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I thought the interview, though short, raised an interesting point.
He was a Director of true Cinema, and I thought I would share this with you and perhaps encourage a few of you to check out his work, if you've not already done so and also check out his book, "Sculpting in Time". An excellent book about many aspects of filmmaking.
It certainly struck a chord with me.
One of the things I have heard repeatedly from Producers recently is that so few new Directors and Writers have anything to say at all. It's been a common refrain from them that people are only interested in trying to make movies that they think will sell.
In many ways, I myself have fallen into that trap a little and this little excerpt reminded me why I decided to make films in the first place.
Anyway, I'm not sure the mans films would be everyone's cup of tea on here, but I thought I'd throw it out there as an inspiration or as an encouragement to go that extra mile to tell new and original stories.
To be fair to him, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a single cliche in any of his films.
I think it's a very interesting point that most people use films as a way of glorifying themselves, as a vehicle to get rich or whatever.
Like I say, a recurring theme of a lot of conversations I've had with large Producers recently is that no-one has anything to say, no individuality whatsoever and it bleeds out on the page.
I just thought it might be of use to someone. I think a lot of our time on here is spent discussing how to sell and how to write certain (Ie Hollywood) ways.
Personally it has inspired me to decide to become a bit braver in my filmmaking.
I think that being brave, and taking chances, is more important than sacrificing yourself. If you can't think outside the box, then you're doomed. That's not to say you should be different for the sake of being different. You should be different because it works for you.
I'm not sure I understand this whole "sacrafice yourself for art" but I know there is a lot of mediocre young film directors who are only interested in rehashing styles and themes of dozens of mediocre hollywood movies- or the ones that sell mentallity that Rick speaks of.
But dare I say that some of the shorts I've seen are just film students copying the style and substance of DVDs they watch everyday and have no real talent of their own.
It makes me sad cause now I have to pretty much abandon my- some may say- "unique" writers voice that I have deveolped over a decade through trial and error to write safe connect the dots Hollywood type short scripts that the film makers who visit here just can't seem to get enough of.
But if that's what film makers want then what can I do about it? I've just got to write the same way everyone else writes and I have done just that with a few of the current short scripts I am writting and will post here soon.
Oh and Rick who are these Producers you talk about. I'd love to throw a script their way.
It makes me sad cause now I have to pretty much abandon my- some may say- "unique" writers voice that I have deveolped over a decade through trial and error to write safe connect the dots Hollywood type short scripts that the film makers who visit here just can't seem to get enough of.
But if that's what film makers want then what can I do about it? I've just got to write the same way everyone else writes and I have done just that with a few of the current short scripts I am writting and will post here soon.
Don't give up on your voice. If everyone is looking for slasher scripts, you can still write one that's different from the others.
I see no reason why writers can’t both write in their own styles and still write something that’s salable.
I hear some writers bash Hollywood and say all their movies are crap. Sure Hollywood makes some bad movies. They also make some good ones. It’s not true that all Hollywood movies are bad.
I’ve never met a writer who only wanted to make money. Most writers I know want to be both respected and professional writers and I see nothing wrong with that.
Writing something Hollywood salable doesn’t have to equate to selling out or writing only for money. It can mean that the writer will have to be more creative. It can be looked at as a challenge that will make you a better writer.
Wise words Phil. Thanks. I guess it's just striking the right balance between the two if that makes sense. Your own voice and what the film maker wants. If that makes sense.
The original Saw was an incredible slasher movie because Jigsaw was a philosophical killer. He wasn't some mindless twit like Michael Myers. Witth all the other movie killers, you survived by escaping them. With Jigsaw, you had to confront him by playing his game.
Is there any point in abandoning what you like to write? Does the world need any more writers who say the same thing? There are millions of them pouring their scripts into offices all round the world every day.
If you are only changing your style to sell, what fun is it?
I'm not making a judgement, but logically, there are much easier ways of making money than trying to sell a script.
And to sell out for no money...is that wise? Sell out when there's a million on the table and you can at least buy a house for your parents.
I'd strongly suggest that you maintain your style, stay yourself, but just become more. Find bigger themes, find bigger stories but maintain what you love about writing.
I realise myself that I've been holding back in fear. I'm not playing around any more. I'm going to push myself as far as I can go. I've been writing scripts as training exercises, designed to ease my way in to the technical side of things and holding back on the stories that i really want to tell for fear that I won't be able to make them or I'll blow them because I've not got to the required level.
No more, my friends, no more. We're going to write and create some disgustingly good stuff from now on. Whatever it takes. : )
"I see no reason why writers can’t both write in their own styles and still write something that’s salable.
I hear some writers bash Hollywood and say all their movies are cr**. Sure Hollywood makes some bad movies. They also make some good ones. It’s not true that all Hollywood movies are bad.
I’ve never met a writer who only wanted to make money. Most writers I know want to be both respected and professional writers and I see nothing wrong with that.
Writing something Hollywood salable doesn’t have to equate to selling out or writing only for money. It can mean that the writer will have to be more creative. It can be looked at as a challenge that will make you a better writer.""
This is true. I think it's a slightly different point though. We're (or at least Tarkovsky) is talking about a different kind of filmmaking. Art/Cinema rather than just good movies.
Phil's example Saw is a case in point. It's a cut above the usual slasher, but it still follows certain rules. Certain ideologies. It doesn't try and seek out new languages or ideas. Hollywood films, regardless of their individual subjective quality, essentially are the same type of film that D.W. Griffiths was making back in the day.
I've written in genres that I don't particularly like (mostly because everyone has done it to death). By pointing my spin on them, I gave them unique identities that make them stand out among the others.
And I write because I like to write. It would be great if I got paid enough for it that I could do it full time. Will it happen? Who know? Will I keep trying? Fuck yeah!
I think the whole sacrificing yourself for your art thing is a noble enough cause. But I also think with film there is a difference between art and craft. Craft, to me anyway, implies mass production and these are the tools that are used to produce for the masses. Craft implies the audience while art implies, vainly, the artist.
A well-crafted film can reach billions of people (depending on availability of distribution of course).
An art film will reach those that connect with what you have to say in the way you say it (and that is only if it is available for them to see) - it's limiting - but it is satisfying creatively and if that is what you want to do then do it (noble cause). Sometimes film artists will create techniques or concepts that are adopted in the main stream. It does help film as a whole grow.
Now I think, and I could be wrong, that people who come to this site are coming here because they want to learn the craft aspect. They want their film to be approachable to as many people as possible, they want a large audience and some want the money that goes along with it (and money is as valid a goal as anything). That is why they get the advice they do on these forums, the forums are satisfying the demand for that information.
From where I’ve come from, as far as my own writing is concerned, I’ve been pleased with the results of taking the advice here and trying to make my own work more approachable. I ignore Phil though :-P.
From where I’ve come from, as far as my own writing is concerned, I’ve been pleased with the results of taking the advice here and trying to make my own work more approachable. I ignore Phil though :-P.
If you didn't ignore me, you'd probably have another hobby right now that you were actually good at.
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