I miss Project Greenlight!
If you haven’t seen Project Greenlight Season 1 and 2, you really should. Even if you aren’t a filmmaker, you’ll find it very entertaining. And honestly, it is probably the best glimpse you can get into what it is like to make a lower budget film. The directors go through so much that we went through.
I particularly enjoy the 2nd season. They selected a directing team to direct the season 2 film. Josh and I found it really helpful to watch to see what NOT to do as a directing team. My favorite scene in the show is when the directors are shooting a scene in a limo. At one point, the directors are giving conflicting bits of direction to the actress from the two different sides of the limo. It’s madness.
Josh and I were very careful to work out our disagreements off the set of Dangerous Calling. I think the actors saw us disagree maybe once in the entire 28 day shoot.
The biggest pressure I think a director feels is the time crunch. There is never enough time in the day. Josh and I felt it and watching Project Greenlight brings back all of those memories of panicking as the sun went down. I swear, you really have to LOVE making films to keep doing it. I don’t think just anyone could do this job. The pressure is tremendous.
Check out both seasons. Like I said, I prefer the second season but both are fun. Season 2 has a young Shia Labeouf. My favorite character is Chris Moore, the producer. He’s hilarious.
If you want to buy them – go here: Project Greenlight
Do you know of any other filmmaking documentaries or tv shows that we should check out? Post a comment.
I wonder what happened to “The Lot” that looked interesting, but then again it was more like “…Got Talent” or “Idols”.
Yeah. I was disapointed that there wasn’t as much filmMAKING on that show. We basically got to see a 2 minute sizzle reel and then the short film they made. When Josh and I got a tour of the show, we found out that the contestants didn’t actually get to write the shorts. All smoke and mirrors. Though I bet there was some of that on Greenlight.
Hey Daw Bros.:
Have you ever seen the movie THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE? It’s about producer Robert Evans – very good. There’s also a great movie about the making of APOCALYPSE NOW called HEARTS OF DARKNESS – shows how maddening and stressful that shoot was.
I haven’t seen THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE, but I love, love, love HEARTS OF DARKNESS. I also recommend LOST IN LA MANCHA about Terry Gilliam’s failed Don Quixote film. It’s really frustrating though since he went through all that hell and didn’t even have a movie at the end of it. Gilliam seems to have the worst filmmaking luck ever.
Good recommendations, Matt! I’ll add TKSITP to my viewing list.
Season 2 of Project Greenlight should be required viewing for anybody who wants to make films, because the Directors they chose for that Season had a lot of mistakes made…most of them personal problems and misconceptions about things they had to get by but it was too late at times and it hurt everything. Learn from peoples mistakes…it’s easier.