Film set = Battlefield?
There are some directors (past & present) that have often made the analogy that- making a feature film is like fighting a battle. Do you think the analogy has some validity or that it's just a bunch of baloney?
Well, based on my (thus far short but intense) experience in the videos and short films I've directed, I'd have to say sometimes it can be.
The stress. The pressure. The frenzied activity around you. The endless discussions and arguments (sometimes creative, sometimes useless and silly). The time and budget constraints. The seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The times you have to take 50 important decisions, in less than 50 minutes. And other times, when you're swamped, knee-deep in a world of c--p, which is constantly overflowing.
And still, in the midst of all this, you have got to find a way to finish the film and make it work in the best way possible.
I have come to believe that, more often than not, the job (and trick) of a film director is to find his focus, balance and love, in the middle of this madness.
Kyler Boudreau Thank you Kyler! Yes, certainly Mel Gibson was one of the names that came to my mind when I thought about this... Another name is Oliver Stone, who, on the basis both of his filmmaking history and personal background, sure can relate to the analogy and has spoken about it several times.
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@Daniel I agree "find focus, balance and love" .....Directors need find the eye of the hurricane, that sense of utter peace and knowing in your gut it will all be okay despite the disintegrating chaos around. I never thought of directing as a battle but more of a challenge, especially being a low budget female director but wouldn't have it any other way. However, I can find "real" people a battle, especially stale boring enemies but never fictional characters cos even if it's a shit day there's a seed of pride to be on set in the first place. Bring it on! Stay safe.
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I've been both a battle field and a film set. Both are pretty intense but I wasn't all that confident that I'd survive one. Have you ever been on a battlefield or a live set?
Debbie Croysdale That was a very nice reflection Debbie!! And yes, this (ours) can be a crazy profession at times... It works I believe by ebb and flow, changing constantly by the day, even more so if you're an emerging director. And you've got to be ready to face atrocious, horrendous days on the field. It's like a pendulum that swings between bad days and special days, with a few average days in between, and I really believe to evolve, to really master this, you've got to be able to love the bad ones, as you do the special ones.
Doug Nelson Hey Doug, first of all my respects to you Sir! Yes, I have been on the set of some pretty big and impressive short films, and I think a few of the situations and conditions I've encountered there, will replicate (though on a bigger scale) in the debut feature I'm developing. So, big lessons learned there. As for the "battle analogy", I believe the directors who used it did so because, frankly, there are a few similarities between the two- the hard obstacles and daily struggles you face. The high stakes and pressure (especially when you're operating with a high capital and resources). The constant mental stress of those shooting days where everything seems to go bad and the struggle seems insurmountable. Not to mention sometimes the problems created by the politics and bureaucracy behind the making of a film. Of course, you don't get stabbed, shot or mortally wounded in making a film (well, at least not intentionally)... but I still believe on a metaphorical level, the analogy holds some validity.
Not even close. As a prior infantryman and current production fellar I can put this to rest. Not only is it inaccurate, it's insulting.
Brian Snow Ok, so that is your opinion. And of course I agree on the fact that the analogy works and has some power only if seen on a metaphorical level. But on the other hand, have you ever seen the behind the scenes doc "Hearts of Darkness", based on the work and struggles the crew had on the film Apocalypse Now? Have you ever checkedout the diaries of production of the film Come and See by Elem Klimov?... I'd say, sometimes (and depending on what conditions you're working under), the two fields can interconnect and share a few similarities.
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My thesis was in fact on the filming of Apocalypses Now and the Heart of Darkness. As a combat veteran and a man deeply involved in making films I can assure you that there is no depth one can go, making a movie, that will ever be synonymous with an actual battlefield, metaphorical or otherwise.
Kyler Boudreau That's right Kyler! That is exactly how the analogy is intended to be used-- as a metaphor. And I'm pretty sure that those directors who use it all the time as a term of comparison, to point out how things can get extremely difficult, problematic and even hairy during a film production, have meant it just like that...nothing more. But, as far as filmmaking being a privilege though, I'd have to disagree with some of the comments here. Unfotunately, it can become a privilege only when (and if) you reach the upper echelons of the business, when you can enjoy the best of the best in terms of crew, cast & resources and whatever else the industry has to offer. As an Indie emerging filmmaker, often you have to struggle and fight hard to bring the film home or even make it happen.
Brian Snow I don't know about that Brian. There have been some other veterans, just like you, who when interviewed, they said they were pretty shocked and astounded by the level of depth and realism some films that involved their personal story had gone to- I could mention a few here: Save the Private Ryan, Come and See, Schindler's List, Born the 4th of July, for instance. With that being said, of course the parallelism between the two has to be seen only metaphorically.
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Not to beat a dead horse, but as an Army veteran, I've always hated this analogy. To be fair though, other fields/professions like to make this comparison too (looking at you football players).There are no soldiers on a film set, and thus no one on a film set should be treated as if they are.
Kyler Boudreau Well, I'm sorry for your daughter Kyler... I hope she's ok now. But, I really don't believe that you have to necessarily live the situation to tell the situation, to live through the event to tell the event in a film. Certainly, it might be worth it to seek the help of consultants or experts (or say, people who have been there), but often a great work of art can come from the mind of an author, even if he didn't experience the event first-hand. Anyway, I think we are taking this beside the point of the post now. I mean, if we are talking about painful, hurtful or tragic experiences, the there are so many different kinds of them, not only the war-related kind. And I truly believe each and every person has their own fight in life. Having said that, I stand by my opinion, in that I believe that nobody that used this analogy (filmmaker or not) did so with any intent to disrespect anyone... least of all fighters or veterans.
Most notable war films u probably saw are actually inspired/re-done from the ones u didn't (and those count more), example - Spielberg (Military Buff) got so overwhelmed when he saw Klimov's "Come and See", he said himself "Saving Private Ryan" is massively inspired by it, especially combat scenes...
De Palma's "Casualties of War" is direct re-make of Verhoven's infamous "O.K"., many more out there.
Point is; seek the ones in the shade u wanna see how war should really look like on a film...
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Wow, what a fantastic thread - thank you all for contributing! I am definitely in line with several of the opinions expressed here, including but not limited to 'A film set is NOT a battlefield, and to imply it insults those who have actually fought on one". To those who serve or have served, I for one am grateful for your service.
Now, as someone who was training to be a police officer from those in the service, allow me to expand on similarities that are more likely. 1) There is a hierarchy and understanding that structure and culture can make or break the effectiveness of the team (this is why veterans are both drawn to and do well in the entertainment industry). 2) Production requires a certain amount of preparation and responsiveness, just like Boy Scouts come prepared with all their tools or those in the military train - this vigilance is key to ensuring that quick decisions are not also to others detriment. 3) The one big way a film set should NEVER be alike a battlefield is that no one should be risking their lives. This is why the tragedy of Halyna Hutchins is so entirely upsetting. Soldiers go into battle understanding the risks, but cast/crew go onto a film set expecting to be safe and cared for. The pressure we assume as part of filmmaking should light a fire under us to move faster, shake free any doubts, and get done what is most important, it should NOT fry us.
Unfortunately, if you are not used to the power associated with a hierarchy, having to make tough choices under a time constraint, or making safety a priority over creative goals, then you end up with filmmakers who equate film sets to battlefieds - because they are assuming that people's well-being will be sacrificed while telling them what to do.
For the record, I've started a blog series based on my time learning on indie features as 2nd A.D., 1st A.D., and Production Manager, and I will gladly include more information about this! https://www.stage32.com/blog/Film-Production-Mentorship-Part-1-Learning-...
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Karen "Kay" Ross Thank you for your insight Karen!!