From Uruguary To Hollywood

[DWF]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/buzzlog-uruguay-to-hollywood.html

Here's a fairy tale that could only happen in the movies. Man makes YouTube video. Goes to Hollywood. Gets pots of money and a movie deal. Except this story is true.
An unknown producer from Uruguay, Fede Alvarez, shelled out about $300 to create a cool video of a robot invasion in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. The four-minute short, "Ataque de Panico!" (Panic Attack) features ginormous (but slow-moving) weapon-wielding robots that blow stuff up.
We have to admit, it has pretty amazing production values. The Playlist gushed that the director may be the next Neill Blomkamp, who made the South African-based alien flick "District 9." With the blog abuzz, the South American short went viral, and has already been viewed on YouTube 1.5 million times.
Well, apparently nothing gets by Hollywood these days. The lucky duck told the BBC, "I uploaded 'Ataque de Panico!' on a Thursday and on Monday my inbox was totally full of emails from Hollywood studios." Long story short, a bidding war ensued. The offer he pocketed: A $30 million deal with Sam "Spiderman" Raimi's Ghost House Pictures. That's a nice return on investment.
The picture will be a sci-fi thriller set in Argentina and Uruguay. In case you're hoping to see the feature-length version of "Panic Attack!" in a movie theater, it won't be from this deal. The newly minted "it" guy says he will start from scratch.

You can see the video at the link.

 

[Miss Chicken]

It is nice to see that he has got the movie deal. However, by far the best way for an Uruguayan to become famous world-wide is to be on a plane that crashes into the Andes.

Edited to add - I just watched the video. If he make something as good as that for just $300 I would love to see what he will do when he has millions to work with.

 

[Trent Roman]

Can a mod fix the title? Thanks.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Jetfire]

There is a big difference between a short and a full length film with a real script and a plot...it was nice for what it was...time will tell if he is really good or just a flash in the pan.

 

[Level 2 Diagnostic]

So, apparently, the concept of robots blowing shit up is so novel that it's worth $30 million. The short may have great production values, but come on, it's just robots blowing shit up.

Also, as another site puts it "I’m sure a lot of the work on the film was done pro bono by artists just trying to get their work recognized." In other words, the budget was only $300 because a lot of people did a lot of hard work for free. I'd like to see what the actual budget would have been if everyone involved was paid for their work.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

There is a big difference between a short and a full length film with a real script and a plot...it was nice for what it was...time will tell if he is really good or just a flash in the pan.

 

[milo bloom]

So, apparently, the concept of robots blowing shit up is so novel that it's worth $30 million. The short may have great production values, but come on, it's just robots blowing shit up.

It's the tone of the piece that makes the difference. I care more about these people in these few minutes, than I care about anyone in the two Michael Bay travesty's masquerading under the name "Transformers."

I believe District 9 was done for $30 million, and that also is hundred times better than the crap-fests Bay foisted on us.

 

[Immolatus]

it was ok. not bad for $300 but I felt I was watching a music vid rather then a short movie

 

[Mistral]

So, apparently, the concept of robots blowing shit up is so novel that it's worth $30 million. The short may have great production values, but come on, it's just robots blowing shit up.

It's the tone of the piece that makes the difference. I care more about these people in these few minutes, than I care about anyone in the two Michael Bay travesty's masquerading under the name "Transformers."

I believe District 9 was done for $30 million, and that also is hundred times better than the crap-fests Bay foisted on us.

I gotta agree. I want to know what happened to the kid...

 

[Level 2 Diagnostic]

It's the tone of the piece that makes the difference. I care more about these people in these few minutes, than I care about anyone in the two Michael Bay travesty's masquerading under the name "Transformers."

There were people in this film?

 

[milo bloom]

It's the tone of the piece that makes the difference. I care more about these people in these few minutes, than I care about anyone in the two Michael Bay travesty's masquerading under the name "Transformers."

There were people in this film?

Lots of them, being terrified, blasted and squished by the robots.

I think you're making my argument for me...

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

It's the tone of the piece that makes the difference. I care more about these people in these few minutes, than I care about anyone in the two Michael Bay travesty's masquerading under the name "Transformers."

I think I get what you mean, but even so, it's just robots blowing crap up. District 9 did have a bit more to it than that.

 

[milo bloom]

It's the tone of the piece that makes the difference. I care more about these people in these few minutes, than I care about anyone in the two Michael Bay travesty's masquerading under the name "Transformers."

I think I get what you mean, but even so, it's just robots blowing crap up. District 9 did have a bit more to it than that.

Well certainly D9 was much more than that, but even the few minutes of this little short film show me the same kind of attitude that says "yes we're dealing with giant robots blowing crap up, but we've got something to say and if you'll stick around for it you'll see".

Kinda like a superhero movie where they overcome the idea of people running around dressed in silly costumes by having something serious to say while they're doing it.