Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[popeflick]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

The reason film schools are so useless at this point is because you can learn more from listening to actual filmmakers commentaries and documentaries on DVD's and Blu-ray's. I remember they claimed that the T2 Ultimate Edition DVD was a "film school on a disc" and believe me, they weren't lying. Critics have the most useless profession I can think of.

Like I said armchair know it alls. T2 commentary tracks replace film programs. That's a wholly ignorant statement and your copious posts to defend this shows you know that THAT truth hurts.

So pray tell where is your film shot on a phone cam using your T2 commentary knowledge...?

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Walt Disney and Charlie Chaplin never graduated from high school. They learned by actually making movies...not watching bonus features. Class discussion, watching movies, reading books...helpful, sure. But you learn it by doing it.

My point was (and maybe I didn't make this clear) that the experience of learning first hand is more important than film school. That's why I made such a point that practically everyone has the ability to make a film with their smartphone. Anything technical or creative you can learn from a handful of books and filmmaker interviews and commentaries, not an expensive film school.

[happydood]

I think a lot of folks like black and white reasoning and this kind of reasoning only works until it doesn't.

The world is not fixed. There are exceptions to every rule. There are plenty of by-the-numbers boring directors that went to film school. There are plenty before the 70's generation of directors for whom the idea of film school is ludicrous.

Blanket statements are called blanket statements because they are trying to finalize and fix the way the world works in place and it just doesn't work that way. To say school is useless sounds like a defensive statement made by someone who either didn't go, didn't like it, or didn't do well. But to say someone absolutely needs school ignores the possibility that someone like Spielberg could come along and sneak onto a back lot to watch other directors at work and then go on to become the representative American director.

There just are no absolutes. This is coming from someone who taught improvisational acting for ten years and music for 6. I've had students I could tell just didn't need what I had to say at all, and others who came to me as blank slates and went on to do really well and wouldn't have without someone to point them in the right direction.

Re: How does a film school graduate make something like Attack Of The Clones? Technically & aesthetically, very well. But with clearly less interest in writing and acting. And I ask again- is Attack Of The Clones supposed to be measured against Lawrence of Arabia or against another Star Wars movie?

[John Bierly]

An interesting wrinkle to the recent talks of a new 4K scan for the Original Trilogy:

http://makingstarwars.net/2014/09/ru...ions-rejected/

That's a really good site with really good connections, too.

[Batmon77]

Young Boba

[popeflick]

Originally Posted by John Bierly

An interesting wrinkle to the recent talks of a new 4K scan for the Original Trilogy:

http://makingstarwars.net/2014/09/ru...ions-rejected/

That's a really good site with really good connections, too.

I have a hard time believing this because on a project of that importance they'd certainly create proof of work/concept scans prior to setting off and doing two complete films.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

My point was (and maybe I didn't make this clear) that the experience of learning first hand is more important than film school.

I thought you were stating everything you needed to know about filmmaking, you could learn by watching bonus features, and that's what I'm disagreeing with. Also, film schools put the tools in your hand, give you the space to fail in safe context, so...they certainly don't hurt. Also helps to make contacts...a lot of success in entertainment really comes down to networking. What you know isn't as crucial as who you know sometimes.

Anything technical or creative you can learn from a handful of books and filmmaker interviews and commentaries, not an expensive film school.

Well, I disagree that "anything" creative in filmmaking can be learned from a book or listening to bonus features. That doesn't hurt, but experience is the real deal. Making your own films, and sure, film school gives you that -- so many facets of the process can't be gleaned by simply reading texts or watching bonus features. That's where we disagree, I think.

Spielberg and Lucas sure give a lot of money to USC's film program, and to the AFI, and others, so they seem to think there's something to be said for them.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by John Bierly

An interesting wrinkle to the recent talks of a new 4K scan for the Original Trilogy:

http://makingstarwars.net/2014/09/ru...ions-rejected/

That's a really good site with really good connections, too.

If you watch that clip reel? It sure looks like that shot of the triple X-Wing spiral is from the original version. I'm probably wrong, but go check it out.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/95919913

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I thought you were stating everything you needed to know about filmmaking, you could learn by watching bonus features, and that's what I'm disagreeing with. Also, film schools put the tools in your hand, give you the space to fail in safe context, so...they certainly don't hurt. Also helps to make contacts...a lot of success in entertainment really comes down to networking. What you know isn't as crucial as who you know sometimes.

Documentaries, commentaries, and interviews can be a great resource. That was my point and in some ways can be more helpful than listening to a professor ramble on about hidden meanings and other crap. Listen to the people that are successful in making their movies. The technical knowledge is readily available online or in a book.

Well, I disagree that "anything" creative in filmmaking can be learned from a book or listening to bonus features. That doesn't hurt, but experience is the real deal. Making your own films, and sure, film school gives you that -- so many facets of the process can't be gleaned by simply reading texts or watching bonus features. That's where we disagree, I think.

But you don't have to go to film school in order to make a movie anymore. The days of learning to operate certain equipment is gone. The days of complex photo chemical film is over. The access to top shelf equipment to make a good looking film is greater than it's ever been. I'm not saying that's a good thing, but it's the truth. There's no greater evidence of this than the drop off rate in attendance at film schools.

[Ernest Rister]

Some SW VII rumors just went up...check the thread.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

But you don't have to go to film school in order to make a movie anymore. The days of learning to operate certain equipment is gone. The days of complex photo chemical film is over. The access to top shelf equipment to make a good looking film is greater than it's ever been. I'm not saying that's a good thing, but it's the truth. There's no greater evidence of this than the drop off rate in attendance at film schools.

and the amount of putrid little things that try to pass themselves off as film these days

[Ernest Rister]

Attendance at law schools dropping also...doesn't mean more people are capable of practicing law. Just means there's a glut of young lawyers.

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Attendance at law schools dropping also...doesn't mean more people are capable of practicing law. Just means there's a glut of young lawyers.

Last I heard, you can't practice law in court with only a smartphone and laptop.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

Last I heard, you can't practice law in court with only a smartphone and laptop.

Last I heard, you can't command a professional film set using only a smartphone and a laptop, either...

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

Documentaries, commentaries, and interviews can be a great resource.

What about commentaries by or interviews with non-filmmakers? People like historians or reviewers?

Can those be great resources?

[Gold Ranger]

I feel the Film Editors have the final say.
The director sets up the shot and how it is to be executed and filmed.
The Actors and Actresses play it out.
When everything is all fimled and cut together, we see it not as how it was filmed, but how it was edited.

The Fight scene in Batman Begins, in the muddy prison and the Batroc the Leaper fight in The Winter Soldier have those quick cut edits where you can't see what the f*ck is really happening.

There are some really great movies out there that just have sh!tty editors working on them.

Everybody praises and demonizes the writers and directors, yet, the blunt of all of that should be placed on the editors.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by octagon

What about commentaries by or interviews with non-filmmakers? People like historians or reviewers?

Can those be great resources?

Ebert's commentary tracks on Citizen Kane and Dark City are legendary...of course, he was a produced screenwriter, so I guess "non-filmmaker" doesn't count.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by KaineKinetic

I feel the Film Editors have the final say.
The director sets up the shot and how it is to be executed and filmed.
The Actors and Actresses play it out.
When everything is all fimled and cut together, we see it not as how it was filmed, but how it was edited.

The Fight scene in Batman Begins, in the muddy prison and the Batroc the Leaper fight in The Winter Soldier have those quick cut edits where you can't see what the f*ck is really happening.

There are some really great movies out there that just have sh!tty editors working on them.

Everybody praises and demonizes the writers and directors, yet, the blunt of all of that should be placed on the editors.

I agree for the most part, which is one of the many reasons I can't stand the Transformers films. Far too many quick cuts along with shaky cam.

[Elvis]

This is the greatest thread in the history of messageoards...you never know where its going to go.

[rickah88]

Is this /b/ in disguise?