independent films

[IAmCountryMusic]

anyone a fan of them, or interested in making their own?

[OveriseFan]

www.njfilmcore.com (http://www.njfilmcore.com)

Hilarious.

I can't wait til North Awesometon Bears comes out.

Anyway, my brother's friend is a filmmaker. He kinda sucks but my brother's done some acting in it. The problem is, all his films are the same, and he cares too much about editing(cause that's what he knows best). Thankfully he's having my brother write some stuff and he's got some good ideas. If he ever gets a site maybe I'll post it up. It's called Ruckus Film Crews or something like that.

[IAmCountryMusic]

i started writing my own script last night and i'm already 22 pages in. i researched how to write a script and learned how it should all be layed out, etc.
it's actually not that hard at all, you just have to be very descriptive and learn how and where you need to insert certain things.
scripts are between 90 and 125 pages, while most are 115. when you submit a script, the first thing the producer does is look at the very last page to see how long it is, if it's over 125 they probably wont take it and tell you it's too long.

now big screenplay writers actually use this computer software to write screenplays. i was reading and apparantly it's a normal thing now. i would have looked into buying the software, but it's over $200.

[aminorthreat55]

Yes and yes.

This looks like indie flick of the year for me:
www.movie-boy.com

And I'm writing one with some help from a friend who is an english major here and a film major who goes to FSU. But I might pitch it to a certain director if I can't get it going how I want to.

i started writing my own script last night and i'm already 22 pages in. i researched how to write a script and learned how it should all be layed out, etc.
it's actually not that hard at all, you just have to be very descriptive and learn how and where you need to insert certain things.
scripts are between 90 and 125 pages, while most are 115. when you submit a script, the first thing the producer does is look at the very last page to see how long it is, if it's over 125 they probably wont take it and tell you it's too long.

now big screenplay writers actually use this computer software to write screenplays. i was reading and apparantly it's a normal thing now. i would have looked into buying the software, but it's over $200.
Most scripts shoot on average a minute per page, and that's why anything over 125 is thrown out. 125 minutes plus credits on either end results in an indie flick being almost 2.5 hours long and that is insane. I'd say 90-110 is perfect length.

[analog_boy]

Yeah, that Movie Boy looks pretty decent.

[Darren McLeod]

I heard they do something like the 20-10 or the 10-20 read... I can't remember which - they read the first 10/20 pages and then the last 10/20, and if they like what they see, then they'll read the whole thing.

I love indie films, and would love to start writing, but I'm busy with school and don't have time to learn where to begin. I'd love to learn though... writing for film/TV is a dream career.

[richter915]

I do not like indie flicks

young people are stupid and should not do things thinking they are smart, because in fact, they are stupid.

me and my friends made one short film for our mass media class. it totally pwned but came out shitty cause we lacked a lot of resources. We had some really dramatic scenes in it though.

[Spooky]

its cool making a movie and being able to say its yours. My friends and I only shot one 20 min movie last summer, but edited it fully so it came out really sweet. I love acting (i'm a theater minor), so i'm all for shooting movies. And its kinda cool seeing what other people do. So i'm pro independent films

[marbury1414]

I'm a screenwriting major in LA so in short, yes and yes.

[pinkerton]

indie flicks are all about gay cowboys eating pudding.

[IAmCountryMusic]

I do not like indie flicks

young people are stupid and should not do things thinking they are smart, because in fact, they are stupid.
that's funny coming from a rangers fan...

[aminorthreat55]

that's funny coming from a rangers fan...
Who are 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. Good call.

[dorkkintheboxx]

I love indie movies. They are often the only original entertainment (movie-wise) nowadays.

It sucks though because none of the theaters near me play any. The closest theater is about 45 miles away, and I am not about to drive for an hour and a half (ahh houston traffic) to see a movie.

I really want to see Movie-Boy, Chumbscrubber, and Thumbsucker.

If anyone has seen them, tell me how they are!

[aminorthreat55]

My friend is going to see Thumbsucker and I'm ordering Movie Boy from the director, so I'll let you know if I remember.

[wastedspacejm]

I took a film class in high school, and want to take more in college but they don't offer them here (they offer film analyzation-type stuff, not filmmaking). If I ever got the time, money, and actors I'd make one, but it's all too unlikely.

[seconds]

yeah, independent films are really good. i have always wanted to write something good, but in the end they never worked out. but i think i will start writing something and get my camera fixed.

[lackofcolour 13]

I dont know. A movie can be good regardless of it's funding. I guess if you just like the feel of them, whatever. But the funding isnt a judge of its integrity.

[blankster07]

i started writing my own script last night and i'm already 22 pages in. i researched how to write a script and learned how it should all be layed out, etc.
it's actually not that hard at all, you just have to be very descriptive and learn how and where you need to insert certain things.
scripts are between 90 and 125 pages, while most are 115. when you submit a script, the first thing the producer does is look at the very last page to see how long it is, if it's over 125 they probably wont take it and tell you it's too long.

now big screenplay writers actually use this computer software to write screenplays. i was reading and apparantly it's a normal thing now. i would have looked into buying the software, but it's over $200.

... no need to get that stupid $200+ software... if you have microsoft word you can download a program that will write stuff in script format.... for free!... also, dude... scripts are ANYTHING but descriptive... they are basically a set of directions and should not be bogged down with a lot of descriptive jargon... (otherwise you'd be writing a novel)...

if you have somthing like this in your script. "The moon light reflects off the water and casts a shadow onto the gargantuan house."... it's not a script its a novel...

[aminorthreat55]

if you have somthing like this in your script. "The moon light reflects off the water and casts a shadow onto the gargantuan house."... it's not a script its a novel...
Not really. You need to be descriptive so that the shots are clearly explained for a director, but if you were to take that one line description and drag it into a paragraph describing that, then yes, it would be a novel.

[Darren McLeod]

You don't want too descriptive though, because the director is the one who wants to control most of the stuff, and doesn't want to be completely directed by what you've written.

At least, that's what my creative writing teacher said.

Also, where are these scripts for Word. Also, any for OpenOffice?

[blankster07]

here is the link to the free screenwriting program for Word... http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scriptsmart/ ... it's an excellent tool...

[theROUSE]

great indie film = garden state

[marbury1414]

Not really. You need to be descriptive so that the shots are clearly explained for a director, but if you were to take that one line description and drag it into a paragraph describing that, then yes, it would be a novel.

Director's hate hate hate to be told what to do shot-wise or scene description wise, so you're supposed to keep your descriptions as absolutely short as possible with only the absolute necessary elements in there.

You don't want too descriptive though, because the director is the one who wants to control most of the stuff, and doesn't want to be completely directed by what you've written.

At least, that's what my creative writing teacher said.

Also, where are these scripts for Word. Also, any for OpenOffice?

your teacher would be correct

[aminorthreat55]

Director's hate hate hate to be told what to do shot-wise or scene description wise, so you're supposed to keep your descriptions as absolutely short as possible with only the absolute necessary elements in there.
In most films yes, but in independent films, it's very often that the director and writer are partners, and occasionally the same person, so at some junctures it makes sense, but if you hire someone to just write a script, then yes. But a lot of indie filmmakers can't hire a full on scriptwriter.

Let's put it this way, there's a happy medium of description that is between empty and verbose, and that's where it needs to be.

And a lot of writing has to do with imagery and symbolism, which require descriptions, and if those are thrown away, stories lose a lot of power.

[marbury1414]

In most films yes, but in independent films, it's very often that the director and writer are partners, and occasionally the same person, so at some junctures it makes sense, but if you hire someone to just write a script, then yes. But a lot of indie filmmakers can't hire a full on scriptwriter.

Let's put it this way, there's a happy medium of description that is between empty and verbose, and that's where it needs to be.

And a lot of writing has to do with imagery and symbolism, which require descriptions, and if those are thrown away, stories lose a lot of power.

That's all very true and I agree. I actually completely forgot we were talking about independent movies because usually the director and writer are the same people or working together, you're right. But, if you're a screenwriter and submitting a script (which is the perspective I'm coming from) to be bought, then writing the structure and development in a minimal manner is key, because ultimately, the movie is going to come out as the director's vision, not necessarily what the writer originally intended. Alot of people underestimate how much power a director really has in changing a script or inserting his own thoughts into the movie. But anyways, no one's wrong, like you said, there should be a somewhat happy medium between the two.

[A picasso blue]

anyone a fan of them, or interested in making their own?
do snuff films count :huh: