Be carful how you rate movies

Well it's definitely been a while since my last post, been very busy lately. Drive Angry wrapped at the end May. It was a total blast and an incredible learning experience! Best crew I've ever worked with and will certainly miss those guys. I am now working at World Wide FX, a visual effects company for a movie studio. I am a learning visual effects artist and it's been quite fun and great so far, I'm really enjoying this quite well.

Now since I got to crew on a big picture (and some other films afterwards) and am now working at a visual effects company, you really see how much REALLY is being put into a movie. So this has made me think a lot differently when watching movies and making movies. So what I told myself is what I'd like everyone to think about. Which is, when ever you watch a movie and you thought it was terrible, worst movie ever, garbage! Please do not think that, ask yourself, why was it stupid, what was garbage? You go back and you could say, well the story was stupid and that guy couldn't even act. So just for that you give the film a 1/10 ??? NO, you don't, and that's because no one realizes how much work and hours were put into a film. Does anyone realize that films DO take more than 1 year to complete? Usually 1-2 years on average to make a film from beginning to end. So when you watch a movie, please make sure you're not bashing the entire thing just because of the plot. Remember, someone took a lot of time to film that, to focus the picture, to composite a background into the shot, to replace a background, to direct an actor, to set props on a shelf, to playback footage to show the director and actors how they did on a scene, hold a mic to achieve the sound, to run back and forth charging batteries and loading footage to computers, to set up a light on a stand, to stay the longest on set to drive crew and actors from one place to another, to build a set, to find a location and have it ready to go, ETC! So no movie is ever terrible, just remember that there is a ton more going on behind the camera. It's all a very long challenging process to make a movie at it's best! So see if you saw anything cool like a camera shot, a cool effects shot, a cool stunt scene or action scene. All crew members on the movie set made that happen so you can like the film. So think before you rate a movie 1/10.

Contacts Are Worth It

I started extra work on films in November 2007 on a Lifetime movie called "Queen Sized". I then learned a lot about film and got to know a lot of the crew I worked with. So I asked them how they got crew and all had different answers. Then a few told me where production offices were for next films filming in town. So that's what I did for the next 2 years! Did extra work and learned more about filmmaking and met people who are now some great contacts. Also put resumes in at production offices and emailed resumes to production coordinators. Was looking for paid work to get picked up. I did get on a few indie gigs down south and learned a lot down there. I then finally learned about a year later than the only way to really get in film is by a contact.

Thursday, March 4, 2010, I got asked by a contact I met as an extra on a film to put my resume in a production office, and he'd put a word in for me. Friday, March 5, 2010 I get a call to do an interview. I go interview to be a VFX PA (Visual Effects Production Assistant). Friday, March 12, 2010, I am told that I got the job. It was all through a contact I got the job.

So anyone out there still struggling to get into the film industry, do not give up! Don't quit because it's so hard (it is). I've known people that have quit because it was so difficult. I've waited for 2 years of getting in and now I'm in. So the wait is worth it. You just need to learn how to make contacts. As I did, do extra work, crew on indie films for pay and no pay. Intern might not work for yourself, but it works for you trying to get somewhere. Work very hard and ask questions and they will see how bad you want to get into the industry. If you are an indie filmmaker then keep making indie films. Even if you don't have much to make it, keep doing it.

So one huge thing I have learned is: Contacts ARE worth it! You might think differently when trying hard and fail a few times, but do not give up. You will get there, so push to the limit and pass the limit and trust me... you will get where you want to be!

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Ideas, Writing, and Funding

So from the title of the blog I have a few things I'd like to share with you. Any filmmakers out there reading this or writers, let me say one thing and hang on to this. When you come up with an original idea from your own mind, hang on to that idea for ever. Hollywood always likes to cheat making movies (i.e. Based on book, legend, someone's life, historical point in time). We just don't see many creative ideas these days anymore. I think the only director is Christopher Nolan. His own ideas of Memento, Prestige, and new film this July titled Inception. I myself have a few creative ideas and a few based on something. But it is hard to think of something new and original that would be worth the watch. So keep thinking on an idea and I promise you'll get there. Just remember to write it down immediately when you have your idea!

If you're a writer then you should be set. If you're not you don't have to find a writer. If you can't write dialogue don't freak out just yet. Write a full out detailed story, concept, and characters, and see how much you can get in there. You will come up with dialogue, may not be the best but write it down. Then try writing your script. You might not get far or feel bad with dialogue but write something down. Then when you have your first draft get some feedback and all this will improve your writing. Or find a writer to co-write it. Not re-write your script but co-write. I myself came up with an idea and had someone to write it. I had all the ideas other than the writer and he suggested I should write it. It took me about a week to start writing it. I learned I had a lot more information of writing it than anyone else. I got the story very clean in there. Now I'm just looking for a co-writer to revise the script and help me clean up the dialogue. So all beginner writers keep at it!

Funding is a very tough process unless you really know people. I haven't had any projects funded before. I've done a lot of free films but have had plans this year of 2010 to start making sure my films get funded. I've found an amazing site that helps anyone out with projects and I strongly encourage you to look at it. Kick Starter at www.kickstarter.com Kick Starter is an amazing funding site. You put a project in for music, film, art, any project you want to do and you can start getting money for it without paying anyone back. But the catch is you must have an invite to start your project. Now I did some research and I got an invite. I'm not going to tell you but do some research on how to get an invite as I did, and you will learn how to get one.

Leave your comments if you have any questions. Follow me on twitter at twitter.com/mattram23 and twitter.com/ramsaurfilms

I learned about Kick Starter from these two filmmakers twitter.com/zakforsman and twitter.com/tedhope you can follow kick starter at twitter.com/kickstarter

My Film Life

I've always wanted to make a blog but never knew if it was worth it or not. Guess this addition with my new website will help me keep up with a blog. Let me go ahead and say that this blog will go for two. Ramsaur Films and myself Matthew Ramsaur. When I talk about myself it will all mostly contain of media.

So who am I? My name is Matthew Ramsaur and I am 20 years old. I have always been into film and video since I was about 7. I didn't know it much at that time. But I remember getting our families big JVC VHS camcorder and filming every event that our family went to. I also remember getting my cousins together at family events to make little skits and I would film it. So that's how where it all started. Then by the time I was in 4th grade I met a kid named Walter Woods who is now one of my closest friends. He was into filmmaking. I can't remember much of 4th grade. So skip a few years to the 7th grade. He was my inspiration to get this going. Acted in a couple of his little shorts. I then finally got to see him in editing. When watching it was so new and just way too cool when I saw him. I've never seen anyone do it before. I then went home and had a lot of movie and video game trailers. Got those and put them all in Windows Movie Maker and edited something for my first time. Then I came across a still picture camera we had that also had a switch to do video. I didn't mind the terrible video and audio quality at all. Made a couple of short films from then all till my freshman year of high school. Then I bought my very first DV Camera. A Canon ZR100. It was way too cool. I also bought my first mac. A Mac Mini and edited on iMovie. I then made a lot of short films including my very first 22 minute longer short film. It was a WWII film starring friends from high school. I also entered my very first film festival. At the Louisiana Film Festival. I made the top selection for my first time with a short film titled "Christian". Junior year came and I bought my very first HD camera. They were very expensive at the time. I got me a Canon HV10. I got it so I could make my Eagle Scout project for Boy Scouts. I made a Short Film about the dangers of drinking while driving called "Drinking and Driving". "Drinking and Driving" got top 21 at a film festival in NYC. Was the best day of my life.

Today I still own the Canon ZR100 along with the Canon HV10. I also now have the upgrade of the HV10, the HV20. A great camera that supports the 24p frame rate. Would love to have a RED or Scarlet or Canon 7D one day. I edit on my MacBook with Final Cut Pro and a few other programs. I have entered many film festival and have made many short films along with many videos for clients now. I have gotten to be an extra in a few films to obtain experience of how a professional film set works, and have gotten to work crew on video sets and film sets.

It's been a blast and I hope to continue it as a blast. I am currently job hunting to move to Shreveport, LA. I might not find a job involving media but I'll need something till I can get a media job. I do have a lot of feature film ideas in mind that I hope to put to film soon.

So I hope who all read this got a little bit to know me here. I'm just very glad that I am involved in film. I don't know what else I'd be doing if I didn't come to this profession. My name is Matthew Ramsaur with Ramsaur Films and I am a filmmaker.

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