Film maker shares Hollywood secretsThursday, February 28 2008
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Some of the local film makers who took part in the session....
“FILM MAKING is not cheap but it is more affordable than you previously thought.”
This was one of many surprising and empowering messages delivered by the famous Dov Simens during the two day Filmmaking Workshop, hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company at the Crown Plaza Hotel on February 22 and 23.
The Calypso Conference Room was packed with seasoned local filmmakers such as Danielle Dieffenthaller and Francis Escayg, as well as countless film students and media professionals, all eagerly absorbing the pearls of wisdom from one of Hollywood’s leading film instructors in producing, writing and directing feature films.
Simens is credited with launching the film careers of celebrities such as Queen Latifah, Quentin Tarantino, Will Smith and Guy Richie. He has lectured at America’s top film schools; UCLA, USC and NYU
When asked about the most important aspect of the process, he immediately points to the script. “Any local film maker who is truly serious about film should be writing at least five to seven screenplays every year. First comes the script, then comes the money and there are only two kinds of scripts. Good scripts and bad scripts. Good scripts get backing, bad scripts get tossed out. There is no middle ground. Film making is ten percent creativity and 90 percent marketing.”
Participants at the workshop were urged to be creative and tell real stories with good impact in order to get traction in the business. The one thing he wanted all to take away from the experience was this: “Stop thinking about it and just do it! You will never know or learn unless you try so get up and shoot it already!”
At the end of the two day workshop the overall feedback was that the content was invaluable and the delivery excellent. Most left with a clear understanding of the information presented and felt as if the objectives they had in mind were attained. More than 80 percent of the participants have been so inspired and found the workshop delivered a “more practical approach” and “filled in the missing gaps”.
This workshop kick starts an exciting calendar of activities the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company has in store to highlight, vitalize and move the local film industry forward in 2008. Carla Foderingham, CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company, stated that “the company recognized the value of training and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to develop the TT film industry”.
For more information on the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company programmes, call 625-FILM or log on to: www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com.
