Comments for HOLLYN-wood (Norman, that is)

Comment on Veronica Mars and Big Data by Sex Mahoney

Sex Mahoney — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:48:08 +0000

There is a folk musician I have been following for years who finances his albums this way. Advance sales.

Comment on Television, Addiction and Netflix by Judith Allen

Judith Allen — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:32:47 +0000

The recent trend in UK television with 4- or 5-part dramatic series seems to be to broadcast them on consecutive nights (recent examples – “The Fear” on Channel 4, “Mayday” on BBC 1) – whilst certain 2- and 3-part series are kept to the older model of weekly broadcasts.

I’m thinking that a lot of people must, like me, be recording for later viewing – or relying on the ability to iPlayer the episodes and catch up over the next month. And I wonder how much of that’s built into the decision to broadcast it all in such a way, and get all of the advertising pumped out in one short burst.

Comment on Television, Addiction and Netflix by Sex Mahoney

Sex Mahoney — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 03:43:56 +0000

American television is near the end of it’s most recent golden age. The pond is about to start shrinking, but it will shrink slowly. This new distribution model will force shows to compete in an international market that no longer fetishizes American culture.

The future is Youtube/Hulu/Netflix/iTunes—or whatever video service comes next—as programming for video sites standardize production and establish tropes.

If I were a betting man, I would bet against Netflix if only because it uses a proprietary Microsoft player. It’s the Betamax of online video, which is more and more often moving to Google and Apple products (phones and tablets), and whose success in those areas Microsoft has been unable to match. It’s going to hamstring Netflix in the long run.

Comment on Collaboration and Why The Auteur Theory Is Bull by Aaron Weiss

Aaron Weiss — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:18:50 +0000

The Auteur Theory, as coined by Andrew Sarris, is entirely wrong. However, theories of authorship in cinema is an worthwhile discussion, and the more advanced discussions (usually left out of theory classes) often times discuss how the auteur exists in many situations and vocations.

Comment on Is Film Dead? Then Why Do People Keep Wishing For It To Return? by Norman

Norman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:34:55 +0000

Oh, and by the way, I believe that USC does embrace learning the “old way” to embrace the new. I just have a different view of the old way — I think that storytelling is the way to embrace any new technology to come down the pike.

Comment on Is Film Dead? Then Why Do People Keep Wishing For It To Return? by Norman

Norman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:33:47 +0000

Becca,

Sorry that it’s taken me so long to respond.

Europe and other areas are slower to do the digital conversion, but estimates are that over 50% of non-US theaters will be digital within three years. Of course, China is skewing those statistics, so it may be lower in Europe.

But we are talking exhibition here, not capture/acquisition/shooting. Once the scales tip away from film distribution by any appreciable margin, film labs will run away from dailies processing (we already see that here — remember Technicolor anyone?). That will make it too expensive to shoot film except in the highest level film, where the filmmakers have power. And, eventually, even those will become untenable.

Comment on Always Renting by Norman

Norman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:29:48 +0000

Absolutely true. In the 21st century, we are going to be switching careers, not just jobs. That requires knowledge in addition to history.

Comment on Always Renting by Sex Mahoney

Sex Mahoney — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 21:21:49 +0000

In a truly competitive job market, there is no industry so secure that it’s workforce shouldn’t maintain regular professional development education. Failure to recognize that reality was one of the biggest contributing factors to our current unemployment crisis.

Comment on Forum by Norman

Norman — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 02:05:20 +0000

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Film school is not for everyone. It is generally more or equally expensive as just going off and working for free to build your craft. But there are some very strong reasons why I support film school.

First, it’s a great place to learn your craft without the pressure of always being right. You can make mistakes at film school that you would be crucified for if you did it on someone else’s dime. And since most of us learn better by trying and failing, film school is a sager place to do it.

Second, as the apprentice system crumbles, it is harder and harder to learn by sitting at the side of accomplished professionals. At the right film school you get to do this.

Third, and maybe most important, film school is a place to meet people who you will bond with and who know that you have their back. This is a huge percentage of what you need in order to great work.

Like anything, there are good film schools and bad ones, helpful ones and unhelpful ones. I’d take a look at three things when deciding if a school is for you:

1) Students. Who will you be taking classes and making films with? What are the type of people and what is their work going to be like down the line?
2) Location. Is the school in a place where you want to live? Not everyone likes Los Angeles or New York. Some would rather go to Central Florida or Austin.
3) Faculty. Who will you be taking classes with? Are there people who you want to learn from? Have they done work in work genres and areas that you feel you want to know better, or are comfortable with? Are they still working and staying current?

Like anything else — the more research you do, the better you’ll be.

Good luck.

Norman

Comment on Is Film Dead? Then Why Do People Keep Wishing For It To Return? by Becca S.

Becca S. — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:12:16 +0000

This is a very interesting post about the death of film. As a film student of University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, I find your comment about how few student shorts are shot on film very interesting. When I first came to USC in 2009, there was only one class offered to undergraduates that actually shot on film. This class, which I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take, no longer exits. Currently, there is not even an opportunity for students at the top ranked film school to learn how to shoot film, so I appreciate your comment about story over medium. Although students at USC are not shooting on film, that is not to say they are not making good movies. And while I agree with your sentiments that film is on its way out, I do not believe it will be gone forever, and I do not think it should be written off as antiquated knowledge for future filmmakers as well. Knowing how to shoot on film can only enhance an understanding of digital filmmaking.
This idea of learning the “old” way to better grasp the “new” is not embraced at USC. However, while studying abroad in Prague, I had the opportunity to study at the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU), one of the oldest film schools in Europe. This institution had the opposite philosophy as USC – most classes were taught on film or with film in mind. I noticed too that not as many theaters in Prague screen digitally as in the US. I wonder if the digital revolution is a slower process there or does the Czech film industry just place a higher value on film? In my experience, it seems to be a combination of both. So, while I can agree with your statement that film will dies, I must say, I agree with it in the context of the American film industry. Many of the future filmmakers in the US will not have learned how to shoot on film, so yes, it seems obvious that eventually film will be a thing of the past. However, I do not think this change will occur as swiftly abroad.