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Topic: Latest trend in movies: defying physical laws.

William Leland III
Master Film Handler

Posts: 336
From: Charleston, SC,
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 07-11-2003 04:04 PM

I agree with Christian Appelt, the most. Directors don't know how to make a simple movie with out special effects. I thought to make a movie was to tell a story, give us characters we care about and a script we can relate to. I guess they don't teach that in film school.

My sister just graduated with a degree in theatre arts and she has produced 2 reality T.V shows called Exiled and Exiled 2. What they did was copy every other reality T.V show out there, but use college students. They used the MTV style of shooting, cut and slash, get close up, cut away etc.... It turned out nice but you ask you self one question: Where is the change?

Hollywood is at a point where special effect are the norm. Why not just copy "Bullet Time" or use "Wire Fighting" that some other 100 million dollar used and cash in on their fame. Hoping to create the illusion that is different.

What my point is there are no original ideas anymore. Take T.V and movies, everyone is copying each other. That is why when something new comes out it is all the rave and everyone rushes out to make copy that is inferior. We as the public bare the blunt of their absurdity.

Exiled

Exiled Official Site

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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 07-11-2003 04:26 PM

Another thing that absolutely annoys the hell out of me on the boob tube is the excessive use of laugh tracks on what are supposed to be "comedy" shows. Just about all of todays "commedy shows" cannot even come close to being in the same league as, say Carole Burnette and gang, Red Skelton, Jack Benny and gang...etc, etc. Every 5 seconds there is a laugh track! Today, an "actor" walks normally into a room...laugh track...gets a normal drink of water w/o comedy gage...laugh track, asks another actor a mundane simple question....laugh track....ENOUGH ALREADY!

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 07-11-2003 04:47 PM

Malcolm in the Middle does not use a laugh track and is shot on real film. [thumbsup]

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 07-11-2003 07:57 PM

All the discussion made me think of a technique that has also worn out its welcome. I call it "the 12 year-old operator". It's where every shot looks like a 12-year old is operating the camera, and it absolutely can NOT be held steady. S w i n g around for a closeup, then we're up, we're down, we're to the left, right... trying to keep it in the frame... STOP!!!

I can't watch those movies/tv shows that use this annoying technique because my eyes can't focus on a point. I know the filmmaker is attempting to make the scene look immediate; to give it an ENG flavor, but they're breaking a fundamental principle that relates to viewer comfort.

In shooting a movie, it's beneficial to keep the viewers eyes from jumping about too much. They should be generally focused to similar points from one cut to the next. It's fatiguing for them otherwise. It's too much "work".

Whoever started this ridiculous practice must've missed class that day. After all, it's taken 100 years to learn what we know about what works and what doesn't in film language.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-12-2003 12:30 AM

Will, now you know why I don't watch TV. Instead of laugh tracks, maybe they should try moan tracks.

Today's comedians are about as interesting as an old roll of toilet paper that has already done it's job.

The comedians like Jack Benny, George Burns, Red Skelton, Carol Burnette and a few other old-timers never needed laugh tracks because they were naturally funny. My favorites of them all was Jack Benny and Red Skelton.

And you are right. Some idiot pours a cup of coffee, and yes...the old laugh track comes in. Jeeze....

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John Lasher
Master Film Handler

Posts: 493
From: Newark, DE
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 07-12-2003 12:42 AM

Well, [shameless plug] in MY upcoming movie everything obeys the laws of physics. Some examples"

If you throw a cream pie at someone's face it will splatter on their hair/clothes.
If you invert a bucket of yellow slime over someones head, the slime will fall on that person.
If you start a fire in your house and throw 2 canisters of flashbulb powder on it in front of a team of incompetent firemen, your house will burn down. (Don't ask)

[/shameless plug]

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 07-14-2003 06:39 AM

This was posted today in another thread. It fits perfectly into this discussion.

here

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