SALOME SALIA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH YOUTUBER ERIC STRIFFLER

Eric Striffler, 18, is a successful YouTuber with over 33,000 subscribers - whatever you're interested in on YouTube, he probably has something for you!

Salome Salia brings FRESHI NOW this exclusive interview!

First, take a look at this video introducing his channel, at http://www.youtube.com/user/EricStriffler

Describe in a few words what you do and what inspired you?

To put it VERY basically, I make videos and put them on YouTube. I have two Channels; one for my short films and one for my entertainment news and reviews. What I really love to do is make films so I prefer my Channel EricStrifflerVids over ErickWithNoK, but both are a LOT of fun. I've been into making movies since I was VERY young, and it's happened to stick with me over the years!

What would you say is the key to YouTube fame?

If I knew, I would have a LOT more subscribers haha! I have never done anything specific to get subscribers so I really have no idea. I think it's just that people like to see consistency and to see people legitimately enjoying what they're doing. I have stuck with my Channels fully for years and I really do love doing all of it. I really think it shows.

What do you have to say to young filmmakers?

"Hello, I'm Eric and I'm just like you!" Haha I'm currently a Freshman at film school so I don't really have any leg up over anyone else if you look at it that way. I'm learning as well so I wouldn't really have any advice exactly because I could use advice sometimes too! Although I do think young filmmakers should really consider what they want out of their craft; do they want to make Hollywood movies or indie movies or TV shows? I do think it's important to figure out what you want and set your goal early. But like I said, I'm taking my own advice right now and I don't have any knowledge past that really!

When you started, did you expect to be so successful?

Never in a hundred million years did I expect to actually make money from making videos. Like I said, I've been making videos since I was really young, so it's crazy to me. I started uploading videos to YouTube for fun, as I still do now to be honest. I did it for over a year before I started to make money from it, and I'd continue to do it if the money stopped coming. It's what I love to do and I'd like to keep it going for a long time, so it's definitely nice to see that I can make money on doing what I've wanted to do all my life.

How much of your time does your Youtube account take up?

Well it depends really. On EricStrifflerVids, the videos can take an hour to shoot and two hours to edit, or a few days to shoot and 6 hours to edit. On ErickWithNoK, the videos usually take less than 15 minutes to film, edit, and post. The fun thing about ErickWithNoK is that news comes at random, so I could be watching TV and see that there's a new clip released from a movie I'm covering, so I literally run up to my room, look into it, film my video, and post it to YouTube immediately to get ahead of everyone else. In the reporting world, whoever has the first story is likely to get the steam from everyone passing their post around. It's very exciting and I find it to be a lot of fun!

SALLY SALIA: WHAT MAKES A REALLY GOOD FILM?

     Every year the creative part of society comes up with thousands of ideas and plans for the entertainment business. Some of those, forgotten to be jotted down, get lost overnight. A few hundred scripts are written, but only a certain amount actually makes it to the screen. Now out of that, one or two truly makes it in to people’s hearts and memories; and that is my definition of a truly good film.

    

      In my opinion, a truly great film is one that by far surpasses your expectations, even if they were sky high; One that leaves you trembling with emotion, tears, or laughter after leaving the theatre. A movie has to have a meaning. Ones that are just for entertainment with no moral are, in my opinion, not worth watching. A movie must be educative, while at the same time entertaining. It, and the characters, must be memorable. The situations and characters must relate to real people and problems [of coarse, I’m not talking about fiction]. The audience should be able to imagine themselves in the character’s shoes and see the world from a whole new angle.

       

     One of the most important parts of a movie is the script. The quality of the dialogues, in my opinion, makes or breaks the film. The dialogue should be realistic and natural, not cheesy and fake. Also, the sceneries/settings of a movie are very important. For example, it would certainly be more inspirational if someone proposed under fireworks in a beautiful restaurant, rather than at the park.

        

     I have to admit, I have a bad habit. I’m a fool for actors. I have my favorites and seeing a movie with them in it always blinds my judgment. I know that I should be observing the character and not the actor. I may even turn down a film because I don’t recognize or like the faces in the trailer. Even though ticket-selling, charming actors are necessary for a film’s success, there’s always room for new talent in Hollywood if given the opportunity. 

SALLY SALIA: HOLIDAY FILMS, PART THREE

Here's the third and final part of Sally Salia's three part article on the films she's most anicipating this holiday season:

In Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous character is back once more for more adventure, this time exposing not only his intellect, but his fighting skills as well. Crime, action, drama, and suspence, its all there in Guy Ritchie’s movie adaptation of the fictional character. This time the world renowned partners, Holmes and Watson must stop a conspiracy that threatens to destroy Britain. The movie will hit theatres Christmas Day, competeing with Avatar.

SALLY SALIA: HOLIDAY FILMS, PART TWO

Here's the second of Sally Salia's 3-part series on the films she's most anticipating this holiday season.  This time, it's:

AVATAR

For all the sci-fi fans out there, Avatar is the perfect movie to enjoy over the holiday season. First, lets clarify that Avatar is not based or related to the cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender in any way. On December 18th, the movie will hit theatres. The movie is about a former Marine, Jake Sully, now paralyzed below the waist, who joins an expedition to a distant moon, Pandora, which is the habitat of the Na’vi. He undergoes a transformation into the physical form of the Na’vi, but with the thoughts and feelings of a human being. He must persuade them to join and help the mine, but as he gets closer to the Na’vi and his relationship with one of the woman, Neytiri, deepens, he is faced with a decision that could alter the fate of an entire world.

SALLY SALIA: HOLIDAY FILMS, PART ONE

Here's the first of Sally Salia's choices for most anticpated films of the holiday season!

THE LOVELY BONES

Based on the bestselling novel by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones is a story about Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl, who, after being murdered, overlooks her family from above and watches as they struggle to go on with their lives without her. This is a unique story that hypnotized readers from the very first paragraph, which starts out with the words “I was 14 when I was murdered”. It’s definitely not how most stories begin, and something different is always refreshing. Book-turned-movies are often risky in the movie business, they look promising but loyal fans degrade and critisize it.

Will Suzie be able to lead her father to her killer, or will she let her family continue their life in peace? And will the movie live up to the expectations of the fanbase? Find out for yourself on January 15, 2010.

FRESHI NOW WELCOMES SALOME SALIA

Freshi Now welcomes a new team member: Salome Salia!

In her own words:

Bonjour. My name is Salome Salia. I'm 14 years old and a future filmmaker. I enjoy filming/editing videos, watching movies, drawing, photography, and tennis. FreshiNow is a great opportunity for me to encourage and help young filmmakers like myself to follow their dreams and reach their goals. "From dream to screen" - LA Film School.