Posted by Martin Heffels on 01/12/17 11:53

On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:57:53 -0700, "PTravel" <ptravel@ruyitang.com> wrote:

>I don't think that's true. Rather, I think the studios and the networks are
>so afraid of trying anything new, that they'll only produce proven formulas.

Yes, it seems so. Have a look at the types of movies which are being
released. All of a sudden movies centering around a classic hero, before
that LOTR plus spin-offs. Sometimes there are some interesting and daring
movies released, like Brokeback Mountain, but they are far and inbetween.

>> Only
>> when events are turned into pictures, like 9/11, you get something newish.
>
>Funny, it didn't look newish. Okay, sorry -- couldn't resist.

LOL.

>> What is the same IMHO, is the way in which stories are told. If you look
>> at
>> the clock, the first 45 minutes are to introduce all the players and the
>> story. We have a couple falling in love, and then halfway the silly
>> love-scene, followed by a grande finale in which everything turns out for
>> the big hero. Many people don't care about this formulaic approach, and
>> still go to the cinema. I find it getting rather boring, that there are
>> hardly any surprise endings in your standard Hollywood-fair.
>
>Actually, there's a reason for that.
[snip]

Yeah, I remember hearing about that one vaguely.

[...]
>When I was in the business, I knew lots of writers and producers. I'm not
>wrong.

I'm not saying that all movies are treated like that. Sometimes producers
ask for a bit more "spice", which leads to inserting the standard rubbish.

[...]
>As I said, I'm not speaking from the actor's perspective. What the studios
>and directors will do, though, is shape the final edit to get a specific
>rating, e.g. PG is death for a more adult project, so gratuitous language
>may be included just to get it up to an R, or vice versa.

Can't you simply ask for a rating which is higher than what is needed for
the actual content? Wars about ratings are usually a good selling-point.
When I was in Australia they had a few good ones about that (the famous Ken
Park's movie).

>> Doesn't matter. Whatever I say, you always say I'm wrong.
>
>Food for thought, isn't it?

Thought is not in my dictionary :-)

>
>> For you there is
>> only one right, and that seems to be your's. It doesn't matter to you
>> there
>> is a whole world out there, where things are different. So be it :-)
>
>Whereas you would prefer that I ignore my own personal experience,
>education, training and the input of friends and associates.

No, not at all. They are important, but easily discarded (remember our
discussion about drop-outs in DV25?)

>"Obviously, our social spheres are widely different."
>
>Cecily Cardew, The Importance of Being Earnest

Indeed, and we can bee glad to live in a world where this is possible. I
don't mind to disagree with you :-) Sometimes I even learn a bit from it!

-m-
--
"I'm full of dust and guitars." - Syd Barrett
07/07/06 The Crazy Diamond is now a star in heaven

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