ooh, trailer looks great...adding to must watch list

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First off... Sven, It's great to see somebody from Hollywood that can think for their own damn self. As you are well aware the MPAA would be SO very happy if these forums just 'went away'. Thank you for taking a stand, and recognizing that these forums are not the absolute evil that the MPAA would have everybody believe. As mentioned previously, many people would not have the opportunity to see L.A. Twister had it not been for piracy. I for one fall into that category. I have seen the WP, and having done so, I will purchase the DVD. I think that you will find that most people here advocate purchasing tickets and / or buying the DVD's if they have seen a movie that they enjoyed.

Kudos on L.A. Twister! The majority of us are looking forward to seeing more of your work.

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"The beatings shall continue until morale improves!"

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Sven you are the friggin man, thank you for being so down to earth and having such an understanding towards what we "do". The things I download infact pursuade me on whether or not to buy the DVD when it becomes available. Expecially when I get a movie I might not want to see in theaters but turn out enjoying after d/l and watching. Were not all bad eh? :P

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Mystic, the wp version you saw is a locked picture of the movie. Everything is the same as in the version that is currently in theaters.

Now the question about the suicide scene: The way it is shot and edited was totally scripted. I told Zack and Tony to play the scene as if the characters would experience the suicide for real. Then I turned the camera around and told them that there is a nother "angle" we need to get on this.

Now when I cut the film, I wasn't really thinking that this "device" is going to be the next genius "6th Sense" kind-of-twist (there will never be another "6th Sense" twist).

But I wanted to see how the audience would react if I keep messing with them and try to pull them away from the most dramatic and emotional moments of the film.

The scene and everything that is leading up to it has been a point of discussion on every festival Q&A of the film so far. One person actually told me that she hated that I made her cry for nothing. - I invited her on a beer to make up for it.

Now back to the "Piracy" issue:

Since this has become such an interesting thread, here is an idea: I will publish this discussion with all its replies in the special feature section of the L.A. TWISTER DVD.

So however you feel about pirating movies, whatever you think about L.A. TWISTER (feel free to slam it!). Write it here and it will be on the DVD.

Many good times,

Sven
www.snowdogfilms.com

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unrated - unfiltered - unprecedented
L.A. TWISTER SCENE EDITION DVD

Last edited by Sven on 02-23-2007 at 05:01 PM

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all this ranting on about this film.. and now this!


I think i need to see it

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rawr?

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Sven, i'm so pleased you responded on those comments. I had a gut feeling those scenes were intentional. Especially those between Mindy and Lenny in the park.

Dude, that really is genius. It's kind of difficult to explain to folks that haven't seen this movie yet quite what those scenes are like and why they work so well.

I wasn't to sure of them at first as i thought "oh, it's a workprint, it must be some rushes that haven't been chopped out yet". Now you have confirmed them as the real deal like my instincts said they were, i can't help but love this movie even more.

I'm not trying to suck up, asskiss or whatever, hell you probably get enough busboys doing that when you go for a beer.

But that is a touch of genius. Anyone who has seen this movie i'm sure will agree. ESPECIALLY WITH THE HANGING SCENE.

Is there any chance you could reveal to us anything that may be on the DVD? Such as deleted scenes? Alternate scenes? Bloopers? anything like that?

Oh, and the important question i do have is, do you have anyone to distribute the picture in the UK? or outside the USA? I'd love to see this in theatres before i buy the DVD!

Back to the piracy issue:

That sounds awesome! I'm sure many of the forum users here would love a chance to be on a DVD and also get the opportunity to post in this thread and ask a real Hollywood director some questions! Great idea!

As for the actual piracy 'debate' here in this thread, i will re-iterate what i already said before.

I believe piracy does NOT do major harm to the movie industry. Real fans buy in to the real deal. Be that the theatre run, the DVD and/or the merch. The MPAA proclaim that the industry is losing billions every year. BULLSHIT. Go spend more money chasing terrorists or developing a cure for AIDS or cancer.

Across the globe the justice system has always been fucked up. I say, target the people that SELL this stuff. Now that is a fair cop. Those are the people that bring the heat on to folks like us who download movies and music for fun. Getting these things for free offers the user the opportunity to 'try before you buy'. Not just that, but can save you a fortune on wasted DVD's and movie tickets. The less said about music the better. 99.9% of music made today is pure shit. FACT.

As someone who once lived with a bunch of student film makers, and being involved in the making of a film for them, i know first hand how difficult it is to get a foothold in this industry. Not just that, but getting your picture out there, getting it seen. If it wasn't for the pirate copy of LA Twister circulating online right now, i'd still be wondering what this movie was like.

I love seeing piracy groups release limited movies. Napoleon Dynamite, Lost In Translation, Blue Car, Whale Rider and Washington Heights to name but a select few (and of course, Planet Of The Pitts coming soon!). Without the aid of these people putting these movies out online for free, i would never have gotten to see them. Not just that, but i'm no rich guy, i can't afford to buy or pay to see everything i want. Some things you have to get this way.

JUST DON'T SELL THEM ON.

Selling has always been a big black mark on the 'warez scene'. Frowned upon in a big way, it's a bane that, unfortunately won't go away thanks to these stupid people that think they can make a quick buck.

Me? I report anyone i see on eBay selling counterfeit goods. I don't go to market stalls, but i would report them too. Selling is wrong. Pure and simple. It's one thing i simply cannot tolerate. How DARE somebody make a profit off somebody elses work and something they got for free? Oh wait, don't most movie stars do that when they show up to premieres in free clothes and other freebies?

If the industry is hurting so bad, maybe it's time to stop paying $20m paychecks to sad, overpriced 'actors'.

Keep up the good work Sven, it's great to be chatting with a director that's in tune with the people Hollywood loves to hate! Just please dude, after your 3rd or 4th movie, don't let them brainwash you in to hating the people that are possibly some of the biggest supporters of the indie scene!

Last edited by Mystic Slippers on 10-21-2004 at 11:35 AM

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quote:

---

Originally posted by Sven
Since this has become such an interesting thread, here is an idea: I will publish this discussion with all its replies in the special feature section of the L.A. TWISTER DVD.

So however you feel about pirating movies, whatever you think about L.A. TWISTER (feel free to slam it!). Write it here and it will be on the DVD.

---

Great, play to my vanity!! Even if I hate the movie I'm going to buy it now

I can understand why Hollywood feel threatened by piracy to a certain extent, but I don't sympathise with them. While I appreciate that they lose a considerable amount to street traders every year the fact is they continue to increase (they're not declining or even holding steady) profits yet the quality of movies diminishes. 2004 in particular has surely been the worst year ever for the movie industry with endless identikit action films and vacuous teen flicks filling the big screen. It's these same suited fucks that think the pop world needs another Britney-a-like or a pointless boy band with a catchy name.

Sorry Hollywood but somebody has to take a stand. I'd much rather see every cent handed over to street traders go into your pockets but none of you will be seeing any of my hard earned money until you realise that CGI does not automatically make a film good. To further compound the problem and lose whatever flicker of respect I had for movie execs, they constantly force-feed us this babble, subjecting us to a constant stream of badly written, badly acted and badly conceived shit yet steadfastly refusing to give quality movies the time of day. There's many excellent films out there that most people wont get to see simply because of the lack of vision by movie distributors. These films have critical acclaim piled upon them, they receive prestigious awards and internet communities buzz with discussions about them, but does anybody listen and give them a more general release so that the masses can enjoy the film without resorting to pirating it?.. Do they fuck!

Well, Hollywood, on behalf of this community and the movie scene as a whole I'd like to say a big "fuck you". Eventually you will listen and then movies such as this will reach the audience they deserve instead of being the subject of heated debate in internet forums and chat rooms... In the meantime, I'll continue to pay for the movies that actually deserve it, and you'll continue to whinge.

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Statistically... 9 out of 10 people actually enjoy gang rape.

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This is beyond awesome...

I would just like to agree with what mystic said about piracy being a good thing for limited movies. These are the kind of films that don't get the big budget advertisements, and sometimes don't even show in cinemas, but pretty much three quarters of my favourite movies this year have been to this description.

Its through the recommendations from sites like this that you can find the real gems amongst all the other garbage. Given the chance now, would I buy this DVD over any of the massive budget hollywood blockbusters I have seen this year? Hell yes. Without piracy I wouldn't have even heard of this film, so for that I'm thankful.

I also think its quality that you (Sven) embrace the fact that even though alot of us have seen your film through a pirated version, you come across as having the opinion "fans > money". And I will buy this DVD now, just for that.

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Without a doubt, unless we let others know, this movie will do nothing at the box office, as Mystic stated in his first post of this thread. I for one was interested in watching this movie, after first reading MS's thread here, but with the director himself joining the discussion, I most definitely will take a good look at this film, and more than likely, I'll enjoy it as well. Great to have you chime in with us, Sven, it makes it even enjoyable, especially when we watch this movie for the first time or 100th time.

As for what Sven mentioned earlier, piracy, I can see that directors, for the most part, are totally turned off by it, but Sven here has basically said that yes, he wants us to pay to see it, but either way, still see it. A film like this, with so little publicity, would be something I would have missed if not for this board, and the people (like MS) on it. I for one will more than likely try to find this in a local theatre, but if not, then of course I will watch it through "other means". But if the film appeals to me, and it sounds like it will, than most defintely I will add it to my christmas list or pick it up myself.

I will update this as soon as I see the movie, which I am really looking forward to.

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I think I speak for everyone when I say
"PAPE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD!"
(this includes the dreaded MPAA of course).

I just got one question for you Sven. What brought you here, did you here about VCDQ from a friend of a friend of a friend or have you been surfing the site for sometime? Just curious, thanks.

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Yeah, I'll agree with MS here, some movies just dont have the publicity for the masses to even hear about the movie, but through Piracy Groups (who put their on the line for us to enjoy a film) we're able to see movies we have never even heard of,I think Sven is a example that their still is people who dont care about the money they get out of a film, but the joy it brings the fans, sure he would like us to go to the theatre, pay out $8.00 to see it, but if thats not possible than he just wants us to see it anyway we can, and for that i say.. SVEN ROCKS!!

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Another good thing in my opinon about pirated releases is that since i live in UK, i dont even hear about a lot of these movies that come out other places first, so i usually tend to watch them and if they are good, i end up going to the cinema if or when it does come out anyway...

Theres obvious arguments against it as well though, such as selling which im sure we all dont agree on, but the MPAA doesnt seem to be caring about that, only about the average guy person who downloads some films.

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iNFiNiTY

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SVEN U ARE A GOD! and i agree wit mystic that selling is a black mark on the warez scene and tbtw wenever any1 sees a seller just leg it up and rob every single one of their dvds... what can they do about it?... call the police and say "sum1 has stolen my property" i dont think so.... great movie sven... i saw la twister in a nearby cinema and will buy the dvd wen it comes out

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Piracy can be an awfully good thing for non-mainstream movies.

I was so disappointed to miss out on cinema releases of Bubba Hotep and Lost Skeleton of the Cadavra to name just two releases. The only way I got to see these (Until the dvd of Bubba) was via pirate copies.

I downloaded the dvdscr of LA Twister and enjoyed it, whilst not my favourite film of the year it does stand out above the dross that's been released recently. I go to the cinema weekly and more often than not there's nothing on that I want to see (That said, I've paid to watch Saw twice up to now).

So piracy does help to get the film out to the masses, which can only be a good thing. And even if only a proportion of those 'masses' buy the DVD, it's still a bonus.

Oh and the other bonus of piracy is that I didn't have to pay to see the laughable pile of shite that was Alien vs Predator. How anyone can screw up that idea is beyond me.

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I'd like to thank you, Sven Pape, for actually getting down to the dirty part of movies. I'm extremely impressed to see that you had taken some of your time to actually sign up on these forums. I have yet to see L.A. Twister, but when my oppurtunity arises, you can be sure I'll pay a reasonable amount to view it, then I'll find a copy of it for myself, and then probably purchase it.

By you posting on here, you've made a major jump from everyone else who directs movies, and I think I speak for everyone here, impressed the shit out of us.

-hp

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Being in the UK I don't get the chance to see many limited release movies. After using the internet to download pirated copies of movies my DVD collection has grown exponentially. If I see a film and I like it chances are I will buy it on DVD soon after. The majority of films I have purchased have never seen the light of day in my local cinema.

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Basiclly Priacy can be a good thing, but at the same time a bad thing.

Companies are not loosing out, cuz if someone downloads a film, i.e. LA Twister then decides its the best thing ever, they will still buy it, I know I will. So the company still gains the DVD sale.

I'd love to go on, but 2 tired.

The main question though is, when is the DVD coming out in the UK.

Dunny

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Sven,
As you are a director, and seeing that this thread will become a part of the dvd... give us some direction as to what kind of questions regarding movie piracy that you would like your audience to see answered.

I think that M$ (and others) have done a very good job of summing up the mindset of the majority of our ranks. However, we sometimes overlook more simplistic questions that outsiders may have.

I am sure that many on here would be more than happy to answer any questions that you or others in the industry may have.

*<insert obligatory brown-nosing>*
BTW, the suicide scene... Genious.

LoNeR

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"The beatings shall continue until morale improves!"

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Piracy in my eyes is the greatest consumer tool invented in a long time. It allows you to try before you buy. I wouldn't have half of my dvd collection (that i paid for) if it wasn't for piracy. I wouldn't of bought Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind or kill bill or the matrix series (some say that isn't to smart), futurama, family guy, school of rock, paycheck, underworld (good movie just in my eyes bad directing). I am sorry I am forcing these big buisnesses into evolving. What piracy does is takes away any revenue they got by stupid consumers who didn't know a movie was crap in the first place. This also goes with the riaa and music. Before there was a descent amount of people going to stores and buying a bunch of cd's that they never heard of. Now this market is almost dead. Music has gotten smart and decided to evolve with the system (although they did spend some time trying to hold back all the free p2p programs so they could not seem like they came in to far behind). Movies though have yet to find this outlet of movies on the internet. I tried movielink once the quality of the films was piss poor (when your used to the quality of these group rips it's hard to downgrade) audio was crap and video was just terribly small. File size was 500mb for each movie. Mpaa needs to get off there ass and do what the riaa did. If you provide shit you get shit in return if you provide quality your going to get fat pockets. For the smart consumer piracy is the only option i am sad that i do see a lot of people abusing this option just so they can have free movies but there is always good with the bad.

I am a consumer not your bitch stop telling me how i should buy your product if you want happy customers be a happy company and not scare us with lawsuits and being raped by bubba. Big buisness just needs to stop acquring every little project so they have more of a monopoly over the buisness this will save them money having less shitty products will = less lost money. Also it will allow smaller production/publishing houses to form to make the smaller budget movies that will make any independent movie maker happy. But that will never happen because big buisness is all about big buisness



Note: To kind of go on about music piracy I believe what the riaa says is partially true. 1 point the pro piracy people give to this is that eminem sold 2 million records in 1 week that's a record how can artist break records if people are buying less cd's. It's because everyone is buy these pop cd's instead of the more indepent stuff. Since most people are now brainwashed they are hyped up only to buy the pop music nothing else. So then these small bands that has been invested into by the record company bomb all that money the record company put into them is down the drain thus the loss. This is though the cause of the big music companys not piracy

Last edited by psychoace on 10-22-2004 at 01:08 AM

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Ahhhh piracy.

Try.........like......buy.

Try....hate....no big deal.

Plus, being under 18, half the stuff i get i couldn't pay for if i wanted to. Do they even take that into a account when they do the figures for average money lost because of piracy? Doubt it.

Will surely have to check this flick out....merely from the hype...this sounds awesome.

Last edited by L-Z-A on 11-19-2004 at 02:35 AM

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