Burnett and Spielberg create televised film competition
Aspiring singers, models, dancers, or anyone else with a talent and desire for fame and fortune have been handed opportunities of a lifetime through the creation of reality television. Now, aspiring filmmakers have a chance to taste the fame as well. However, some filmmakers aren’t too happy.
“On the Lot,” a new program created by reality TV mastermind Mark Burnett and famous filmmaker Steven Spielberg is essentially an “American Idol” for filmmakers. Until Feb. 16, anyone from around the world ages 13 and over may submit a short film to www.thelot.com. After the deadline, producers will pick the best 16 films and invite the directors of those films to compete for a $1 million development contract with DreamWorks.
Each week, competitors will be faced with the task of directing a short film based on a given genre. They will have the chance to work with a professional crew, cast and writers and will be judged by a panel. Although the judges have not been named as of yet, www.thelot.com describes them as “a high-ranking motion picture executive, a prominent film critic and a succession of well-respected guests, such as directors who are experts in the week’s featured genre.”
Ultimately, the fate of each filmmaker is in the hands of the American public, who can vote for their favorite film each week. The director with the least amount of votes for their short film will be sent home. The show will be airing in the spring and will be broadcast two nights a week; on the first night, the public will be able to view every film and then vote. The next night, one filmmaker faces rejection.
Although this may seem like a great opportunity for many aspiring directors, Ernesto Acevedo-Mu