Spielberg To Create A Reality Show?
Source: Hollywood North
Steven Spielberg is looking to bring a little bit of Greenlight to his next big project -- a reality television show. The director wants to create a show in which aspiring Spielbergs compete to direct a movie that he will produce. Right now, it's being pitched as Project Greenlight meets The Apprentice meets another show only us movie geeks will watch.
i don't want this to happen.
you know, the last time spielberg mentored someone.. ratner happened.
Quote from: ©brad on April 06, 2006, 09:52:55 AM
i don't want this to happen.
You know you'd watch.
thanks a bunch stevey, we really need another one of these fuckin shows :bravo:
Whatever keeps him from making Indy 4.
Spielberg has a 'Lot' on plate with reality TV
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Steven Spielberg is entering the reality TV arena.
The Oscar-winning director has partnered with reality guru Mark Burnett for "On the Lot," an unscripted series for Fox aimed at discovering the next big Hollywood director.
Combining elements of Fox's "American Idol" and Burnett's "The Apprentice," the series, from Mark Burnett Prods., DreamWorks TV and Amblin TV, 16 aspiring filmmakers will compete for the big prize: a development deal with DreamWorks.
"All through my career I've done what I can to discover new talent and give them a start," Spielberg said. "This opportunity with Mark Burnett, DreamWorks and Fox allows all of us to reach out directly to open a much wider door."
The project is based on an idea by Spielberg, who is said to be a big fan of reality television and of Burnett and doesn't miss an episode of Burnett's "Survivor" on CBS.
Burnett was DreamWorks TV's first and only choice for a partner on the project. Burnett collaborated with the company and Jeffrey Katzenberg on the boxing reality series "The Contender," which was hotly pursued by Fox before ending up at NBC.
This time around, after fielding interest from multiple networks, the producers negotiated exclusively with Fox.
"When you have the opportunity to work with people like Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg, artists who've redefined this business, you jump at the chance," Fox president of entertainment Peter Liguori said.
"Lot" marks the second collaboration between Burnett and Fox, after the unscripted series "The Casino," and the first time Burnett will executive produce for the network a reality competition show, a genre he put on the primetime map with "Survivor."
Burnett called the opportunity to work alongside Spielberg "a dream come true."
"With the help of our partners at Fox, Peter Liguori and reality maestro Mike Darnell, we're going to make an incredible show about looking for the next great filmmaker by mining the growing segment of the public making their own content and giving them the chance of a lifetime," he said.
Fox executive vp alternative programming Darnell said he became excited about the project the moment he heard the pitch.
"Most Americans consider themselves amateur film critics, and this will give viewers the opportunity to create the next big filmmaker," he said.
After reviewing video materials submitted by the applicants, executives from Mark Burnett Prods., DreamWorks TV and Fox will select 16 finalists, with Spielberg expected to have the final say.
The finalists will be brought to Hollywood, where they will be divided into several teams. Each week, every team will have to produce a short film from a particular genre. One member of each team will be selected as the team's director and the others will be pitching in to produce the film with the help of professional writers, cast and crew.
"Lot" is eyed to premiere in the first quarter of next year, likely running alongside the next season of Fox's "American Idol." Like "Idol," "Lot" will air two episodes a week, a one-hour "Film Premiere" episode and a half-hour "Box Office" episode.
During the "Film Premiere" episode, the films of all teams will be shown to a live audience and a panel of three judges: a high-ranking motion picture executive, a prominent film critic and a succession of guest judges.
The viewers will have the ultimate say by voting on the features. During the "Box Office" results show, the director of the least popular film will be sent home, leaving that team with fewer contestants to work on the next week's assignment.
In the show's final episode, when the winner is announced, the aspiring filmmaker will be whisked away to the DreamWorks studio, where he or she will be met by Spielberg and shown a new office.
Burnett and Spielberg created "Lot" and are exec producing. Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey and Conrad Riggs are co-exec producers.
fuck.
"Most Americans consider themselves amateur film critics, and this will give viewers the opportunity to create the next big filmmaker," he said.
good god what the fuck are we in for?
seriously, this is depressing. may be a tad overdramatic but this sounds very evil to me. very bad. i like alot of spielberg's films, and the man himself seems very nice and humble and intelligent but honestly, i really can't blame so many "snobs" for hating him so much, given shit like this anyways
Starting today, video submissions and online applications are being accepted at TheLot.com (http://www.thelot.com/). Do keep in mind Spielberg probably won't be watching these videos, so you may want to scrap that "I think I'll dress up as E.T. and do a silly little dance in front of the camera" idea now.
i'm just hoping that all the submissions are terrible enough to make Steveo do a "fuck this i'm outta here."
Sign Up Now for Fox's On The Lot!
Source: Fox
Aspiring filmmakers can take the first step toward fulfilling their dreams of becoming a Hollywood director by applying to participate in Fox's new reality competition series "On The Lot." To enter, applicants over 13 years of age must submit a self-directed short film, up to five minutes in length, to TheLot.com.
Hundreds of video submissions are now up and ready to view and critique on the newly expanded website. In addition to series info and application forms, the website also offers movie news and box office results, as well as message boards, personal blogs and photo galleries.
"On The Lot," executive-produced by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg, will give aspiring filmmakers from around the world the chance to earn a $1-million development deal at DreamWorks.
Premiering next spring on Fox, this unscripted series will feature a cast of 16 undiscovered filmmakers competing to win the support of the show's viewers, who will decide their fate in a weekly audience vote.
The competition will air over two nights weekly, with a one-hour "Film Premiere" episode followed the next night by a half-hour "Box Office" results show.
The global search is already under way, but it's not too late. Once the submission period ends Dec. 1, applicants will be winnowed to a group of 16 talented filmmakers. These finalists will be brought to Hollywood, where they will be divided into teams and will begin the journey toward their "big break."
Every week, the hopeful filmmakers will produce short films from a chosen genre, running the gamut from comedies to thrillers, personal dramas to romance, sci-fi to horror. They'll have access to the best resources the industry has to offer professional writers, cast and crew, and possibly even Hollywood celebrities.
After the teams have battled time frames, budgets and all the usual chaos that goes along with filmmaking, their films will debut and be critiqued in front of a live audience during the "Film Premiere" episode. Judges will include a high-ranking motion picture executive, a prominent film critic and a succession of well-respected guests, such as directors who are experts in the week's featured genre.
But the filmmakers ultimately will be judged by the harshest critics of all the public. It will be Fox viewers whose votes determine which films should be left on the cutting-room floor. On each "Box Office" results show, the director whose feature garners the fewest votes will be sent home.
The competition continues and directors are eliminated until only the most talented filmmaker is anointed the winner and heads to DreamWorks, to be met by Steven Spielberg and shown to his or her new office "On The Lot."
"On The Lot" is produced by Mark Burnett Productions, DreamWorks Television and Amblin Television. Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg are creators and executive producers. Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey and Conrad Riggs are co-executive producers.
Hell I'll watch it.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmsnbcmedia.msn.com%2Fj%2Fmsnbc%2FSections%2FNewsweek%2FComponents%2FPhotos%2FMag%2F061225_Issue%2F061216_NextSpeilberg_wide.hlarge.jpg&hash=52faec4395e4002d9eed8b506e772c978c188c46)
Hollywood: Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett
The acclaimed movie director takes a stab at reality TV. Will he be a survivor?
Source: Newsweek
Dec. 25, 2006 - Jan. 1, 2007 issue - The most-anticipated new reality show of next year was conceived in Steven Spielberg's backyard. In early 2006, the Oscar-winning director was at his Los Angeles home chatting with Mark Burnett, the creator of "Survivor" and "The Apprentice." The topic was not television, but a movie they'd like to make together. The movie remains a secret, but "in the course of talking about the film, I mentioned that I was interested in sweeping the world to find new actors and directors," Spielberg recalls, standing next to his black luxury golf cart on the Universal lot. "I said, 'You know, it could also be a reality show'." Why yes, Steven, it could. A week later Burnett was back with a pitch for "On the Lot," a Fox reality series that pits 16 young film directors against each other for a shot at a $1 million development deal with Spielberg's studio, DreamWorks. "It's a fairly simple concept," Burnett says. "Most good things are fairly simple."
"Lot" breaks the contestants into four teams, which shoot a short film each week. The films premiere before three judges, and America votes for the best movie. (They said it was a simple idea, not an original one.) The director of the film with the fewest votes gets axed. "We all watch movies and sit there saying this movie is great or that one is crap," Burnett says. "This show gives the audience the experience of being a critic." Spielberg will not be playing hatchet man the way Donald Trump does on "The Apprentice." He's more like the grand prize. "Lot" will debut in May around the time of the "American Idol" finale, but Spielberg won't show up until the last episode, when he'll escort the winner to his or her new office. "Frankly, I've got too much on my plate to be a member of the cast," he says. Then he grins: "Besides, there's only room on this planet for one Trump." There's barely room for one.
Quote from: MacGuffin on December 29, 2006, 12:36:55 PM
The films premiere before three judges, and America votes for the best movie.
he doesn't want to find filmmakers, he wants to find ratners.
Yeah. The American majority has proven its stupidity and bad taste on innumerable occasions, so if they have the final say this whole endeavor will be a waste.
I might still enter though.
On the Lot Premiering on May 22
Source: Fox
After receiving a record-setting 12,000 video submissions from aspiring filmmakers on thelot.com, Fox has officially entered the summer movie blockbuster race with the new filmmaking competition series "On the Lot" from Mark Burnett, Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television. "On the Lot" will now premiere with one-hour audition episodes: on Tuesday, May 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) following "American Idol" (8:00-9:00 PM, ET live/PT tape-delayed), and Thursday, May 24 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) following the third-season premiere of the hit series "So You Think You Can Dance" (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on Fox.
"Steven and I are enormously thrilled with the response weve had to the call for film submissions via our website thelot.com," said "On the Lot" creator and executive producer Mark Burnett. "This confirms our notion that there is an incredible amount of talented filmmakers in the world looking for their big breaks. We are very excited that our partners at Fox have scheduled the launch of this series with the powerhouse 'American Idol' finale and the premiere of 'So You Think You Can Dance.' Coming off of the success of 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?,' launching out of 'American Idol' is a terrific move."
A special two-hour Film Premiere episode, featuring the first films produced by the finalists, will air Monday, May 28 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Fox. The initial group of finalists to be eliminated from the competition will be announced the following night on the expanded first Box Office results show Tuesday, May 29 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). "On the Lot's" weekly Film Premiere episodes air in their regular time period beginning Monday, June 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and the weekly Box Office results shows will air on Tuesdays (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) starting Tuesday, June 5.
"On the Lot" affords aspiring filmmakers the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to win a $1-million DreamWorks development deal. Each week, the hopeful filmmaker finalists will produce short films from a chosen genre, running the gamut from comedies to thrillers, personal dramas to romance, sci-fi to horror. They'll have access to the best resources the industry has to offer - professional writers, actors and crew - to help create their films.
After the teams have battled time frames, budgets and all the usual chaos that goes along with filmmaking, their films will debut and be critiqued in front of a live audience during the Film Premiere episodes.
But the filmmakers ultimately will be judged by the harshest critics of all the public. It will be America whose votes determine which films should be left on the cutting-room floor. On each Box Office results show, the director whose feature garners the fewest votes will be sent home.
Spielberg pulls 4 vets onto 'Lot'
Fisher, Ratner, Marshall, Avnet join panel
Source: Variety
Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett have tapped several big-name film vets to help launch their upcoming Fox reality skein "On the Lot."
Carrie Fisher, Brett Ratner, Garry Marshall and Jon Avnet will serve as judges on the first round of "On the Lot," which debuts May 22 (behind the penultimate "American Idol"), and continues on May 24.
Show will start with a group of 50 applicants, who are sent to Los Angeles to attend a "Hollywood Boot Camp." They'll meet with the four judges and screen their personal submission film; as well as pitch their project; show and edit a short film within 24 hours; and then shoot a one-page scene within an hour.
The judges then will select the top 18 finalists, who will move on to the first "film premiere" episode May 28.
Fisher's credits, besides her role as Princess Leia in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, include the book and resulting screenplay "Postcards From the Edge." Ratner ("X-Men: The Last Stand") most recently helmed the upcoming "Rush Hour 3." Marshall's next film, "Georgia Rule," opens May 11. Avnet's upcoming projects include directing the thriller "88 Minutes," as well as cable mini "The Starter Wife."
Spielberg and Burnett created and exec produce "On the Lot," which is offering a $1 million DreamWorks development deal to its winner. Series comes from DreamWorks TV, Amblin TV and Mark Burnett Prods.; David Goffin also exec produces. Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey and Conrad Riggs are co-exec producers.
i called it.
Quote from: Pubrick on December 29, 2006, 10:39:05 PM
he doesn't want to find filmmakers, he wants to find ratners.
:rofl:
The best would be if the show is live and at some point one of the contestants tell Ratner that he sucks... I mean who will take seriously what a judge like him would say?
Honestly the other judges are not so much better than him... and if Paula Abdul can be the queen of American Idol then this could work.
The good news: It's more Project Runway than Apprentice or Project Greenlight.
The bad news: Some were actually excited to see Ratner and know that he watched their short film.
It's okay so far. I liked that they threw the contestants a curve and didn't start them off making films right away, but found out how good a storyteller they each are by making them pitch stories in the first round.
i don't understand what's going on. a week ago i saw the episode that you're referring to (it's showing here for some reason!), where they had to pitch a film based on a few crappy premises. i thought that was one of the first episodes, if not the very first. then why tonite did i see 18 finalists with one-minute short films (NOT the ones they were making in groups), without ratner (director of Disturbia was in his place), and with america being asked to judge the best of the last 18 finalists???
did i miss an episode? the whole series?
very confused.
Quote from: Pubrick on May 29, 2007, 10:22:00 AMdid i miss an episode?
They had another episode on Thursday with the results of the group projects and weeded the field down to 18.
two episodes a week! of course!
thanks mac.
ps. so.. why wasn't ratner in this one then? please tell me he got voted out. :hammer: :yabbse-smiley: :yabbse-smiley: :yabbse-smiley:
Quote from: Pubrick on May 29, 2007, 10:55:09 AMps. so.. why wasn't ratner in this one then? please tell me he got voted out. :hammer: :yabbse-smiley: :yabbse-smiley: :yabbse-smiley:
They've been rotating filmmakers to
whore plug their own films. William Friedkin (Bug) will be the judge for the horror section.
Ratner was busy "consoling" the female directors who got voted out.
Just to creep you all the fuck out, here's a picture of Ratner "consoling" Salma Hayek:
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi35.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fd179%2Fpolkablues%2Fsalma9ha.jpg&hash=6ede11e9eb2647a9e1f56168fce9e3c72acc26e9)
he looks like he's using her as a bullet shield.
....a sexy, sssexy bullet shield.
ratner's a creep!
Quote from: MacGuffin on May 29, 2007, 11:05:05 AMThey've been rotating filmmakers to whore plug their own films.
LaBeouf and Bay Guest Judge On the Lot Moviemaking competition series "On the Lot" will air its weekly "Film Premiere" episode this Tuesday, June 5 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on Fox, with Transformers star Shia LaBeouf and director Michael Bay serving as guest judges along with regulars Carrie Fisher and Garry Marshall.
The remaining 15 director finalists have been divided into three groups of five, and the first group Sam Friedlander, Hilary Graham, Trever James, Shalini Kantayya and Adam Stein will premiere their personal submission films and receive the judges' critiques. Viewers will vote for their favorite films after the show.
Quote from: Lucid on June 05, 2007, 02:07:25 PMI can't stand Carrie Fisher as a judge.
Word.
You'd think for a writer, she would have a wider vocabulary, but she's always at a loss for words in explaining her critique; like the answer will come if she keeps waving her arms around.
Quote from: Lucid on June 05, 2007, 02:07:25 PMI've only seen the comedy shorts episode, and the show's okay, mildly entertaining enough for me to tune in again tonight.
It was better when they showed the filmmakers working on their shorts and the butting heads and egos coming out. Now it's become the American Idol portion of the show.
Quote from: Lucid on June 05, 2007, 02:07:25 PMLuckily I missed Ratner's appearance.
Look what I have for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7J0edeZWME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCk5k4rwOIA
i can't stand this show. at first it was pretty cool like you said it was more project runway than american idol, which is great cos the latter is possibly the WORST reality show of all time (the former being one of the better ones). and i like reality tv. the results episodes are the worst directed piece of tv ever shown, permit me to rant on:
- going row by row, there is absolutely no tension in the first few ppl they talk to, they will OBVIOUSLY go through. why not just pull out the bottom two and then announce the winner out of the rest? oh right, padding.
- it was obvious too that the girls would always be in the bottom two. it's ridiculous when garry marshall (dude should be in a home) can't get over that some directors are FEMALE and that's all he can talk about. it's funny cos the films speak for themselves, girls can't direct for shit.
- "Ghetta Room".. was OBVIOUSLY about a retard. if the director couldn't tell that his actor was playing a spaz then he himself must have some problems. and you know what? it was still funny, actually moreso, unintentional or not. that was good that he won the popular vote.
- i wonder how many of the judges' favourites are Jewish. yeah.. i'm not gonna go there.
- even though the girl's films were pretty much all embarrassing, how the HELL did that "street smart" director of skate videos get through with Alley Cat Crazy Cab Services or whatever that abortion was called? my god that is seriously the WORST short film i have ever seen in my life. wow, and the dude who made a trailer should be eliminated based on that alone (sorry gamblor).
- the young brit that made "Please Hold" or whatever, while his film was based on an OLD joke that went on way too long, showed a million times more talent than the other young competitor from NYU, that girl with the zombies and shit trying to change a lightbulb--- what the hell was that??? she only got through because she's attractive.
i dont' look forward to the rest of this series. especially when they don't show you anything about the making of the films apart from the intro package., there's more to rant about, but whatever. just reminds me that the film industry is mostly douche bags.
anyway, my favourites were:
-Danger Zone, by Zach Lipovsky (the prize is his to lose, it might finally get him laid)
-Replication Theory (this was underrated and pretty ambitious for a short film, pulled off the high/low concept perfectly AND was funny)
-Lucky Penny was kinda stupid obvious but it was so well made and so sweet, and i feel sorry for the director.
Yeah, it doesn't get any better this week. Except for the Indian girl's short, the rest were just awful. The musical made me cringe.
For the most part, I actually kinda agreed with Michael Bay. :shock:
This parody is funnier than any of the contestants' shorts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuyNfjpnkvc
I have not seen this yet... I was thinking about downloading the episodes so far... is it worth it at all?
i've wanted to post about this but i felt overwhelmed by the amount there was to complain about. Pubrick has gotten through most of it. some of this is repeats but i had to get it off my chest.
- right off the bat the show treats you like an idiot by making the audience applaud all throughout the useless opening monologue (which explains what the announcer just said moments ago) in order to make you think THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING EVER. but clearly the audience is trained to applaud and it's all very inhuman.
- the results episode last week was pretty much the most tedious television possible. probably 5 minutes of new information in one hour. they know that because they're down to one ep now.
- yeah the taxi cab movie was beyond disgusting. the premise involved not being able to stand a guy for longer than a minute so there was never any way for it to be a good movie. why would people like a shitty person that was designed to be so shitty you couldn't be around them? almost everything the guy who made it says is about someone else not getting something or being stupid or about how he didn't go to film school as though he's being attacked or invalidated for it. the trailer guy is also a horrible person.
- yeah the 911 joke guy was probably the most visually impressive and i don't understand why he was kicked aside from the unoriginality of his short.
- gary marshall says everything as though it's a weird punchline and the audience keeps encouraging him and i feel really uncomfortable. and carrie fisher isn't qualified to judge this. dj caruso was annoyingly happy no matter what he was talking about. michael bay is by far the greatest judge so far.
- the host should just be a piece of paper or the voiceover from the beginning of the show because she's so effing vapid.
- oh yeah, the guy who directed lucky penny. every single shot of him in the whole show is him tugging at your heart strings somehow.
- i remember in media 9 (the filmmaking class at my high school) seeing all the other shorts at the end of the term and thinking for the most part how grateful i was that i hadn't seen them at the beginning because the bar would have been lowered so much that i wouldn't have made something as good as what i ended up with. the worst thing about this show is the feeling of people who aren't good at what they do. it's not limited to the filmmakers but the fact that these guys have been filtered from 12,000 entries makes me sad. some of them are enjoyable and i can't not watch because it's such a good idea for a show, but it's probably the hardest show for me to watch ever.
I donno if anyones mentioned this yet but I was watching the "Get to know the contestants" video online today and they asked a bunch of them if they could change the ending to one film what would it be and why. Shira-Lee Shalit said she would change the ending of Magnolia, so if you're looking for someone to hate...there she is.
As for the show...Whenever I watch it I'm overwhelmed by the fact that I know many many people who can make better films than these contestants.
Quote from: Tictacbk on June 07, 2007, 04:17:11 PM
Shira-Lee Shalit said she would change the ending of Magnolia, so if you're looking for someone to hate...there she is.
link? does she say what she would change it to or WHY!?
http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=3&vd=53 (http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=3&vd=53)
3:35 into the video...
"At the ending of Magnolia the frogs come out. And for me the movie was almost a masterpiece except for that ending because it took it in a whole different direction. So that is what I would change in that film. I wouldn't have the frogs at the ending of Magnolia." -- an idiot on TV
I say we all buy those eBay frogs, get audience seats and dump them on her on stage; just like in Carrie, except, instead of blood, it'll rain toads on her and her only powers will be the ability to wee herself.
EDIT:
At 1:38, Kenny wouldn't kill the sharks in the Jaws films because he "admires" them.
At 2:12, Jessica wants to change the ending of A.I. to not have the "aliens" come back.
At 4:09, Will wouldn't have burnt such "a nice sled" in Citizen Kane.
:roll:
Cinematical Seven: Ways to Save 'On the Lot'
I've had enough. Ever since Fox first announced that Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett were teaming up to produce a reality show in which aspiring filmmakers competed against one another for $1 million and an "office" at Dreamworks, I was skeptical but interested. Burnett is one of the best in the business at what he does, and Spielberg is, well, Spielberg. Surely, combined, the two would shell out one of the most talked-about reality shows in history, right? Wrong. This thing is a disaster. They can't decide on a consistent format, the host is a babbling mess and we never actually get to watch these kids making films (which, in my opinion, is the most appealing part of the show). Nope, instead, they give us random celebrity judges (out promoting their new movie), half-assed short films (with no explanation as to when or how they were put together) and a slew of contestants who are forgettable five seconds after they walk off stage. How did this happen? How do they fix it? Here are seven suggestions that, if applied correctly, could save On the Lot from its imminent cancellation.
1) Screw the American Idol format and start giving these kids tasks
The show got off to a great start when they asked each kid to come up with an original pitch based on one of five different loglines. Not only did this allow the audience at home to brainstorm their own ideas on how they would pitch the concept, but it gave us something to anticipate. What they should've done from there is maintained this mini-task theme; throw the kids into groups and ask them to make a one-minute film without any dialogue. Have them come up with a two-minute short utilizing three random objects placed in a box that, somehow, would have to be incorporated into the story. Give them a writing challenge. Give them a blue screen challenge. Force them to choose three strangers off the street to use as actors in a completely improvised short. Make this show fun. Make it exciting to watch. While filmmaking is a creative medium, all On the Lot does is take a gigantic piss on creativity by blatantly ripping off other, more successful shows in an attempt to convince the viewer that what they're watching makes sense, when it doesn't.
2) Show, don't tell
Film is a visual medium and yet all these people do is talk, talk, talk. Is anyone else sick and tired of the judges throwing out random bits of film terminology as if those at home know exactly what they're talking about? When D.J. Caruso says that he liked a contestant's use of a rack focus, show us the damn rack focus with a simple definition. God forbid someone actually learns something while they're watching. Oh, and in case you were interested (from the glossary of film terms): Rack Focus -- "A shot where focus is changed while shooting. Unlike a Follow Focus shot, a rack focus shot is usually done not from the necessity of keeping someone in focus but to shift attention from one thing to another."
3) Either replace Adriana Costa as host or give her a couple Valium before each show
Quite simply, the girl is a complete moron. But I can't even blame her; the show's format changes so much that she probably doesn't know what's going to happen until they feed her the line three seconds before she's supposed to say it. Regardless, she's all over the place and looks more uncomfortable on stage than Lindsay Lohan at a benefit concert for M.A.D.D. Either give her a few Valium before each show so that she calms down to level that's not ridiculously awkward (why does she want each contestant to wrap their arms around her -- is she that desperate for a hug?) or replace her with someone who actually knows a thing or two about how films are made. Wow, imagine that?
4) Explain the rules
Mark Burnett should know better. If you look at a show like Survivor or The Apprentice, each task is clearly defined and we know exactly how much the contestants were given (be it time, tools and resources) to complete the goal assigned to them. This week we were told each person had five days to complete a three-minute short film. Seeing as the show is live each week (and seeing how these shorts were apparently created in each contestant's home town), how in the world was it possible for them to shoot, cast and edit their shorts in the one week since the last episode? Oh, that's right, they didn't. Why? Because they've been sequestered in a mansion this entire time. What you watched this past week were submission tapes; films packaged together prior to the show going on the air. These weren't films completed in the week since the previous episode, and yet that was never told to us. A week before that, they were asked to complete a one-minute comedy short. Were they given a camera? A budget? Actors? How come none of this was ever explained to us?
5) We need to care more about the contestants
As it is right now, we know practically nothing about these people. Sure, we're beginning to learn a little bit through each of their films, but the show needs to become more personal. If they maintained the mini-challenge format, allowing us to stand alongside them as they rush to write, cast, shoot and edit, then the show automatically becomes more intimate. Not only that, but we'll actually see for ourselves who the best filmmaker truly is. Who works with actors the best, or knows how to maintain their sanity under extreme pressure. I want to see them fight, bicker, throw things at the wall. After all, this is reality television -- what good is the show if no one breaks down, threatens to walk off the show or gets rushed to the hospital?
6) Find guest judges that aren't just there to plug their upcoming movie
Michael Bay sat there like he wanted to shoot himself, and I wanted to shoot him for it. Not only that, but he (like Brett Ratner) is the wrong guy to give advice. "You stretched your two minute movie into a three minute movie." Oh, really Michael. Well, you've built an entire career stretching one-hour stories in three-hour epics. Did Pearl Harbor really have to be 184 friggin' minutes? And why is Michael Bay judging a slew of three-minute comedies? Each week should carry a theme, and each guest judge should be chosen based on that theme. I know Spielberg is calling in a lot of favors for this one, but c'mon. If you want my advice, here's what they should really do ...
7) Drop everyone and have Garry Marshall host the show by himself
He's the only reason I tune in each week; the guy has more one-liners than Andrew Dice Clay -- except, Marshall is actually funny. He's a great filmmaker who's been around the block more than a few times, and comes equipped with more knowledge than 150 Brett Ratners combined. He's personable, entertaining -- he's the kind of guy you want to invite over for dinner ... every single night. Heck, I wouldn't mind them ditching the entire show for an hour worth of Garry Marshall war stories. As it stands right now, something like that would be a lot more entertaining than what's currently being shoveled down our throats every Monday Wednesday Tuesday night.
what do you think?
Marty Martin
=
annoying
or
ambitious
or
________(fill in the blank)
?
Quote from: bigideas on June 12, 2007, 10:27:19 PM
what do you think?
Marty Martin
=
annoying
or
ambitious
or
________(fill in the blank)
?
I'm still waiting for him to make a film not a trailer.
Quote from: Tictacbk on June 13, 2007, 04:56:55 PM
Quote from: bigideas on June 12, 2007, 10:27:19 PM
what do you think?
Marty Martin
=
annoying
or
ambitious
or
________(fill in the blank)
?
I'm still waiting for him to make a film not a trailer.
this is true.
beyond ridiculous. i'm only watching this utter SHIT of a show when i feel like reminding myself that civilization is nearly over.
- marty martin has weird ears and is an arrogant tony scott wannabe munchkin. marty munchkin. his movies are trailers and i love how frankel owned him by saying "i thought your first trailer was better". ha!
- kenny lubby is considered a threat??? what the FUCK was that thing he called a film. there is no way he's getting a million bucks and he knows it and everyone knows it and spielberg has to realise that he's paying for a fuckin emo skater NUT to make boring, confusing, anti-films/quasi music videos (to shitty music no less) which can only appeal to ppl who cut themselves.. and at best make ppl WANT to cut themselves. wow.
- beeline, "slut mom".. all i can say is the cupid film was better than this piece of amateur garbage in its visuals ALONE. to hear frankel say it was his favourite... MIND BOGGLING. the chick does not know where to put a camera, how to tell a story, how to cast a film -- i mean just look at the CRAFT of the other films, even emo and munchkin's stinkbombs!.. are the judges being nice to her cos of her stupid idiot kid??? yeah i guess that could be a classic spielberg policy.
- obviously the best film of the batch was Polished, but it was slim pickings. and even then only cos i'm guessing the director is jewish and the film was reference to the plight of the polish jews.
the only way to continue watching this near-nadir of reality tv (fast approaching American Idol) is to understand the entire series is filler until hopefully spielberg intervenes, realising that popularity is not everything (a new concept for him?) and rigs it so he must hand pick from the 3 ppl who aren't complete embarrassments. although now i kinda hope the very very worst get to the end and he just has to accept the monster he created.
hideous, disgusting monster.
I'm blown away that anybody still watches this show. At least American Idol occasionally has one or two good singers on it. This show has ZERO good filmmakers on it. And one of them is going to get a million dollars! Godspeed, Apocalypse! Godspeed!
I think Pearl Jam 10 era was very influential on Kenny's visuals and music. He may be stuck there... :ponder:
Crazy Cab......i just don't know what to think about that.........how could anyone even come up with that, much less find it funny?
Quote from: polkablues on June 17, 2007, 02:49:09 PM
At least American Idol occasionally has one or two good singers on it. This show has ZERO good filmmakers on it.
there are at least
Quote from: Pubrick on June 17, 2007, 10:00:01 AM
3 ppl who aren't complete embarrassments.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelot.com%2Fmedia%2Fcontestants%2Fseason1%2Ffull%2Fzach_lipovsky.jpg&hash=9adfa06ef8a5de26a3b89afd3a5389be4db6f6fc)
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelot.com%2Fmedia%2Fcontestants%2Fseason1%2Ffull%2Fsam_friedlander.jpg&hash=75e53a0471a5691ecef3da02e36042103610f44c)
and the third is yet to be determined. contributing factors:
-i just found out the black dude is 41. that's gotta be a typo. he looks smart at least.
-will bigham is the WALL• E of contestants.
-i didn't think adam stein's musical was bad.
hahahhahaah
it took me so long to find this post so i never found a place to vent this shit out!
If i ever owned a time machine i swear to god this is what i would use it for:
I'd choose any tuesday night On The Lot is taping...i'd score tickets to be in the audience...I'd eat alot of chili preceding the show...and take the biggest, steamiest, shit all over the stage, the contestants, and that skank ass hoe of hostess. I'd slap Gary Marshall a high five, wish mercy upon the souls of the contestants, the audience, michael bay, and the united states of america. As soon as that satisfaction would be over, i'd hop in the delorean, go BACK in time, and not do that.
FUCK. between this show and global warming...we're in trouble.
the last episode wasn't as terrible as the others (from the american idol twin era). maybe i'm just getting used to it. i truly don't understand the decision to make them do comedy again, though. the show can't make a decision about what it is. i hate how they make the filmmakers look into the camera before their film and while the film is being recapped at the end.
Zach will win. it's too obvious.
word on the street is that eli roth is guest judging tonight.
i think Zach might take the log line "when worlds collide" literally.
an imdb'er predicts Mateen will do more racism stuff with it.
any others?
hahaha, mateen's movie was so stupid.
If anyone cares:
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fspielbergfilms.com%2Fimages%2FOn%2520the%2520Lot%2Fwillbigham.jpg&hash=4d4377f6be4fbfb30a7453c40d1c6e9272129ff4)
Will wins 'On the Lot'
DreamWorks Pictures has a brand new filmmaker on their lot, welcomed last night (in a pre-recorded segment) by Steven Spielberg himself. After a summer of hard work, short films, critiques and praise, director Will Bigham has earned both America and Spielberg's praise as a filmmaker with big things ahead of him.
Bigham won out on last night's finale of "On the Lot," the filmmaking reality show produced by Spielberg and Mark Burnett. After a very tense fifty minutes of looking back on notable films from the season, and elimination of all of the competition, Bigham stood victorious with short films like "Lucky Penny," "Glass Eye," "Nerve Endings," "Unplugged" and "The Yes Men" to his credit. The young director was greeted at the DreamWorks gates by Spielberg at the very last moments of the show, and guided on to the lot for a future that will hopefully bear some entertaining work as Bigham develops properties with his $1 million DreamWorks deal. At the very least, we hope Bigham doesn't wield his newly-earned power to "achieve global domination and force the world to listen to [him] sing karaoke for hours" as previously threatened.
Congratulations to Will, and to all of the filmmakers who made it "On the Lot" this summer.
zach went out a couple weeks ago. truly one of the worst reality tv shows ever. top (bottom) 3, easily.
i can't believe i watched the whole thing. at least it'll never happen again with the horrible ratings. i thought it would've been good if Spielberg had given Will the million from his wallet and told him to leave a la Ben Stein.
Quote from: Pubrick on August 29, 2007, 12:21:14 AMtruly one of the worst reality tv shows ever. top (bottom) 3, easily.
I'm guessing Kid Nation will be in there somewhere.
here are some fun facts i got from zach.
due to the incredibly pressured nature of show's scheduling, all of the shorts were preproduced in advance without anything to do with the directors. a director would be told just prior to making the short that he or she would, for example, have the setting of an office and say, two guys and a girl. they'd be given a script already written (intimidating but sexy boss tries to seduce two nervous coworkers) and be given the freedom to only change lines, characters, and plot within reason. so the sets were built before they even conceived of an idea, and they'd cast from a pool of actors that were 'on hold'. makes the show seem more like glorified mad-libs than anything else.
burnett was pissed that the contestants were working together and bouncing ideas off of each other, he wanted rivalries to form, but their teamwork was the only way the contestants survive.