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The Root Kit

therootkit.com

11–20 of 43 posts

Re: The Root Kit

#11
I found the trailer to be a half-hearted affair. Not compelling at all. And I have a pressing question: Why this director and this project for this particular subject? He does not clarify why it should be he that makes this film. If anything, I get the impression he should be kept a mile away from the subject. I failed to see a review of his expertise or qualifications, other than being a video jock with some minor credits to his name. Not likely to get funded.

Re: The Root Kit

#12

And then there's sound. One of the really quick ways you can tell a low-budget film from a major studio film, other than the logo, is by the sound. We've decided that we're only going to be recording the voice on set. What that means is that all of the other sounds, from footsteps to car engines, from smart-phones buzzing to a fist slapping against skin, all that has to be recorded and synched after the fact. Sound g…

Do you have any advice for someone looking to get involved (as an actor and/or a sound guy) with the Bay Area indie film scene? I was on a local mailing list for a couple years called "Low/No Budget films" or something but it seems to have fizzled.

Re: The Root Kit

#13
They seem to be on the right track as far as threat aspect. Unfortunately, the fundraising probably won't make it in time.

The truth about a "hacker" is not the scripts they run or, the code they bash on the keyboard.

It is the lifestyle & the methodology that drives every thought the enters their minds. They think by scale, from the smallest fundamental interaction of electrons and strings, to the largest interaction between information networks(such as the multiverse itself) too the human brains great quantum-electrochemical neural exchange.

Some, even possess the ability to bring into existence new forms of conscious entities such as artificial intelligence.

Hackers as a collective whole, have a choice, and a responsibility.

When the world goes flat, we make sure the Earth still has reason to spin around.

Re: The Root Kit

#16

Which are the hackers that ping localhost? https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/359366/photo-full.jpg?... I ping therefore I am, I guess.

I see it as an existential test. If you ping localhost, and it doesn't answer, is anything at all real anymore? ARE we living in a DREAM?? IISS ITt 4LL MANOFACTURED TROoTH????

Re: The Root Kit

#17
I read somewhere that exceptional hackers follow the defect report logs of major software and find ways to exploit problems before patches come out... so is this movie going to cover that exhilarating process? Personally I like movies like "Hackers" and "Swordfish", I don't think legitimate malicious hacking should ever become mainstream.

Re: The Root Kit

#18
Having directed in the festival scene for a while, I respect the amount of energy and passion it takes to realize this kind of project. I think the concept looks great, and I'd like to offer two friendly suggestions concerning your pitch.

First, as others here have pointed out, you should define and limit the scope of "hacking," as it relates to your story. Maybe consider how your movie will complement (or intentionally contradict) the growing role of cyber-security in current news and events. You seem to have a firm grasp of the abstract concepts that you want to explore, which is great. That said, prospective investors will be more likely to donate if they sense that your project has a concrete lead linked to real, specific issues. (I'm not saying you need to have it all figured out now; your plot can still evolve as you do more research and writing.)

Second, the adage "Show, Don't Tell" came to mind as I was watching the pitch video. Rather than telling how you're going to make the movie — i.e. who's operating the camera, writing and acting — you might consider diving into the topics that your film will explore. (To be fair, you did that a little with the Plato reference, but I'm thinking of something more immediate and less abstract.) By leisurely introducing the characters in this way, you may lose donors with short attention spans.

Anyhow, that's just my take. I took some time offer feedback because I think the project as a whole looks amazing. I look forward to hearing about production and seeing the finished product.

Re: The Root Kit

#19

And then there's sound. One of the really quick ways you can tell a low-budget film from a major studio film, other than the logo, is by the sound. We've decided that we're only going to be recording the voice on set. What that means is that all of the other sounds, from footsteps to car engines, from smart-phones buzzing to a fist slapping against skin, all that has to be recorded and synched after the fact. Sound g…

Do you have any advice for someone looking to get involved (as an actor and/or a sound guy) with the Bay Area indie film scene? I was on a local mailing list for a couple years called "Low/No Budget films" or something but it seems to have fizzled.

Honestly, it's difficult. I have family ties here or I would have moved to LA 5 years ago; it's hard to make a living up here because there are relatively few productions and not much networking infrastructure.

You can check in with Film Arts Foundation in SF (9th street I think) who have some decent resources, but the best ways to get gigs are a) craigslist and b) lurk around the Academy of Art in SF, which is always churning out film students, and which is dominated by wannabe directors/cinematographers, which means few of the students are interested in or good at sound.

There's a couple of talent agents in SF; get some decent headshots and put them on file, plus FAF has a headshot file cabinet so you can put your face in there for free. Although I actually have a fair bit of acting training, it's never been my personal ambition and I don't consider myself all that photogenic so I've never tried to do that as my main job; it's just another thing I can do on an as-needed basis on a film set, like lighting or packing a truck. You need to be versatile to work in the indie scene.

Drop me a line near the end of the month, I like teaching.

Re: The Root Kit

#20

Which are the hackers that ping localhost? https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/359366/photo-full.jpg?... I ping therefore I am, I guess.

Is it even possible for a ping to localhost to time out?
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