What are your thoughts on the amateur film scene in America?

Has anyone stumbled upon an especially good indie flick lately?

Did you record someone just hoping they'll get a shoutout? 🙂

Jose Chase2 said:Did you film someone just hoping they'll get a shoutout?🙂

🙂🤣

Justin Smith83 said:What do you guys think about the indie film scene here in America?

The biggest headache with amateur filmmaking in the States is honestly just how invisible it feels—most of these projects never reach anyone beyond the filmmakers themselves, their mentors, or maybe a tiny crowd at a niche festival. Even when there are free public screenings, nobody seems to know they’re happening because the mainstream media completely ignores them and local community centers are way too slow to get anything organized. It makes you wonder why anyone would bother pouring endless hours into something that gets zero eyeballs and offers basically no payoff, right? 🙂 I've seen so many incredibly talented creators just pack up and walk away after making only two or three films because they hit a wall. If our federal government actually took an interest and dedicated even just an hour a week to supporting independent cinema, we might actually see some real momentum building.

Amateur films?

Hmm. For every fifty absolute disasters, you might stumble upon one masterpiece. I can't stand those kids who show up to these festivals acting like they’re some kind of misunderstood geniuses who don't need film school or any of that nonsense... but then again, there are plenty of decent people out there taking this seriously.

Last year at the Sundance Film Festival, not a single movie in the official competition was actually... anything. On the flip side, the indie underdog showcase featured a few works that were actually quite good. So, I suppose it’s all relative.

Justin Smith83 said:Has anyone actually sat through a decent amateur film lately?

Not really, but what’s your take? Since you're the one who started this thread, I'm curious.

I honestly feel like amateur filmmaking doesn't always have to be total garbage that just sits there gathering dust on a shelf.
It doesn't even require a massive budget, really; you just need a solid crew and a whole lot of heart, grit, and sheer willpower!
In the States, I bet we actually produce more indie projects than they do in Hollywood🤣
It’s a good thing, though, because eventually, the absolute best ones are going to rise to the top.

I'm actually working on a project right now where the script holds its own against the pros, and production-wise, I'd say it’s pretty much top-tier for an indie setup here in the US. We’ve even started getting the word out through a few different websites, and we're planning to launch our own site and even drop some flyers around town...

We are pouring so much energy into the story because the last thing we want is for our movie to be lumped in with all those other failed attempts at making a film. That’s why we’re being so picky with casting—we really want to find people with genuine talent who can actually breathe life into these characters.

The biggest hurdle with indie stuff is that everything tends to be rushed, when in reality, all that meticulous prep work is the most vital part of the whole creative process.🙂

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but there are plenty of people who think just like you.

You have to realize—this is a relatively small market. We have far too many unemployed film professionals forced into amateur work just to pay the bills, which leaves very little room for those "professional" amateurs 😎

p.s.
The bottom line is this: we aren't all Steven Spielberg. A combination of a decent script and a hardworking crew won't necessarily carry you to the top.😉

bluecobra9 said:p.s.
The point is—we aren't all corporate sharks where a good connection and a solid crew can just whisk you away somewhere. 😉

No—we aren't all on the payroll at some major Hollywood studio where you don't even have to show up for a month to get paid. Instead, we play the part of the misunderstood American—filming low-budget indie flicks with a crew just praying they'll land a gig in some future big-budget production, whether it's a new "our little house, our little freedom," an "conquest of Ljudevit Posavski," or some massive "holding company."

I see where you're coming from...

But if we follow that logic, you could apply it to any low-budget or indie production shot by a professional crew—from student films at USC all the way up the ladder.

People take those gigs because they’re betting on the hope that someone will eventually notice them and hire them again, only this time, with a real paycheck.

bluecobra9 said:but you could apply that same logic to any indie or micro-budget shoot with a pro crew—starting from film school projects and going up from there.

Not quite. We’re talking about a guy who—for the last thirty years—has managed to mess up everything he’s directed or greenlit. But he’s so deeply entrenched in the system that his opportunities at his home studio will be endless. When you agree to work for free at an academy, there's no guarantee that working with that specific person will pay off down the road. Of course, there is another angle—using your final thesis projects to suck up to the professors.

Someone told me that the jury at (good) works could include things like how you raised your heir—Ognjen Sviličić 😬
Personally, I think a vampire jury will always be a bit more full-blooded than Ogi.

Paul Mendoza8 said:Someone told me that for the (good) works category, you can actually list "raising an heir" as a credit—referring to Ogni Sviličić. 😬

He isn't raising him—he's just leeching off him.

Paul Mendoza8 said:It seems to me that a Vampire account will always be more substantial than what Ogi brings to the table.

Ogi acts like he’s some kind of intellectual heavyweight—it's a joke. As for Žiro? The guy couldn't tell a masterpiece from a commercial if his life depended on it.

Honestly, I feel like America is one of those rare places where the amateur series production is actually top-tier. Actually, scratch that—I can’t even remember the last time anything felt truly professional being filmed here in the States.

dustyscout53 said:I honestly think America is one of those rare places where amateur series production is actually top-tier. In fact, I can't even remember the last time something was filmed professionally here in the States.

🤣 🤣 🤣

dustyscout53 said:Honestly, I feel like America is one of those rare places where amateur series production is actually top-tier. To be fair, I can't even remember the last time anything was filmed professionally over here.

🤣 🤣 🙏 🙏

Honestly, I’m not even making this movie because I’m chasing fame, looking for a big payday, or hoping someone finally notices my "talent" or whatever else... I just do it because I genuinely love the process, plain and simple! Besides, the US economy is way too strapped right now to be footing the bill for my wild visions anyway🤣

Paul Mendoza8 said:Someone mentioned to me that you could actually include "raising an heir" as a credit in the jury's books for works like *The Firebrand* by Ogni Sviličić. I find that thought rather amusing. 😬
It seems to me that a Vampire account will always be more robust than what you'll find with Ogi.

Ogi wrote and directed *Come Back from the Dead*.
Ogi keeps on grinding away, while Ziro has already carved out his own path—now he’s free to get back to creating his usual brand of disasters.

Justin Smith83 said:Look, I’m not making this movie because I’m chasing fame, hunting for a paycheck, or waiting for some scout to validate my talent. I do it because I love the craft. That’s really all there is to it. Besides, America simply doesn't have the budget to fund my specific vision right now.🤣

Bravo. That kind of mindset will take you far.😈

DARSTUPRO said:Look, I’m not making this movie for fame, money, or some validation of my "talent." I just do it because I love it. That's it.

And hey, Mom and Dad will be proud. If they aren't, maybe a chicken might drop dead. If not that, at least your friends might respect you more. And if even that fails, well, you could always use the cash. Or if all else fails, you'll have just enough left to grab a DVD spindle so you can burn a new one.

DARSTUPRO said:Besides, America is way too broke to fund my visions anyway.🤣

Just like Iceman telling Maverick: cut the bullshit.