Q&A With film Legends

Over the past few years, blockbusters have become increasingly complicated as directors try to include more things in each film. This is very evident in films like Avengers: Infinity War where there are so many different storylines happening at once that it can be hard for some viewers to follow everything!

As such, moviegoers have grown tired of filmmakers trying to pack in too much content, and thus their ratings drop significantly. A lot of people will give a movie a lower rating because they feel that the experience was watered down due to the length of the movie, or the film didn’t live up to its potential due to this.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, since as we know, money makes the world go round! As long as someone is paying to watch your work, then you’re successful, which is what matters most anyway.

However, this does pose a problem for aspiring screenwriters. Because if a writer wants to get into the business, he/she must learn how to write fluidly and concisely, otherwise his/her career will suffer. And even if you're a well-known author, your reputation may take a hit if you put too much effort into writing a big book that no one cares about.

So, here I will talk about five reasons why writers should be interested in storyboards.

Q&A with Oscar-winning film directors

This week, we’re talking to two of our most celebrated filmmakers here at Netflix. Both of these men have won multiple awards for their work in cinema, including back-to-back Oscars for Best Director!

Ryan Gilberthon is best known as the director of The First Time, an intimate coming-of-age romance that was named Best Film at this year’s SXSW festival. He has also directed episodes of popular TV shows such as Friends and Parks and All About Us.

John Hamburg made his feature directorial debut earlier this year with Love, Simon, starring Nick Robinson as young love doctor Simon Lewis and Katherine Langford as aspiring singer Cassie Madison. His previous directing credits include one episode each of teen drama series Roswell New Mexico and sitcom The Goldbergs.

Both Ryan and John are passionate about encouraging others to pursue their dreams and they both agree that it's possible to make a living as a filmmaker. They believe anyone can become a successful filmmaker if you put in the effort and keep learning from other filmmakers.

Q&A with BAFTA-nominated film directors

This week, we’re doing something different! We are having a question and answer session with two of our most recent winners at The British Academy Film Awards - director Ben Palmer for his documentary Life Is Short and Life On Speed, and writer/director Luke Hemsworth for his feature Love, Divorce And Your Wallet!.

Both men have won or been nominated for their incredible work in filmmaking, so it makes sense to ask them about their careers and what it takes to succeed as an artist.

So stay tuned this Friday to read our chat with Ben Palmer and Luke Hemsworth.

Q&A with BAFTA-winning film directors

This week, we are having an online chat with two incredible filmmakers who have done some spectacular work in the movie business. Both of these men have won multiple awards for their achievements, including several Academy Awards!

Paul Anderson is a filmmaker whose career has spanned more than twenty years. He has directed feature films (The Dangerous Life), TV movies (Saving Gracyzny) and miniseries (The Gloaming). His latest project was writing, directing and starring in The Crash Reel, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year before being picked up by Netflix.

Peter Strickland also has a very diverse portfolio that includes both big budget studio productions as well as small independent projects. These include such acclaimed works as V For Vendetta, Logan’s Run, Nightcrawler and most recently A Private War.

He wrote, produced and starred in his new thriller, Kill Me Three Times, which he self-financed and released through his own company. It had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival last month and will be showing at other festivals soon.

We asked Peter and Paul to give us their top tips for aspiring filmmakers, and they kindly agreed to answer our questions. You can read their answers here, along with some of their fun stories from behind the camera.

What are their jobs?

As director, Peter's job is to tell your story visually and emotionally.

Q&A with Golden Globe-nominated film directors

As we gear up for Academy Awards season, we are excited to announce our first ever “Q&A WITH” event!

Filmmakers of all levels deserve recognition and credit for their talents in storytelling, so we have decided to honor some of the most deserving filmmakers by asking them questions about themselves and their careers.

These artists will be sharing stories of how they got into the movie business as well as tips and tricks for staying motivated while promoting your work.

Q&A with Golden Globe-winning film directors

As movie fans, we love to talk about movies. Sometimes that conversation can get pretty deep. What films influenced you as a filmmaker? What are your favorite books or stories? What genres do you like and why? And what types of movies have left you feeling either completely drained or energized?

It’s great to chat about all these things but one topic often gets overlooked - how to survive a shooting!

Director Clay Orton actually made a career out of this very thing, creating his own survival mode playbook which he now shares in his new book titled “The Survival Guide for Filmmakers.”

Clay has also been featured in TV news programs such as Nightline and The Oprah Winfrey Show talking more broadly about filmmaking while sharing tips and tricks for aspiring filmmakers.

In this q&a video, I decided to ask Clay if there were any lessons he could pass along from his experiences as a shooter.

Q&A with Independent Spirit Award-nominated film directors

As movie directors, our careers are dependent upon the support we receive from others. The media is an integral part of that process as they influence how popular or unpopular your work may be. For some, you can make it or break it!

Many people have discussed the importance of being accessible to the press at all times, but few give much thought to just what this means in practice. It’s easy to suggest staying late for an event or holding a party, but what happens when you do?

As artistically ambitious individuals, there’s always something new we want to try shooting or editing a scene, so we tend to keep early mornings free. Or maybe we’re seeking coverage on another project we're working on, so we ask people to meet us somewhere later in the day.

The most difficult situations occur when journalists need you immediately after a screening or conference, which is totally understandable. But unless you’ve planned ahead, these events typically wrap up around 6pm, leaving very little time before you must head home.

Q&A with Independent Spirit Award-winning film directors

As movie directors, our careers are not short! It can take years to get your foot in the door as an indie filmmaker, so it is important to establish strong relationships with people in the industry that may help you gain exposure or introductions.

Directors are always looking to connect with other filmmakers, and successful professionals usually advertise their presence well. If you're passionate about cinema and want to make movies yourself, then becoming involved in the filmmaking community is a great way to do this.

By being active members of various filming groups on social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, you will soon be exposed to many different types of filmmakers. Some may even offer production services or opportunities for employment!

So what are you waiting for? Let us inspire you to build your career by joining this online community.

Q&A with Critics’ Choice Award-nominated film directors

This week, we are having an online chat with three of our most recent movie critics to ask them some questions!

Filmmakers often times will organize events where they invite other people to come on stage and talk for a few minutes about their career and what it means to them before they get to answer a question from the audience or themselves. These talks are really insightful because not only do you learn something new, but also how passionate these individuals are about cinema.

We have gathered some very interesting conversations for you to listen in on as we connect with screenwriters, filmmakers, and cinematographers who lead busy lives that sometimes make it difficult to find time to promote their work. By sharing their knowledge and passion, they help build up your love for the art form of cinema.

Here at TheFilmJournal, we believe every person should know at least one thing about filmmaking, whether you want to be a filmmaker yourself or just enjoy films more than ever.