• A Movie Making Nerd

  • By: James Rolfe
  • Narrated by: James Rolfe
  • Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (206 ratings)

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A Movie Making Nerd  By  cover art

A Movie Making Nerd

By: James Rolfe
Narrated by: James Rolfe
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Publisher's summary

James Rolfe is an independent filmmaker and creator of the Angry Video Game Nerd web series and feature film. A Movie Making Nerd is a personal account of his origins, starting with an early love of making home movies before the rise of the internet and digital video. Rolfe candidly details moments of triumph and failure in both life and filmmaking—from his time in special education school and struggles during adolescence and college, to personal relationships, finding employment, and raising children. Every recollection in A Movie Making Nerd, whether happy, funny, or painful, shows how one might turn a childhood hobby into a life-long calling.

©2022 Screenwave Media Inc. (P)2022 Screenwave Media Inc.

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Very Little About the AVGN Series

James Rolfe is known worldwide for his portrayal through internet videos of the Angry Video Game Nerd. His videos were highly influential and set a standard early on for a high quality episodic YouTube video series, inspiring many young fans to go on to create successful YouTube channels of their own. The AVGN video series was arguably a pioneering achievement in internet history, and definitely of enough public interest to having a book dedicated to giving fans an inside look.

As a fan myself, when I heard that James was finally releasing his autobiography, I couldn't wait to find out the details of how he came up with ideas for the AVGN, how he collaborated with his long time friends, as well as some of the various guest stars early on, to make it all happen. I was hoping to find some funny inside stories or even inspiring challenges that might have come with the rise of the series. Sadly, there is very little discussion of the AVGN series or its production at all.

James starts the book by speaking at length about his formative years up through high school, creating and editing home movies with his video camera from the 80s on through the 90s. From there, he goes on to describe college shenanigans, and briefly mentions how he met future fellow AVGN collaborators, Kyle, Bootsy and Mike. Most discussion around them is limited to their college years, however. Save for a sentence or two about how Mike (who he continually refers to just as "Matei") ran the channel, told James he was going to make him famous, and even managed the website while James was off making the feature film, there is little mention of important contributions he or any of the rest of them may have made to the AVGN, or the work they put in to help it succeed.

Instead, he skips ahead into production of the AVGN movie and how important his wife and cats were in the making of it. Most of the rest of the book is about various production woes and how much they stressed him out. There are a few sentences about his musical project, Rex Viper, toward the end. This book really reads more like a mundane personal journal than a book full of important or valuable insight that would serve as an inspiration to an aspiring film-maker or even just enlightening behind-the-scenes trivia for a devoted fan.

In the absence of information about the AVGN series to comment on, if I had any major takeaway from this book, it's that starting a family too early is a good way to stop your desire to create dead in its tracks. For some reason, James let his wife "talk him into" having their first baby while still in post-production on the AVGN movie, and after the traumatizing birth of his daughter (which was described in graphic detail), he even says, while slowly but surely making his way through the grueling last steps of post-production, "Why am I doing this?" He describes completing the movie as a trap which did nothing but steal time from him and his baby, whereas before he'd happily obsessed over every last detail, relishing the experience of video and movie making. He further laments how he could suddenly understand why his old coworkers in the liquor store he once worked at preferred to live normal, simple lives, which, to James, amounted to having "no ambition". It might make you wonder whether he's planning to retire, only making whatever sort of videos will keep him afloat financially, while his heart remains solely in being a family man. All we're really left with is, "'Til next time".

In the end, it's a bit puzzling why a man who, toward the end, seems to hint that we ain't seen nothin' yet, even felt it would be a good time to publish an autobiography. This is something that is normally done in one's twilight years, as they look back on the trials, tribulations, joys and successes of a full life, well-lived. Is this only a Part 1? If he ever gets back into film-making, will there be a sequel to come? Unfortunately in this book, the most important contribution James has made to modern film-making - his internet video content - was only glossed over, reduced to a few paragraphs at best, so it seems unlikely that we'll ever get any real insight into the thing that made James so beloved and successful in the first place. It just seems a terrible missed opportunity.

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4 people found this helpful

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Have been a fan for many years

James is a great story teller and narrator. I listen to this in one day. Kept me engaged start to finish. I would recommend to anyone who loves James's other work. I really hopes he continues to write and narrate

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Good, with some missed opportunities

What you get out of this will depend on what you're expecting.

If you want a true autobiography of James Rolfe, from his childhood to his high school and college experiences, to a few horrible-sounding day jobs before he created the Angry Video Game Nerd, you'll get it.

If you want to hear how James learned how to make short movies and videos on a microscopic budget, you'll get it.

If you want to hear about his band Rex Viper, you'll get (way too much about) it.

If you want to hear how James created the Angry Video Game Nerd and eventually made the feature film of the same name, you'll get it.

If you want to hear how James met his frequent collaborators Mike, Bootsy, and Kyle, you'll get it.

If you want to hear James talk about the very public termination of his friendship with Bootsy and Kyle, or the controversial and tone-deaf actions that Mike took on behalf of the Cinemassacre channel while James was away shooting the AVGN movie, or to finally hear James address the fan outrage of Screenwave taking over most of the AVGN production duties, you'll be very disappointed. James has never spoken publicly about these events, and this book remains silent. (Screenwave gets maybe three sentences.)

A pity, since these are the events I most wanted to hear about. It's as if James thinks controversy doesn't exist if he ignores it. This is a huge omission, especially since Bootsy and Kyle just vanish toward the end of the book with no explanation. Also, James refers to Mike by his last name, Matei, almost exclusively. It's weird. That doesn't like something you do to a friend.

I liked most of the book, though. It's nice to have James doing his own narration, although he does mispronounce the same words he regularly mispronounces in his Cinemassacre videos (for example, things get "burryed" in the desert, not "buried.")

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Loved it!

I absolutely loved this! It was everything I’d hope it’d be. James has a great narration voice and storyteller. I kinda wish it were longer, but it was a great message and helps fuel my creative side!

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Inspiring and Entertaining

The story of James’s life is super enjoyable, just like his videos are. But it’s more personal. It’s great hearing him talk about his life story, highly recommend!

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In the nerd we trust!

If you have ever watched the AVGN or seen the movie it really puts a lot of perspective give it a listen !

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Honest review of one’s self

Very engrossing read! For someone who talks about feces, and who has made a career on it, James’, vocabulary, diction, and storytelling is anything but crap. He knows how to keep the reader engaged, and at times moved to tears can’t recommend this audio reading Enough!

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Interesting bio of a film director

It was a pleasure to listen. It was all good stuff, no boring parts. His AVGN movie is also great and inspiring for other creators.

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Every Filmmaker or Artist should listen

He’s blunt with his life and struggles. You see how amazing accomplishment really is and get tips on how to live a fulfilling life and career!

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Love the Nerd!

I've been an AVGN fan since 2007. It was great to hear all the history behind his videos and career. I relate to so much of what he shared. Thanks James!

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