There's one thing that's always bugged me about all the videos we make about the Magnificent Obsession. There's never a storyline. There's no characters, and rarely is there any relation between one scene and the one after it. The audience never really has a reason to cheer for one ship, or boo for another. All the videos I've ever made or seen about our sport are shallow and lacking in appeal for many potential audiences because of these shortcomings. Just once, I'd like to remedy this. Just once, I'd like to make a real Model Warship Combat Movie. So lets start a discussion. What would it take to make a Model Warship Combat Movie? How long should it be? What story should it tell? And who would be willing to help me in this endeavor?
I'm more than willing to help, but I'm not sure how I could from such a distance? But if it helps, I have access to imporation equipment, iMovie 06 and 08, Final Cut Pro .... and some equipment but it wouldn't be of much use. Do you want the video to be about someone building and battling a boat, or just the boat like it's more real life and there is no "operator"?
Agreed, if theres one thing i hate is clipped up videos of just action shots. While they make a good intro to a movie they dont hold your interest after awhile. It would be really cool to follow a few boats through a whole weekends battling or even just a sortie and show the whole battle in segments if possible. It would be nice to get videos of the different classes as well to show what kind of strategy to use with what classes. Ive seen some good footage put out espeacially by you west coast guys so lets see you make one up!
Carl, are you talking about using the ships as special effects in a war movie, or making a film about R/C ship combat?
I like Vic's idea of following a couple ships through a battle weekend. Have the captains talk about thier ships at the beginning, about the problems and sucesses during the weekend, and a "how-did-it-go" at the end of the weekend. Have a narrator fill in information about the ships, tactics during a battle, etc. Basically, turn it into a commentary, something like you might see on 60 minutes or something.
I'm thinking a film about R/C warship combat. People building and battling boats. What exactly that is, though, is open-ended. It could be anything from the events of a single sortie, to a Big Gun re-enactment of the Battle of Denmark Strait, to a feature-length classic sports movie that tells the story of a rookie in his first year of combat. Heck, it could even be a 5-minute short about a battle for the last slice of pizza. The important part, though, is that it must tell a story. The biggest issues for Gascan and me are script and dialogue. We both suck at it. Horribly. We're talking gag-a-yak bad. If you've ever wondered why there's never any narration or meaningful dialogue in our videos, this is why. I've got some decent story ideas, and Gascan is pretty good at editing, but when it comes to larger planning, we both fail miserably. Any help in this regard would be much appreciated. Our storyboarding skills also leave much to be desired. Once the important planning stages are taken care of, and we know what we're looking for, Gascan and I are remarkably capable at capturing the footage and editing it together.
I think it would be wise to make that decision ASAP, about the length & general style of the production. Make it early & stick to it. Even if, part way through, you think something else might work better, see it through & save the "inspiration" for a later project. It might not be a bad idea, for the 1st try to be fairly short. Subsequent projects can grow in size & complexity, as you learn more about the total job. You're not alone! Writing dialog that sounds natural is pretty tough. Instead of ignoring it (dialog), give it a try! Poor dialog is better than no dialog at all, & the more you keep at it, the better you'll get. Don't try to make "Dr. Zhivago" on the 1st attempt. Work up to it incrementally. Focus on making 1 thing better each time. The story is told in the dialog. The images are there for support. JM
Go even further than that: Get to "know" the 2 captains by starting out with some "life at home" scenes, maybe a week or so ahead of a battle as preparations are made. Follow a captain at home with family, around the dinner table when the topic of combat comes up. Wife: "Are you going to be working in the shop tonight, honey?" Captain: "Yeah. I've got to see if I can fix that rudder. It should be easier with the skin off." (more small talk; baby flicks food off of high chair onto floor; Captain kisses wife, then heads out to the garage...) Once in the garage, the Captain comments on what problem he's trying to solve. Close up demonstrates what isn't working right, in very simple terms that support what the Captain is saying. Important note: This is not a "How To". DO NOT go into excruciating detail about the problem, or how it's fixed. That will blow way over the head of the audience (assuming that the intended audience isn't just "us", but somebody who isn't already into R/C warship combat) & divert attention away from the story & characters. The important issue is not the technical details of the problem, but that there IS a problem that THIS PERSON faces & has to deal with. Focus on the human aspects of the story, that other people can relate to, even if they don't know a servo from a wristwatch. Follow another captain "in parallel". Ideally, they should be on opposite teams. He should have his own problems to deal with, just like the other one. Provide a couple of opportunities for the 2 captains to get together. Maybe there's a club meeting for them both to attend, a week or so before the battle. Another time, one could show up at the other's house, where they talk ships, compare notes, talk a little smack, have a beer, etc. Once they're back apart, each should express some concerns about how they'll fare in the upcoming battle, despite the recent smack talk. Throw a monkey wrench into the machinery. Everything is going fine, until some new problem comes up at a late hour. Maybe something breaks, or an electronic part smokes. Somebody has to scramble hard, just to be able to have a working ship at all, never mind getting it into top condition. Somebody has to stay up late, the night before the battle, sweating bullets. Maybe even have the other Captain (from the opposing team, who's also being profiled) come over for late-night, last-minute help. Battle day: Just like in real life, the actual battle is a small part of the actual experience; the climax of everything that everybody has worked for. Running commentary from the 2 captains might have everything working great for 1, not so great for the other. Perhaps the guy who worked all night has everything working perfectly, while the guy who DIDN'T have the problem the night before finds something completely new & unexpected to have to deal with. Ships get damaged & sunk; people scramble to make repairs. At the end of the day, everybody gets together for food & drinks, then goes home to their "regular" lives to close it all off. Wife: "How'd it go today, honey?" Captain: "Great! That steering worked like a champ! Bob's gas sprung a leak, though, and he couldn't get more than about a dozen shots off at a time. I hammered him!..." (play with the baby for awhile, before bed; final shot has the Captain asleep in a recliner, TV remote on lap...). Somebody else, fill in more gaps! JM
First, it's going to take somebody to step up & say, "I want to make this movie." How long do you want it to be? What story do you want to tell? I'll help you, or somebody else, if you/they want it. Some questions that need to be answered first: 1. Who's going to be in overall charge of the project? I don't mind consulting & advising at all. That means that I won't be offended if my advice is not followed or suggestions aren't used. Those decisions are made by somebody else, not me. If you're asking me to take the lead, & make those decisions, I'll have to decline. Once somebody does take overall ownership of the project, some of the 1st questions that that person should answer are: 2. What's the story? That's your 1st decision, as "Executive Producer". It's your baby, after all! There are a lot of potential stories to be told: Pick one! 3. How long should the end product be? I'd start short, for now. A lot depends on how much time, effort, & money you want to spend. 4. Who is the intended audience? That's extremely important. Is it for "general release" to those with no prior knowledge or interest in the hobby? Males, 18-34 years old? Males, 35-59? Males, 60 & older? Females, 5-12? Is it going to be shown to people who are already into R/C warship combat? Is it going to go be pitched to some TV show or channel? If so, which one(s)? Is it going to be shown to film critics, to showcase your filmmaking skills? Is this a project for school? 5. Why do you want to make the movie? Is it a "vanity" piece, for your own satisfaction? Do you want to add it to your resume, to help you get a job in the film/video industry, or a grade in a class at school? Do you want to use it to recruit new people into the hobby? Do you want to make money for yourself and/or investors? This goes hand-in-hand with defining your target audience. 6. What "style" do you want to use? Documentary? Sports coverage? Music video? Newsreel? Is Warship combat basic to the story's premise, or is it just a "backdrop" for the real story? Prospective "Executive Producers" should have a really good handle on all of these questions. There are no "right" or "wrong" answers, just well- or poorly-defined ones (or not answered at all). JM
Swampworks used to sell a video about building and battling a Lutzow Class cruiser. It would be a useful format to follow. Bob
I'd suggest a documentary. You don't need to write dialog. You do need to decide on what you are trying to say. This may sound easy, but it's kind of like saying the answer to life the universe and everything is 42. If you can't clearly say what the point of the film is don't expect your audience to figure it out for you. Then you just need to shoot a whole lot of footage, and pick out the 2% that makes your point. I'd also recommend renting "On Any Sunday" and "The Endless Summer". They are half documentary and half sketch comedy. Both films are about recreational activities that few people knew much about at the time. Sound familliar? Let me know what you think about copying that style. Terry
Anhbody ever thought of approcahing Discovery Channel or TLC on sponsoring such a movie? ADM STOKOMOTO
After reading "Shakspeare to Hitler.... Spaceballs to RC Combat" I may understand more of what Kotori87 and Gascan can do. Would you be interested in anthropomorphizing the ships and having them play out familiar scenes from movies? This may just be your niche. Look out Cohen Brothers here come the Bitondos. [8D]
Another idea: Suppose R/C warship combat could be featured in some sort of supporting role in a movie that's about something else. As some sort of "background activity" that's not necessarily central to the story, R/C warship combat could be just something that some of the major characters are doing. Even if the main plot was about something completely unrelated, imagine the buzz that could be created by having some well-known actors involved on-screen. It seems to me that the trick would be to get some director interested in using R/C warship combat as a "backdrop" in one of their projects. Somebody might very well think that it's quirky, different, or otherwise cool & want to use it that way. Getting the idea in front of somebody who might be interested would be a challenge, for sure. JM
While I like alot of the ideas, especially Johns (look what they did to dodgeball!) I don't think it's exactly what the Bitondos had in mind.... I'm assuming they are still thinking in terms of Youtube here...
Just a different thought for the movie. Why not try it like a NFL sunday? Say a "pre-game show (with various commentators) and then show the "game".
True, but there may very well be others who lurk, looking for ideas. You just never know who might see an idea & decide to run with it, or just add something new to it. Also, the forum makes a handy repository for me, in case I ever find myself with enough time & money on my hands to take on some more projects! JM
Well then, when you next find yourself with the time and money to produce a feature film come look for me... I'll help you out! haha.
Deal! Another potential side benefit of getting pro filmmakers involved is that they may also bring in professional special effects/miniature/model builders. I'm sure we could learn a ton from some of those folks! JM
