ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

12 years, 4 months ago - Kays Alatrakchi

I believe that the film industry has always been a challenging industry to work in with a substantial entry fee. However there is no doubt that the independent side of the industry has seen better times. The democratization of the filmmaking process coupled with the internet and low cost tech has created a lot of opportunity, but also oversaturated a market which was already very saturated. There are always exceptions of course (Beasts of the Southern Wild) but I think it's important for everyone to realize that they are exceptions and not the norm.

12 years, 4 months ago - Maria Caruana Galizia

Which distributors were you talking to? I am curious because I have never met a sales agent or distributor that said "please stop making so many films" in my experience they need people to make films. But they are choosey and a lot of people who call themselves filmmakers might not realise that there are a million people making a low budget film that is the next big hit. Truth is it isn't. And most sales agents won't bother with an unknown filmmaker who shot stuff on his phone.

I honestly don't think it's ever been easy to break into the film industry but I do believe the people who want it the most and are talented do manage to make a career out of it. The tough part comes when you are starting out and trying to distinguish yourself from the countless wannabes who think they are one step away from being famous.

12 years, 4 months ago - Cain Suleyman

I am 14 years old and have only just started making films (see profile for first music vid called ship wrecked) i am so exicted about the journey ahead. I watch films, make films, act in films and want more than anything too be a director or actor. There are so many amazing people in the industry and hope too work along side some of them when i am older. I agree the film industy is difficult too get into and often see directors looking to work with the same faces. Its a shame its like this as it stops people having chances to more to the next level. Shoating people is brilliant for this.

12 years, 4 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

20 years ago, we had El Mariachi, Reservoir Dogs, Clerks, (to a lesser degree Brothers McMullen), and a slew of new filmmakers making it big. I think in America, that was probably "the" time, though Blair Witch, Pi, Napoleon Dynamite, Big Fat Greek Wedding, and others have come along through the years.

In the 1980s, there were great opportunities for British music videos creators.

But today it seems even winning Sundance isn't enough for some filmmakers to kickstart a career. Cannes has become "conservative", still clinging to who and what was cutting edge 20 years ago.

Now, we have a bigger market for documentaries perhaps. Or, maybe the documentary boom is at its peak.

But, the Baby Boomers are starting to retire. Someone will take over from the film-school-brats. Will their shoes be filled with insiders (like child stars and more Hollywood offspring), or will we see another "grunge" era? Or, perhaps the documentarians or music video directors will fill it? (Imagine, Gangman style as a three-part, three-hour times 3, epic.)

12 years, 4 months ago - Jessica Dowse

Hell, you can't risk stimulating brain cells! Who knows what would happen then! As someone who is literally just trying to start out I am finding it very hard. I have skills, but still most work is unpaid and in places where it costs a fortune to live. Also, I do feel the pressure to have just made a film on my own- because now it seems that there is no excuse not to have. I'm not saying that's a bad thing...and I will certainly give it a shot. But I feel like this attitude encourages mediocrity.

12 years, 4 months ago - John Frisbie

Is it a particularly American problem? Are we saddled with our own desire to be exceptional? I think it's going to get 'worse' ie there will be a complete saturation of both product and channels - before it gets better and the bubbles burst. I think as someone hinted at above, the market will likely only support the sure bets, and that might mean celebrity-hinged products. I think, as in the 90s boom, we'll end up with a handful of smart people who get long careers out of this technical democracy period. But I think there will be a lot of broken hearts on the road behind us.

12 years, 5 months ago - Dan Selakovich

When I first started in the industry (1979) around 90% of the films made didn't get distribution. That's still true--and there are many more films getting made. It's just that they are mostly crap. As for breaking in... I think it's a tiny bit easier to get work now. The difference is that the work is UNPAID. When I started, working for absolutely nothing was almost unheard of.

12 years, 4 months ago - Holly Jacobson

I've been reading this discussion for a while and I've really liked hearing everyone's thoughts! I was really happy to see another "young" actor/ filmmaker having their say and so I thought I would join in too!!
I am a very young filmmaker - I'm only 10!!!!!!!!!! I have just recently made my first "proper" short film and it's almost ready to be seen by the world (just finishing off sound and music and grading).
I think that making films is something that you do because you love it and you don't have to be brilliant at it to enjoy it and the more you do the more you improve. I really hope everyone likes the film I've made, but if they don't I still had a wonderfully phenomenal time making it and I learned loads and hopefully I'll improve every time!!!

12 years, 4 months ago - Tim Lewis

Fab comment by Mister Andrew Johnstone. There seems to be an awful lot of dross, which is highly celebrated amongst the sycophantic masses who care little for good story and narrative. Everything seems to be geared around hours of content shot at awful quality! Its truly the runners dream time, they're given a low res camcorder and minimum wage, and are told to shoot an entire series eg giving birth every minute or baking things or embarrassing knee caps - cheap tacky tv! There's very little room on tv for anything else which might be at risk of stimulating brain cells.

12 years, 4 months ago - Stuart Wright

Sales and distribution experts would say that - it's their business model that's being disrupted the most by the fragmentation of the media... ie the way we prefer to consume media is a very personal choice ... the purist may sigh, you can watch a lot of stuff on phone, tablets, Apple TV, laptops, TVs, DVDs, VOD, cable TV, Sky movies, Blue ray, Cinema, pop up cinemas etc... they're not all completely understood yet as ways to profit from yet, but someone, somehow will and in the process some will die off

12 years, 4 months ago - Andrew Johnstone

Jessica, we all started out once and I certainly found it tough trying to make a living as a freelance runner/assistant in London when I started. So if it is any comfort, most people have a tough time at the outset! I am sure we all wish you the best of luck!

The difference between now and then is that back then there was a better established 'route to market'. To become a DP you worked you way up through the ranks, assisting for years, before you were given your shot behind the camera. Now, in the age of the 'self-shooting researcher' people straight out of film school are creating content and shooting for TV and established broadcast cameraman are scrapping about for work and taking badly paid gigs just to pay the mortgage! The other downside to this of course is that it is much harder for people like yourself to develop skills when there are far fewer established pros to learn from.

Teaming up with other SP'ers from this fine list on freebees is a good way to start building your portfolio, but if at all possible, find an established pro to try to assist if you can. When I started out, I just badgered one filmmaker till he caved in and gave me some work, just to shut me up! It worked though!

12 years, 4 months ago - Andrew Johnstone

The 'desire to be exceptional' I think has always existed (nice phrase!), what I think has changed is the latent self-belief. With the ease of digital production workflows and distribution and the endless self-referencing on social media and the internet, more and more people now actually believe that they are exceptional.

12 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

I think there is always a bit of a cost bar - yes, film stock is now replaced by 2k/4k video and video cameras are amazing bang for buck these days, however the human cost is still huge.

To make a good film, you still need good people who can use all the latest toys. Technology has created new jobs (eg DIT, 3D CGI Modellers) to replace the lost ones, and there's no substitute for a decent script! There were always bad low-budget movies, one element of production has suddenly improved hugely however a bad script/acting/direction now is in the same place as it was in the 1930's. And if you have a great film on a crappy camera (28 Days Later or The Blair Witch Project, for instance) it doesn't take away from the story, and the film still grabs eyeballs.