GENERAL STATEMENT


With all the Spielberg hating that goes on here I felt like saying this:


What is so troubling to me is not the fact that many of you Young Newbies don't care for his films, but the fact that there is often no "RESPECT", in fact going to t he point of saying things that are laughable. It's not the fact that he's been making films since he was 10 (or so) and has amassed one of "THE" most successful film careers in history (so far). It's the fact that you (whoever "you" is) have not. It strik es me as absurdly comical that [some] student filmmakers --some of which still live at home-- have the audaciousness to insinuate that his accomplishments as a filmmaker are minimal.


First of all, most (if not all) of you haters haven't the first clue a bout what he does on a day to day basis, or what he is looking at, or wanting to do. etc. etc.


All I'm saying... Show some respect, doesn't mean you LIKE his films. Otherwise you look like a complete fool. There's a reason "REAL" filmmakers don't rip on each other... and the reason is "IT'S CHILDISH & UNPROFESSIONAL"! If you think you're a PRO, or want to be one, then act like it.....


Do you think your indie film heroes would say such crap, no they wouldn't....

I don't feel the n eed to brake it down any further... I think you get my point.



Jay

Alright, here's the deal. It's hard to respect a man you don't like. Just to get it off my chest, I hate Dubya and his actions, and therefore, don't respect him or his office. If we don't like Spielberg's films (as in they're just not entertaining, his particular style, and so forth, not just because he's a bigshot that must be hated,) it's very hard to respect the guy. If we weren't entertained by the guy, then truly he doesn't derserve our respect. Now say, Aaronofsky, a semi-indie director that has made entertaining films at the very least has earned my respect among various others. Also, a lot of people see it as having to emulate Spielberg to be as big as he is (many a person's goal, for various reasons,) and if they don't like his style it's definetely something they don't want to do. So you got to understand there's good reason to not like the guy.

Elliott

Yeah, I respect him a lot. I thought it was great that he finally decided to go back to school and finish film school last year (or was it the year before?). It showed a lot of respect for the art and craft of his profession and its institutions. I heared he submitted Amistad (or was it Schindler's List?) as his senior thesis film.

How'd you like to sit next to him in a film class??? Unreal.

joren

Since I'm about the only one who likes to talk about history on here, let me speak on Spielberg for a hot minute.

I think what Jay meant by "respect" was to "understand". Understand where the film world has been and is going. Spielberg along with a few others made it possible for us to go to the movies still. If movies like "Encounters of The Third Kind", "ET", "Jaws" (most especially Jaws), "Star Wars" The Rocky Series", "God Father Series"(well first two), and some others I'm forgetting never excised, then the film world might very well not be a industry any more. Sounds extreme and it might very well be but in the 50's-60's the film world took a huge blow with the wave of television watching. Movie sells went down, studios started to produced less and less films per year, and movie theaters closed all over the country during this time. Then came along the man in shining armor...a young buck...I think his name was...oh yeah, Steven Spielberg and his movie "JAWS" busted the sh*t out of the bock office and ever since, his, along with others, have been breaking the box office(excluding The God Father I, 1972). Look at the top 20 money making films of all time...almost all of them come after 1975's "Jaws". Spielberg brought the bread back into the film industry, opening the doors for many many new films and film makers.

You might hate on his happy endings and "Disney" like themes...but do you really think after Vietnam-Watergate era and it's movies, people wanted to see more death and depression? Let me answer this one for you..."No" The mass American public didn't want to see anymore bad feeling type movies and that is why motivating, exciting, special effect stimulating, happy ending movies made it big, because the American people along with the rest of the world(50% of gross income) were tired of seeing the unhappy world they lived in, so they went to see ET for a release and Jaws for a thrill.

You might not care about the money (I sure as hell don't)but you can not deny the fact that
"money" is what gets "most" films made. All of your favorite film makers use money to get their films made and Spielberg, along with others, made it available for those film makers to get those loans and grants and hand overs from studios and producers. Spielberg's talent and craft is another post in itself, so just respect the fact that if Spielberg never came around, then we might not be having this conversation in this web page at all. The man is what he is.

Not trying to be a dick or know it all or ass or what ever. I just wanted to speak on Spielberg’s contributions to Cinema. I do care about this small film making community we got going here, and these are just my thoughts to help the community, so try to take them in as such. I mean, this is my 200th post I believe, I try to help.

Besides filming, the only other thing I ever did good was filming.

The Mind knows his stuff...Yeah, even if you don't like Speilburg, you still should respect him. It's pretty much like all that "Constructive Criticism" crap. Don't call names and completely bash everything he has done. Explain why, and be nice about it. I care about the growing community of filmmakers myself. In fact I think this is my 30th post. Beat that.

Yeah, you have to respect a person that can be as succesful has him. No matter if you like the films or not, he is a lot more succesful than the majority of filmmakers currently. Personaly, I think that his knowledge of directing is awesome. Those who have seen any of his movies have to see that the way he makes them sets the mood to the entire story. The colors, shots, motions of actors, etc., tell the story in a different way than a film without the right mood, and Spielberg sets the mood that he wants in his films and viewers accept it.

Six+Plus Productions

Spielberg is a good director. Jurassic Park has got to be one of the most influencial films of our time. It's just amazing of what he did with his team. He's like what Lucas did in the '70s

TACO WAGON PRODUCTIONS©

Student Filmmakers don't like Speilberg?! I mean, if you ask me, that's really weird. You'd think there would be tons of Speilberg look-alike-wanna-be s out there.

I think of Speilberg's directing as Shakespeare's writing. Yeah, it's good and all, but calm down man, it's not like it's the best that ever was and ever will.

Everybody is Funny Looking in their own way
~Funny Looking Productions

First, I would like to say that I totally think speilberg is a master. I don't like all his films, but anyone who could possibly make Shindler's List is a master for all cinema history.
But, when the mind starts saying things like the film industry of the 50's and 60's took a huge blow due to TV, he is wrong. Certainly the ticket sales went down, but are you saying that teh art of cinema took a blow as well? If so, maybe you should look into film history under the New Wave and Neorealism. If you did, you might find things like the auteur theory, which might lead you to italian neorealism, which eventually would lead you to Michaelangelo Antonini and a film called "Blow Up." This film, along with others such as Easy Rider, changed teh film industry. Big hollywood prducers gave up on tired formulas and took chances on new ideas and filmmakers. This brought in the high point of American Cinema with budding filmmakers like Coppola, DePalma, Scorsese, Hopper, etc. Their movies were not only meaningful, but entertaining and prosperous. However, with Jaws, there was another shift in American Cinema. The huge success of the masterfully directed film basically put the ball back into teh producer's court, and, with Jaws II and III, we entered (and have yet to leave) the drudgery of the "Age of the Sequeal."
Really, I almost feel bad for Speilberg, obviously he loves to tell a speilbergian story, but unfortunately, that term haunts him today. However, he is mostly responsible for the age of formulaic plots when studios are too afraid to veer from anything else.
Again, Speilberg IS a grand filmmaker; he is obviously capable of making good films. Even his popcorn movies like Minority Report are good films; he is a master of his craft. I have no problem with Speilberg or his style of filmmaking. I simply wish the ideas of sequeals and superthrillers hadn't spread like an epidemic.

I don't have much to say really that hasn't been said, but Spielberg is my favorite director for many reasons.

I have not seen a single film by him that was bad. AI was a bit boring yes, but the character development in that film is one of the best.

No, I was not talkng aboutthe art, that is why I said "industry", the art as you spoke on is another post in its self. TV- did screw film in a major way too, but it also lead to great new directing tecs, like multi camera angles. So the good with the bad I guess.

Besides filming, the only other thing I ever did good was filming.

so its back to spielberg hey? where to begin? im sure hes a good person and i only speak about his films (i think?). but since jaws the amount of good movies has gone down and especially since ET. some ppl (me included) dont need money to make films. sure it would be nice to make a living but if i grow up to work as a suit in some office i will still make films. im working on my first real film now. the budget is $0. i love to hear ppl talk of ho successful he is and how much money his films make and help the industry. first of all people can be wrong at a certain time just like they are now about spielberg as a god. citizen kane never won best picture, in fact orson welles had problems making films after it because of it. yet some 60 years later we see how good it is and how stupid it was for some other movie to win best picture (one of the reasons i am anti oscar). so you've never seen a bad spielberg movie? watch hook. i admit i see some good stuff/ inspiration in schindler's list and spr, but his latest like minority report and catch me if you can are geared to make money he doesnt need to secure his next movie. in the late 60's early 70's more and more ppl were headed to a lower budget, strictly good film mode. now you see great actors doing horrible movies just for the 20 million. we saw how travoltas carreer has gone down the drain. dont you wish he took more pay cuts to do good films like pulp fiction? film is unfortunately driven by greed today. greed to be the best. greed for an oscar or a boxoffice attendance record. hell i dont even know if i want my first film to have to enter a world of **** like that. sure film has turned into movies; movies the things you see every summer like spiderman or star wars now. but there was once a time when directors and actors were able to make great films that even lost money. those days are all but gone and the only thing keeping the art of film alive today is a new generation of filmakers who dont have millions and only have great minds to make film. i only hope they wont be murdered like poor coppola or scorsese have been since the blockbuster came in. sure not all film has to be artsy. but it should at least be film motivated, noit greed motivated.

You're making a film with $0 dollars? What is a "real" film? I only read the first part of your post. I need some definitions to finish it please.

Besides filming, the only other thing I ever did good was filming.

i said i'm making "my" first real film. i didnt say that somehow other stuff isnt film if thats what you're thinking. i only have a camera and some computer editing programs. im not putting a cent into this first real film of mine. the only other things ive done close to a film was just 5 minute shorts with a plot that i came up with usually on the spot. thats why it is my first real film that im working on. so basically ive had some experience with stuff but not in a larger scale. what did you think i was trying to say? that somehow i hold the key to a real film? thats not what i wrote.

1st.

So all he's doing is going for the "cash cow" huh? And you know this how? Let's be honest, you don't know what his motives for making these films are..... or maybe you've worked with him?



2nd

You are free to make any "film" you wa nt to, is Steven Spielberg holding you back? No he's not. Do "YOUR" thing.... You don't need Hollywood to make a great film so go do it!



3rd


The Oscars are in part about career advancement, deal with it. Those are the rules they made, you're n ot gonna change that. There are two film worlds, Hollywood and Indie. It's your choice. First learn what is what, then proceed from there....


BTW... Many of you "Hollywood Haters" would crap your pants if you were somehow given the opportunity to direct a major film. What I mean is, you'd be like a deer in the head lights.... you wouldn't know the first thing to do. But wait there's more, let's back up a second. Let's magically switch you with Spielberg on his next meeting and see what you get going. I mean right now today. Ok "your on kid... action! Let's see it", You wake up today and you have a meeting at the biggest agency in the world with the top people in the business.... Go_______________? Yes_______________? ["We're waiting, kid, what's the age nda today? What do you want to do? What are you looking for to direct? What have you read? Is there something you want to go after? What writers are you thinking about to write it? Do you need something adapted? What composers are you thinking of? BTW, yo u know how to SPOT right? What?"..... What are you gonna talk about, kid?] This is all part of it, so I'd like to know how you'd handle the situation. Don't forget you've still gotta, um? DIRECT IT! Fill me in, I do not believe you coul d pull it off. [There'd be some of the most powerful Hollywood agents in the world --that have worked with everyone-- just siting there staring at you waiting for something to happen, anything?] I don't believe you'd say anything that made sense. You'd s tand their like some GREEN 17 year old kid saying, Um? err? Um? You'd crap your pants and want to go HOME... It's the big leagues, kid. Just like going one on one with Kobe, it looks easier on TV. [Am I wrong? Prove me wrong... I'm serious as can be]



4th

Films that lose money? Not in Hollywood, if anybody can help it. Who do you think is gonna pay for these films that don't need to make money? And who do you think is paying for these films now? You might want to look into it. It's a little more complicated than you think.....



5th

You ever heard the saying "It's not good, but at least they got it made"? Probably not, I'm sure you don't understand the full significance of that statement. Here's the deal, think of a Bl o ckbuster that you liked, got one,? Ok.... it's a "MIRACLE" that film even got made (not sure if you follow me, but?). Here's the point, on a major Hollywood film there are so many situations that could have brought this film to a screeching halt. Ca n you think of them all? Let's start with the months that it often takes to work a deal just trying to hire someone to write a script..... Keep going from there. That's why it takes some films 6+ years to get made. Don't forget about the politics....


I ndie? Indie doesn't have half of these concerns. If you want to do your "Indie" film, you just do it... Write your script then shoot it (a feature not a short.... I'm taking a real film not 'dabbling with camera, having your friends walk past the lens and calling it a FILM).


Don't use Hollywood as a scapegoat. Especially Spielberg, why? because you can't hang. No he's n o t GOD but he's sure as hell making better FILMS than you.... Clear enough? ˇa

[This message was edited by jay888 on April 09, 2003 at 11:56 PM.]

Wow. Very good post jay888.

Btw, I don't know what you don't like about Hook. Yes, it was a little corny. Do you know why? IT'S A FAMILY FILM MADE TO APPEAL MAINLY TO LITTLE KIDS AND STILL ENTERTAIN ADULTS! Hook is very enjoyable once you get past the uninformed mindset that you are obviously in.

"No he's n o t GOD but he's sure as hell making better FILMS than you" - Jay888

Brilliantly put. Rock on Spielberg!

PS. Hook ruled!

What is Spotting?

I think some people just have a desease that whenever they look at ANYTHING speilberg does, nomatter how good it is, they still hate him. Kind of like Bush right now..

SPOTTING SESSION :

A session in where the director, composer, and music editor (etc.) get together and SPOT the finished film. During this session you will decide what style of music will be used as well as where in the film it is to occur. You will document "in time code" the location of each and every CUE. The exact moment it is to start and end in time code format.

For example; Cue M-1, Main Title: In at- cut to mans face (TC) 00:07:15:00, Out at-wide shot of houses 00:09:23:04, Length 00:02:08:04

You will also go over the feel of the piece (Scene Description & Music Notes) . For example:

Description: Man walking, with gun, throws in river

Music: Tense, throbbing,, slow build of percussion, electronic w/strings, speed tempo to cut.... low drone.


Notes might look something like:

"Party"

INT WS of dark room, purple lights, smoky. John's POV walks past dance floor, drugged out girl grabs leg. People having sex on counter top. Feeling sick, trying to make way to bathroom. [Music: Ethereal, Dark, Sexy, Sounds Like purple and feels like Ecstasy]


Those would be some examples.......


Jay3