I love learning about the movies that influenced filmmakers to pick up a camera for the first time or write their first script. My mom used to love to tell the story of when I was five years old watching the 1997 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and told her for the first time that I was going to make movies and shows someday. After that, it was all I ever talked about doing. Other movies that had a strong influence on my wanting to make films are Back to the Future, Almost Famous, and Dogma.
What are the movies that sparked your interest in filmmaking?
https://deadline.com/video/catherine-hardwicke-movie-influences-intervie...
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Hi Ashley, I love James Cameron movies
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Alien (which I saw when it first came out in 1979 and remains my all-time favorite movie), I decided right then and there that this was what I was meant to do, to create more stuff like that.
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Thank you for your comments on my IYW post and I regret some technical issue prevents me from replying to you there for some reason. But so much appreciation for you adding Upstate on Audible and I SO hope you enjoy my little story! Also, so nice to see you went to Columbia here in Chicago! And I'm still learning the platform beyond the emails and blogs so coming into the lounges you recommended will be part of that.
But to your post here, the 2019 independent film 'Clemency' sparked me to consider my voice and visions and career beyond just writing fiction. Like Upstate, the movie takes place in prison and centers on inhumane effects of the criminal justice system on all people, but particularly Black people. While I'd always had film options and talk around my books, what that film's genius cast and filmmaker accomplished inspired a shift in me personally towards wanting to be part of filmmaking. And I keep telling people that Back to the Future was my generation's Everything Everywhere All at Once!
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So many, but I would have to say the film that made me definitely make the move was “City of God”.
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Stalker Tarkovsky
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Blade Runner. Lawrence of Arabia. Tarkovsky’s ‘Mirror’. Kieslowski’s Three Colours: Blue.
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Bad Taste by Peter Jackson. The fact he did virtually everything behind the camera from building props to shooting it, to even acting in it! What a feat!
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Lars von Trier’s ‘Dogville’ hit me in the guts. Having a theatre background i guess lent me toward loving the sparseness and mythology of the setting…nowhere to hide in small towns, everything is facade. And stories are people. (Versus Marvel props.)
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Everything Will Vinton
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Star Wars by George Lucas. My parents got tired of me using "the force" to crush their heads. Yeah, good times.
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Tootsie, Broadcast News, Cookie's Fortune
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Wasn't allowed to see Carpenter's The Thing when it came out cause my parents erroneously claimed I was too young and couldn't handle it, but I was able to get into bookstores and read about it in Fangoria magazine, which only made me want to see it more. This built up the suspense until I finally got to watch it and it didn't disappoint. I still watch it once a year at least. Carpenter's best movie by far IMHO.
One of my dreams as a kid was to have my name in Fangoria, as that was how I got most of my sci-fi/horror news, and I eventually managed to get mentioned for one of my horror films which was pretty cool (issue 279!) For some reason my wife and kinds aren't as impressed as they should be... ;)
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The "Harriet the Spy" movie made me want to write stories as a kid, Ashley Renee Smith. The "Office Space" script made me want to write scripts in 12th grade.
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@Ashley 40’s /50’s Vintage Noirs such as Double Indemnity, The Big Heat. 60’s Lawrence of Arabia, Get Carter, 70’s “Deliverance” & Exorcist 2 The Heretic, one of my mentors was John Boorman who directed them. 80’s films Blade Runner, Shining. 90’s LA Confidential, Pacific Heights. Later films The Dark Knight, The Pianist, Hispanic films too including Desperado, Once Upon a time in Mexico. Too many recent films to list here.
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Movies that made me want to be involved in any capacity: The Iron Giant, ZSJL, Aliens, The Last Samurai, BvS, Empire Strikes Back, Raiders, Willow.
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Saw a number of Scorsese films like Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, After Hours and The King of Comedy in a short period of time that not only made me want to write films like this but changed my whole way of approaching films in general.
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The Godfather, The Sting, Jaws and Star Wars really hooked me. Then years later, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was it - walked out of that theater knowing there was nothing else on earth for me to do.
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Maurice Vaughan, I LOVED the Harriet the Spy movie as a kid too!
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Leonardo, I love all of those films also! Iron Giant is one of my husband's all-time favorites as well.
Sam, I just recently found out that my younger sister has never seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit and now I feel like I've failed her. I plan to rectify the situation immediately.
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Ashley Renee Smith My favorite line is when the giant says, “You stay. I go.”
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"Harriet the Spy" was a Nickelodeon movie and it had Rosie O'Donnell, so I had to watch it as a kid, Ashley Renee Smith.
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Musicals, Comedy, Spy, Historical, Documentary and Soap Operas (Basically all genres)
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Maurice Vaughan, Yes! I had the classic Nickelodeon orange VHS tape.
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Leonardo, mine is, "Supermaaaaaan" -so many tears-
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Tasha Lewis, musicals also had a massive impact on my love for films when I was younger. They're magical in a different kind of way. I usually go back to a classic musical watch when I need a pick-me-up.
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Ashley Renee Smith, they play a significant role in every aspect of our lives. I was a member of several companies and performed in a variety of musicals. Some of my fondest memories. I love reliving them through various mediums.
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Far, far too many films to mention. Each one brings a different world view and exposes the imagination of the writer. I am naturally a Sci-Fi fan, though I'm not actively writing anything in that genre. When genres mix, that's super interesting, like say Dr. Strangelove. Otherwise, I just watch movies. Personally, as I journey into screenwriting, my perspective has changed and I look at each new film I watch differently. I should re-visit older films and cast a different eye to see why I enjoyed the film and what takeaways I can see that would improve my own writing.
I might've had "Harriet the Spy" on orange VHS tape, Ashley Renee Smith. I definitely remember the green VHS tapes. I don't remember which movies they were for though.
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When I was a little girl I saw the movie Mask on TV. I sobbed and was inconsolable for 3 hours afterwards. My poor mother. I still have that memory clear as day and so does my mom. I may not have made a decision then, but I was overwhelmed with the power of storytelling and film.
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I love that story, Niki!