agree with both of you. I don't think anyone is going to donate to that...

Like someone said in the comments there - he should just go out and buy a $300 mini DV camcorder. Make something really good with that, and then maybe start the begging...

-Stephen

[Rob Lohman]

You guys do realize the poster and "he / the guy" is the same person right?

[Stephen Gentle]

You guys do realize the poster and "he / the guy" is the same person right?

Yeah, I just realised that when I read his post again...

[Harva Raj]

so tell me.what if u don't have a $300 but have a idea? could't ideas expressed by drawings? even if my drawings look like 5 year olds,ideas still ideas.ideas can change the world.there are people kill in the name of them, and die defending them... but you cannot kiss an idea, cannot touch it, or hold it... ideas do not bleed, they do not feel pain, they do not love...
there are more than just drawings in the movie.there are ideas.and ideas do not die,my friend.if u don wish u donate money u can just send me the rotting digicam(isight) u have in the garage to me.

i would be more than happy.

[J. Bernard Vallon]

but the idea isn't very good. while watching it, i didnt know if it was a joke or not. for most of it, i thought it was like a flash video by these guys, that is totally absurd and not meant to be taken seriously

http://www.starterupsteve.com/swf/Group_X_video.html

but it wasnt as funny, so i wasnt entertained. You can definately make good films/videos for little or no money, and thats were to start. Keep trying.

[Ben Feuer]

It's really too bad that you have no camera at all. But don't you have a friend, somewhere, who has one you could borrow? Something you could use?

Your film isn't bad. It tells a story, has a beginning, a middle, an end. That already puts you ahead of some of the films I made starting out.

If you truly want to be a great filmmaker, study, hunger, and humility will be your best guides. Don't stop learning, don't become overconfident, even when you start to improve.

That said, Dwyane Wade probably practiced with a basketball on a court most of the time.

[Mike]

It will be easier to just get someone to loan you a dvcam and shoot your film than getting people to donate money to you.

I shot my first film on a borrowed a 1ccd dvcam from a friend many years ago and the film manage to obtain some awards ..You don't need a Red camera to make your film. You just need a good idea and a camera that can shoot moving images.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

You guys do realize the poster and "he / the guy" is the same person right?

Yeah, and he said "please don't flame me"... He was just asking for it, and I restrained myself.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

so tell me.what if u don't have a $300 but have a idea? could't ideas expressed by drawings? even if my drawings look like 5 year olds,ideas still ideas.ideas can change the world.there are people kill in the name of them, and die defending them... but you cannot kiss an idea, cannot touch it, or hold it... ideas do not bleed, they do not feel pain, they do not love...

Go to a garage sale, swap meet, pawn shop, ebay, etc.. Ask around. Someone has to have a cheap old DV cam you can use. If you can't come up with a camera, then I don't know what to say... I don't believe it for some reason -- especially since you seem to have access to a capable computer along with a digital still camera and/or scanner. I've seen older cameras that still work like the Canon ZR-10 (about 7 years old now) for sale on ebay for as little as $20. Take a three-day hiatus from Starbucks and buy one.

[Chris Gearhart]

Essentially your movie is more of what is called a storyboard, and theoretically may attract someone's interest if they like the story you are trying to tell. You do have a creative marketting strategy that may attract attention (see Justin's post above).

However, as creative feedback to help you progress in your endeavor:

1. What you've posted is not going to be perceived as good quality IMO for the people who frequent this site. These are mostly professionals and experienced independent film artists, and what you have produced screams no experience or market savvy. Again, just my opinion.

2. People will probably not fund someone to get a camera when they have no experience (for whatever the reason). See previous posts for ideas.

3. I like your confidence and boldness, just not the delivery. To be honest, it seemed too much like one of those Nigerian email scams.

4. You might find more success if you begin on a less specialized and professional board to solicit on.

Don't let any negative criticism discourage you. But do listen to it. If you have the passion and drive, that's 50% of what you need. However, about 40% will be time--lots of time, unfortunately. Time to grow in your experience, and time to aquire resources. There are very few shortcuts in this field, as in life in general.

Best of luck to you, though! I hope someday we all see your name in the credits for some future blockbuster movie!

-Chris


EDIT: Oh, and check your spelling on the word "Maxico" --- or was that the name of a company?

[Robert Niessner]

@ sky1walker

I am quoting you from your blog:

I've never even touched a film camera before;but i know how it works.I never edited a footage in a final cut pro;but i know how to do time remapping.I have so much knowledge about filmmaking but i don't have money to buy the equiptment to make em.I went to a College open day last week to enquire about the filmmaking course they offering.My God! the guy in the booth dont know nothing about HD or Digital Cinematography even tough he has finished the First year course.

Do you really think you know a lot about filmmaking?

So why do think you can make a movie with the Red One alone? You can't even afford a cheap camcorder. How do you pay for the sound? How do you pay for the light? And the actors, props, locations, extras? Do you know how to direct? How to frame? How to light? How to keep people motivated in your team?

Do you really think the Red One will help you making a good movie? It is a tool, nothing more. The high quality of the Red will only shine if properly used. You are better off looking for some great actors and a good script, than for a great camera to start.

[Jason Francois]

Quote:
"I've never even touched a film camera before;but i know how it works.I never edited a footage in a final cut pro;but i know how to do time remapping.I have so much knowledge about filmmaking but i don't have money to buy the equiptment to make em.I went to a College open day last week to enquire about the filmmaking course they offering.My God! the guy in the booth dont know nothing about HD or Digital Cinematography even tough he has finished the First year course."

When my sister was about 7 years old she wanted to go skiing with me and my friends. She had never been skiing before, but threw a fit about "knowing how to ski" even though she had never been. Maybe because she saw somebody skiing on TV. She got really angry about it.

She's 30 yrs. old now and we still get a good laugh teasing her about that one. She no longer thinks she can ski, having never been. :)

[Harva Raj]

@ sky1walker

So why do think you can make a movie with the Red One alone? You can't even afford a cheap camcorder. How do you pay for the sound? How do you pay for the light? And the actors, props, locations, extras? Do you know how to direct? How to frame? How to light? How to keep people motivated in your team?

Do you really think the Red One will help you making a good movie? It is a tool, nothing more. The high quality of the Red will only shine if properly used. You are better off looking for some great actors and a good script, than for a great camera to start.

i didn't say that i could only make a movie with a Red One alone.i just think that i would be great if i have one.i understand that it is just a tool.

and since when independent movie makers pay for the sound,actors,props and extras? this is not how inde directors(who lack of fund) make a movie.inde director will look for aspiring(good) actors and ask them work for free and give credits in the end of the movie.(and i know alot aspiring actors who will act for credits).same goes for the (good) script,props,extras.in case u want to know i dont have to pay for the sound coz i know how to use LogicPro together with Native Instrument plug-ins, and royalty free loops like Prosessions Producer Series are always there to take advantage of if u don't hav money to employ music director.

isn't inde directors think like this?

lack of money - work for credits
save money - learn the tricks

[Justin Anderson]

....?

[Mark Thorpe]

BUT there is motivation which is a good thing. Too many people sit around doing nothing and complaining about the bum deal they've been dealt. The only way to change is to at least get off you're butt and try. If you don't make it, a strong possibility in this case, then no one can say that you never tried.

sky1walker, I suggest you look at every conceivable way to borrow a cam from a friend, you have a cell? does it have a video capability? Nokia just had a deal to find aspiring filmmakers using their cell cams. If you can't find a cam use a cell. The image may not be the best thing but at least it will allow you to get a message across, who knows who will end up watching it.

best of luck.

[Robert Niessner]

i didn't say that i could only make a movie with a Red One alone.i just think that i would be great if i have one.i understand that it is just a tool.

and since when independent movie makers pay for the sound,actors,props and extras? this is not how inde directors(who lack of fund) make a movie.inde director will look for aspiring(good) actors and ask them work for free and give credits in the end of the movie.(and i know alot aspiring actors who will act for credits).same goes for the (good) script,props,extras.in case u want to know i dont have to pay for the sound coz i know how to use LogicPro together with Native Instrument plug-ins, and royalty free loops like Prosessions Producer Series are always there to take advantage of if u don't hav money to employ music director.

isn't inde directors think like this?

lack of money - work for credits
save money - learn the tricks

You hope to shoot a movie with a Red One, but you won't spend money on the second most important thing in film - sound? I understand what you want me to tell, but I think you underestimate the importance of music and sound in a movie. I have worked on a full indie feature (110 min.) for the past 3.5 years, we had a microbudget of 35.000 EURO for the production, while almost nobody was paid for the job, but 12.000 EURO alone went into score and sound studio - and that is damn cheap for a score with choir, orchestra and 3 months work of a lot of people.
Everyone has a dayjob for living and so we shot on weekends only. For 74 days, to be exact. The transport expenses alone made 5.000 EURO. You can't expect people to pay for all the gas so you can make a movie. Because in the end only the core crew will benefit from the project. Then you need something to eat on set. Adds well, if you have 10-15 people on set every day. Then you have to rent equipment - you might get it cheap, but you won't get it for free and in the end it adds up. I paid well more than 5.000 EUROs for light alone. Sometimes you have to pay for the location, and the requisite, and ...

Indie filmmaking doesn't mean you can get everything for free. It means to cut expenses where it doesn't show in the movie too much. It means a lot of people work a lot of days for free. But it doesn't mean you haven't to have some money to spent for equipment and other things you can't get for free (and there are a lots).

And believe me, no good actor will work for you for free if you do not seem to spend some money on good equipment and if you have do not have a bit of a credit history. The reason is simple: If he works for free on movie turning out cheap and bad, he will easily fall into the cliche of a cheap actor - and this might close a lot of doors for him.

You might rent the DVD "Living in Oblivion" to have a better insight on low-budget productions.