MovieChat Forums > Star Wars: Revelations Discussion > This film represents everything....

This film represents everything....

posted 18 years ago by rotwang72
8 replies | jump to latest

This film represents everything that is wrong with the "digital age" of film making. Basically, with the new tech out there anybody can make a really good looking film. Do they focus on good storytelling, good acting, good writing? No. And people who are new to the digital tech think its some great acheviement.

In reality this only demonstrates that the director was motivated enough to push this through until completion. Is he talented? No. Is he a good story teller? No. Is he good at directing actors? No. Why is this all important? Becuase we are human beings and as the veiwers there needs to be some connection with the charcaters in order for the film to work. With bad acting...the whole illusion is lost. Even though it frustrates me still (a bit), actors always get the credit for a film that a director created. It always frustrated me until I realized that good acting is as important to ANY other aspect of film making. Any aspect. I'm not syaing that actors should get even more credit but good acting is something that cant be overlooked for pretty visuals. Style over substance has never worked in any art form.

This film has a lot of nice visuals and got a lot of credit for that. However, will the credit last? No. It will only be a matter of time until someone else does something that looks even better. Making this film obsolete. If it had good acting or a good story, even a good script it would never become obsolete. Instead, it is already worthless.

And finally, has the director been offered or approached to do anything for money. No. Why? Because the people in the industry know that making a good looking film inst that hard to do. The real trick of the movie industry is relating to the veiwers through good stories and good acting. If a director cant do this to a bare minimum level (take Star Wars for example, it at least made the bare minmum in acting) then all effects in the world are worthless. Since the director hasnt even displayed the lowest acceptable level of directing actors or telling a story, nobody will pay him a cent.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] pdisant1 18 years ago

>>actors always get the credit for a film that a director created

That a director created? That certainly would be news to the writer, who is the reason the director and actors have a job in the first place.

But otherwise, I agree with your post. The effects, for the most part, were great. Everything else was seriously sub-par.

[–] jdjones_2 17 years ago

Sub-par because you're expecting big money quality out of a B-movie. This was likely the best B-movie I've ever seen, but let's not expect A-list quality of it. That's just stupid.

[–] rotwang72 17 years ago

Hey Moron, what makes something a "B-movie" isnt only the budget. There are plenty of big budget movies that cost a ton of money that have fallen into the B-movie category...a B-MOVIE IS A BAD MOVIE, NOT A LOW BUDGET MOVIE. "This is the best (bad) movie I've ever seen"...WTF?

Any time I watch any movie, I expect there to to be a basic level of quality. I do get let down on that expectation. This one is particularly frustrating because the "director" took so much effort to focus on the CGI and COMPLETELY missed the boat on directing the actors...BTW, directing the actors into a better preformance DOESNT COST ANYTHING EXTRA. I've never been able to figure that out, why not spend a little more time and draw out a good preformance from the actors, a good preformance doesnt cost a cent more than a bad preformance....it really just shows the "director" has no level of true filmaking craft and no sense to have realized this when making the film.

Again, this is why the director is still working his day job saying, "I really thought Hollywood would come to me".

On the previous post...yes, sorry the writer originates the script, however, the director is the one that "creates" a good film with it. A good director will adjust the script as needed during production in order to make it work. Without the director making the adjustments the film could be a disaster. Either way the director co-wrote this "film" so I was just saying time by saying director instead of writer/director.

[–] tarnwalker 17 years ago

Calling people names... what a great way to get people to see your point. It's interesting that Rotwang72 took the time to slam a project made by volunteers and fans. And even more interesting that all the "questions" he/she asked he/she conveniently answered. Sounds like ol' rotwang72 has got it all figured out. Maybe rotwang72 became so bitter after realizing that many of the people involved in that project are actually breaking in to the industry. He/she may be interested to know that the experience gained on the Revelations project was invaluable and for those with the desire, that experience is being parlayed into careers and new projects. Useful criticism is always welcome, but this... it's just sorta sad that a person feels compelled to express himself or herself this way. This is someone so bothered by this film that he/she seems to have really been following it for more than a year now... hmmm. Rotwang72 - if you change your attitude a little and apply that same kind of passion in a productive, constructive way, you might even find some happiness one day. I'll be rootin' for ya ;o)

[–] rotwang72 17 years ago

I guess YOU'VE got it all figured out....please allow me to retort.

"his is someone so bothered by this film that he/she seems to have really been following it for more than a year now... hmmm."

You seem to know how I feel. Amazing that you can read my mind. For the record, I'm not actually bothered by the film itself...what bothers me is the ignorant raves that the film gets. Yeah, its dressed up nice but the story is plain terrible. It does make me sick that a film can be made to look good but completely overlook the importance of story telling and be given credit anyway. Yeah, I check in on all of my threads every so often and respond to them.

"And even more interesting that all the "questions" he/she asked he/she conveniently answered."

Those were rethorical questions...the fact that you didnt catch/understand that underminds your pathos.

"He/she may be interested to know that the experience gained on the Revelations project was invaluable and for those with the desire, that experience is being parlayed into careers and new projects."
"realizing that many of the people involved in that project are actually breaking in to the industry"

What careers? I remember reading an interveiw with the director saying that he was suprised that Hollywood didnt come to him and say how much do you need to make a feature film. Hollywood doesnt come to anyone...Scorsese says he gets nervous that a deal can fall through at anytime....and thats Scorsese. Fact is, even if the director pursued it he wouldnt (and hasnt) been signed to do a feature film because this film actually worked as a negative portfolio piece. It showed his limitations and his lack of cinematic understanding about style vs. substance. There are a million people who can match those effects...Hollywood doesnt care how little a film cost, they have plenty of money to spend to make a film look good. The real comodity in the film industry is the ability to write a good story and the ability to tell a good story through acting and drama. The ability to create drama is WAY more valueable that the abiltiy to create a special effect. Fact is... this director doesnt have a career int he industry. I wont even talk about the actors...they have no careers.

"Rotwang72 - if you change your attitude a little and apply that same kind of passion in a productive, constructive way, you might even find some happiness one day."

I guess you know all about my life. I am happy. And like anybody else I do get frustrated when something/one gets credit that is really unfounded. I actually have been productive in my life. I have made a short film of my own and it has played at several film festivals. Way more than I ever excepted it to do. It is frustrating to see the quality of films at those festivals get no recognition and to see this thing get all sorts of buzz. I am not pursuing a career in the film industry, I love my current career, making my short film was something I was compelled to do by my soul, probably a one time thing. So its not sour grapes...well not for me.... but for all of the film makers that I did meet at the festivals that are way more talented at storytelling and creating drama and illusion...I am frustrated for them.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] mgkhantra 17 years ago

YOu have to calm down o it first this was fan made so dont really expect it to be all good(tho that would be great) I do smypathize with the original poster a bit tho that this digital age of film making seems to make other film makers forget about real acting and storytelling. Its like what George Lucas once said "Special Effects without a story is a pretty boring thing"