Behind the Lens (page 2)
Hitting the Big Time-Peter John Ross
Peter John Ross got the filmmaking bug late in life. "I was actually working as a stockbroker in 2000 when I decided to write screenplays. Nobody was really interested, though." Despite a few nibbles, Ross couldn't find a buyer for his work. That's when he met one of his idols, director Richard Linklater (School of Rock, Slackers, Dazed and Confused) who told him if he couldn't get his movies made, he should do it himself. "I went from wanting to be a filmmaker to actually making movies within 2 weeks of that January night. Now I am a full time filmmaker because of meeting Rick and the things he said to me, one on one." It started with short films and that was it, "I was on fire", says Ross.
In 2006, Ross released his first feature film, Horrors of War to very strong reviews. In just seven short years, he had a lifetime's worth of filmmaking lessons. His advice? "Practice! Go to film school if you can afford it, but make movies. Always be making movies. Watch what you make with a critical eye and listen to the honest input of others. Make room for everyone to contribute to the story."
Ross advises knowing your strengths and limitations. "I'm a much better director than I am a writer," he says. "I can tweak a scene with bits of dialog, but writing is not where my greatest strength is and it's important that I find others that excel in the area where I'm not as strong as the production deserves". He also stresses the visual quality of filmmaking- let the images tell the story, not the actor's spoken words. "There's no need to show a dream sequence ten minutes long, then have the actor go tell someone every detail about the dream. The audience has already experienced it- why tell them about it all over again? The actor's emotional reaction to the dream gets the point across". Ross says film is a "show me medium, not a tell me medium," and that well crafted images carry far more impact than a scene bogged down in tedious dialog, "First time screenwriters have their characters talk way too much. They could replace so much of that long dialog with a brief visual. It's just not necessary".
Finally, like John Paluzzi, Ross stresses the business side of the industry. "I'm a vagabond when it comes to projects. I follow the money in order to do the filmwork." Currently, Ross edits both his and others' projects, creates visual effects and directs as much as possible in order to chase his dream of full time directing. The payoff isn't always money, however. "There's nothing like sitting in the back of the theater sharing with an audience your vision and your work and getting the emotional response you hoped for...nothing like it in the world..."
Randy Hansen is a television news chief photographer and makes mini-documentaries everyday for broadcast at 6 and 11.
Sidebar: Learn from the Pros,see the Up and Commers
Looking for examples of creative video and film beyond YouTube? Try the following links and search for the inspiration that just might send you to Hollywood someday:
Sundance Film Festival
Tribeca film festival
Cannes film festival
List of other festivals
Independent film tips
There's a whole world of resources, people and information in the World Wide Web available for aspiring producers, all you have to do is look for it.
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