I want to make a documentary on a subject that is near and dear (or at least familiar) to most Cryptogon readers. You can probably guess the topic... but if you can't, I'm not telling what it is just yet.
You might be asking: "What does Kevin know about filmmaking!?"
HAHA! Do you mean to say that I've never mentioned career plan 8d? Yes, friends, long ago, I wanted to be a cinematographer. After dropping out of one film school (and being rejected twice by another), and working on several student films and other crap projects for some coked out lunatics, I finally decided that I wanted nothing to do with "that" industry. Let it suffice to say that I moved on to career plan 8e, which was... What was it? Nevermind.
Flash forward to today. There's a lot that needs to be said about a subject that isn't getting much coverage. I know that writing a book is the LAST thing that a concerned individual should do in an attempt to generate interest in an issue...any issue! A film is a much better way to go about it.
And, no, don't think I've suddenly been swept over by a wave of optimism or hope that the present system can be reformed. I haven't. This thing is coming down. There is no doubt about it. I would, however, enjoy seeing a film like the one I want to make. Since I don't see anyone else doing it, why shouldn't I?
With the success of documentary filmmakers such as
Michael Moore,
Alex Jones,
Morgan Spurlock,
Mark Achbar/Jennifer Abbott and
Greg Spotts, maybe there's a chance that people will take a look at a Cryptogon-themed film.
Oh yeah, do any of you happen to have access to a 3-chip miniDV video camera, a couple of mics and a solid tripod that I could borrow? * grin * * wink * Thanks!
I'm not worried too much about editing the raw video, since computers have TOTALLY revolutionized that entire process. I've been playing with a fancy
Final Cut Pro rig at the Apple store lately. Sweet Jesus, that thing is editing Nirvana. (Baaaaaah, when I was a boy, we edited film with a splicer and tape!) That Final Cut Pro thing makes the old days of film editing, and even analog video deck editing, seem barbaric! And I thought Lucasfilm's EditDroid was a big deal back in the 1980s!!! Well, since there's no money in the budget for a Mac system (actually, there's no budget at all), I'll have to make do with something on Windows. I'll probably use Adobe Premiere Pro, because they seem to have done a decent job of knocking off Apple's Final Cut Pro.
I plan on selling the DVD for $12 and allowing people to copy it for noncommercial and/or educational use. Obviously, anyone who contributes to this project will receive mention in the credits (or not, if you wish to remain anonymous).
posted by Kevin at 4:56 PM