Have you watched this show? I remember when i first heard about it back in february and was genuinely interested in trying out, or at the very least, finding out more about it. There was a casual buzz within the film department about what a new reality show about filmmakers and filmmaking could potentially mean. Was this a new lottery ticket to buy into? Could i make it? Does it seem legitimate? What am i going to do when i win!? haha, and so on and so forth.
I never did try out, but it was more from lack of time from end of the semester projects than anything else. But, in any case, i bring up the show because since it started a few weeks ago, it's managed to impress and dissapoint me in so many ways.
First, there's the setup of the show. When it started, On the Lot was a reality show that followed a large group of filmmakers from various backgrounds as they completed several challenges. There was a pitch project, and a collaborative film project where we got to see a select group of standouts as they went through the process of writing, directing and editing. There were some quick eliminations of those who weren't up to snuff, and then the remaining folks were right back into a challenge. All in all, it was actually really good tv, and was exactly what i'd been hoping to see. They got the ball rolling on letting the audience see what the filmmakers were actually like, so it was fun to watch and see who had the ego, who was too aggressive or passive, who was the best and worst at what, etc.
Then a week passed. The whole show had changed. The drama element was gone, and now there was a host, a stage, and a distinctly american idol-like setup. No longer did they show the filmmakers interacting, but they just sat on the stage until it was their turn to show their one minute film. Ok, new format, but at least watching their films was entertaining, right? Yeah, watching the films was fun, but having them spread over a 2hr episode was incredibly boring. On top of all this, the time and date of the show has been inconsistent, so finding out when it's on has been a hassle. Due to lackluster ratings, FOX cut the 2 episodes a week for 1 a week (something i just found out), which may explain some of the confusion. The current format now involves showing 5 films at random per week, in an hour episode, with someone getting eliminated each week after people vote online.
My only question after all this is why can't the show get its act together? After all, they have Mark Burnett and Steven Speilberg's names attached, they have a new reality show that has no similar counterpart, and they have the potential for an endless amount of film related challenges and drama. So why has the show about great filmmaking not embraced what they're trying to find? The finished films from the past weeks have been great; funny, stylish, unique and memorable. But cutting right to showing the movies seems somewhat like cutting right to tribal council in Survivor. It's just that the movies on the show would seem so much better if we got to see that drama from the first week, where you can appreciate the fact that the director had to sit through 50 takes of one line, or couldn't find an actor, or had no idea how to end the script, or just wanted to beat one of the other filmmakers.
The show about filmmaking is really about watching movies, and being On the Lot is really about being on a stage. I just wish they weren't making it so difficult for people to enjoy it because it's such a good idea (which is why i'll keep watching). Maybe there will be another season, and maybe by then they'll have it figured out. I just can't help but think that a better prize than a million dollar production deal with Dreamworks, would be handing creative control of On the Lot over to whoever wins the competition.
When I adopted my 1989 Buick a couple of years ago I was thrilled to have a car, but seriously doubted that the Buick was really my style. Funny what time does, because in a completely predictable fashion I've bonded with my automobile and have whole-heartedly embraced our Harold and Maude pairing. A short film surrounding my car is once again in the works. The last time was in the summer of 2006 for the short road movie I made, Educated Detours. I won't give away anymore at the moment, but in the meantime, here's a brief photo collage to showcase the current state of the aging, but much loved, Buick.
You can't get this far into a university degree, let alone a film degree, and not wonder what you're going to do after or to an extent, if it has even been worth it. I feel like I've been questioned so many times, "so what are you going to do when you graduate" and unsure all I can ever say is, "find a job?". The decision to be here was an easy one. To be honest I don't remember thinking about it all that hard, and as things had been up to then it's easy to say that I was just moving with the current. I looked up a few schools, decided Regina was a decent choice and after a few months and papers signed I was sitting in class. The reality of what I'm doing has only really sunk in within the last year. It's tough to be carefree and lost in the experience as you start planning for completion; worrying about taking the first real unknown step on your own.
All of this has left me questioning things more than ever, and as I try to put everything into perspective and context I'm wondering if the dream career in film is really possible (or more respectively, a job that I'm not going to hate).
Yes, these are largely natural growing pains. Everyone must go through this, right? But, as I've understood that I can be overly nostalgic about things, I hate to think about losing this part of my life. I don't want to be trapped for anything; it's half the appeal of the filmmaker life style, the variety and project to project jobs (see the similarity to being in university?).
Being a film student, especially here, has been full of contradictions and confusion. Like a university experience should be though, it's also been full of self discovery. I've learned a lot, but it's cultural in nature and doesn't feel like hard proof of what I'm capable of. I've developed a nice portfolio of work, although much of what I pride myself on was created outside of school. If I could package my whole experience, I'm not sure it would point to anything specific and at best just asserts, "Yes, I like making movies". Is that really enough?
These are a large collection of thoughts that sit in the back of my mind, and generally I just let them wash over. In so many ways things just find their place . . . at least it seems to be the thing we all tell ourselves. Overall, I guess I break it down to one thing: to be a film student is to have a legitimate and acceptable badge to accompany the work I do and support the reason why I am where I am.
My fear is not so much about taking a step into the unknown, but it's about being the guy who is struggling to make it (the university struggle is more socially acceptable). I decided at 12 this is what I wanted, and I can't think of anything that could make me turn that desire off. Sometimes I think I'm setting myself up for disappointment, and at the same time, when a project goes well or a festival accepts it's the greatest high. It seems like more of a risk than other degrees perhaps, and maybe the reward or potential could be greater because of it, but really, no answer will satisfy my own curiosity or convince me that doing all this wasn't the right choice to begin with. So am i scared? I guess enough to just keep at it. It's the best conclusion I can come to, and with that, maybe it's just enough to bring out my optimism and believe things can only get better.
I doubt this will be the last post like this as my university days fade, but hopefully you can relate in some way, and maybe support or deny my thoughts on this slow transition.
I made the photo collage below last year as a simple gift to give to friends who were finishing/or very near finishing their degrees. It shows the various locations of the university, and as I mentioned to those I gave it to, it will probably gain a lot more meaning years down the road as things change and you want to remember what it looked like then. For those of you who haven't been it's probably just a bunch of buildings, but I can attest from my time here, that this place has started to symbolize a whole lot more.
Have you watched this show? I remember when i first heard about it back in february and was genuinely interested in trying out, or at the very least, finding out more about it. There was a casual buzz within the film department about what a new reality show about filmmakers and filmmaking could potentially mean. Was this a new lottery ticket to buy into? Could i make it? Does it seem legitimate? What am i going to do when i win!? haha, and so on and so forth.
