In this video, directors tell us how they define what it is to make a movie. They give advice to the viewer, the next generation of filmmakers. The filmmakers in the video are all masters of composition, rhythm, and flow of their movies. This also makes them great at evoking emotions because of it. But essentially, it's all about the story and not the medium. It's the same with photography. It's very hard to make a wrong decision when buying a camera today. With any camera brand you buy, you will get great image quality with beautiful color, quick auto-focus, and superb image stabilization. But can you tell a story with your mind and then use the camera as a tool to tell that story?
Quentin Tarantino says it best when he starts off saying, "If you have enough passion, you can't help but to make a great movie." Now people will say that he's speaking from a place of success, and ask whether he would've said the same when he was just starting out. Maybe not, but I really think there is much more than just talent behind success. It's the aggression and fight you put in to go out and to do whatever it is you want to do. Whether it's photography, filmmaking, or any other visual art form, it's not possible to be great at it if you are not absolutely in love with what it is you are doing.
Be tenacious, be aggressive, don't be polite. If you're polite you'll be one of the many people standing inline. Be a bit pushy. - Jerry Lewis
Now I know we try to make the model or talent feel as comfortable as possible, but maybe we can change it up a bit by being a director of force. Not being rude or stupid, but maybe pushing the model or talent to do something they would never have done if it wasn't for you saying they should. The same with when you're talking to clients about concept and what you have as an idea. Fight for it. Don't lose the job because of it, but make your opinion known. It's funny how doing this will make you a well-respected photographer or filmmaker in your industry in the long-run.
We're all very quick to take out the camera and start shooting. But have we thought about why we are shooting or what we are trying to portray? When learning about your style and where you want to go with your career, the advice from Terry Gilliam is, "Don't take media studies. Study something useful. Philosophy, history, English. Learn to have thoughts. Because there is no point in making movies if you are just imitating other people." So learn to have deep thoughts.
The people featured in the video are:
- Quentin Tarantino: 00:00
- Jerry Lewis: 00:40
- Terry Gilliam: 01:15
- John Carpenter: 01:40
- Paul Thomas Anderson: 02:30
- Francis Ford Coppola: 03:54
- Federico Fellini: 04:52
- Werner Herzog: 05:56
- Wes Anderson: 07:22
- Sidney Lumet: 07:50
- John Landis: 08:58
- Martin Scorsese: 10:15
- Guillermo del Toro: 11:38
- Orson Welles: 14:55
Conclusion
There are some great pieces in the video. I've taken it upon myself to read more. I'm not referring to web articles. I'm going to focus more on fiction. To picture the scenes in my own mind instead of it being given to me by someone else via a film or photograph. It doesn't mean I won't appreciate great photography or movie making, it just means I believe there are a lot of great stories within stories that haven't been portrayed yet. This leaves the world of photography and video wide open for me.
[via NoFilmSchool]
