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Senior Member
This idea has been thrown around before, but nobody has taken the bull by the horns. The topic just came up in another thread, and I thought it was time to test the waters.
Are any of you filmmakers interested in working together on a film project? If the various tasks of filmmaking were split up, a group could create a nice 15 to 20 minute film with each person investing just a fraction of the effort he would have to expend if he went it alone.
Here are the roles I can see such a project would need. Keep in mind, many of these could be shared by more than a single person:
Producer (to coordinate the work of the rest)
Screenwriter
Director (perhaps as many as three for capturing video)
Editor
Music composer/editor
Sound editor (explosions)
Visual effects creator/editor
Titles creator
Voice actors
Pilots
If nobody else wants the job, I will volunteer to the be the guy who runs around with his head cut off trying to coordinate the group's efforts (the producer). I'm also willing to be the one to type up the shooting script from the story ideas the group comes up with. (I'm assuming these are tasks nobody else would want to do, but if you want them, speak up. I would be more than happy to do something less time consuming.
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If there is enough interest to make this work, I think all of those involved should brainstorm and share their coolest story ideas to help create a script. Haven't we all spent time daydreaming about a killer story that would make for a great IL-2 film, all the while knowing we don’t have enough spare time to tackle such a large project alone? After the group shares its story ideas, everyone can vote on which one would work the best. Then we can set about refining the storyline and dialogue together. This is precisely the way it works in Hollywood. A screenwriter may sell a screenplay to a studio, but that's just the start. The screenplay goes through many drafts before a shooting script is created and filming begins. BTW, those who are not interested in working on the story and just want to play a smaller part don't have to worry. I just don't want people to think that this is all about making someone else's dream film a reality. It should be a community effort, although, realistically, it will probably be one person who comes up with the story concept that forms the basis of the project. Still, that idea will just be the starting point. One person may have a great story, but others may have ideas for individual action sequences, etc.
If you are interested in working on such a project, please leave a post and say which tasks you would like to do. Again, many of these roles could be shared, so don't hold back if another person has already expressed interest in one you want.
BTW, the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora" (about the attack on Pearl Harbor, for those who haven't seen it) had two totally different film crews; one was American, the other was Japanese. Their footage was combined in the editing room, and I think the project worked very well. Anyway, sound off if this idea appeals to you. Maybe this could even bring some of the retired and semi-retired filmmakers back from the dark side.
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Senior Member
Heh, a volunteer, that is just not the army way!
I would love to help in any way I can, possibly
Director
Editor
Pilot
Historical research (not in your original list)
Another couple of tasks that you might need:
Mission builder
Skinner
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Senior Member
Hey, Joe. I figured you'd be interested after your post in the thread I mentioned. Glad to see there are a number of things you'd be interested in doing.
Good points about the three other tasks. I thought about listing 'mission builder', but I wasn't sure if directors would prefer to build their own missions. However, it's definitely a task someone will have to do, and, depending on the complexity of the 'sets', it may require someone with some mission-building expertise.
Skinners and researchers might very well be needed but we won't know for sure until the story is chosen. For example, if the story the group decides on is a work of fiction, researchers and custom skins will not be needed. But if people want to make something like 'The Legend of Y-29' or 'Purple Heart Alley' we'll definitely need people to fill both of those roles.
So, with that caveat, if anyone would like to volunteer for those three roles, go ahead and do so.
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Member
I'd be interested in lending a hand if anyone will take me. I've done a couple of controversial movies in the past and my current project wasn't taken too well, but if there's a spare slot available I'd do what I could!
The Screenwriter position looks interesting, as does the Director position. I could also fly a plane or two or help Produce.
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Senior Member
Welcome aboard, Thrustmaster. Glad to have you. Ok, that's three. Hey, we're getting there, huh? 
I was thinking maybe we should let this run a week or so to give everyone who might be interested a chance to see this thread and decide. Then we'll have to sit down and finalize who will do what. We may have an abundance of directors, for example, so it may be necessary to narrow down some of the roles. But we'll decide that after we get launched.
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Member
S!
Ohhh YES YES YES !!!!
Take that as a yes.
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Senior Member
Falcon said he's game over at VWC, so with you, BA, that makes five. At the rate we're going, this film may actually 'need' credits at the end. 
Also, BA, what roles are you interested in? As you can see <cough> <cough> nobody has volunteered for music composer yet. 
Also, everybody start getting your story ideas ready for submission. Let's go with this format:
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Your user name:
Proposed film title:
Estimated film length:
Fiction or Non-fiction?
Setting: Pacific, eastern/western Europe, etc.
Write a one paragraph summary of the story.
Write up to two pages of more detailed explanation/summary of story. Include (if you choose) examples of dialogue, scenes, special effects, etc. Give us a feel for the big production.
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Once we are ready, I'll have everyone email me their suggestions. (Do not post them here.) I'll email them all back to the group minus the user names of the authors. We'll all vote on which story we want to go with as our project. Potentially, story elements from more than one submission could be chosen. Anyway, start thinking about it.
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Member
Might as well chuck me into the mix somewhere if ya need any more.
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Senior Member
ummmm... very interesting.
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Member
S!
I have more than enough audio software to cope and i would be deeply honoured to do the score.
Not my music of course but whatever the rest decide we use.
All i need is a rough video file to work with and i can do wonders with the audio.
Yes I volunteer for the Audio as far as the main soundtrack is concerned. I would also work closly with the sound effects guy whoever he may be to get the best effects for the film.
God im so excited.
I use Sony sound forge and ACID pro 5.0 for audio, plus i use other software to capture high quality sound over teamspeak for lines.
I have been building up my collection of music and sound effect for about a year and have some great ideas.
Can I have the job ? CAN I ???? Ohhh PLEASSSEEE !!!