Friday, July 24, 2009

Join the (R)evolution of filmmaking

Something filmmaker Jessica Mae Stover posted on twitter brings up an interesting point: so many bad movies get made partly because most people-- apparently including many writers-- don't really understand proper story telling. They don't know better, don't realize the story is bad (or at least badly executed).
Here's what she said:
If your screenplay says any of the following things (or anything remotely similar):
1. "As you all know... [insert exposition]."
2. "I'm sure you're wondering... [insert exposition]."
I hate when, in a movie, action stops artificially to accommodate a character saying a line, and then punctuate with a hit.
Most of the time (unless it's comedic or ironic) those cheesy pause-for-line moments are stronger if you delete the line.
Well there's more: all of these infractions (and more, many many more glaring ones) can be found in Harry Potter 6.
If your screenplay says any of that, do us a favor & shred it immediately. Thank you.


Jessica's keen insight into story telling and filmmaking are largely why I trust her Artemis Eternal film project (still in development)... and why I enthusiastically became a Wingman. She knows the craft of filmmaking and storytelling, and respects the movie-going experience. More than just a movie, Artemis Eternal is a movement... a mentality. Engaging an innovative approach to filmmaking that defies the Hollywood model/standard/attitude, Jessica Stover invites community participation to fund & promote a project that becomes more than only her movie.
By respecting her audience & sharing involvement with her community of supporters (dubbed-- in a knightly fashion--Wingmen), the movie also becomes partly their movie.
Her story is their story...

The WINGMEN: Distortion from JSto on Vimeo.

"The story of the film (both in synopsis and philosophy) is about questioning what society expects of you and what we accept as normal. Everything we're doing around the film fits and explores that theme."
BONUS: experimental teaser

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