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The “Oscar movie” is dying

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Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#81

Post by jfengel »

boppo1 wrote: post #62
jfengel wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm just an amateur, and I only do local theater. I'm very glad to be able to do programming for a living so that I can do theater the way I want to do theater, rather than having my dinner depend on whether I win an audition against long odds. It sounds like a terrible way to suck the joy out of the craft. I have nonetheless helped a few actors build minor careers. Despite the fact that my main advice is "don't".

I'm not interested in acting as a career at all, but I realized I'd love to try playing in local theater. How do I get in with no/low (I once read 'an actor preparss') background? Last I looked at it the local place was a bunch of people who went to school and had credentials. As far as starting my own, I'm worried there would be too many who would join and make a farce* out of it instead of striving for a serious, i…

Community theaters may have trained people in its management, but the cast and crew are usually untrained. Even reading Stanslavski once puts you ahead of most.

If you're looking at a regional theater (the kind where they actually pay people, albeit a pittance and most of the actors have day jobs), there will usually be a community theater in the area. If there's enough of an audience to support a regional theater, there will be others who want to do it just for fun.

Even if they don't have a place in the cast, they will often need techs of various kinds: lights, sound, props, costumes, stage management. It's a lot easier to cast somebody that you know can do things like "show up on time" and "be responsible". Actors... yeah. Even non-professionals.

(Bonus: I still use a light board with an actual floppy disk. The thing it replaced is literally a box of dimmer switches that they call Old Sparky. It's still in the closet. Theaters are fun places.)

Some areas really don't have community theaters. Mine had plenty, but I did actually start a theater of my own on shockingly little experience. Rent a performance venue, find a place to rehearse, get a script, put some notices on the relevant Facebook groups, and get ready for some Drama!

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#82

Post by mrguyorama »

jedberg wrote: post #70

During the pandemic a few movies that were supposed to be in theaters launched as expensive paid streams (mostly Disney, but also stuff like Bill and Ted). I gladly paid for every one of them. My wife and I used to go to the movies every weekend, sometimes twice, before we had kids. After we had kids we went to theater maybe three times. I was perfectly happy to pay $30 to watch a movie in my house, where I can watch…

Meanwhile, I haven't spent thousands of dollars on a home cinema, because I have neither the room, time, or spare cash to buy a giant 4k TV, really good internet, 37 independent streaming services at their max tier, $14 a pop to buy a movie on a streaming service, etc etc etc.

$20 to see a movie on a local 50ft IMAX screen is such an incomparable experience.

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#83

Post by PaulHoule »

yoz-y wrote: post #79

For me this is mainly because the home cinema experience is getting better. I want the big screen for good visuals, sound and music. I can watch a story driven movie at home, where I don't need the speakers to drown out the sound of somebody wolfing down popcorn.

In the pandemic I got a lot more sensitive to ‘disgusting’ and the thought of people making dirty popcorn and coke messes makes it hard for me to go back to the theatre. It is going to take something really special to get me to go. I wish they had real 3D IMAX movies at the theatre in Syracuse instead of ‘4d’ movies that seem really cheesy.

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#84

Post by Toutouxc »

mehlmao wrote: post #76
DeetrixDotter wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing quite breaks the immersion for me like having so many gay and interracial couples crammed into the cast that I end up sitting there wondering if there is any place on Earth that's anything like the "normal" town Hollywood is presenting to me.

Quoted post unavailable.

The post you’re replying to is very easy to comprehend, maybe even a bit blunt. Why are you replying to something that they clearly didn’t mean to say?

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#85

Post by Der_Einzige »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #67
raydiatian wrote: post #14

I mean, one part of the problem I see at a local level is Black Panther 2 is currently occupying 50% of available projectors at all of my local movie theatres. I’m sort of just waiting and hoping the silly capeshit phenomenon will die out already. I think we need to see that the cinematic universe concept was a novelty and is extremely difficult to execute, especially when it’s driven by soulless profiteering. I mean…

> I’m sort of just waiting and hoping the silly capeshit phenomenon will die out already. Ha ha, capeshit . I confess, I can't stand super hero movies either. Instead I've been working through the "1001 Film to See Before You Die" and it regularly reminds me what film can be (has been). As an aside, I also remember wondering when rap music would die out. We may both be waiting a long time.

It IS capeshit. The majority of the fans of capeshit today we're bullying the old school capeshit fans 20+ years ago.

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#86

Post by PaulDavisThe1st »

cainxinth wrote: post #38
mc32 wrote: post #2

I wouldn't overdramatize it. The movie business didn't start with Oscar awards and it does not need them to continue. The Oscars are essentially a self-congratulatory award which often were at odds with the public. The critics and audience don't always agree. And now with less capture by the studios and cinema resulting in people having more choices of what to watch, people are choosing the more basic and entertainin…

> The Oscars are essentially a self-congratulatory award which often were at odds with the public. The Oscars is Hollywood's prom and Best Picture is the Prom King. It's a popularity contest.

True, but at least its a popularity contest among peers. As noted elsewhere in the comments here, actors vote on the best actors, etc.

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#87

Post by jedberg »

mrguyorama wrote: post #82
jedberg wrote: post #70

During the pandemic a few movies that were supposed to be in theaters launched as expensive paid streams (mostly Disney, but also stuff like Bill and Ted). I gladly paid for every one of them. My wife and I used to go to the movies every weekend, sometimes twice, before we had kids. After we had kids we went to theater maybe three times. I was perfectly happy to pay $30 to watch a movie in my house, where I can watch…

Meanwhile, I haven't spent thousands of dollars on a home cinema, because I have neither the room, time, or spare cash to buy a giant 4k TV, really good internet, 37 independent streaming services at their max tier, $14 a pop to buy a movie on a streaming service, etc etc etc. $20 to see a movie on a local 50ft IMAX screen is such an incomparable experience.

Sure that's true if you never use TV otherwise. But most people are already getting all those things anyway. And I also I very clearly said that having kids is what made home streaming worth it. Because for me to go to a movie, I have to pay a babysitter $25/hr for 4 hours (to cover driving, waiting in line, previews, etc), and my wife likes popcorn so I have to pay $10 for that instead of popping an instant one at home for 20 cents. And I have to pay for two seats. So now a movie trip costs me $150.

And I already have all the streaming services because kids.

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#89

Post by dr-detroit »

Waterluvian wrote: post #73
jfengel wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an actor myself, I find that the Oscar bait is often the "Academy Award for the Most Acting". It has become a cliche that you seek an Oscar by playing a highly damaged character with obvious quirks. More subtle performances are usually passed over, even though I consider them more challenging. They're often nominated, but rarely win. Which is fine, since those kinds of films are usually not going to attract big au…

I cannot find a single accolade for J.K. Simmons' role in The Accountant. Heck, I don't even care to evaluate an entire role: that hallway scene[1] is seared into my head and that alone deserves an award if we're going to be giving out awards. Stephen Root has countless memorable scenes if not entire characters. They're not "acting a lot" or playing highly damaged, complex characters. But they're absolutely nailing t…

No post body was provided.

Re: The “Oscar movie” is dying

#90

Post by pessimizer »

boppo1 wrote: post #69
jmull wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Movies, nor any other story-telling, is really about representing statistical averages. Anyway, there are plenty of gay people and interracial families out there, so these aren't exactly bizarre.

>Anyway, there are plenty of gay people and interracial families out there, so these aren't exactly bizarre. That's true! But it seems like there's a new Hayes code where every single new show must have x, y, z "identities"[0] and they have to be represented in particular and empowering ways. Frequently also that the fact of their 'identity' has lent them a special advantageous approach to the situation at hand. Feel…

I think the greatest beneficiaries of the "representation" push seem to be diplomat's kids. They usually tick multiple (or mystery) racial boxes, have exotic accents, and are of the class where the people who greenlight movies socialize.
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