Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Ballsy documentary, need help

profile picture
MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,814
Alright so Im starting production on my aplication to a film school. I was refused from this school two years ago and now decided its time to apply again.

Im going balls out with this and decided to do a documentary about the exact students who were refused from their exact school. The people watching the doc will be the very people who refused these students.

Now everything will be done politely and never being insulting or rude. It will come with a letter of presentation explaining that they will talk about my film when they go home from work and eat dinner with their families. It will go on to explain how filmmaking should always make people think or talk.

Now with this in mind: should I include myself as one of the three people interviewed in the video or remain off camera only and give my seat to someone else to be interviewed?
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
deleted2
Posts: 958 - Karma: 107
Give your seat to someone else, just stay behind the camera, it will look more professional and it won't look like your striving for attention.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,944
its gonna look like you are just sore they denied you the first time, let someone else do the talking.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,814
yah Ive come to the conclusion, thanks to a lot of my film friends. that its better to epress myself with film language than real language. It will show a lot more control if I get my message across using only film language instead of having to vocalise my thoughts to them.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,329
you, sir, are a genius. let us know how it goes!
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
I'm with everyone else. If you interview yourself, you're just gonna come off as butthurt.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Static
Posts: 8588 - Karma: 4,099
how are you gonna track down the other rejects? or do you just know some in your circle?
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,392
You better make sure that this is hands down the best film you have ever made. Pay attention to every single detail. The clothes the people are wearing... make sure clothes are wrinkle free and collars straight, make sure the lighting is technically perfect, make sure your composition is competent and interesting... etc etc etc.

A part of me has to say that, before I say that if you can do it REALLY well, this is an AWESOME idea. Even if they hate it, I think it's really, really awesome.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,814
hey thanks for the feedback guys! Im definately going to do my best on this, try to make it very technicaly strong on every aspect. Il post up my progress and keep you guys updated.

Now new question. wondering if I should identify the people in the movie as numbers or by their real names. calling them by number would mean two things. it would keep the identity of those reaplying secret, and would refer to the number they give us when we apply. sort of saying something about how cold of a system it is and how these are the faces behind the number.

just wondering if its too bold of a move to make!
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
blakroc
Posts: 2323 - Karma: 28
This is a great idea depending on if they we're denied for legitimate reasons. If the reasons we're legitimate than it will be boring and pointless, if the reasons we're on the other hand rather unfair and showed a lack of competence in the school than it will be very good. I'd probably show the names of two of them and than have one of them as a number and claim they are in the process of reapplying and that they fear the school will penalize them for talking out against it and it's reputation. Post it when your done!
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
I actually change my mind on saying "go do it". I feel like from a documentary standpoint, it's really not that big of an issue to tell a story about. To my knowledge I would expect it to go like this: "I got rejected from a school, I went to a different school instead". Not really that much to talk about and it may come off as rude to the school. Id say go all out, but play it safe on the topic part.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Trojan~Man
Posts: 1996 - Karma: 1,357
^true. but i still think it can be done, and I also believe if well done can be dope. so I say giver 100%! And im with the "stay off cam" perspective.

If you stick to reporting and just documenting what has happened/will happen to these ppl or whatever than I dont think it'll come off as too confrontational. but if there are shots (not like film shots) at the school or the ppl dealing with applications then maybe it wont be seen so well. ...aslo might come down to what sense of humour the guy(s) watching it has. If hes some stuck up deuche maybe he wont appreciate it as much as someone that can laugh at himself!
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DavidRoss
Posts: 152 - Karma: 9
I feel like if you went really deep into the lives of the denied; like how they've wanted to live in the film industry since a young age and how earth shaking it was when they were denied. Go for it dude.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Alpineslide
Posts: 405 - Karma: 49
wasn't Hitler rejected from art school?
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Lord.Quasimoto
Posts: 958 - Karma: 33
sounds like it could be a really good idea if the rejects have interesting stories.

even so, you still need to come up with a thesis. put some more thought into the direction you want the film to take. what is it that you are trying to communicate with this doc?
14 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 11:10AM