Here's a short film I made a few weeks ago. I hope no one is too easily offended! It's supposed to be a comedy so over-the-top that you feel okay laughing about it.

http://www.amfproductions.com/freddy/freddy_big.mov (12mb, 3 mins.)

Comments would be welcomed!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bryan,

Are you going to submit that to SF.com? It's kind of not good practice to link to off-site films cause it takes the support away from this site, if you see what I mean.

AMF has been doing this forever

Indeed, HDK! I usually haven't had any problems in the past posting my short films.

I don't understand how I could be taking away support from StudentFilms.com. I've posted flyers for the site at my university and linked to here from my own website. I recommend the site to filmmaker friends who don't know how to compress and publish their works onto the web. StudentFilms.com caters to those who need web hosting. I don't see how those people viewing my films via a link on the message board is going to ever change that. There's always going to be that need.

I have seen you post links to your page in the past, and ou have gotten warnings for it from the mods. You've also said that you are willing to risk getting kicked off the site in order to get your films linked. I think it's different when you are on the chat, or when you are emailing someone personally about your own site, but to make a thread promoting your film on your own site takes away the 10 plus bucks Chris needs to keep this site up, and you spend instead to keep your own site up. I've seen your site and ur films before. I found the link and banner u used to have when u posted just for your site on these very forums, not by actually seeing one of these ***** jobs. In fact, had I not seen your film before I woulkd totally ignore this free load. I myself have put my films on this site and obviously feel cheated, especially when you've been told not to direct links like this before. I feel this is one of those money things where you aren't willing to spend the few pennies a day to get your film up here. I guess we don't let other people come in and free load off this site, so why is anyone else any different? If one person gets away with it then that's just the end of it. If you get away with linking here, then everyone else (including me) would just spend their money on their own site, and link it to here, and then sf.com would be gone. I know some people who have their films on their own site, but they don't link it here (mainly refference to Will/Ducky films), I've found out about their sites from them personally through the chat or email when I asked them what they've done. Even they at least say they want to put a film on this site, and many do, or are taking part i n the film festival. It's not personal, I just think it's not that expensive to put a film on this site, and I would feel too guilty for screwing Chris over.

It's obvious then, that StudentFilms.com must care more about money than the online filmmaking community. I'm not hurting anyone, never have been. But if StudentFilms.com wants to be elitist and only allow discussion of the films that they host, so be it. I guess I'll have to leave. I just always maintained that StudentFilms.com was more than that, a hub for growing filmmakers first and foremost. There's no good reason to exclude filmmakers who choose to host their own works.

First of all, we're not excluding you. If we were excluding you, you would have been banned from here a very, very long time ago.

Now, it's generally a good idea to take a step back and look at the big picture before you make accusations. This site hosts hundreds of films, and the hosting and bandwidth costs (which, I know for a fact, are extremely high) are all paid for by the hosting fees. Nobody makes a profit off of this site. You'll notice that Chris has had to create more ads on the site because he's having a hard time covering all the costs. Nobody is trying to scam you, kid. A lot of hard work goes into this site, and your ignorant attitude is really starting to get to me.

You're impression is that we're out to make money and we won't let you talk about films unless you pay us. That's just plain wrong. If you cared in the least, you would have noticed how incredibly lenient we are when it comes to freeloading. There are lots of sites out there that will ban you in an instant, but we give people lots of chances. You have taken it over the edge, so this is your last chance. Your link will not be removed and this topic will not be blocked, but this the last time it will be allowed from you. Mark my words.

I truly am sorry if you find this disagreeable. If you feel you must leave the site, then so be it. That will make our jobs that much easier.

JW and HDK have pretty much summed up what I assumed went without saying. Well spoken, both of you.

Bryan, I'm anxious to hear if you understand this issue now that they have laid it out so clearly for you.

We as moderators are charged with not only the job of enforcing the rules and keeping things under control but also with making sure everyone feels welcome and has their questions answered and their worries dealt with. We would never wish you to feel excluded, but you do need to work with us on this kind of thing.

All that's been laid out are patronizing comments. JW, I'm sorry you feel that way. I was certainly not insinuating that StudentFilms.com is all about making money. It just seems to me now that the site is more about hosting films, rather than providing an online hub for filmmakers. I don't see any discussion about any short film that isn't hosted here. And when a thread like that pops up, moderators are right there to shut it down. And so maybe I am correct, and so maybe I need to look elsewhere to promote discussion about my works.

quote:

so maybe I need to look elsewhere to promote discussion about my works.

isnt that why you have your own website and forum?

as for your short, I thought it was ok but nothing great or new. I liked the strange music during the ice cream scenes.

Visually and shot-wise I thought you improved much over your last one (the jug movie, right?). Content-wise, I thought it was flat. It wasn't really that funny. It wasn't really that interesting. I don't think I've ever said this about a student film before, but I think it needed to be longer (the opening and closing credits are a third of the film). Show me more of his cognitive powers. Make me like him more.

The rules need to be more clear if the mods/admin are going to say "we discourage linking" every time someone links an external short. It's not in the rules posted in every forum. And the majority of the mods externally link in every post (in their sig). I thought once the "filmmaker announcements" forum got moved to the bottom of the pile of forums, it was to distinguish it from and give priority to the forum, "films on the site" (where people can link, promote and discuss films hosted here on SF). What exactly is this forum for and what isn't it for and how is it different than the "films on the site" forum? Further, all sorts of filmmaking is discussed here without objection: Commercial, wedding, rock band, corporate, student film, short film, feature film, demo reels. Not all of that is appropriate (or allowed) to be hosted at SF.com. Does this mean we shouldn't discuss other, non-submitable types of filmmaking? Or that we shouldn't link to videos that couldn't be hosted here even if we wanted (i.e. non student films)? It almost seems like someone is wanting to eat their cake and have it too. This forum is trying to be one of the best places to collaboratively discuss student and low-budget filmmaking and trends on the Internet. And it is, for the most part. At the same time, it's trying to keep people enthused about submitting films to it's "online student film festival" which is really a one stop shop where people who don't otherwise have the means can get their student film encoded, hosted, viewed and rated by an already established viewing audience. It is a great service and very, very reasonably priced. (I'm sure Bryan pays more to keep his site hosted than it would cost him to host all his films here and they are seen by fewer people on his website) But, the problem comes when someone (for whatever reason) choses to participate in the community but host their films elsewhere. Of course the site needs to get money to keep it running, and I'm quite sure this great filmmaking community will die if the film hosting fees fail to compensate for the website hosting fee, but this forum has evolved to be much more than helping student filmmakers make films to submit to SF.com--and I think the multitude of forum topics expresses Chris' desire for that to happen. If that's not Chris' intension with this forum, it should be communicated much more clearly and forum members should be limited to those who submitted films or want to discuss a submitted film. But the whole "warning" thing the mods are doing now is asinine and helping no one. Allow it or disallow it. And be clear as to what can and can't be linked (i.e. videos that aren't able to be submitted to SF.com). Only then will peace be restored to middle earth ...er I mean forums.studentfilms.com.

Well said Joren!!!

As for the comments regarding my short. Yeah, I agree, it could be longer. I actually planned to have three "visions" for Freddy, and more of him going around town trying to stop the bad things from happening. But I should've mentioned that I made this short film for an online contest that required submissions to be under 3 minutes. So I had to limit the story. Though it was always meant to be quite pointless. As for you not thinking it was funny...? I don't know. I guess it's not for everyone, sorry! Haha. Thanks for watching.

Oh, and I actually made another film between "The Jug" one and this, it's called "Murder Most Fowl." That one I spent much more time on the images. Feel free to check it out on my site if you have the time or interest.

For what it's worth Joren, I agree, the rule should be all or none. It's tough guarding a fuzzy line!

It's time to put my two cents in - I would have gotten here earlier but I've been slammed with a job that I've been cutting.

I agree that the "no external linking rule" is way too vague. It may not even be necessary anymore - because a part of me feels that it turns off new members rather than invites them to participate in the community.

So, link away. I'm doing away with the rule. But of course, remember the many benefits of submitting your film to the site.

Take care. New films should be up later today.

And just to reiterate - Studentfilms.com is not in any way about "raping the little man" for money. $10/year minimum for hosting your film is an extremely small amount to pay and an amazing deal. The last thing that I want to have happen to the site is have the impression that Studentfilms.com is "in it for the money" which is not true at all.

Best Regards,
Chris Wright
Studentfilms.com

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Studentfilms.com,

Thanks for the input Chris. As long as SF.com has enough funding to survive I think that's a good decision.

I agree that the rule may have discouraged new members.

quote:

Originally posted by Studentfilms.com:
Studentfilms.com is not in any way about "raping the little man" for money. $10/year minimum for hosting your film is an extremely small amount to pay and an amazing deal.

This is true, and that's why I will continue to recommend the site! Thanks again Chris!