Is FrameForge worth buying for storyboarding?

[Paul R Johnson]

I suspect Ryan, that understanding this (or not) could be one of the reasons you have trouble with people? The look I described was understood by every single person there - who were all thinking exactly the same thing. I'm not sure I can explain this one if you don't get it?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

I suspect Ryan, that understanding this (or not) could be one of the reasons you have trouble with people? The look I described was understood by every single person there - who were all thinking exactly the same thing. I'm not sure I can explain this one if you don't get it?

This in a nutshell is why he shouldn’t be a director. Probably for the same reason there’s nothing we could say to deter him. I guess he can keep making passion films for as long as he wants. Hopefully it will lead to something, however career wise I’m not sure what.

[Brian Drysdale]

"it's just I was asking more technical questions on here, cause this site seems to be more directed at that, and most of the critiques I got, were on the technical side"

The questions seemed to be getting more on the aesthetic side - deep focus, blocking out scenes, the meaning of green cars etc, rather than technical.

[Ryan Elder]

Yeah that makes sense. The aesthetic side is what I feel I should learn more about.

Well if I shouldn't be directing, what if I produced it, do editing and other post work, but gave someone else the job as director?

[Paul R Johnson]

Ryan - tell us what you are good at. What elements of movie making do you really enjoy and do really well? I'm not really sure you actually understand the roles you talk about. What elements of being producer do you excel at? What contribution to the 'whole' do you see yourself doing? I thought you didn't get on with editing? Me - editing is my weakest area. I'm good with the technology, but I struggle with that 'feeling' of THERE - when you know that's where the cut will work best. I seem to get it close then have to constantly go back and forth. Good editors just hit the button.

I'm struggling with finding your strengths.

[Josh Bass]

Reading this I get the feeling Ryan simply likes being associated with filmmaking in just about any capacity. If this is so, and he wants to do it for a living, this ties back to Paul's skills audit and where Ryan's strengths would dovetail with positions on a film crew/film production.

[Ryan Elder]

Well I like directing the most, and editing second most. If I am not doing either of those, I also like production sound so far. I don't really like producing, I just do it if I have to, if it's my budget and all.

[Paul R Johnson]

No Ryan, that was not the answer to e question. I like dance, I'm just rubbish at it.


You don't like producing so why even think about doing it? The question is very, very simple. What are you GOOD at? Liking it is a bonus.

A very sobering process is to look at your Facebook friends. I have always played the bass guitar, and it's part of my living. People pay me to do it. Looking at my friends, three of my college students from the late 90s early 2000's now have a career playing bass. They are ALL better than me. Three of my friends are into photography professionally, all have much better photos than me. Four are video pros and again, would be before me in the usefulness list. Five are lighting people and overtook me in demand from productions, and the same with sound. It means that I have people available to me who can do their roles better than me, which is annoying for a moment, but clearly a real benefit to me. I know that if people,call me, they will have called them first. However, I'm quite good at organising, and people come to me first in what has become my primary role.

If you look at your circle of friends, which area are you the come to first, and which is your 'if nobody else can do it'? Somewhere must exist a packet of skills you have that can be used effective in movie making. You ask your friends all the time with the "I have been told " posts, so ask them what THEY think you're good at. I'm worried that they might all have been on the same dreadful film making course you went on, but they will be able to assess you better than us.

Have you understood the 'look' I mentioned earlier that confused you? I urge you to read that story again and see if you can have the lightbulb moment.

[Josh Bass]

We're getting a little philosophical (or something) here, but what if the things he's good at in the filmmaking world are not things he likes?

"WHO CARES????" you all say.

Well, thing is, being in a job role you dislike can lead to a lot of misery, depression, etc. For instance, see: 70% of people (last I heard).

Ideally one finds where their skills and, I won't say "passion", but things they at least like, collide.

If he's making a living at something else right now, he's already found that which he can merely tolerate.

If any job to do with flimmaking is better to him than not being associated with it professionally at all, different story.

[Ryan Elder]

Well I guess I haven't found anything in filmmaking that I don't like. Sometimes I don't like recording sound as it can be a pain, but I've been told by others that my audio has been good compared to others and that I seem to know what I am doing.

I was also told that my acting is good, and other filmmakers wanted me to act in their projects. I get chosen mostly to act, but I would like to direct my own projects as well. Not sure if I'm good at acting and audio recording, just going by some other filmmakers.

[Paul R Johnson]

Ryan - for goodness sake. We are encouraging you to step up, take charge and declare the things that make you stand out, and you defer to others again. It's like encouraging somebody with a drink problem. Stand up and say "I'm Ryan, I'm a sound recordist" - say it and mean it!

[Brian Drysdale]

Being a director requires a certain level of ego, when you're doing it you have to make the final calls. so you need that self belief..

Nothing wrong with being a sound recordist/actor. I know a number of TV floor managers, make up people, riggers, who are also actors. A number of feature film directors are also actors. However, when directing you take on that role with conviction.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

It’s difficult to earn a living making feature films unless you live in LA. But a lot of skills are transferable to other commercial work. If you’re a decent camera op there are a lot of options. If you become a freelancer then it’s good to know a little bit of everything because you’re generally working solo. If you need something more stable maybe you should look into being a media person at a school.

Like everyone is saying, you need to figure out what you're good at and focus on that. You could spend you're entire life wondering what you should be, but its probably better to pick something you're good at and go for it.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh ok well i thought i was good at sound recording and boom op work.

[Josh Bass]

You should show some of your recordings to a professional location sound mixer or post sound person, i.e. someone who regularly gets paid to do that work, to get a legitimate opinion on that.