YouTube And The Independent Filmmaker

YouTube And The Independent Filmmaker

     Does YouTube have a role to play to the Independent Filmmaker? YouTube is itself perhaps the greatest global distribution platform we have on the internet ; or at least the most widely used. With over a billion viewers, 4 billion views per day, and 300 hours of video uploaded every minute youtube is teeming with creators but what kind of creator? In Independent Filmmaker?
     YouTube has a reputation of cat videos, memes, music, tutorials, poorly shot bits of TV and Movies, and things that keep you distracted from your homework but not cinema that will engage you. Those types of things (short films, web series, ect....) have pushed there way into Vimeo, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and other sites. But why? Why isn't the next House of Cards, or the next great short film being not only uploaded but promoted through YouTube with its vast diversity and range for audience? 

     I  think there are many problems towards when putting your work on YouTube as a main mode of distribution and exposure. One is the sheer mass of content that is being put on youtube. Another is the audience that I think youtube has created and the culture around it. YouTube stars have dominated the marketplace creating a medium of societal commentary through narration rather than a platform to share storytelling ideas. 

     Though it's not as if youTube hasn't tried to cater to the independent filmmakers in the past. In 2013 at SunDance youtube launched "Youtube Shorts @ NEXT WEEKEND," featuring the likes of College Humor, Machinima, and VICE, to show the industry of short films on YouTube. But even then these companies do not represent the individual user that uploads content on YouTube. 

     This all ties into YouTube's recent announcement "YouTube Red" which is adding for a $10 a month subscription fee to those users who want access to things like no ads, more extensive music features, and exclusive videos from YouTube creators (mainly youtube stars). There are many problems with this flawed model, including why people wouldn't just use ad block, and how YouTube creators are going to deliver the quality and quantity videos needed to sustain a "exclusive" club for people who pay the price. 

     This idea of people paying for YouTube content I think is a failure as a  model considering their audience and the nature of their content but maybe it proposes a counterpoint to Vimeo in some way and a better model for the Independent Filmmaker and the web series that are littered the internet. If youtube could tap into the market of short films, web television and convince people to pay for seeing these services I think filmmaking could make it's way to youtube. With it's great distribution and audience and short films great quality and appeal maybe it could hold a future in the world of indie films.  

How I Answer Questions About My Future: "IDK, MAN."

After the workshop on Monday, I left feeling unsure of myself. Unsure that maybe production isn't really for me. When I started my academic career at Ithaca College, I was sure that production was where I wanted to be. In middle school and high school I always loved video production and working creatively with a small group. However, I'm starting to realize that maybe I would be better off in a pre-production position.

I learned a lot from Chris, but when he gave his "This is what production life is like, CAN YOU HANDLE THISSSS?!?!" speech, I'm not gonna lie it made me a little nervous. I recently had the opportunity to meet up with my friend Emily, who graduated from IC in May and started working on set for So You Think You Can Dance in Los Angeles. She said all the same things as Chris. (Obviously, field shows and studio shows are drastically different, but the high stress environment surrounding television production is the same.)

How I feel in life sometimes.

I told her, straight up, "I don't know if I can handle that." She said that it's okay if I don't know exactly what I want to do now, and that I would get a much better idea once I'm out in LA--I plan to go for my last semester senior year.

She too talked about long days on set, having to deal with people yelling at you all the time, (for her, it was her boss in her headset) and starting out at the very, very bottom. But the boss she thought didn't like her hired her to be a talent coordinator for a new TV show, so things worked out well for Emily in the end.

I have adopted an associate producer role in our group project. Theo is doing most of the work, but I've been trying to help out with small stuff, like designing an audition flyer, editing the script, contacting a composer, and trying to make sure other people stay on task. We don't have a lot of time to complete our project, and I want it to be the best it can be. I've found that I feel more comfortable in this role, but that's because it's familiar to me.

As for my future, I think I need a lot more experience before I make any big moves. Or maybe I need to make big moves to gain experience. I can't say I have any predictions for the future, so for now, I'm going to focus on putting 100% effort into everything that I do.

The Painter Of Jalouzi: A Look At The Future Of Mobile Film Making

THE PAINTER OF JALOUZI

A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF MOBILE FILM MAKING

    4K (4096 x 2160), or "Ultra Definition" has been probably one of the most hot topic words of 2015. With cameras coming out in increasing numbers in not only cinema style, but ENG, and DSLR models, as well as cameras like the GoPro Hero4 this year, and the increase in 4K TVs for a commercial market it seems safe to say that 4K is here to stay.

     "The Painter of Jalouzi" is a short documentary on a Haitian painter that was just released by RYOT just a week ago. The doc, which was shoot in 4K, is absolutely stunning with vibrant colors and detail in every pixel. However this was not shot on a typical ENG camera, or even a DSLR. No this documentary was shot on the new Iphone 6s. 

    I was stunned to see the footage that they produced with this Iphone, the details and clarity were unlike anything I could have dreamed be shot on a phone. It made me think of the capabilities and tools that we as content creators have accessible, and the future of mobile film making. 

    Does this mean that all of us will be able to make a "Painter in Jalouzi?" Of course not. As with all advancements in technology the priority will always be the story, will always be the composition. Like in the days of early handheld camera work, it looked like garbage, but if the right people were behind it the it doesn't matter. 

     You may also notice while watching this the amazing depth of field and shots in it. In a behind the scenes video the filmmakers used gimbals, drones, and attachments so they could use actual lenses on the iphone. However they did mention that the stabilizer on the iphone proved very impressive and that they used the gimbal less then expected. 

     It's exciting that to me to see the way we are going to start producing content change, whether that be through film, documentary's, or any media really. And the fact that the picture quality is getting better too is outstanding. The more tools we have, I honestly believe, the more creative we are bound to come. 

                     

      

Money, Money, Money

             A long, long time ago, in a boardroom far far away, George Lucas had just sold the foundation for which his career is based off of, for what seems like a small country to Disney. Four billion dollars, that’s how much Mr. Lucas sold Lucas Films and all its properties, those include Star Wars, Indiana Jones, among the more profitable ones. I could talk about what this means for the future of a film franchise that was so ingrained in my childhood, but no I want to talk about what George Lucas is doing with this newfound mound of wealth. You would think that he would go off and buy an island somewhere near Richard Branson’s, but no he’s giving it all back….to education. Here is a quote from the man himself “I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race,” Lucas said in 2010. “We have to plan for our collective future — and the first step begins with social, emotional, and intellectual tools we provide to our children. As humans, our greatest tool for survival is our ability to think and to adapt — as educators, storytellers, and communicators our responsibility is to continue to do so.” A lot of fans give him a lot of slack for “ruining” Star Wars but I see him now in a brand new light, and heck maybe Disney won’t f***k this one up.