SCREEN RANT: Addressing the State of Things

First off, I've really been brewing and struggling with this for the past couple of days. Some of my readers might have picked up on my occasional rant tweet on twitter this week but I've come to the conclusion this topic definitely needs more then 140 characters to really get to the meat of the issue.

I had two very interesting conversations over the weekend with two young filmmakers, to whom I will leave unnamed. Lets just say, the conversations left me very disheartened. My own personal stance and filmmaking philosophy wasn't shaken by any means, but I was surprised by how much all the hard work, research and relationships I've built online have have paid off. As prideful as this sounds, I don't really know how else to say it, I know my filmmaking. And I'm not sure they do. And if they do, they've straight up put themselves in a box.

The most common theme I heard running through the conversations was "I wanna make big budget action movies, be the next Stephen Spielberg." This simply may be a matter of taste on my part, but I really don't like Spielberg's recent films. He falls into the same category as M. Bay but again, more personal opinion. That wasn't really the problem, the problem for me is this, so many teens who aspire to make films seem to be more in love with what they shoot on and how much money they threw at their film, then the storyline and the characters. It hurts my heart, as weird as that might sound.

So many people assume all they need is a lot of explosions, a couple of hot girls and a whole lotta guns to make it big and in one sense, they're right. Take Iron Man 2 for example, look at my previous list and it pretty much lines up perfectly (except IM2 has a leg up on most films cause it has RDJ but you know...) People accept those films because that's what they're being fed and if a "big brain" movie happens to sneak its way onto the big screen, people are deterred because they have to sit there, watch a movie and actually THINK! SHOCKHORROR!

I know people go to the theater to be entertained, but film is a medium too powerful to just entertain. Its meant to influence, effect and, shape the audience on an individual level. And therein lies the paradoxical balance, to entertain, inform, but most importantly to grab your audience by their cerebrums and force them to THINK, gorramitt!

I've stated where those two young men stand, now its my turn.

I don't care about getting rich from my films.

I don't care about getting famous from my films.

I don't care if you can count the number of deaths and or explosions in one of my films on your right hand.

I most definitely don't care if my female leads looks like Megan Fox (pardon me as I gag)

I will not have my male lead rip off his shirt for no apparent reason or randomly stare at the camera with his big blue eyes.

I will never let my actors get away with leaving their mouth hanging opened for half the frakking film *KStew cough cough*

I don't believe that true love means you gotta have on screen sex.

I think that if your gonna make two characters drink coffee,at least give them real coffee.

IMHO: CGI gore is a cop out. Gore in general is. Absurdly long Steadicam shots do not solve badly constructed scenes. Tell a story, don't just follow the characters around. Killing your main protagonist and then bringing them back to life for a sequel is just stupid. I'm sorry, it is.

Phew. Glad I got that off my chest. ;) I'll end there. Personally I don't really care if anyone actually reads this post or not, it's more of a conscience thing for me.

I've poured out where I stand on paper and published it. People can now hold me accountable for everything I've said. And if you do happen to read this post. Hold me to it. I want you to.