Frequently Asked Questions

Well I’ve always dreamed of being a creative type, a director, a musician, or game designer. As a kid I wanted to be all three, but instead of picking one and sticking to it, I held out hope for all of them and became a programmer instead (talk about shattered dreams!). These are the type of jobs that millions dream about, but only hundreds actually get, and because they are so popular, rarely pay the bills. I felt that there had to be large group of people, just like me, with the same desire to create something big, something that matters. These people had to have some great ideas, but how do you organize them and let the best ones float to the top and actually be realized? That dilemma was the basis for the idea behind filmforay.

Nope, none at all. I look at that as a strength, not a weakness, since I anticipate the average user not to have much experience either. I mean, we all have at least a basic knowledge of the film making process, when’s the last time a DVD came out without the “behind the scenes” extras? That is why it is so crucial to create a learning environment, with support from the actual professionals. It should be a place where mistakes can be made, but not twice. Bad ideas can float to the top, only to have somebody with an experienced eye say, “Why would you want to do it like THAT?” and point us in a better direction.

As long as it takes to rally the community behind one amazing idea. One that has the potential to really open up creative avenues for people to explore and contribute to. Does that mean we get down to a top 3 and have final vote? Or will one stand above the rest from the beginning? I really don’t know, but I want to do whatever will work for the users.

Well, we will come out of this current phase with an idea. What’s the next step to take that idea one step closer to becoming a real film? Do I start with a treatment to further flesh out the idea? Do I launch a wiki type environment for ideas to be tossed back and forth? Do I hire a screen writer to pump out a first draft script and then let the community riff off of that? Maybe, I should partner with one of the cool “Web 2.0” collaborative document start-ups and create a three step edit-vote-commit process and iterate like crazy? I don’t know, so again I want to remain as flexible as possible, and look at user feedback to see what’s really going to work.

No, not yet. But, if you know anyone interested in taking a risk and doing something different let me know! Right now I really want to just keep my head down and continue to try and improve the site, really make it something people want to go back to everyday, with something always going on. I really need to start thinking about the technology needed to support the next phases of the site. Most importantly, how do you let people collaborate on a large scale on one single project in a way that’s engaging and entertaining?

Of course with a slogan like “Lay Siege to Hollywood!” I should be, but really they are going to be crucial in getting this project off the ground. It’s up to us to create an opportunity they can’t turn down. I think Hollywood is going to wake up soon and realize that they can’t compete with people dancing in their dorm room on youtube. Hollywood is geared to make the type of big budget experience that can only be appreciated on the big screen. It’s silly to think that they can somehow expect to squeeze these types of productions down to a tiny screen and be as successful as the bite size entertainment offered alongside them. What they can do is leverage their existing talent and resources and open up the film making process. Let viewers participate in the creation of the biggest type of “old” media production there is: blockbuster movies. Only Hollywood has the power to do that, and I hope to be there when they decide to.

Maybe I won’t be the one behind it, but somebody, somewhere, is going to make this type of production work just because it makes so much sense. The time of The Long Tail is at hand, but is big media just going to go down without a fight? I don’t think they are content to compete on playing fields that they don’t even fit on, let alone agile enough to move around on. I am hoping that they will see filmforay as a way to mitigate the risks involved with the production of a big budget film based on an original IP.