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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Academy Awards Predictions and Wishes

I can't believe that Michael Moore's doc "Capitalism" wasn't nominated for any Oscars. Not the expanded "Best Picture" and even more surprisingly not "Best Documentary". "Capitalism" didn't even make the short list of considered docs. Can anybody tell me why "Capitalism" is not even considered one of the 10 top docs of last year? "The Cove" wins? Anybody surprised that the documentary world is in such bad shape?

This just confirms the continuing truth is that the Oscars are a political sham that should be ashamed of the way it works!
 
I think that the Academy is just tired of Moore. I am, I was tired of him after Bowling for Columbine. The Cove was excellent by the way.
 
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Andrew,

How many documentaries did you go to see in the Theatre last year? I'd bet not a lot, if any. I'm guessing from your tone, you're young. I'd recommend that you study more about movies before making an uneducated claim. Michael Moore has raised the bar of storytelling and writing so high it's even difficult to categorize him. He is one of the greatest storytellers making movies today.

Some movies you missed because you were "tired"
"Fahrenheit 9/11" - Highest grossing documentary in history, by multiples.
"Sicko" - I guess more people are worried about abusing fish then healthcare
"Capitalism" - maybe nobody should educate themselves and learn about different underlying causes for the economy we're in.

I'd also add, I'm not interested in a debate, it's a waist of time. I do however feel a duty to attempt to educate. I hope you've learned a lesson. Otherwise, good luck in that whole filmmaking thing.
 
Chris Henze said:
Andrew,

How many documentaries did you go to see in the Theatre last year? I'd bet not a lot, if any. I'm guessing from your tone, you're young. I'd recommend that you study more about movies before making an uneducated claim. Michael Moore has raised the bar of storytelling and writing so high it's even difficult to categorize him. He is one of the greatest storytellers making movies today.

Some movies you missed because you were "tired"
"Fahrenheit 9/11" - Highest grossing documentary in history, by multiples.
"Sicko" - I guess more people are worried about abusing fish then healthcare
"Capitalism" - maybe nobody should educate themselves and learn about different underlying causes for the economy we're in.

I'd also add, I'm not interested in a debate, it's a waist of time. I do however feel a duty to attempt to educate. I hope you've learned a lesson. Otherwise, good luck in that whole filmmaking thing.
Click to expand...

Funny how easily you make assumptions about me. How many documentaries did I see in 2009? At least 25+ I watch 5 to 6 films per week (studying to be a cinematographer). What in my tone makes me sound young? Do I sound uneducated to you? On the contrary, most of my peers would agree with you. I'm 20 by the way. Negative opinions of certain filmmakers does not make you uneducated; I am entitled to my opinion. You would be surprised how much I know about film. I have dedicated myself to the art and have grown up in the home of a film historian and would be willing to bet I have seen just as many films as you, possibly more. I don't doubt Moore's influence. I have seen all of his documentaries and enjoyed Roger & Me. I happen to be a conservative (the worst thing to be in this industry, other than being Catholic, which I also am), so let the judgement begin. I love how people pass those who disagree with them off as uneducated. You could not be more wrong in this case. Never assume anything on the internet.

Did you teach me a lesson? No. I believe it is I who taught you a lesson. Thank you for your best wishes on my filmmaking career.
 
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Moving on.
 
Why Oscar didn't embrace 'Avatar'

Why Oscar didn't embrace 'Avatar'

Why Oscar didn't embrace 'Avatar':

Summit turned the Oscar campaign strategy over to PR firm 42 West, where veteran campaigner Cynthia Swartz called the shots.
Swartz was criticized for waiting until early December to send out the DVDs, even though the whole strategy revolved around getting
the movie seen by as many voters as possible.

She also had to get attention from Academy voters and guild members for a movie without any marquee names and a subject that put
off many people already weary of a war that never seemed to end.

What Swartz did right was to center the campaign around Bigelow, a woman who directed with as much glory and guts as any man,
and to feature writer/producer Mark Boal for his screenplay and real-life story as a journalist who was embedded with a bomb disposal unit in Iraq.

She had bound copies of the "Hurt Locker" script sent to every member of the WGA, earning guild honors for the original screenplay
and the same award at the Oscars.

Meanwhile, Fox seemed to downplay awards campaigning, letting Cameron take the lead. And what Cameron wanted to talk about was how
frustrated he was that his actors, whose performances were captured by CGI technology, were not taken as seriously as live-action actors.

While his righteousness was sincere, that didn't go over well with many real-life actors who feel threatened by the possibility that they
might be replaced by synthetic performers. That backlash might have mattered, because actors are by far the largest bloc of voters in the Academy.

At first, Summit's marketing tried to hide the Iraq war theme of "Hurt Locker," just as "Avatar" tried to sidestep the science-fiction label.
In the end, both movies tried to position themselves as important parts of screen history. That worked for "Hurt Locker" but not for "Avatar,"
which will have to settle for being the biggest-grossing movie, even though it didn't gain the respect that comes with the best picture trophy.

Read more>>>
 
@ Chris and Andrew, chill out guys. We are all here or outside to learn one with another.

A Catholic and Christian and human being (despite the absence of capital letters) too above all,

E. :-)
 
The Oscars is a David and Goliath race, this year David won.

I wonder if JC is hurting. I guess he is a little but he surly has the last laugh when he looks to Avatar’s box office figures.

I’m sure he could make his own hurt locker if he wanted to, but why didn’t he? Cause he likes to make films that appeal to mass audiences.
 
Emanuel A. said:
@ Chris and Andrew, chill out guys. We are all here or outside to learn one with another.

A Catholic and Christian and human being (despite the absence of capital letters) too above all,

E. :-)
Click to expand...

I was simply correcting his statement. no hard feelings here.
 
I'm starting to think that film awards (not just Oscars) are like santa Claus for the kids. We believe in them because we want it to be true, but it's not. Too much politics, deals and egos, to make any of these selections really real.

Thoughts like these don't make me feel very good. :001_unsure:

Same like when I found out that there's no santa Claus...
 
The ultimate would be to have your films make money, be respected by your peers and liked by your friends and family. That way you'd get to make another one!
 
Awards mean a lot to the people receiving them, or to the people nominated for one... but I often think other people think too much about the meaning of them, who deserved them and who didn't, as if the awards process could possibly be "fair" or an objective measurement of merit. They say interesting things about fads and trends, they provide some historical context, they make for neat categorizations and easy to remember lists, but they aren't some final word on anything.
 
Sanjin Jukic said:
Why Oscar didn't embrace 'Avatar':

Summit turned the Oscar campaign strategy over to PR firm 42 West, where veteran campaigner Cynthia Swartz called the shots.
Swartz was criticized for waiting until early December to send out the DVDs, even though the whole strategy revolved around getting
the movie seen by as many voters as possible.

She also had to get attention from Academy voters and guild members for a movie without any marquee names and a subject that put
off many people already weary of a war that never seemed to end.

What Swartz did right was to center the campaign around Bigelow, a woman who directed with as much glory and guts as any man,
and to feature writer/producer Mark Boal for his screenplay and real-life story as a journalist who was embedded with a bomb disposal unit in Iraq.

She had bound copies of the "Hurt Locker" script sent to every member of the WGA, earning guild honors for the original screenplay
and the same award at the Oscars.

Meanwhile, Fox seemed to downplay awards campaigning, letting Cameron take the lead. And what Cameron wanted to talk about was how
frustrated he was that his actors, whose performances were captured by CGI technology, were not taken as seriously as live-action actors.

While his righteousness was sincere, that didn't go over well with many real-life actors who feel threatened by the possibility that they
might be replaced by synthetic performers. That backlash might have mattered, because actors are by far the largest bloc of voters in the Academy.

At first, Summit's marketing tried to hide the Iraq war theme of "Hurt Locker," just as "Avatar" tried to sidestep the science-fiction label.
In the end, both movies tried to position themselves as important parts of screen history. That worked for "Hurt Locker" but not for "Avatar,"
which will have to settle for being the biggest-grossing movie, even though it didn't gain the respect that comes with the best picture trophy.

Read more>>>
Click to expand...


I think that fairly sums up why The Oscars and any other awards, film festival, etc are meaningless in my eyes. A victory says more about the efforts of the PR team then it does the merits of the film.


That being said, I might not be complaining if I had a massive PR machine of my own. :001_cool:
 
I remember Christopher Walken saying after he won the best actor Oscar he was able to buy a house with the money he was offered for his next job. I think winning awards can be important but I think David is exactly right.

Walken probably would have gone on to have as prolific a acting career had he not won it might just have taken him a little money to earn the bigger $$.

I wonder if Mr. Mullen will still answer our questions here after he wins best cinematographer? Maybe we will have to pay a $1.00 fee per post!
 
scott william said:
The ultimate would be to have your films make money, be respected by your peers and liked by your friends and family. That way you'd get to make another one!
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

And with computers, the internet and digital cinema cameras that will be a lot easier from now on.
 
Oscar's big question: How did David slay Goliath?

Oscar's big question: How did David slay Goliath?

"For Hollywood pundits, industry folk and Oscar fans still paying attention on Monday,
a major question remained: How did David slay Goliath?

For as much as "The Hurt Locker" was the critics' darling, it had three major strikes
against it in its battle against the mighty James Cameron's "Avatar."

Oscar's big question: How did David slay Goliath? >>>
 
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