Neumann Films

I should have clarified...I personally put more weight in the creative freedom so I generally try and worry about packaging later, if at all. This is just what I have heard and roadblocks we have hit in trying to sell stuff like this.

If selling it is something you're after, giving thought to the format and "packaging" is very much worth the time. It will open up more potential buyers and therefore give you a better chance of making a return and being able to continue doing it for a living. Sometimes not worrying about that opens you up creatively and you work with more freedom. That said...let's be real, it doesn't take that much time to come up with a skeleton outline that has breaks where the episodes would end, doesn't even have to be cliffhangers. Shooting it as a series is much different than shooting it as a no breaks short.

Are you talking about ideas for making it an easier sell? If so, to sell a season of shorter form content I have been told (by several agents) that 8-10 episodes is generally the idea, episode length doesn't matter as much. For some reason the 8-10 episode number has always been a point of contention in all discussions we have had. If you don't go 8-10, make it a trilogy of short films.

Oh yeah, this has happened to us a few times. Hire a hacker to go on the offensive

Oh, how I wish I could elaborate on this subject freely. Where there is smoke, there is always some fire.

A grid of Lume Cubes might be a decent solution, if you are set in actually shooting in the elements vs. creating elements (snow machine)

Yup, I absolutely agree. How do you tread that line? How much metaphor is too much, do you risk your audience missing the point or do you risk turning them off by being too "preachy". We have been attempting to define our voice and our version of this through a series of videos on our channel that deal with everything from Spirituality to corrupt government, unplugging from the media, and uniting as a people. Each video tackles a different subject but with a different approach. Comedy, abstract, more mainstream and commercial, drama etc. Still don't know which is the best approach. Seems like each subject requires it's own criteria.

I think I gave him a fair opinion. His online persona is hard to get along with. Find me five people that disagree with that. Hell, Ed should have trouble disagreeing with that. Not saying I'm a walk in the park either but...I'm not volunteering to become a mod and starting threads that are veiled personal attacks against other mods. Then the whole victim routine. Ugh. Pass. Hard pass. Unlike Ed...this WILL be my last post in this thread. Too much time wasted on lost causes. Over and out.

Well, for starters you seem to be missing the post (a few) above yours, where Ed uploaded a pic of Jon and mocked it? You could start there. I have never had an issue with Jon myself, so I can't really offer any thoughts on that matter. Seems like it's something personal between Ed and Jon. I'm in favor of this forum as is...hence, why I come here. Not too crazy of a notion (to me at least). The few experiences I have had with Ed (this being one of them) have been enough for me to have an opinion on HIM becoming a mod. So that's pretty much it. I base my opinion on my personal experiences and nothing more. Not hearsay, not rumor, not even my own assumptions. Outside of that, I don't have enough information to make any more decisions than that. Simple, simple, simple. Not one ounce of sarcasm. I don't like Ed's online persona, in its current undeveloped state. My keyboard, my choice to come to a forum or not. Simplicity. I will say, in defense of Ed...I'm not assuming anything about him personally. I do truly believe that people can and ARE much different online. I know first hand how easy it is to piss people off even when you weren't intending to. To have any "real" discussions, it's very difficult to emote and express with as much efficiency as you can in real life. That's why most people are generally a bit nicer in real life. You miss subtle cues online. Facial gestures, vocal tones...all of those things make a difference when you're discussing important topics. Online, a lack of a "smiley face", or not prefacing something with "in my opinion" can make all of the difference. I have had to learn this lesson myself, over time. We are of the age that we didn't grow up online or in forums, so there's a learning curve for everyone born before...1990 or so. I'm also not perfect in this regard. I probably could have formed my ideas and thoughts in this very forum more eloquently and efficiently...but, you live and you learn. Online, Ed SEEMS to be hard headed and unable to see anyone's view that doesn't line up with his. In my opinion, bad choice for a mod. Again, just based on his ONLINE persona. Which is usually quite different from the person themselves. Ed, I apologize if it came off like I was critiquing you as a person. That wasn't my intent... These conversations are so tough online. It would be resolved in 10 minutes in real life.

Need anyone say more?

Yeah, rewarding Ed is a bit of a turn off here, in my opinion. I'm sure he's a good guy in real life but the limited experience I have with him online has been, annoying at best. If he's a freaking mod...I'm out. Love ya, Andrew, but...I would probably just go back to reading your articles and steering clear of the one forum I come to anymore. Just my opinion, take it how you will.

Comedy is always a decent approach. At the very least if you make the characters bizarre enough people will think you're making fun of both sides.

I applaud that. Tempted to downgrade my phone back to a non smart version. Keypad for texting, no internet...mmmmmmm

We all obviously have variations of a "moral code" but I believe in overall human decency. So if we are similar in that way we all have similar weaknesses. In America, for instance, sayings like "nice guys finish last" are commonplace. Getting ahead is encouraged, without any thought to whom or what you might be trampling to get there. The American Dream is great for those that succeed but that success can't be possible without someone else NOT gaining success. Being content, in a consumer ran system is one of the hardest things to achieve. Doesn't it feel like that these days?

That depends on how much faith you have in the average human to turn down money for their values. How often do you see that choice being made on the smallest of scales? It's no different at any point on the pay scale ladder. When you are in a free for all market, you slowly shed morals. Not all at once and maybe not completely, but if your competition screws you over, you bend just a hair and justify it. This has been happening in America now for...a long time. So it's bent more than just "a hair". No, it's an uphill battle for consumers but it is STILL their dollar. Their choice. If we simply...stopped watching Transformers movies they would cease to be made. I know chicken and the egg arguments are a lost cause but this isn't quite that scenario. We still have free will, even though it seems we don't in this case. We always do. Therefore...it's on the consumer.

Yeah, I don't buy that the media is slanted one way or the other. Follow the money, if making fun of trump and Republicans gets the most clicks, that's what they go with. It gets them the best of both worlds. Hate clicks from Republicans and gloat clicks from Democrats. There might be a little preferential treatment but I would attribute that to Democratic parties investing in media conglomorates. Again...just money. Do you blame Disney for pushing out super hero films 24/7? At what point is it the consumers fault? I say...always. Large entities like a Disney cannot (repeat...cannot) exist in a Capitilist society like ours AND have morals at the same time. Blame the consumers for the latest Transformers film and blame consumers for the media frenzy (no matter which way it's slanted...does it even matter?)

Yup, it's very odd. Facebook did the same thing and that's when I left. 20,000 people "liked" the page and I couldn't even reach them. What's the point? Just greed. Lots o' greed.

I really couldn't say, it just seems like what happened with Facebook a few years ago where your videos don't quite reach the audience you know is there. It wasn't gradual, it happened within a week or so. Yeah, maybe that's it. They want to push longer videos now or something? Who knows.

I always thought Inception was Nolan's paranoid musings on people stealing his movie ideas I am a fan of metaphor as well but I think sometimes filmmakers go too far down the rabbit hole and lose the audience along the way. If your goal is to make a difference and to inform/persuade people, you can't layer too much parable on top of your message. Some of my favorite movies skin the first layer off of the subtext (The Fountain, Tree of Life). Movies that look directly into the face of the audience and ask the question point blank get my respect much more than ones that passive aggressively beat around the bush, lose the audience, and fail to deliver their message. At that point...just lose the message and entertain us. I would prefer it to be one or the other. This is why I have been thinking more and more (lately) that Documentaries are the only answer. The issue there is that you generally just preach to the choir. Some form of entertainment is necessary just to get the eyeballs that need to see it, watching the piece.

YouTube has taken a turn for the insane over the last...4 months or so. They changed something under the hood and it's all very different now. Totally agree though, JCS. Its all very simple when you break it down. Everyone deserves a voice and respect. The race, gender, and political attacks are superfluous to the underlying issue...division. Whenever I discuss politics with people face to face, I generally take the opposite side of them but employ reason, sensibility, and a calm tone. Generally...without fail, we meet in the middle. That's the only place where real discussion and progress can happen. And yes, this might be the most important thing for filmmakers today. Using your skill as art and to influence people is great but you had better know what "truth" is or you're just adding to the white noise. Not left or right, not white or black, not an "agenda"...truth. Unity. Its the only way out of the ravine we find ourselves in!

The totality part of it was pretty awesome. Bats started flying around, street lights came on. It was basically pitch black out but you could see light and blue skies in the distance if you had a good enough view.

Small world! Is it crowded over there? This has been a Y2K level hype let down.

I just plan on enjoying it. Happen to live in an area of "totality". Maybe something on the GH5 for personal memories. Are you in Bend??

Sorry for being harsh. I don't like seeing people get ripped into that don't deserve it, though. I'm really tired of it. Good people too. It's just...not right. I keep my mouth shut and stay impartial on as much as I can but...I dunno. People probably spend a couple of hours a week on this forum, calling them (basically) sheep to Capitalism is as insulting as you can get. Filmmakers like to give themselves a hand job for making "art" but art doesn't feed people. It doesn't fucking put a roof over someone's head. It kills 90 minutes and people move on. Let's not get all self righteous and pretend that a movie has ever really moved the scales. Any good will you do is countered by how much of a prick you can be online. Just..null.

How about showing respect to everyone (yes, even white), ESPECIALLY if their views differ from yours. Gear privileged...dude, you're on a fucking forum for cameras. You don't know what anyone does outside of this forum. No more than they know you. Stop being an entitled little prick. You could be Stanley fucking Kubrick, but if you STILL haven't figured this out, I pity being anyone that has to deal with you in person. Evolve faster.