Why so much hype?

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Past is prologue. Hard to believe Zachary Quinto didn't foresee that Shane Dawson would stay true to his creative style and do what he's been very successfully doing for many years - raunchy, juvenile comedy. Maybe the producer of American Pie, Chris Moore, did anticipate Quinto's reservations and thought it ramped up the tension??? For anyone interested in the process of filmmaking, this series is fascinating to watch. Personally, if I were executive producer, I would want to give a high profile directing opportunity to someone trying to dignify the art of filmmaking. Fart jokes and endless potty-mouth humor hardly elevates the craft. Having said that, American Pie spawned three theatrical sequels (plus four direct to video releases) and made over $1.5 billion. What do I know?

The documentary is OK, so if you want to see/learn of the behind the scenes dynamics of doing a movie production, go ahead. Of the two full length movies that came out of this, Hollidaysburg by Anna Martemucci and the other by Shane Dawson, Anna's has clearly the heft of an attempt at making a 'real' movie. Shane's feels like a long YouTube video. The delivery timing of pretty much all dialogue is obviously by inexperienced actors (nobody's fault except the genius that decided to shoot in Pittsburgh - this created the problem of having a very limited pool of acting talent as addressed by many on the documentary). BTW, I am not dissing Pittsburgh; I love the way the city is portrayed, so it is now on my travel bucket list, true that! To restate a point made by another reviewer here, "They both retreated to their comfort zones, Shane made a 90-minute YouTube sketch and Anna made a 90-minute student film." My only consolation is that I got to watch this by borrowing the DVD collection from my public library. Had I paid for this, buying or renting it, I would have thrown in my own mouth, to borrow a topic often heard of in one of the movies.

When this show first came on, I DVRed it (like 4 episodes before I actually watched it), expecting to just watch the show when I had nothing else to watch. Boy was I underestimating the lure of "The Chair."I find myself eagerly awaiting the next episode and I have never really been interested in the behind-the-scenes type stuff (some exceptions would be high fantasy movies with lots of special effects) nor am I interested in reality TV. I find myself rooting for both directors, knowing "there can be only one" winner of this competition"The Chair" is one of the best shows on TV right now and i can't wait to see the 2 movies that come out of it.

Most of my life I've just been a passive viewer. But as I find out what it takes to make a movie or TV show, I am increasingly fascinated and in awe. This series is an inside look at the details, the personalities, and the challenges. Two very different first-time directors have the same initial script and same budget - and get to make their movie! They both bring strengths to the work - and those very strengths sometimes work against them. Shane Dawson is used to creating YouTube videos, as the creator, star, and everything. He has a huge following among a very specific audience. His challenge is to work effectively with all the people involved - production crew, executive producers, the voices of experience - to create something that will appeal to a larger audience. Anna has a broader base of experience, not only as screen writer but also as a part of a group creating videos and a movie. She knows the world of indie film making and knows how to work with others creatively. Her challenge is to take charge for her own vision, being the primary decision-maker for a change. Both directors have excellent coaching from more experienced producers. The commentary from Corey Moosa of Before the Door is especially insightful. For anyone thinking they would like to make a movie, this series will be a riveting lesson in the creative chaos. For observers like me, the series adds to the appreciation of the movies & TV shows.