Brian Dzyak

Who makes decisions and why? "Suits" who are only looking at the bottom line. If it's cheaper, they do it that way. Period. THAT is the inherent problem with "Western civilization." The quest for MORE and measuring it by profit is the problem. No longer is doing something because it is just inherently "better" good enough. Quality takes a backseat to profits for those at the top so if it means blackmailing governments for tax bribes (incentives) and putting up with lower quality crews, then so be it. If it means using a lower quality acquisition format because it is cheaper, then so be it. If it means projecting in lower quality because it's cheaper, then so be it. When money is the primary purpose of doing something, then real quality and meaning might as well not exist. But don't worry. Profit-obsessed Western culture will collapse itself sooner or later and indies and real film will return. Maybe. :)

As I've said before, we're merely in a pretend-Global economy. If we wanted a true Global "Free Market" economy, it would require the use of a single worldwide currency and absolutely zero restrictions on labor moving from one nation to another. The only other solution is just what you allude to above, a return to trade isolationism policies that were in effect prior to 1980 to protect a nation's own manufacturing base and products. But obviously, Corporations rather enjoy being able to scour the globe for cheap labor and bribes ("incentives") from governments who are stupid enough to hand over tax payer money to the private sector getting absolutely nothing in return. What other nations (non-USA) need are not protections for their own products, but rather, tariffs for anything imported that "encourage" local theater owners to show more local product.

Interesting article: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-the-movie-industry-cant-innovate-and-the-result-is-sopa-2012-1

What studio executives SHOULD .... http://www.dzyak.com/titanic.gif

What's so soul-selling about shooting porn? It's people having sex. Is that somehow worse than shooting violence in "acceptable" movies? What about the poor saps who work on the torture-porn movies, like "Saw"? Or what about reality TV where the crew is chasing a bunch of whiny teenagers or spoiled rich people around? Do those somehow offer something of value more than porn does? A guy like Wally was out shooting movie premieres just like I was and we all do whatever comes along to keep going as we work toward our true goal. He worked hard and made it to the feature level and shooting "whatever" was perfectly fine and kept him going. Hell, some of those "film purist" indie people would probably look at anyone who works on large budget "Hollywood" projects as "they sold their souls for the paycheck." Another example is Dean Cundy who is best known for such beloved classics as Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. But he was slogging through the low-budget mire before that shooting horror flix. It was one of those that inexplicably hit it big which took him and John Carpenter to the next level.

I often explain to up-n-comers that it's more than a job... it's a lifestyle choice. If they want to house, wife, kids, picket fence and bbq's on the weekend, don't bother trying to do this for a living. The money is sporadic, the time at home is sporadic (or too much!), and having friends who are available for "fun" when you are is a lot to ask. The so-called cream does not always rise to the top because a large part of success in this business is pure staying-power. It's a war of attrition where those who can hold out the longest tend to "make it." A lot of really good people just basically give up because the opportunities weren't there or the money ran out or something else in their life took priority. The truly lucky ones (like a Chris Nolan) manage to hit it big almost right away and spend the rest of their lives doing the job that they want to do while making very good money doing it. That is the dream for most and the disappointment for the majority who will never achieve it. Yet, it is the carrot that draws countless numbers in even though the odds are so stacked against nearly everyone.

The other side of that is the conundrum of not getting noticed until you've done something of note, which more or less requires that aspiring "creators" create on-spec first. For instance, I began writing my book without a clue on what I'd do with it. Only when it was around 80% finished did I look into the options. Saying I was going to write a book versus actually having something to show (I had printed a full color mock-up), I believe, made a world of difference. Of course, it could have gone the other way and nothing could have come of it and I would just have a nice set of chapters, time lost, and a couple hundred in debt. But, a movie in hand is worth more than just an idea, particularly for a "newbie." Like I began, welcome to showbiz.

A friend of mine produced/directed a documentary a few years ago, entirely on her own without any clue what would happen with it. She financed it with a patchwork of grants and shot sporadically over the course of a few years (as it followed the suffering and death of someone). It turned out to be quite amazing... so good, in fact, that PBS DID pick it up and it led the new season of P.O.V. that year. As it ran on television first, she was not eligible to submit it for an Oscar (ridiculous rule!) however, she and the documentary did receive a number of awards afterwards. Even one from the DGA! http://www.pbs.org/pov/thesmithfamily/ http://www.thesmithfamilyfilm.com/press.html It aired and she tried to sell it on her own to educational institutions, forgoing the "deal" that PBS offered, which according to her, was pointless as they would take virtually all of the income even though they put zero money into its production. She has sold some on her own, but certainly never enough to make another or be personally wealthy. The awards got her some meetings for directing gigs on episodics and features, but nothing came of it. She has since started her own business which is growing and doing better every day: http://mystoryinc.com/ I don't know what her story can tell you other than this is a fickle business and even if you have success one day, it is no guarantee that tomorrow will be successful as well. The bottom line is that if it IS good enough, someone will notice and it will get seen. Beyond that....?

Making movies has always been a business venture that needs a profit, but ever since the majors were bought up by transnational corporations, the ONLY goal is quick immediate profit. And in their minds, movies that are original material are too great a risk compared to material that has been previously proven in some way. The only reason a movie like INCEPTION got made is because Nolan makes the studio billions of dollars with Batman, otherwise, INCEPTION would have been an ultra-low budget movie or never made at all. The popularity of something like INCEPTION should be a signal to financiers that audiences crave original stories that have good budgets behind them. But the stock-holders are basically in charge and those with the purse-strings still see "proven" material as the fastest path toward quick profit with the least obstacles and doubt. Then, yes, toss in the virtual onslaught of ancillary entertainment and who has time to pack up and actually go to a theater? We still have video rental stores, there is NETFLIX, RedBox, movies on demand, Showtime, HBO, Movie Channel, Cinemax, AMC, Encore, Hulu, YouTube, XBox, Playstation, iPhone games... all of that and more screaming for the precious spare moments audiences might have left after a long day/week at work, shuttling kids around, making dinner, helping with homework... Plus, there are so many movies constantly coming out that if you do happen to miss opening weekend, you might have two or three weekends after that if you're lucky to see the movie that did catch your attention. Remember how Star Wars (the original) was in some theaters for more than a full year before it finally left? You can't do that today. The DVD or "Network Premiere!" would wipe out that theater audience. I don't think it has much to do with quality of screens or even people munching on popcorn in the row behind. Audiences still enjoy getting out to share that cinema experience in large groups in large dark rooms with that flickering light. They really don't know 4K from Special K. And they don't care. What they do want is entertainment and with our society shoving so much and so many options at them constantly, actually going to a theater is a rare luxury for them and for studios. And, you know what? Studios really have themselves to blame. As they sought out new ways to capitalize on movies by making them into video games and DVDs and theme park experiences, they began cutting their own throats. The more time someone spends re-watching Harry Potter on cable or DVD...or playing the video game or going to the theme park... is less time for them to go see a new movie that just came out. There are only twenty four hours in a day. Beyond that, there are so many movies constantly being released that the public doesn't necessarily perceive movies as a special thing anymore. With so much new product constantly available, audiences see these things as rather disposable. If it doesn't immediately pique their interest, they'll wait til it comes on cable or not see it at all. I think that the "trick" here isn't to keep making more and bigger... instead, just work harder to make each movie more special, whatever that means for that particular movie. And, as it has always been, it begins with the writing. A story well told. That's what audiences want to see whether or not it's based on a board game or a dream someone had, it always comes down to telling that story very well. And people who only have their eyes on stock options next quarter aren't the best ones to be making those choices. But, that's the globalized-quick profit now-capitalistic-more! more! more! world we were born into.

Welcome to showbiz. I don't mean to be facetious. The fact is that everything that gets put on TV or on a projection screen has one primary function that may or may not serve additional goals. It must first ENTERTAIN. Forget about "informing" people or even "selling" something. If what we do doesn't entertain in some way, then none of the other goals matter. So, if your project isn't connecting with audiences, take a hard look at it and ask yourself if you were them, would you be entertained? Or would you feel as if someone is feeding me "important!" information or shoving a "message!" down your throat? What about your project isn't entertaining enough to allow people to connect with it on a deeper level? If they're not "Wow"-ed in some way, then they won't care what it is you have to "say." But hey, people have LOTS of choices nowadays of entertainment to fill their spare time. It may not be that your project is bad at all... it just may not be AS inviting as whatever else happens to be showing or available right then. Imagine ten Playboy Playmates looking for love but there are only nine horny guys. Should the unchosen tenth Playmate feel like she's flawed in some way that she got left behind? I doubt it. :)

Is Kansas that dangerous? I've never heard of an insurance company restricting where you can take rental gear unless it's a war zone. How bizarre.

Theater viewing? Get a bigger budget. Or hope that your "rough draft" low quality movie will impress someone at a Studio which will then spend the money to upgrade it for mass distribution. But why oh why do you want to buy all of this equipment? Why not rent what you need at the lower cost and put the saved funds into other elements of production?

Neither. The Big Picture. :) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096926/combined

Not bad. The first half could be in black & white, but I'm not sure they have B&W projectors anymore.

The public enjoys seeing familiar stories on the telly.

I called it. He's very nice. We're having lunch on Thursday to discuss how I too can get in the business of f'ing over people by just moving money around on paper.

I wondered about the infrastructure in Colorado as well. There is convenient list of Colorado crew members on the side of the home page which is around just ten. Colorado will have to give into Fascism and screw over the taxpayers a whole lot more, like Canada does, if they want to attract any serious projects.

If Colorado's bribes aren't bigger than another States bribes, it doesn't matter what Colorado has to offer.

Well, I've adapted over the years as technology changes so there hasn't been just one camera we've used to capture family memories. In fact, my first child's birth was captured with Super 8 film! After that, we bought a few standard def video cameras over the years, as that was what was offered at a reasonable price for home use. But my most recent purchase has been really great and I wish I could have had it the entire time our kids have been growing up. http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666294237 It's "HD," shoots at 23.98fps, has a solid state memory as well as space for an additional SD card (though I never fill the solid state before downloading). It's incredibly easy to use and quite small. The built in mic has been astonishing in most situations. I even shot a few things on set for studio promotional material with it and the execs who saw/heard it wanted to know what I shot it on. IT really is impressive, especially for the price. It's definitely on the top end of the price range for a consumer camera, but well worth it. I hope this one lasts for a while.

Because of these dastardly tax "incentives," many of us are in the position of having to frequently ship our gear to distant locations far from where traditional production used to take place and where most professionals actually live. My most recent flight back home cost the company just over a thousand dollars for six checked "bags" (camera case, ARRI case, pelican case, 2 tripods, personal luggage). I carried on two small personal bags. That price was for First Class where I had extra bag and weight allowances. An Economy class ticket would have cost more due to the more restrictive baggage rules. Clearly, airline baggage fees (extra bags + over weight) add up very quickly. Just wondering what alternatives others here might have to ship their personal/company gear if/when the company isn't just trucking it to and fro. And what are the savings/costs? Do you use a shipping company, like Rocket Cargo? Or FedEx? Or something else?

I'm not sure what curriculum you're looking for in "liberal arts," but relative to film and screenwriting, I highly recommend the following resources that you can study on your own at home without the expense of a formal education: Wordplayer.... www.wordplayer.com Read EVERY page of this fantastic FREE site by established experienced Screenwriters. Film Scriptwriting, Second Edition: A Practical Manual (Paperback) # ISBN-10: 0240511905 # ISBN-13: 978-0240511900 The Movie Producer: A Handbook for Producing and Picture-Making (Paperback) # ISBN-10: 0064637247 # ISBN-13: 978-0064637244 What I Really Want to Do: On Set in Hollywood (Paperback) ISBN-10: 0823099539 ISBN-13: 978-0823099535 For online/internet classes, take a look here: http://realfilmcareer.com/forum/index.php?topic=16.0 For craft specific resources, go here: http://realfilmcareer.com/forum/index.php?topic=9.0 And this forum has a number of very relevant "editorials"/articles that speak to issues within the professional film industry: http://realfilmcareer.com/forum/index.php?board=59.0 Also, look here www.whatireallywanttodo.com/resources.htm for a list of additional resources that may help you. And while these may seen silly, it's worth watching these movies that are about making movies which depict the realities of the business on every level. Living in Oblivion (1995) ASIN: B00007L4OB And God Spoke (1994) ASIN: B00009NHAL The Big Picture (1989) ASIN: B00006HAWL The Player (Special Edition) (New Line Platinum Series) (1992) ASIN: 0780618564 Swimming With Sharks (Special Edition) (1995) ASIN: B0009A40EI

Don't put video of what you've shot on the internet. That is the only sure-fire way to keep others from putting your work on their resume. Put your own written word resume on the internet and if someone specifically asks you for a reel, only then provide an actual "reel" (DVD, tape, etc) or keep your footage on a password-only host and then provide that. From what I know of most working cameramen including myself, we are mostly hired based on word-of-mouth anyway. In fact, for me, if I'm ever asked for a reel after being recommended by someone I know, I think twice about taking the job. If they already know what I've done and they've taken a recommendation, them asking me for a reel is a tell that they aren't very experienced. Reels are just there to validate what they should already know about you. There's no reason to lay it all out there for someone else to "steal."

Whatever. :rolleyes: Let's continue this bribe system, BUT drop the pretense of national borders that restrict the free movement of labor to follow the work. AND let's have IATSE be a GLOBAL union so that everyone across the planet is earning commiserate wages so that the Corporations aren't feeding this race to the bottom in regard to fair wages. Why should transnational Corporations be permitted to move freely across the globe but workers can't? Hell, I have to put up a fight just to work in NYC. We're either going to be a global community and have a global economy or we're not. What I do know is that the way it's "working" right now isn't working to help aspiring nor experienced film professionals build and maintain viable careers.

Whatever. :rolleyes: Let's continue this bribe system, BUT drop the pretense of national borders that restrict the free movement of labor to follow the work. AND let's have IATSE be a GLOBAL union so that everyone across the planet is earning commiserate wages so that the Corporations aren't feeding this race to the bottom in regard to fair wages. Why should transnational Corporations be permitted to move freely across the globe but workers can't? Hell, I have to put up a fight just to work in NYC. We're either going to be a global community and have a global economy or we're not. What I do know is that the way it's "working" right now isn't working to help aspiring nor experienced film professionals build and maintain viable careers.

As I explain in my book, "What I Really Want to Do: On Set in Hollywood," it's all about sticking with it until you meet the right people who will keep calling you. It's not a necessarily fast process or necessarily guaranteed. Some people really do luck into falling in with the right group immediately, but most work from little or nothing for months or years until the stars align and they are liked enough by established crews to get steady calls. There is no magic bullet and no university degree is a ticket to get on the ride. It just takes hard work, perseverance, and unwavering enthusiasm so that people will want to call you back for another day. One of the problems in today's world is that the scheme/scam of tax "incentives" (read: bribes) has removed the idea that a person can base themselves in one of two or three specific cities and expect to build and maintain a career. Prior to the CONservative push for corporate bribes by starving governments, an aspiring film industry professional could move to Los Angeles or New York City or even Chicago and build a career in film and/or television. But corporate bribery has scattered production across the nation and the globe which makes it difficult to tell aspiring professionals where to go to build a career. All one can do is to follow the bouncing roulette ball of tax "incentives" to hope to be in the right place at the right time. Currently, Georgia and Louisiana seem to be the hot spots in the USA. But there are other states willing to bribe production companies so this trend in the South could change at any time. It used to be North Carolina, then Canada. Then it moved to Prague and Budapest, then Australia and New Zealand. Michigan got teased for a while and other States have their brush with fame now and again. Sorry to say that today's "globalized" Corporate Welfare environment has made building and maintaining a viable career in the film industry a crap shoot.