I thought today I would address a topic that amuses me: Everyone’s a critic. Ever since the internet has been public, the everyday, “I-tie-my-shoes-like-you-but-don’t-get-the-big-bucks”, Joe and Sally’s of the world have had a voice. They are able to comment, reply, blog and scream about any damn topic they feel. Finally their opinion can be heard. In my world, this voice is most prominent in movie criticism. Being an independent filmmaker, I spend a lot of time on sites like IMDB, Netflix, Rotten Tomatoes, Bloody-Disgusting, Shock-Till-You-Drop…and many others. I love to immerse myself in movie news, and what the average person has to say about film. I enjoy watching people both defend and trash movies. It’s like a train wreck of a reality show sometimes when you find message board threads with people verbally abusing each other over their opinion. All is fine and dandy until…it’s your film!
Directing my actors in my demon love story, Lo
I learned very quickly to take all criticism with a grain of salt. When my first feature, joshua, was released on DVD in 2006, the very first review I ever got regarding my work was from bloody-disgusting.com, and it could not have been more glowing. I was on cloud 666 (that’s the cloud for horror fans) and already rehearsing my Academy Award speech. Shortly after that review, some “jack-hole” (as I referred to him at the time) commented on the review talking about just how awful my movie actually was. Every scathing word he wrote heated up the cauldron in my stomach. To top it off he decided to bash some of the shots in the movie I was most proud of, saying that I did these pointless shots just because I could. By the end of the ego-popping, hate letter I was so worked up that I hit reply to this uneducated dope (my view of him at the time) and wrote: “You’re damn right I could…and I did!” Or something like that. Basically I made a jackass of myself and lashed back, giving him all the power and making me look like a whiny little filmmaker. I regretted it immediately and since that day I have never responded to a negative comment again. I learned that if I took these words to seriously then I was a  fool and should quit making movies. This faceless person who hated my movie had the right to his opinion. Now sure, some people can be harsh or mean just to be mean, but every minute I let that get to me is a minute wasted. I make unconventional movies. I do this because I am not interested in the re-hashed drivel that passes for entertainment these days. I like to challenge myself and my audience. I want to tell stories in a unique way that will leave an impression on people, wether that be good or bad. In short, I make movies that some people hate and some people love, and that’s pretty damn cool.
Ward Roberts sits for the duration of the movie
So, making a movie that takes place entirely in the confines of a circle on the floor, with a man and a demon doing very little other than talking the whole time is gonna make some people angry. Since the release of my movie, Lo, yesterday, some of the sites are already buzzing with negativity as well as supporters. I thought it would be interesting to bump some of the criticism up against each other, because such vast difference in opinion interests me and fuels me to make more cool flicks. THE GOOD are quotes from people who loved the film and took something unique from the experience (and NOT written by friends). THE BAD are quotes from people who didn’t hate it, but saw some flaws (all written by friends…kidding). THE UGLY are quotes I scraped off the bottom of the hate barrel. All do an excellent job, I feel, of making me pay the price (good or bad) for making something I truly believe in. thus is art. Thus is awesome!
The Good
“Lo is the kind of movie that has cult potential. Think The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
“The story ends on a surprise note of genuine emotion which I found to be imaginative and moving, giving the entire film an unexpected resonance that lasts through the fadeout.”
“If you’re looking for a raucous horror comedy with lots of mindless action and gore, LO will probably bore you to tears. But if you can tune into the cockeyed vibe that Travis Betz is going for here, you may find yourself having quite a rewarding time knocking around inside this impressive indy flick’s freaky little head.”
“Creative, unique, quirky and initially comedic, Lo shows Travis Betz’s writing ability and the film will likely be seen as a stepping stone towards more expensive and elaborate productions.”
“Writer/director Travis Betz was wise to focus on dialog and makeup effects. Both are terrific, and setting the majority of the narrative in one small, claustrophobic location amps up the tension in the game between human and monster.”
“Jeremiah Birkett’s Lo manages a surprising range of emotional expression under the mask. His performance is specific and layered.”
“Bare bones storytelling at its very finest.”
“Needless to say, love it or hate it — and I’m guessing some of you may find my love for it suspect — this is one unique flick.”
“Betz stretches the limits of what can be done technically and in terms of production design on a modest budget while providing for independent filmmakers a stellar example of how to assemble a quality, technically proficient film with largely convincing special effects on a limited budget.”
“Roberts is one of those rare actors who can play both extremes of the emotional spectrum, sometimes in the very same scene.”
The Bad
“Shot on a micro-budget Lo seems, at times, like too much of a play.”
“Lo” is a modern variation on the “Faust” story and has its clever moments, but ultimately its reach way exceeds its grasp.”
“Every time the film returns to the aforementioned flashbacks, it pretty much sucks all the air out.”
“Distinctive but felt to me like it dragged even at just 80 mins.”
The Ugly
“WOW! First horror film, that put me to sleep.”
“How can such a strange movie get even 1 good review?”
“WTF? This movie was excruciating. I absolutely despised the fact that it wasted my time.”
“A little piece of advice, unless your desprate dont watch it.”
“I cannot understand how anyone with an IQ above that of a rhizome could possibly enjoy this improv dreck. It succeeds only in making demons and hell, well, just boring.”
“This movie sucked. PERIOD. everything was just stupid. actors sucked. story sucked. lighting sucked. props sucked. you sucked.”
“Simply the worst movie EVER.”
“It was more like A Christmas Carol with a $5 budget. Waste of time.”
“This is one of those movies that tries to be clever by poking fun at itself and the genre. It fails. Its low budget, poorly filmed and over-acted.”
“Dumb. Its dumb. Sorry not funny, just dumb. Oh sorry, its boring and dumb. So boring its dumb and so dumb its boring.”
In conclusion: Everyone’s a critic and always will be. Either roll with the punches or get out of the game. And now it’s time to make more movies!
Much Love
Travis
I am so very excited to write this blog. This particular blog. A journey that started almost three years ago is coming to an end, and I would be the happiest filmmaker nobody knows if you would join me on this moment. That movie I made, the comedy about the demons in love called LO, is being released nationwide on DVD this Valentines Day weekend!
My feature demon love story, 
Saturday, October 24th at 10:30P.M.
This blog is a very big thank you to all who came out to support my weird and wild vision! We had a full house and beat out many other bigger films to take the Audience Choice Award! It was an absolute joy screening for everyone and the vibe in the theater was kinetic. I got to meet some cool new filmmakers as well as reconnect with some old friends I hadn’t seen in ages. With Hollywood fully conquered, we’re packing Lo’s bags and heading to Austin, Texas for the Austin Film Festival! I can only hope it screens half as well as it did in Los Angeles.
Great news for demon fans! My feature film,
