Rootclip

There's a lot of really obvious, really great stuff about Rootclip, and you've no doubt identified most of it by now: prizes, networking, learning, practicing, communicating, and old fashioned entertainment are happening every day of the week. But recently, I've begun to appreciate something new about Rootclip -- something valuable that I hadn't given real time or consideration to, yet something evident and wonderful every time I grace the site's blessed, pasty-green web pages.

Rootclip is a chance to scurry out from under the microscope and make what you want to make, how you want to make it.

As an up-and-coming filmmaker (we all are), it's become more and more vital for me each year to be weary of what material I'm putting out on the web, and to know exactly what prospective bosses/employers/studios/talent will think of me based on any previous work they happen to stumble across on the net. That includes those terrible MS Paint animations from junior high, that sucky Star Wars trailer littered with plastic fart sounds, and that grotesque misuse of 16mm film from freshman year of college. But after a while, all that pressure to please and impress the big leagues begins to squeeze like a vice. And as the grip tightens, so do your projects.

I can't speak for everyone, but with every passing year, I become a little more conscientious of what I'm producing. And sometimes, that rigid requirement for professionalism and art really stifles creativity and (therefore) productivity. It's like the age-old adage, but adopted: if you can't shoot anything nice, don't shoot anything at all.

But what's a guy to do when his favorite activity -- making movies -- becomes off-limits until he can round up a million dollar budget? Enter the Rootclip.

Rootclip is not only the perfect place to improve and learn, but to also be yourself and be proud of yourself. On Rootclip, there's nobody watching over your shoulder to make sure your work is festival-worthy. Nobody's tossing out grades (t-shirts, maybe) or condemning your work as infantile or underdeveloped. And that's because Rootclip is something radical and different from the rest of the net. We aren't YouTube; our work here is performed under very unique guidelines and in challenging situations that stimulate creativity and enforce intense problem-solving.

Rootclip is my chance to unwind and make a film the way I want to. I don't need a festival-winning script on Rootclip; I may not need a script at all! And when it comes to Rootclip, getting top-of-the-line camera gear isn't necessary; some of the best shorts on the site get shot with the most humble camera equipment. And whereas I might need to find twelve actors -- good ones -- with a clear schedule for the next three weeks to shoot most videos today, I can make do with two actors for three hours on Rootclip... or, if I'm really clever, perhaps I won't need any actors at all.

Even though I say Rootclip is a relief from creating "professional" work, that isn't to say that the products you make on Rootclip aren't worth showing around elsewhere on the net. At least one Rootclip entry I've made has found its way onto my demo reel (which, coincidentally, has found its way to a director at the Jim Henson Company). Just because you're not setting out to make a masterpiece, doesn't mean you might not get one. That film was the lowest-stress piece on my reel, and possibly the most fun to make. It may also be the one to get me hired some day. But I digress.

The point is, the sky's the limit when shooting for Rootclip. If you're feeling like me -- overwhelmed by the world and missing making videos with your camera -- this is the site to be part of. Welcome to Rootclip.