A lot of people are already asking me about film critics and what I think of the whole thing in general.. well here's the thoughts of a baby film maker:
Look, lets be honest. No person in their right mind would be keen to show anything they do to someone whose entire life revolves around finding fault with whatever they are watching.
Then there's also the fact that most critics are uber nerds who are fifty times more intellectual than the rest of us mere minions on planet earth. They sit there scratching around for all the faults and completely judge the story and pace of the movie by some personal measuring stick relevant only to themselves and their chess club.
Hell man, I go to the movies to enjoy the experience. A movie would really really have to be crap for me to not like it! I hate watching movies with okes that have only negative stuff to say about 'what was wrong'. But Ja, thats just me.
That said, even though I have no doubt that critics will roast my first movie over a slow spit, I kinda value their opinions. For me it's about how I can learn, move on and make the next movies better and better.
My first movie was tough to make, and I mean TOUGH!
When funds dry up halfway through production because of investors going 'bang' in a tough economy and have to get your ass out there to raise more money in a horrible financial climate, you learn what tenacity truly is.
20 hour days under intense deadline pressure with that horrible financial pressure on your neck will definitely force you to make mistakes and believe me, if you are looking for those mistakes, thou shalt surely find them.
I already laugh at critics comparing us to fast and furious... those American movies have literally 100 to 1000 times South African budgets (not exaggerated). Compared to the those big budget movies, South African film makers are making little more than full length student films!
Obviously, as we have more budget and more time, our movies will get better and more polished. but while us South African film makers - the okes that make movies with Rands not Dollars - have the worst budgets on planet earth for our movies, you are going to get stuff that entertains you without the epic polish of a R300 000 000 "low budget' American movie. (Seriously, American movies consider $30 mil to be low budget).
When you read reviews about films like Mr Bones 2 (slaughtered by the Arty Farties) and most other non-emo South African films (critics love emotional films), you begin to get the idea that most critics actually love it when they can naill film makers to a cross. Incidentally, Mr Bones breaks local box office records every time. it may not be your cup of tea, but a lot of people are drinking it very happily!
I've been pissed at critics for much longer than I've been making films. I mean, who the hell gives Forrest Gump a 1 out of 10? Go make a film yourself if you're so good at it! Really man, what the hell?
I generally scratch around the internet looking only for good reviews on 'bad' movies so that my viewing experience is enhanced. it's awesome to head to the cinema armed with cool things to notice!
In the end what we read there is another person's opinion about what they watched, and statistically, very few people even take notice. They're gonna watch what they want to watch no matter what the critics have to say. Most films that break box office records are really really nailed by critics... Go figure...
Michael Bay, the Godfather of Summer Blockbusters, (Transformers, The Island, The Rock etc.) gets nailed by these okes every time.
Films are just a different form of theatre, they are an expression of a creative mind on a different kind of canvas. When you watch a film, you are watching someone's imagination spring to life. When you air your imagination in public, some will love it, some will hate it - it's just part of the experience. Those that hate it will always be more vocal than those who love it. Par for the course.
For a first time Director, critics are the scariest part of the journey. You get prepped by fellow film makers who will tell you that 9 out of 10 critics will nail you.
One of the cast of The Race-ist who has been in film for many years said this to me: "No matter how much the public enjoys your film, the critics will nail you, they are called critics because they criticize. Simple as that."
Personally, I'm a softy. I try to take the good and ignore the bad but that stuff will always either hurt you or inspire you. Obviously rave reviews make you feel great and nasty ones make you want to hide under the bed and cringe but you just keep going, improving as you go, learning as you go, taking the good and the bad and growing with every step.
Alternatively you can take the Donald Trump approach: "Don't believe the critics unless they love your work'.
Our Test audiences and Premiere audiences loved The Race-ist.
You are who we made the film for.
If you enjoy the movie then our mission is accomplished.
Budget or no budget, we make these films for you, our target audience. The only opinion that truly matters to us is yours!
So ja. While you are all enjoying our first movie and I'm roasting over the coals, you can safely realize that we're already planning our next movies. Much bigger, much better and much faster :)
Dang critics will be snapping at my heels all the way.
Hopefully one day I can pull an 'Avatar' - best movie ever!
...but even that movie is getting roasted by American critics... Ja Nee Kyk.
