So, as a filmmaker, I watch movies. I make them, too, but I also watch them. Such a novel concept.
I have opinions on them. Who doesn’t? For most people, it’s a basic “That was a piece of shit,” or a “BEST. MOVIE. EVER.” Or some variation of that. Some people will take it a little further than that. Which is good. Opinions are good, despite popular opinion (just go with it).
Here’s an opinion right now: I think that some film critics are too harsh. I feel like they forget that no one sets out to make a bad film (at least I’ve been on plenty of sets, and that was never the case). No one says, “Hey, let’s get ready to do all of this hard work to create a horrible film.” Make no mistake, filmmaking is a hard business. You don’t work regular hours, and you don’t do regular jobs. Each project has its own specific set of priorities and objectives to get done all in their own unique ways. It’s part of the draw. You’re not stuck behind a desk filling out the same paperwork day after day for 40 years. I feel like that gets lost when a film opens and bombs. Everyone on that set worked hard and set out to make a good film, it just didn’t quite hit the mark. No one is perfect.
That said, when I see a film, I still have opinions on them. I just always keep that in mind when thinking about a film that wasn’t particularly great. Or maybe it just didn’t speak to my particular tastes. Or maybe it did. Whatever it is, that’s how I think. Now that it’s been said, you can take this in and know my thought process when reading about how I felt about a film.
What is this? 