Comments on: Do you want to join a D+CFilmmaking co-operative? http://www.devon-cornwall-film.co.uk/2009/03/08/do-you-want-to-join-a-dcfilmmaking-co-operative/ D&CFilm is the best place to come for the world of film in Devon and Cornwall. D&CFilm is for film lovers, filmmakers and all those who enjoy the moving image. There are reviews of latest releases and DVDs plus film features, film interviews and film news. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:57:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ashley Thorpe http://www.devon-cornwall-film.co.uk/2009/03/08/do-you-want-to-join-a-dcfilmmaking-co-operative/comment-page-1/#comment-9813 Ashley Thorpe Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:54:56 +0000 http://www.devon-cornwall-film.co.uk/?p=3023#comment-9813 The main problem I can forsee with this is the age old adagio - 'Too many cooks...etc' The greatest problem with communal film-making is that it tends to yield poor results. Most film makers yearn for creative freedom and generally the more people you get involved in trying to realise an idea, the more corrupted the idea becomes. This isn't about puratinism, this is sadly just plain practicality. It takes motivation to make a film. It also takes a little bit A film-making community is not a bad idea; a forum for sharing ideas is good, but a self funding one raises issues of ownership and control. There's also a common myth amongst film-makers (especially those that haven't had the fortune / misfortune to work in the industry) that the only way for your work to get noticed is to hire the most recent / hi-tech / star-spangled technology for your project. It's not true. Forget the tools. Remember the project, and its target audience - that will raise its profile - that will help with funding and distribution. This kind of 'community' is essentially a peanut microcosm of the Bursary / Arts council grant system anyway (£1 a week - 52 weeks a year - 20 film-makers ...that's not that much money...and sadly it won't go far, especially if you're one of the majority of film-makers that I've met that has to hold down a full time job and pay school fees etc), so why not try a completely alternative way of creating funds for future projects? There's ways and means...and I genuinely think that although it's a noble idea to create this kind of film community there are other ways to generate money for projects. I've just started selling my films via my site as downloads - films that were genuinely targeted at an audience I consider myself part of. I've been contacting genre related sites, trying to get into relevant festivals and magazines. I've even paid for an advert in one of them after a review (Gorezone). I honestly believe, that in this age that self-marketing might be the way forward. Perhaps that might be a collective pool worth dipping in... The main problem I can forsee with this is the age old adagio – ‘Too many cooks…etc’
The greatest problem with communal film-making is that it tends to yield poor results. Most film makers yearn for creative freedom and generally the more people you get involved in trying to realise an idea, the more corrupted the idea becomes. This isn’t about puratinism, this is sadly just plain practicality. It takes motivation to make a film. It also takes a little bit

A film-making community is not a bad idea; a forum for sharing ideas is good, but a self funding one raises issues of ownership and control. There’s also a common myth amongst film-makers (especially those that haven’t had the fortune / misfortune to work in the industry) that the only way for your work to get noticed is to hire the most recent / hi-tech / star-spangled technology for your project.

It’s not true.

Forget the tools.

Remember the project, and its target audience – that will raise its profile – that will help with funding and distribution.

This kind of ‘community’ is essentially a peanut microcosm of the Bursary / Arts council grant system anyway (£1 a week – 52 weeks a year – 20 film-makers …that’s not that much money…and sadly it won’t go far, especially if you’re one of the majority of film-makers that I’ve met that has to hold down a full time job and pay school fees etc), so why not try a completely alternative way of creating funds for future projects? There’s ways and means…and I genuinely think that although it’s a noble idea to create this kind of film community there are other ways to generate money for projects.

I’ve just started selling my films via my site as downloads – films that were genuinely targeted at an audience I consider myself part of. I’ve been contacting genre related sites, trying to get into relevant festivals and magazines. I’ve even paid for an advert in one of them after a review (Gorezone).

I honestly believe, that in this age that self-marketing might be the way forward. Perhaps that might be a collective pool worth dipping in…

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