A creative mind is a low budget filmmaker’s most valuable tool. The whole process of film making starts with an original thought. From there it is all about maintaining that thought until it grows to be a brilliant idea. After that it is a matter of getting that idea made into a movie using every ounce of energy and resources you can possibly muster up.

Most of the successful films that are shown at film festivals are movies that were made at a fraction of the cost that it takes to make a major Hollywood studio film. Hi tech equipment, mainly based on computer effects and possibilities in technology have made it so that just about anyone can make a movie. Film cameras, sound recording equipment, and just about any other kind of equipment that one needs to make a movie can be purchased at very affordable prices these days.

The film making equipment that is available these days can provide a very low budget movie with a production value and overall revenue, which might look like some famous director had something to do with the project. This professional appearance coupled with a unique story can help any film’s chances at being accepted into film festivals like Cannes, Toronto Film Festival or even obtain the Oscar!

Try as they might, the major Hollywood film studios will never have a monopoly on creativity. They spend far more than one million US dollars not only on film production, but also on marketing research, intending to figure out just what it is that the film-going audiences of the world look for when they go to the movies.

Despite all of this effort, they still have not developed a formula of success. The intentions and tastes of people who go to the movies are as hard to predict as an earthquake is. Because of this fact, the door is left wide open for creative minds of the world to enter the game. All they need to do is come up with a genuine idea that they can transform into a spectacular movie, enter their film in festivals like Sundance and then let the judges decide. While the big studios have tried to take over the film festival sphere in recent years, it is still the little creative minds with the small, yet unique films that are the winners in that realm.

The audience donned Circular Polarized 3D glasses as they attended the premiere of Pixar’s “Up,” an animation in 3D, which marked the beginning of world’s most distinguished film festival.

It is the first time in the festival’s 62-year history that Cannes has opened with an animation. “Up” will show out of competition.

John Lasseter, chief creative officer of acclaimed filmmaker-led animation studio Pixar described the moment as “one of the best things which has occurred to us in our careers.”

He said : “To have your movie actually open it is really, really exciting — and to be the first 3D film too.”

Aliens” earlier this year, is maybe the boldest message yet that 3D is being welcomed by the mainstream as the format of the future.

“Up,” co-directed by Pete Docter and Bob Petersen, tells the story about a grouchy 78-year-old widower who ties thousands of helium balloons to his ramshackle house and floats away to realize his dream of visiting South America.

The heart-warming tale, which took 4 years to complete, is visually surprising, using 3D to make the screen like a window into the arena of the film.

“We really tried to use depth in the same way we use color and cinematography, and that is to further the emotion of the scene,” related Docter of the philosophy behind the team’s use of 3D in “Up.”

Lasseter agrees that 3D should be used as an aid to storytelling and not just for inexpensive visual thrills.

“3D has a disposition, particularly when you do all that ‘comin’-at-you’ stuff, everyone smirks, but now they’re out of the story, so we attempt and limit that.”

Lasseter who co-founded the mythical animation studio behind animations “Toy Story’ (1995), and “Monsters Inc.” (2001), is an example of many high profile 3D advocates.

Vin Diesel is one of America’s most popular action movie stars. Women swoon at the sight of him, and men go to the gym to try to get muscles like his. It seems any summer movie starring Vin Diesel is sure to become a blockbuster. However, this Hollywood star came from humble beginnings. It wasn’t long ago he was still trying to survive and make his way in the film industry.

Born Mark Sinclair Vincent in New York City in 1967, Vin Diesel was raised by his mother and adoptive father, along with one sister and two brothers. His father was a theater teacher who ran his own repertory company, so Vin was introduced to acting at an early age. When he was a teen, he started working as a bouncer in a club and changed his name to Vin Diesel, which was derived from his given surname.

Vin Diesel began acting when he was a teenager. He acted with his father’s theater company and even spent some time performing in off-Broadway shows in New York. He attended Hunter College for a short time, but dropped out when he decided to pursue a professional acting career. When he had a hard time making it in Hollywood, Vin wrote and produced his own short independent film called “Multi-Facial.” The film was well-received at Cannes Film Festival, even though it was shot in only a few days and cost very little to make.

Steven Spielberg saw “Multi-Facial” and was impressed by Vin Diesel’s look and acting talent. Spielberg arranged to meet Vin, and he offered him a role in “Saving Private Ryan,” which was released in 1998. Vin also won the lead voice role in “The Iron Giant” after the director of the film saw “Multi-Facial.” These were the first major films that Vin Diesel appeared in, and they acted as a springboard to the rest of his career.

Vin Diesel’s first lead acting role was as Richard B. Riddick in “Pitch Black,” which was released in 2000. The beginning of the new millennium was an exciting time for Vin’s career as he starred in several blockbusters and skyrocketed to fame. In addition to continuing his role of Richard B. Riddick in several other movies, Vin Diesel also won roles in movies like “The Fast and the Furious” and “xXx,” which helped secure him as an action movie superstar.

After starring in a handful of action movies, Vin Diesel gained a reputation as Hollywood’s tough guy. His muscular physique, deep voice, and shaved head made him into everyone’s idea of the quintessential action hero. However, he does have a sense of humor about this tough guy reputation. In 2005, Vin starred in Walt Disney’s “The Pacifier.” In this movie, he plays Shane Wolfe, a former Navy SEAL who’s assigned to protect and babysit the children of a deceased government scientist. Seeing Vin interact with small children and change diapers gave the movie a comedic feel that made light of his tough reputation. “The Pacifier” also introduced Vin Diesel to a whole new audience as it was the first family-friendly film he ever made.

Though Vin Diesel has never won any prestigious awards for his work, he was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Actor after appearing in “The Chronicles of Riddick” in 2004. Though some might criticize his acting ability, he certainly has what it takes to bring audiences in to see his movies, and he continues to be popular with action movie fans. It seems audience acclaim matters more than prestigious awards since the genre he usually appears in isn’t normally nominated for those awards anyway, even though they’re normally some of the highest grossing films each year.

Though he has been successful, Vin Diesel doesn’t just devote his whole life to acting. In April of 2008, his girlfriend gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Hania Riley. In between his fatherly duties, Vin continues to work. Many of his recent roles were for the same movie franchises that made him famous, such as ” The Fast and the Furious ” and “xXx.”

Though he’s only been a star for a little over a decade, Vin Diesel has solidified his place as one of the most famous action movie stars in the world, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. He has acted in at least one film almost every year since he started in the industry, and he’s already booked to act in several more in the next few years. It seems that he’ll stay on top for many years to come.