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​While I can appreciate both sides of this discussion, this is a false analogy. It'd be much more like fuzzy saying you don't need a new typewriter, or new pens, or a new computer to write a good script. Which I would agree with, but I would also say that a new piece of writing software could potentially make scriptwriting a faster process, allowing for more creative time. Or that a new typewriter might inspire you to write.

Absolutely agree, Liam. It's horrible how the forums burst with self-proclaimed master critics who have to get their word out about almost everything. The movie is several years old, don't you think Matt would have noticed shortcomings by himself by now? I don't believe in criticism in general, I can answer questions about something critically when asked, but I doubt people can be taught anything. They have to see and want to change it for themselves. I liked the film as well, sure it has flaws, but it's highly personal and individualistic, not some shiny 'I'ma do it like da pros' shit. I could really relate. And I liked the chubby girls. Geekdom is on the decline, nowadays everyone is a nerd, if you know what I mean. I pity that. Kudos, Matt, don't get discouraged, just do your thing, you don't need any forum's approval for that.

​Dude you made a feature film how many people can say that NOT many Nobody likes their work name me one artist director that loves his films or art and say Shit man i am good this is good No for some HARD CANDY LOVE stop bitching and moaning you wont get any sympathy from me and go have fun by making short films and stop thinking that one day you will be some bog movie director. You think all those directors you mentioned started because they wanted to be big and important at the beginning NO they do what they love. Keep doing what you love and if one day you make it then more power to you my philosophy is if i don't like it if it is giving me stress i don't do it. PS I was in a war 4 years at age 14 (Bosnia) lost 2 brother and father to that war escaped to Croatia over the mountain took me 3 weeks to travel 230k almost got killed in doing it, from there went to Pakistan for 2 years as refugee almost got raped in one of the refugee camps, come to Canada with red cross was homeless for 6 months in Toronto barely spoke any English lived from shelter to shelter could not get work thanks to my English took me 3 months to get welfare got my education went to collage for graphic design and film All that was 15 years ago do i make films NO do i work as Graphics designer NO I fabricate kitchens in a small town make good money have a beautiful family my own place nice SUV car there is clean water coming from my tap i have electricity and this film staff i do it as hobby and threat it as professional hobby why because it makes me happy But i am the happiest when i take my 2 kids to the park every day watching them play while i sip my coffee what i am tying to say don't over think just do what makes you happy if you make it then good I don't know it any of this makes any sense

This is another existential filmmaker post spawned by a few recent threads. You've been warned. Also spoilers for a film. Recently I saw a film that articulated a question I didn't know I was asking. That film was "Frank" the story of a talentless, wannabe songwriter/keyboard player who is recruited to join a band led by a man who wears a fake head at all times. You might have seen it floating around Netflix, and maybe you even disregarded it because it sounds gimmicky, or the poster looked like quirky nonsense, but I decided on a lark to watch it, and it was absolutely devastating. The "protagonist" of the film seems like a nice, sweet guy in the beginning, until he starts exploiting Frank's talent by secretly filming and posting videos of their rehearsals to youtube, eventually earning them a slot at SXSW. He tells Frank "People love us." to which Frank replies "People love us?" The pressure of the show, and pleasing an audience cause Frank to have a nervous breakdown. This film resonated with me in a major way. I watched it once, over a week ago, and I'm still thinking about it. I thought about how fame and success never occurred to Frank. He just created music for the art and expression of it, and when faced with the pressure of a major debut performance at a festival, he creates a terrible song that he thinks is his "most likeable song ever". The entire experience breaks him. The whole film forced me to think of my goals as a filmmaker. I've wanted to be a filmmaker since I saw the Making Of Jurassic Park on TV when I was six years old. In high school, I got serious about having a career in film after seeing Pulp Fiction and El Mariachi. I then discovered the French New Wave and John Cassavetes, and I wanted to make honest, devastating, achingly truthful and beautiful masterpieces of cinema. I made my first feature at 21...and now I'm almost 28, with not many shorts, and not a single follow-up feature since my first. My first feature was extremely disappointing to me. I was obsessed with it for years, and even tried to make a quasi-remake of it, which was a disaster. I've been struggling to come up with an idea for another film that I like. I haven't been able to finish even a first draft in two and a half years. I used to be able to crank out script after script, draft after draft with all the blind confidence in the world. And since my feature, I've come to the realization that I only really have a few basic themes that I keep going back to, and I keep trying to force myself to think of something different, to be a different filmmaker, but I'm not. And now I'm questioning my goals. I've wanted a career making indie films so I wouldn't have to work a crappy day job. I've been working the same crappy day job for almost four years straight, except for the nine months where I moved to LA to pursue my career. I could't even find a day job to pay the rent. Toys R Us interviewed me twice and wouldn't hire me to work in the stock room during the holidays. I sold a bunch of my lenses, and the DVX100 I didn't use anymore, for rent money. I moved back to my hometown a year ago, broken and miserable. A year later I'm in a great relationship with a woman I'm moving in with in a month. She also has a three year old daughter, and though I thought I never wanted kids, now I can see myself raising this child with my girlfriend, and marrying her. We both see it. She's extremely supportive of my filmmaking, and doesn't want me to give up. But I just feel discouraged. Discouraged that my films will never look good enough, have good enough acting or be important enough. And I still want to make films, but I'm wondering why I want, or need, to be successful at it. Before I got "serious" about it, I used to have fun making movies. The same group of friends and I would get together and film shorts on the weekends. Most people here I'm sure had the same experience. I think all I want now is to form a troupe of actors/crew members and make cheap movies in our spare time for fun, and perhaps never even show them to anyone else. I'm accepting that I'm nowhere near the level of talent as Francois Truffaut, Paul Thomas Anderson, or David Lynch, and it's okay. I'm giving up on success. I just want to make shit.

I don't think that Super 35/APS-C will be going anytime soon. For photography, maybe, but for motion pictures it is by far the most developed format. It's the perfect equilibrium between sensor size, lens size and depth-of-field. And while full-frame does have a tremendous range of optics available, it doesn't have the specific range that's desired by professional filmmakers. Look at the Leica Summilux primes. From 16mm to 100mm, all super-fast at 1.4, all the same exact size and with an identical front diameter. The Master Primes go from 14mm to 135mm, all virtually the same size and weight, at 1.3. This is something that would be very difficult or impossible to replicate in full frame format. I've never seen a full frame lens wider than 20mm that's faster than T2. Ditto for a full frame lens longer than 85mm. And for people harping about depth-of-field, 1.4 on Super 35 is about equal to 2 on full frame. Hell, if you really got a hard-on for shallow depth-of-field, pick up the new Vantage Ones at T1 for large-format style razor-thin DOF craziness. Either way, the options are there in Super 35. And I haven't even gotten to all the other types of glass. An entire universe of zooms, macros, tilt-shift, periscope, vintage, anamorphic, and all other manner of specialty and custom glass. Spend ten minutes browsing the shelves of Panavision and see how much is available to you in Super 35.

​You know who else got that speech - me. Well everyone has had this speech. Let's see who else - oh right - Louis C.K. who started making short films. But this is the thing I sense talent in baxter's film - he has something to say, more so than most of online films that are Terrence Malick rip offs or Wes Anderson rip offs or Horror films - I feel that there is something here. And I'm sure Louis C.K. wanted to quit, but he didn't - he kept going, he got more honest - he found his voice. If you are an artist, you're going to do your art whether or not "the public" likes it - because you need to - it's a tool - a coping mechanism for life. A way to process life. Maybe Baxter can do it for fun and not try to make money off it - that's fine. Once you "start making money" you get a lot of people telling you to change things. And that's not fun either. Shoot your weddings, make them beautiful - do whatever you are doing and make it beautiful - if you have a mop, mop as well as you can. I spent 7 hours last night regrading two pieces I shot, not because someone asked me to but because I wasn't happy with them. And I'm still not happy with them, but I am happier.

(I'm in no way an authority in this area) I thought Carte Blanche has some nice dialogue and complicated emotions and relationships. Enjoyed the oddities. I honestly understand where you're coming from with some of your own criticism of it, but that's you learning or developing your own style. and I think in some ways people really aren't supposed to be corrected when they make something artistic with a vision. we only really get amazing films when someone breaks all the rules and ignores the authorities or doesn't know what they're doing anyway. I'll have to check out more of your stuff

​I'm not qualified to advise you on your career, but as someone who's been married for some time I can tell you this (having someone who loves and supports you) is worth more than everything else you mentioned when it comes to happiness. My suggestion is to recognize and cherish that.

This video very clearly shows how impressive the new Kipon EF adapter is for Micro Four Thirds. It is shown working with the Canon 70-200mm F2.8L on the Panasonic GX7. I expect performance to be even more impressive on the GH4 thanks to its cutting edge AF engine. Read the full article

​Well, DoF isn't the only thing. Angle of view changes. People are used to seeing certain lenses "look" a certain way on Super 35. Kind of like how people are used to 24 fps in cinema. It's just part of the look.

I think the reason we spend so much time writing and obsessing about gear on forums is that there are actually two processes involved in getting better at the craft of making films. One is a technical process: how to achieve better shots, better sound, smoother motion, dynamic range, etc. This part is easy to talk about -- we often don't own the gear we're arguing about. And it's fun! The second process needed to improve is an artistic or aesthetic process. And it's more difficult to talk about because it derives from feelings rather than facts, taste rather than spec sheets. It's much easier to say 4k is better than 2k, and much more fraught to say that, gulp, Michael Mann is better than Oliver Stone, etc. And it's even more difficult to prove. Further, there remains some part of being an artist that requires you to walk off into the extremity of your experience and actually come back to people with something unique to say. Something touching or funny, and above all true. Years ago I wrote a series of posts on No Film School about the craft of directing, and have shot (directed) short films, a feature film, and numerous music videos and works for clients. It's not that people don't want to talk about directing or the craft of the art form itself, it's just that some part of that is personal. Maybe somewhere on the web there's a place where people launch into polemics against "fake Wes Anderson" style, or dolly-zoom shots, but I haven't found it. And the truth is it's hard​ to talk about one's artistic process, and even harder to hear someone tell you why it sucks. But point of view does leak out over time on a forum like this. That's why getting to know the various voices over a series of posts counts for something in the long run. One of the longest threads on Reduser is called "shut up and shoot that Scarlet". But there's an even longer one with people posting pictures of their rigs. To reply to fuzzynormal's original post, no I don't need a new camera. But I always want one. And talking about it will do in the meantime.

​Everybody is right on the internet. :-) Some even more so because they know how to caps lock. Anyway, regardless of what this forum is or isn't I think it should be applauded for existing. Personally, I like the chippy-ness and passion around here. Freedom is usually a bit messy and I like it. I'd rather be offended than bored.

​I actually happen to agree with this approach (being bold/frank). Yes, NFS has advertorials as articles, as do others actually: even DP Review with its oddball intro XC10 article and the follow-up puff-piece interview. AFAIK EOSHD was the only one going against the grain on a limb when the rest were kissing up (circa NAB time, now there are more that have come around). Please stay this way, we need a bold and independent voice in this age of megacorps and fawning reviews.

Considering most still shoot with Super 35 mm sensors, that they strike the balance between DOF/ being impossible to focus, and I'm actually think of using the new Black Magic Micro Cinema camera as my A-camera if it lives up to spec, I have to pretty strongly disagree. FF is the future for photography, but not all video projects.

The problem is that people, in general, are over sensitive. If you like or dislike something someone else has they take it too personally. The fact is, unless you are shooting in pixelvision or beta cam, you may not need a new camera. Or you may. Or you may be overcomplicating tech to make up for a lack of creativity, or you may be relying to much on creativity when all you need is some craft and tech. It's all subjective and should be left at that. Just as long as you know I am right. That is all.

​I'd respectfully disagree, NFS is full of banners and "sponsored content" ( deceptive ads masking as articles. ), and while their 5-7 staff posts broader content, they don't have the balls to do frank, objective gear reviews and never will. Personally, I much prefer quality over quantity.

​To be fair, all I was saying is that you don't really need a new camera to do any of that stuff. Not that you're wrong in the way you interpreted my ambiguous writing. But craft and engineering are not the same thing, (tool use vs. tool ownership) which is kinda the thing I was getting at. I sort of thought my question and call to action would be at the heart of the potential thread --to list videos y'all have seen that were impressive but didn't rely on a great camera to accomplish. I always love that sort of stuff and am attracted to it. That didn't happen, which is okay. But it's been fascinating to see what (and why) people got from my assertions. I'm encouraged that folks here engaged about something a little broader regarding film making than the typical gear-centric talk. I do think that's nice. Y'all are a pretty enthusiastic bunch.

The original post, from the very beginning, suffered from fuzzy logic ( excuse the pun ). Fuzzy brought in examples of 2D and 3D animation, pointing to limits of cameras as filmmaking tools, essentially finding fault with this site for not being an animation resource. He then criticized the focus on technical achievement, while citing animation examples that required incredible technical skill to bring to life. ( If you think creating emotion through stick figures is low-fi you completely misunderstand how difficult it is to master natural pacing and timing in animation. These creators spent many years honing their 2D / 3D technical craft before being able to create their works. ) The logic of the original post was self-contradictory and incorrect from the very beginning.

A story that most of us will recognize, sooner or later. I hate to be the one who will say it here, but it has to be said. This is a classic example of something 99% of the people on this planet have to go through. There is no child on this planet who dreams about being a carpenter, garbage collector or street cleaner. Almost everyone aspires something like being an artist, a musician, a filmmaker, actor, having an own business, etc. If you ever watched Idols / Popstars etc you have seen how unbelievably many people sign up for such a thing, just hoping to be discovered. If you ever type 'short film' on Youtube, you can see how unbelievably many people work on things and publish them just to get discovered. We are living in an age with endless opportunities and we are told about these so often that we believe we never ever have to work again because we are so special. The next generation will have to suffer from this even more. You know why? Because to be able to make money with pure art, one has to be special. And special literally means that only a small percentage of all people can be it. We are flooded lately with mediocre singers, songwriters, films, painters, 'artists' so much, that most people have enough of it. I think it is even harder to be special now that it was 20 years ago. Now, I'm not critizing anyone's skills here specifically, most of us simply don't 'have' it and will have to give up. When we are young we are dreaming big and chasing our goals, but when we reach our thirties and more and more responsibilities show up (house, bills, girlfriends, childeren), we have to make a mentallity change. We can just 'fuck around' anymore, we have to get a stable income. It's that simple. It's easy to say 'follow your dreams!' Because deep down inside we would all like that. But unfortunately, money is more important than anything else to survive and most of us will need to let go. At least partially. That's what I did. In stead of pursuing a career as a director, I am now running and expanding my wedding film company. I'm determined to be the motherfucking best wedding filmer of my country and at the same time make well sure my website is being optimized for Google search etc. It's a good alternative for being a director of feature films in Hollywood. Is it as nice? No. Is it my absolute dream? No. Is it fucking 1000x better than working from 9:00 - 17:00 at Mcdonalds? Hell yes. I think this is all just a matter of 'growing up'. When I was 17 I believed I would be the next big rock star at a young age. I thought I had incredible song writing talent and that it would just be a matter of time before I was discovered. Turned out I was very wrong and I was just one of the million musicians who think the same and write mediocre songs. Hence, I gave up pursuing that career and music is now just one of my hobbies. It's hard, I know. But letting go and focus on your real skills and develop a sense of business are the most important things you can do in your life I think. That, and knowing how to communicate with people. Good luck everyone. I still encourage everyone to go for it, but also to keep a sense of realism.

ask away, i'm happy to share. this is our first feature film to make a healthy profit and we're not even counting future revenue from the paramount release. believe it or not, it's a very good feeling to be able to pay residuals to your cast because the thing is actually making money. we've made enough to make two more movies this year. and we plan to make a small slate of movies following this model (quickly, before it changes yet again). working with a micro budget still enables us to pay our tiny cast and crew. but will also keep us profitable so we can do it again and again. we work within the parameters of genre movies so they can be sold as such, but the content is still personal and challenges us creatively.

​Matt, as someone still making corporates and commercials every day, and dreaming to have my own film (let alone feature film), I have to say that I wish I could make a feature like this. Time is passing every second and everyone is growing and gaining experiences. If your film has its style and it's the style you wanted in 2009, why don't you watch it in the heart of that time? The best thing about films is that they can capture what the director wanted to express at that moment when he created it. So when we watch old films, we can certainly feel the passing trail of time. Recently I'm also having the dark moments and worries for my career, but I told myself that just keep on going with the big plan. Maybe opportunity would hit me if lucky enough but if not, I have to work harder to create the opportunities myself. I'm not rich and I'm not super talented, but I learn fast and work hard. That will help a lot in both the job and the dream.

Thanks, guys. I shot Carte Blanche from February-March 2009, and there aren't indeed any criticisms I hadn't already heard or thought of myself, even before I finished it. I don't think it's very good, but I had fun making it, and it's like a time capsule of my life at that time. Most of the film is deadpan, with a mostly static camera because I was heavily into Jim Jarmusch at the time. I often think of what Scorsese said on the commentary track for his first film Who's That Knocking At My Door. I'm paraphrasing, but it was basically this: "Watching this film is like looking at my old high school yearbook photo." I've occasionally attempted to re-edit the film, but when I look at the footage and think of the story, I realize I can't edit out the adolescence, and I'm not the person I was when I made it.

Hey baxterquinn - saw your post and it hit a nerve with me, mostly because I think everybody has gone through that depressions at some point or another. The idea that you "just make it" is film school bullshit fed to us in order to jack up tuition (although we do actually learn some stuff). Here's my short advice. 1. Keep making stuff. Something. Anything. Shoot it with your iPhone. But make it a story or a documentary. Challenge yourself to make a short 1 minute film every month about whatever. And then put it up on Facebook/youtube/etc whatever. Submit it to short film festivals with no entry fee if you are proud of it. This forces you to stay creative and unblock yourself. Don't worry if you only have 1 story to say, many creative people only have 1 story and they tell it over and over again (Christopher Nolan=Puzzle Movies, Michael Crighton=Science destroys man, etc). But think about who has an interesting story and capture it. For me, documentaries are easier since I don't have to write it out ahead of time. I can find the story after. It helps me then unblock myself for narrative projects. Anyway, keep creating stuff because everybody only wants one thing: to work with people who make content and make a lot of it. Not everything has to be awesome, but you'll get better with each project. 2. Find your braintrust. Who are your allies? You mention your girlfriend, which is awesome. My wife is my biggest supporter and I couldn't do anything without her, but I also have others that I send stuff to for constructive feedback. Your braintrust are people you get a long with, who aren't afraid to tell you the truth about your work, but also with a mutual understanding that harsh critiques aren't personal. My braintrust also includes some DP's, sound guys, actors, writers and directors that I can also make stuff with, because there is nothing better than working with friends. 3. Don't equate success with happiness, but also don't be dumb when it comes to filmmaking. If you want to have a career making commercial movies, then you need to think about your audience and you need to balance writing what you want to express with something audiences will tune in for. There is a lot of competition out there. If you just want a place to express your art, then that's ok too, but you'll need to have a day job for a while. So get one that has flexible hours and access to interesting people so you have access to interesting stories. Drive an Uber car, work at a nightclub. Do you have a technical skill? Use it for a high paying job that gives you flexibility to create your small projects so you can grow as a filmmaker and storyteller. Mostly, the advice of other people on this board is pretty good. Don't give up. Most directors didn't find their stride until later in life. I'm 30 and no further along than you. Made 1 feature, trying to find what that next thing is, frustrated I can't seem to "break in". Patience and determination will get you there. Good luck.

Seems that's the mindset you should begin with in the first place and should continue to have going forward in any future endeavour. If you're not init for the sake of having fun and doing what you love... then you're doing it for the wrong reasons. And what's the use in that? You know how many people in the music industry or doing comedy for example out there have mad talent but don't get the recognition they deserve? Kind of the same thing. You shouldn't expect to be the next big thing just overnight like that. Just stick with what you love and try to find some ways to get the bills paid. For these artists I just mentioned that means accepting the little gigs in pubs that don't pay very well. They might get their big break one day (and perhaps first have to sell their soul and identity to get there)... they might not (it's hard to get noticed in a world so big and with so many others). But atleast they're not working late cranking out those quarterly figures that need to be on the bosses desk first thing in the morning I guess and doing something they're passionate about. And you don't need to walk red carpets to have a fulfilling life. So just stick with what makes you happy. And if anything... you just doing your thing is exactly the thing what will bring you success in the end. It's not chasing after that magic formula, but staying true to yourself.

Good for you baxter. Filmmaking should be fun. Success does suck. Ask kurt cobain. Failure is even better. Thats why i write. To fail. Let me lnow if you need crew or gear for your next film.

​ Well, there are many aspects to your post, and I can confidently say, that everybody here, at some point of time, has been in your spot. Even if it is for a day or a week. I will explain my perspective in point: 1. I am sure you have read a book called, "what they don't teach you at harvard business school"? Well, filmmaking instructions and manuals (and film schoold) only teach you certain aspects of filmmaking. People who are super successful would never want to discuss their 'dirty little secrets', like the fact that some of the biggest film stars slept their way to the top, because talent itself is not enough, for many people. Especially for people who don't wanna go back home, and who will not give up, more because that hunger can make them commit many crimes, only one of which is sleeping around. It's like that Ashton Kutcher film "Spread" (1999). I am not suggesting you do any of that, all I am saying is that making a film is only one of the Many things a successful filmmaker needs to do. A lot of directors start getting things right early. Like Nolan found his wife whose produced most (all) of his films, and Wally Pfister after shooting following (and who has moved to direction himself). 2. Most filmmakers would hate to admit it, but most of them are far better as directors than as screenwriters. That is one off the reasons for all the plagiarism. And the films that cannot be watched. IMHO Manoj Night Shamalam and the Wachowski duo come within this definition. The warchowski's have some superb perspective with direction. I think of them as the forerunners to great concept films, of the last decade or so. Also, unfortunately, like Night Shamalam, I think they started superbly, and then their films have not really been nailing it. Maybe, they need to admit to themselves, that they just need a good screenwriter. 3. You said you already made a Feature. I guess everybody around here is curious to see it, and if you could post a url to the same, it would be great. A lot of filmmakers, take very long to make a first feature. Most never really make one. You have been LUCKY to have found a cast and crew, the resources and everything else to make a feature. 4. To run out of ideas, usually means that you have burnt out, because you got too excited and too impatient somewhere on the journey. There is nothing wrong in making short films. As a matter of fact, they help hone your talent, in ways that you most often over-look. 5. You basically need a break from everything for 2 weeks. Tell everyone around to as not to scare them, and then Switch off your phone, stop checking mails, stop communicating with the world. When your back, think of the perspective you missed. 6. If your girlfriend/ fiance respects your space, you couldn't ask for anything else. You need to count your blessings. Like Seriously. 7. A lot of filmmakers want to start big, not realising, that the small films that make it Huge, were never made with the intention of being huge (ala Paranormal Activities). As a matter of fact, after Oren Peli struggled for people to watch his film, for the longest. If Spielberg was not sent a copy of the film, and if he did not happen to watch it, Peli would be in exactly the same boat as you. 8. This is the other part of the point above. MARKET. That is Far more important than just making a film. People need to see it, to appreciate it. Making a film for yourself is like a s#x tape. Hollywood stars make those for others too. So, you have to make sure as many people watch the film as possible. Send it to as many film festivals as possible, and then try and sell it. 9. Keep yourself open to the idea of making wedding videos, advertisements and documentaries and things like that. They make you money, and they are creative expressions as well. As a matter of fact making a great wedding video may be many times more difficult than making a film. You get a single take, and you have to get too many things right, at the right time. But, first start with your 2 week vacation, where you just go enjoy yourself. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars for it, and you don't need to go alone. What is important, though, is that you leave all your baggage at home. Best of Luck !!!

The reason for using S-LOG is for maximum dynamic range, if you chose not to use it you lose about 2 stops without it. So you can effectively go from 12 to 10 stops by not shooting in S-LOG mode or even worst. Some people have ranned test and said they only lost about 1 stop, but from my experience with the camera you would always want to use it at it's best setting. S-LOG mode protects your highlights which is crucial during bright scenes, if you're shooting a night time scene maybe not so important, but you can clip your sensor easily so you still need to be careful. From my experience I would use S-LOG mode 99% of the time.