Comments on: I’m Sure the Clients Loved It, But…

By: Hasta La Vista Baby (Until September) « The Art & Business of Filmmaking & Photography

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:05:47 +0000

[…] I’m sure clients loved it, but… […]

By: Al

Al — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 02:09:06 +0000

Ron,
I think that the popularity of the video shows that there is something intangible missing from our modern society. We have expensive “Big” films that come out, but they are really not that good. I think there is a certain quality missing from people’s lives, and when they recognize someone going outside the lines it really seems to hit a nerve. Pop culture has become a joke. People have drifted away from TV because it’s just a rehash of tired old formulas.

The next great thing that will captivate huge audiences is being planned right now. But not in the board rooms of Paramount or Warner Bros. It’s being planned in the garage or basement of someone’s house in middle America. It may not have the technical perfection of “Green Lantern” or “Pirates 17” but it will have heart and be original. Hollywood isn’t lacking for good technicians, it looks more beautiful than ever. But it’s kinda like good looking cotton candy. When you’re done there just wasn’t much there.

There is a revolution coming. It’s going to be very interesting…

By: erikcantu

erikcantu — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:59:59 +0000

For the video you post that was not well received, your last word should have been: “I got money for making that, how much did you make off your ‘art?'”
Just like a gifted painter who has to spend most of their time making landscapes and other mall art crap to pay the bills, are make commercial art. More so, if the project is commissioned by someone else, you are making them something; make them happy, don’t be selfish.

By: Evro Moudanidis

Evro Moudanidis — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:35:20 +0000

Great blog post again Ron, I think I even remember the forum & video clip you refer to 😉
I have to agree with all comments above. I stopped posting video clips on forums a couple of years ago because at the end of the day, the sort of feedback I would get was directly proportional to my ‘legend’ status. It is difficult to get an honest critique on a film-maker’s forum with thousands of members where diplomacy & politics are always at play.

Steve is 100% correct when he says that there are a lot of event guys spending too much time on making films to impress colleagues. This is something I was also guilty of in the early years of my film-making career. I guess from one point, we all want to have the respect & admiration of our colleagues, but there comes a time when we have to start thinking about spending time with family and putting some money away for retirement, lest we be shooting weddings & events into our 70s.

By: Dan Rollins

Dan Rollins — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:54:19 +0000

Great stuff Ron, this hits close to home 😉 I agree that if we want to grow professionally (and personally) we MUST have a few folks who are willing to tell us we have spinach in our teeth. For my work, I have a small group of people who will always give me honest feedback when I ask. I admit, I need to be consistent and do that with ALL my projects, not just the “big” ones.

Flattery won’t get us anywhere.. it might make us feel good but that is not helpful for growth. A really great book I have been reading says this: “To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.”, by the way.. the book has a great ending 🙂

Thanks for a great post Ron.. I agree.. YOU ROCKED IT 🙂

Dan

By: Ron Dawson

Ron Dawson — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:38:19 +0000

In reply to Bill Vincent. I think that's a great assessment Bill. I actually don't post my work on forums any more (well, at least not video ones, not including Vimeo. ;) I really like getting specific feedback from people I know and trust. Your analogy about the "emperors clothes" is also pretty funny. I can see that happening some times too.

By: Steve Moses

Steve Moses — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:53:15 +0000

It’s quite simple really…..your level of artistic abilities is in direct proportion to the fees you were paid. I think all of us always do more than we were actually are paid for to an extent, but trying to make a corporate or event piece a award winner with extra editing hours is just plain bad business when you were not paid enough to do so. Your dilemma Ron is one we have all had & have had to search our artistic souls to look for an answer.

I see far too many incredible Highlights or Short-Forms that I know the filmmakers were not paid enough to do an extensive edit like I viewed. Time editing, is time when you are not marketing or living life. Save those masterpiece edit’s for those that saw the value in your film & actually paid you what you are worth. Stop editing for other filmmakers & edit for that particular client, it’s good business.

By: Bill Vincent

Bill Vincent — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:33:59 +0000

Awesome blog, Dude! You rocked it! 😉 hehe!

Seriously tho, great post. It reminded me of this quote – “An artist’s work is never finished, just abandoned.” (Leonardo Da Vinci). It’s hard to strike a balance between art and commerce – a continuing battle.

As for reviews, I think online commenting on videos is pretty much just a call for compliments. You know the bride and many times her family will gush over it. If someone with a “name” chimes in to praise your work, others in the biz follow suit. These Twitter-length comments are not an accurate critique, to say the least. And as for reviews on forums, I think they are fan clubs for the well-known/well-liked, and shredders for the rest in many cases. People love to tear down other people’s work, justified or not. There is also a zeitgeist around forum comments – if they start out well or a superstar posts something positive, it will be a love-fest. If they start out negative or said superstar chimes in with a less-than-glowing review, it will usually be a slaughter – and this is regardless of how good or bad the video actually is in reality!

As for giving a truthful critique on a well-known filmmaker’s work, mighty flame wars have started for telling the Emperor they have no clothes – so many people who have negative comments stay silent. In fact, the more successful you become, the harder it is to get honest feedback at all.

You have to take all the critiques with a grain of salt (or a spoonful of sugar). I think your approach of asking a few respected folks to respond privately is a good approach. You’re always going to get some suggestions for improvement, but that’s why you asked them, right? If you wanted glowing, you can post on FB. 😉