Episode Thirty-Six: Erik Proulx from Lemonade
What do people who were once paid to be creative for a living do when they’re laid off? They get creative with their own lives. Lemonade is an inspirational film about 16 advertising professionals who lost their jobs and found their calling, encouraging people to listen to that little voice inside their head that asks, What if?
Links
Lemonade Facebook Page
Lemonade Movie Website
Erik’s Twitter Page
The Slash Phenomenon
April 21, 2010
For my first official Film Method blog post I thought I’d write about something very near and dear to me. It’s what I refer to as the “slash” phenomenon. Maybe you’ve seen it. Maybe you’ve read about it. Maybe this is you. I recently worked on a film that was produced by two actors. The two actors also happened to be the producers of the film and one of the actors was also the writer and director. He was the actor/director/writer/producer. That would be 3 slashes and 4 titles in case you’re counting.
I’m not sure exactly what makes people say, “I’ve never directed anything before, so I’m going to start by directing something that I’m also starring in”. Why does this make sense to people? Many times I wonder if these people who have suddenly decided to take the huge leap into the world of directing have been on set in any capacity other than as an actor. Have they ever been a producer, an A.D., a grip, or, god forbid, a P.A.?? I have to say that I’ve learned more about filmmaking as a P.A. then I believe I ever would in any other position with the exception of producer and maybe 1st A.D. This is because you see how every department works and you interact with every department.
Being a film director requires so much more than many of these new directors seem to take into account and this is reflected in the extremely inefficient way the set is run. Planning the shot list with the DP is just the tip of the iceberg. You will also need to work with all the department heads to ensure that everything that’s in frame will fit with the look of the film (art dept, make-up, hair, costumes, props, etc). Have you or your DP done any storyboards? Do you know anything about lighting (you might want to learn in case your DP doesn’t)? All of these things must be considered in addition to knowing how to get the performances you need out of your actors. If one of those actors happens to be you then how do you know you are getting the performance you need from yourself? Are you going to depend on your DP to give you performance notes or will you just rely on camera playback? Have you figured that into the planning? I hope so, or you most definitely will not make your day or any day in your schedule.
Something else I notice when watching these very new directors direct is a behavior pattern that is quite disconcerting. It seems that the less experience they have, the more needy and entitled they act. They are more demanding and less concerned about respecting the crew’s time. This is quite an insult considering that these are normally very low-budget films where most crew-members are working way below scale.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that it can’t be done it’s just rare that it can be done well, especially at this level of filmmaking where everyone is generally very green. I’ve listened to new directors talk about their reasoning behind why they feel that they are the best person for the job and honestly it’s pretty frightening. They’ve written a script and they haven’t been able to find anyone to direct it that will understand their vision. Translation: I can’t find anyone that I will be able to manipulate into doing exactly what I say. If that’s the case, then you’re right, you don’t need a director, you need a P.A. Film is a collaborative art, but you wouldn’t know it from working with some of the people that I’ve worked with lately. If the vision and scope of your story can’t be correctly communicated or translated to another director, then maybe it’s not a story worth telling. If you can’t convince one other person to believe in your vision, how are you going to convince a room full of people at your first screening?
The title of director is a prestigious one, but one, nonetheless, that comes with a heap of responsibilities. Are you ready for the challenge to direct/produce/star/write? If so then I hope you’re ready for the ride of your life. Oh and remember, a little respect goes a long way when it comes to how you treat your crew, so does a good pancake breakfast.
Episode Thirty-Five: Jeff Lewis and Sean Becker of The Guild
Sean Becker and Jeff Lewis of The Guild and The Jeff Lewis 5-Minute Comedy Hour join us to talk about what it’s like to work on the most popular web series!
Episode Thirty-Five: Jeff Lewis and Sean Becker of The Guild [72:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Links
The Guild
Jeff Lewis 5 Minute Comedy Hour Facebook Page
Jeff’s Taco Bell Video
Jeff Lewis’ Twitter Page
Jeff’s Facebook page
Sean Becker’s Twitter
Sean’s Awkward Pictures Page
Episode Thirty-Four: Scilla Andreen of IndieFlix
Join us as we speak with IndieFlix CEO Scilla Andreen.
Scilla’s Links:
Scilla on Twitter
Crowd Controls
WorkBook Project
Beyond the Box
Fans, Friends and Followers
About Scilla Andreen
CEO and Co-Founder of IndieFlix.com Scilla Andreen is a producer, director and Emmy nominated costume designer with deep roots in the entertainment industry; producing several award winning films including festival favorites, “Outpatient”, “The Flats” and Sundance hit, “Bit Players”. Her first film, “Mutual Love Life”, received Oscar Consideration. She began her career in film while attending NYU as a political science major, working part time as a photographer covering the United Nations for the Wall Street Diplomatic World Bulletin. She and her partner Carlo Scandiuzzi created IndieFlix to be a fee-free, one-stop shop for filmmakers to reach the broadest on-line audience while keeping their rights and the lion share of the profits. She has spoken on numerous panels and immersed herself in film related organizations worldwide. Her favorite past times are thinking up tag lines, reading, sailing, Fly fishing, cooking and napping on the beach. She is best known for her contagious loud laughter and when she’s not staying up too late working or buying domain names, Scilla can usually be found hanging out with friends and family.
