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Nervous before shooting?


Adam Orton

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Guest Glen Alexander
This reminds me of this dude who used to be on the old rec arts production group who started each post with "All your films are obsolete!"

 

Your post reminds me of George Bush sayings which have an IQ of peat moss.

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Guest Glen Alexander
I guess the answer to all of our problems is to be as cool as this guy!

 

Congrats on your success. I look forward to seeing your film in the theater.

 

 

You'd be lucky to get an invite to the Gower theater, that's where the premiere will be, on the Paramount lot if you didn't have a clue.

Edited by Glen Alexander
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Guest Glen Alexander
Apparently ego is a cure for nerves, too. ;)

 

Apparently 'big'words with more than one syllable are perhaps beyond your comprehension?

 

You confuse ego with confidence, drive, determination and not giving in to bullshitters and doubters. Ego would be comparing my film with another film which I don't do and don't care to do, my work stands on it own merits. What have you ever done?

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Guest Glen Alexander
He's got to be joking. And if he is, (he must be) that's funny stuff. :lol:

 

No, but stop dragging your knuckles on the ground.

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Apparently 'big'words with more than one syllable are perhaps beyond your comprehension?

 

You confuse ego with confidence, drive, determination and not giving in to bullshitters and doubters. Ego would be comparing my film with another film which I don't do and don't care to do, my work stands on it own merits. What have you ever done?

 

 

 

"What have you ever done?" = Big ego.

 

Please stop before you embarrass yourself further.

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You confuse ego with confidence, drive, determination and not giving in to bullshitters and doubters. Ego would be comparing my film with another film which I don't do and don't care to do, my work stands on it own merits. What have you ever done?

 

No, ego is very simple to identify. Besides, the quip was made in jest.

 

Good luck, Mr. Alexander. If your ego is as under control as you say it is, I'll be watching your film in theaters shortly. I expect I'll enjoy your emotional sledgehammer.

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Yeah I always can't get to sleep the night before and I feel like I'm gonna die the week of the shooting, but I always just ask the Lord to help me get through it and I ask him to open my eyes to be able to do my very best, and so far it has always helped.

 

Also, Adam you did an amazing job today and yesterday in the shoot. Even after you found out that the main actress was hung over, you stuck with it and found someone else that did a great job! I think it will be a great film and I'm always glad to be your DP. I just hope you'll be as pleased with my lighting as I was about your writing and direction. Superbe travail!!!

 

Don't ever forget Adam, I think your an amazing director and you will definitely go very far, keep it up!!!

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I start shooting this Thursday and my belly is doing its own thing already.

Speaking to my AC last night, he said, "are there going to be dailies?" I said no, he said, "ok no sleep until Tuesday next week then!"

Short film wraps on Sunday.

 

Glen, confidence is not something to be ashamed of and I know you are not saying that. But to assume that everyone else that has responded cannot differentiate between confidence and egotistical arrogance is patronising.

On the same note, we all have egos and insecurities. Some more than others but nevertheless we all have them.

 

I personally am not comfortable with stroking my own or other ppls ego.

 

I wish you success with your film.

Edited by Serge Teulon
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Fourth.

 

Well, the shooting went marvelous, despite having the very worst happen. Our lead lady got drunk and was punched in the face at a Halloween party the night before so we had to find a replacement within three hours.

 

We pulled it off, got about 80% of the shots done, and somehow stayed under our film budget. So all in all, things were OK.

 

I can't say whether the movie will work as a narrative, but I can say that it will look absolutely beautiful...thanks to the wonderful work of John Allen.

 

Yeah...the stress was pretty intense at some points, but like some of you said, it's crew that matters. I began calming down at points because everyone knew what they were doing and they did it well.

 

I think I'm beginning to realize that I was stressed before because I wasn't trusting enough...now things are changing. I probably won't soon get over the whole nerves thing, but I'm sure it'll get better.

 

Thanks for all the comments, guys!

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I haven't worked on a proper film with anyone yet. But out of my comfort zone I am very prone to nervous anxiety. I'm currently looking for filmakers locally who suffer from the same affliction I do. When I can drive it'll be a whole lot easier.

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This is something I'm all too familiar with. I'm actually sick before some shoots. I guess it's a lack of confidence on one level and the fear of failing on another. Personally I always worry about what people think of me, will I get on with them, will the actors understand me, do I know what I'm really doing!? Hundreds of thoughts constantly racing through my mind. Like some have mentioned, the nerves disappear once the first take is out the way, after that you zone out and focus on the job at hand.

 

What got me was the amount of responsibility and trust I was given. That someone trusts me with thousands of pounds of their company money and I'm responsible for better or worse. This then made me second guess everything I did. I talked about this with a friend who works with much bigger budgets than I do. He told me to get over the whole money thing, that you can't think about it like that. If everyone worried about the amount of money put into making films nothing would get done. I recognised this and in dealing with it I wrote and shot a short film 3 months prior to the shoot I was hired for. It helped me get my mind focused and back on track to what needed to be done, gave me confidence that I could direct.

 

I think all creative people, especially directors, go through the emotional roller-coaster. I find myself getting very depressed as soon as I don't have another project in the pipeline, I go crazy at the thought of not having anything lined up. And now I've noticed that there's two loves in my personal life, the wife and my filmmaking, I'm constantly juggling between that. Filmmaking consumes everything I do and I absolutely love it. It's the one thing I'd happily die for yet never truly understand why. It is after all only a movie, right?

 

Maybe it's because we sacrifice so much for what we do. I know I don't see many of my friends and family anymore because I'm always working on projects, I've certainly invested more than time and money and that pressure to succeed is all the more present because of that. I'm not talking about the kind of success to be rich and famous, I'm talking about the success that gives you another chance to make another film.

 

I think the nerves are a good thing, it shows you care. The day you walk on a set and feel nothing is the day something isn't quite right.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As an alternative to "whiskey..."

 

I'm in a stage play, and I actually perform tonight in a small role. I took the gig to learn more about directing, acting, collaborating in the arts.

 

The director is experienced and we simply repeat, repeat, repeat until everyone has it down and can do it in their sleep.

 

I personally have anxiety about being in front of crowds. This repetition has helped me get over it. That's the theory behind all sorts of "training" which emergency responders and others go through.

 

To apply to film: do more read-throughs. More rehearsals. Storyboards, blocking diagrams, shot by shot breakdowns. Get as familiar as possible with what you intend to do before you walk onto the set. Having your actors just as familiar and working out their issues before film day seems pretty valuable to me.

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