Life & Style | Education
'You only need to do two days of film school'
Says leading Hollywood film instructor to all aspiring filmmakers.
- By Anupa Kurian, Notes Editor
- Published: 00:00 April 9, 2005
Says leading Hollywood film instructor to all aspiring filmmakers
Learn filmmaking from the man who taught Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee and Guy Ritchie.
And you do not have to travel to Hollywood for it.
Dov Simens will be teaching a two-day filmmaking workshop at the start of next month at the Dubai World Trade Centre as part of a Hollywood in Dubai series of events being presented by Adagio Productions.
Notes spoke to the man considered to be one of Hollywood’s top film instructors.
Hollywood and films ... why does it have such a lure for filmmakers? Does it have to do with the quality, exposure and money or is it something else?
Filmmakers want to work in Hollywood because of what Hollywood is and what it can give them.
First, Hollywood commands a very large audience; films made in Hollywood will reach people the world over.
There are also, certain non-negotiable high standards for moviemaking in Hollywood, so the final product is of the finest quality.
Sometimes though, it’s the aura of Hollywood that lures filmmakers.
Hollywood is magic and glamour, and to make a film in Hollywood is to reach the pinnacle of filmmaking.
To be a filmmaker ... what are the basic qualities you need to have in terms of personality and skill set?
A filmmaker must be a multi-talented individual. First, you have to be a good storyteller.
You should be able to write a good story or have an eye for finding good stories. You also have to be dedicated and love a good challenge.
Being a good leader is also important because you have to manage and guide your team.
You have to be the type of person that can keep the team going together through long and tough weeks of 18-hour workdays during the shooting of your film.
How many in 1,000 that make a film actually succeed to make their mark?
Well, making a film is already an achievement in itself.
Unfortunately, most people who make their first film do not get the same kind of wide theatrical or video distribution like the established producers, and therefore, are unable to make their mark because the audience for their finished product is so limited.
However, now with new and cheaper technologies like the high-definition video cameras, sophisticated digital editing system, broadband internet access and other recent innovations in the electronic media and entertainment industry, it has become easier to distribute films to a worldwide audience inexpensively and without having to sell the rights to their films to major distributors.
What is the myth behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood?
Unlike popular belief, Hollywood is not a filmmaking industry, but rather a film marketing industry.
First of all, the film industry is filled with a lot of rich and good-looking people. The media, of course, is Hollywood’s partner in crime.
The media creates the aura that makes Hollywood seem as glamorous as it does. The end result is simply irresistible to consumers worldwide.
What part of filmmaking needs the most creative input and which part is the most lucrative?
There are two aspects of filmmaking that require lots of creativity, one, and in my opinion, the most important, is the story.
It’s the story that can either make or break your film, so the bulk of the creative effort should be spent on the story you are trying to tell.
Secondly, a filmmaker must be able to choose the right team - from the right director to the right caterer.
The deals you make ‘off the set’ will determine whether your film will be profitable.
As a producer, you have to make sure that you secure rights to certain profitable distribution windows and as an actor you have to decide whether you want a large upfront payment for your role, or whether you would like to receive part of the royalty in exchange for a smaller fee.
What makes a movie good or bad - is it qualifiable?
First of all, there is no such thing as a good or bad film. A film is, in the end, an idea, a restlessness of the writer.
So really, you can only define a film as being good or bad in terms of a business perspective.
Any film that brings in the crowds at the movie theatre and makes a large net profit can be considered a good movie.
A movie is an expression, and while we all might have different reactions to that expression, we cannot impose our views to label it as being either good or bad.
For example when the Oscar nominations are announced, how many of those films have you ever heard of before that?
Suddenly the Academy says that these are good movies, and we all rush to get a look.
What advice would you give filmmaking students?
My first and foremost advice to all the filmmaking students is to immediately stop making short films.
There is no point in making short films. They are a waste of time, money and resources that can be utilised to make a full-length feature film.
Unlike shorts, feature film can be sold to a distributor, shown at movie theatres to a paying audience, make a profit, and possibly take you to the next level where you start production deals with a major film studio or distributor for your next project.
I would also strongly urge all film students to start reading at least four to five scripts a day.
These scripts are easily available at your local college and university libraries, and also on the web.
If you don’t have access to all that, then you should rent videos, sit down with a pen and paper, and start writing the 40-50 scenes that make that particular movie.
You don’t learn much just by watching a film, but once you start dissecting every scene you will be surprised at how much practical knowledge you gain.
Do you need to go to Hollywood to be a good filmmaker?
You don’t need to be in Hollywood to become a good filmmaker. In fact, we have seen in recent years that some of the most successful films are being produced in countries outside North America.
The United Arab Emirates is a beautiful country. Its landscape can never be imitated in Hollywood.
Places like the UAE provide a great opportunity to local filmmakers to add a touch of authenticity to their projects.
You have easy access to mountains, beaches, deserts and unique architecture that can be used to weave a story with a universal appeal.
How important is formal undergraduate or postgraduate training in filmmaking especially since you have taught in the top schools in the US?
A university education prepares you for personal and professional challenges that you will face in your life as an adult.
However, attending a four-year film school does not mean that you will be a filmmaker, just as attending a business school does not guarantee that you will be an entrepreneur.
Let me give you an example, during the last five years, the 2 Day Film School graduates have made more films, than graduates from the world’s top three film universities, which are University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles and New York University combined.
If you already have the talent and desire to become a filmmaker, all that you need to know in order to make a feature film, can be learned in two days.
What are the opportunities for Middle East and South Asian residents in the Hollywood film industry?
There are a lot of opportunities for the Middle East and the South Asian filmmakers in Hol
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