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any film makers out there?

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msdstc

Incredibly Naive
I've always been really into film. When I was in 8th grade got a camera, and me and my friends spent the summer messing around with it, making an hour long parody of the blair witch project. As time went on I started takin movies more seriously, I really got involved in the stories and the characters, I realized why movies like american beauty or even lost in translation are so highly regarded. I gained appreciation for film, so once again me and my friends with a digital camera made a few short films. After sometime I decided I want to take it more seriously. My cousin got his hand on a real camera, and we took some shots this weekend, and it's coming out great. I can already edit decent with adobe premiere and windows movie maker.

Here comes the point of this thread. Does anyone else make films? Any tips? Any links to your short films? I really want to learn about what equipment I should invest in, and some techniques on lighting which in reality I have no knowledge of.
 
msdstc said:
I've always been really into film. When I was in 8th grade got a cmera, and me and my friends spent the summer messin around with it, makin an hour long parody of the blair witch project. As time went on I started takin movies more seriously, I really got involved in the stories and the characters, I realized why movies like american beauty or even lost in translation are so highly regarded. I gained appreciation for film, so once again me and my friends with a digital camera made a few short films. After sometime I decided I want to take it more seriously. My cousin got his hand on a real camera, and we took some shots this weekend, and it's comin out great. I can already edit decent with adobe premiere and windows movie maker.

Here comes the point of this thread. Does anyone else make films? Any tips? Any links to your short films? I really want to learn about what equpment I should invest in, and some techniques on lighting which in reality I have no knowledge of.
Click to expand...

I'm about to wrap up my degree in Telecommunications (Video Production) at MSU. Got into it a bit late but ended up meeting a lot of like-minded individuals who were also aspiring writers/directors/etc. Unfortunately, the program is a bit sparse (but growing every semester). My advice is to watch a lot of films/television and soak it all in. Also, since you have the equipment, shoot often to get a feel for it.

As for equipment, I'm kind of wondering about it myself. We use Sony DV cams in class and they work fairly well, but are incredibly expensive...

I know there are other aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters on the forum so sound off guys!
 
Mac the KNife said:
I'm about to wrap up my degree in Telecommunications (Video Production) at MSU. Got into it a bit late but ended up meeting a lot of like-minded individuals who were also aspiring writers/directors/etc. Unfortunately, the program is a bit sparse (but growing every semester). My advice is to watch a lot of films/television and soak it all in. Also, since you have the equipment, shoot often to get a feel for it.

As for equipment, I'm kind of wondering about it myself. We use Sony DV cams in class and they work fairly well, but are incredibly expensive...

I know there are other aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters on the forum so sound off guys!
Click to expand...

Yah we're just using a little handy cam right now, and some computer editing programs. I write a little on the side, but for the most part I don't film those, we just shoot on the fly to get some experience with angles, and transitions. I have been taking film seriously for a while, the movies I watch, the stories and double meanings, etc. I truly get the beauty behind certain movies, but I just don't understand how they shoot like they do. i have a lot of ideas and visions I would love to portray it just seems too far fetched.

trinest said:
I'm the guy behind the camera.
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how's that go? or were you being sarcastic?
 
msdstc said:
i have a lot of ideas and visions I would love to portray it just seems too far fetched.
Click to expand...
If you're talking specifically about camera angles, frame composition, etc., I'd suggest experimenting with storyboarding.
 
Mercury Fred said:
If you're talking specifically about camera angles, frame composition, etc., I'd suggest experimenting with storyboarding.
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not just that, I mean making a short film FEEL authentic. Have the lighting just right and such. You know what I mean though, taking footage with a regular camera is so lifeless compared to a real movie. I want to know how to make it look like that.
 
Mercury Fred said:
Ah, I see. I'd suggest taking a class.
Click to expand...

I'm going to be taking a tv production class. Right now my cousin takes one, he borrows the camera every weekend, hopefully I can learn what I'm going for.
 
not here, but...

screw 3ccd camera, get the canon hv20 (it has a 24p cinema mode that looks amazing) + the brevis 35mm adapter.

learn how to use adobe.

and get out and make something.

collaboration is a lot. meet people who have ligthing and other skills.

you could always take photography classes if you can find any film classes to learn what looks good and such.
 
DeathNote said:
not here, but...

screw 3ccd camera, get the canon hv20 (it has a 24p cinema mode that looks amazing) + the brevis 35mm adapter.

learn how to use adobe.

and get out and make something.

collaboration is a lot. meet people who have ligthing and other skills.

you could always take photography classes if you can find any film classes to learn what looks good and such.
Click to expand...

VERY BIG THANKS for the camera suggestions:D :D :D

I'm ahead of you on the collaboration. Like I said my cousins taking some tv production courses and photography as am I, my girlfriend is very good with photography also. I talked to my teacher who is into theater, she's going to e-mail me the email of a guy who does the technical aspect of stages and such.

edit- I'm already halfway decent with adobe premiere. This camera thing is VERY interesting. The whole "film look" is really what I want to achieve, and then tweak it from there, so can you go into depth more about the 2 different cameras you suggested, maybe provide links to some cameras?
 
I'm working on a movie, but personally I hate short films so I have nothing to show unless I finish a whole movie. I'm still working on the screenplay and luckily the story requires basically no budget.
 
I'm a filmmaker. I had some jobs editing on some television shows, but all of those sucked and got canceled. Not that I wanted to keep that job anyway. It is nice to work in the Hollywood setting, to see how things are run, so that you can then turn around and make sure not to do the same things. At least that is what I learned.

Just go small, low budget. The idea and creativity is what matters.

dvxuser.com is a nice place to check out for a filmmaking community. Even if you don't use a Panny. They might be more helpful in terms of what equip/technical choices you are interested in.

And nothing against Adobe Premiere, as it works nicely with all of Adobe's other products, but you should really try to get a hold of Avid. It allows you to do more in terms of editing, and is a much more robust editing package.
 
stephendedalus said:
I'm a filmmaker. I had some jobs editing on some television shows, but all of those sucked and got canceled. Not that I wanted to keep that job anyway. It is nice to work in the Hollywood setting, to see how things are run, so that you can then turn around and make sure not to do the same things. At least that is what I learned.

Just go small, low budget. The idea and creativity is what matters.
Click to expand...

I understand that... and it's what I want to do, but I want it to look good so I need a good camera one that can capture that movie feel. I know it needs 24p and 35mm, but what else should I know about the whole movie feel and how to achieve it?

akachan ningen said:
I'm working on a movie, but personally I hate short films so I have nothing to show unless I finish a whole movie. I'm still working on the screenplay and luckily the story requires basically no budget.
Click to expand...

have you ever filmed before? It's going to be hard to a film a full movie without a full crew, and a extended amount of time. It's good to start with short films just to get a feel.
 
msdstc said:
I understand that... and it's what I want to do, but I want it to look good so I need a good camera one that can capture that movie feel. I know it needs 24p and 35mm, but what else should I know about the whole movie feel and how to achieve it?
Click to expand...

You don't really need 24p or a 35mm lens adapter, unless you are going to sell your film. Those would be great 'extras' to have if in your price range (or experience), but honestly any sort of midrange prosumer camera will give you more than enough. 30p is fine, and you don't need any sort of upgrade to your editing suite in order to edit your footage. You can do a lot of in-camera stuff in your editing program.

The biggest thing that you should worry about is audio. So many people forget about how a film should sound, and it shouldn't sound like you bought some mics at Radio Shack. Spend some money on some decent mics.

Experiment. Get to know your equipment. Just be knowledgeable about 3 point lighting setups and goof around with a camera. I mean it isn't like you are wasting film... this is digital! You can shoot around and find out what lighting setups suit your scene the best.
 
msdstc said:
have you ever filmed before? It's going to be hard to a film a full movie without a full crew, and a extended amount of time. It's good to start with short films just to get a feel.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I filmed, just footage to test shit out. I used Sony Vegas to edit. Is adobe premiere that much better, btw? Anyway, I don't think I need a crew. The production will be relatively easy for what the movie is, I think. Rodriguez shot El Mariachi with basically no crew, and that was an action movie.

Anyway, I guess I could do a short film, but like I said, I've never seen one I like and I have no ideas for one.
 
i took a screenwriting course last semester. as an engineer, i figured i would do awful in it, and i would get a c or something.

on the first day the teacher walks in and a book falls out of her purse. out of the book falls her bookmark, which is a picture of bush and said "one world nation" on it.

i realized from that moment on my key to success: make a screenplay that went against everything that bush liked, and i would do fine. turns out i was write. i wrote a screenplay about a hyper-capitalist-dystopian world. at the end of the class everybody would present their scripts, assign parts to the class, and everybody would read it. most kids were like WTF? but the teacher was laughing the whole damn time and loved it. i got an a-. i can't believe i pulled that off.
 
akachan ningen said:
I used Sony Vegas to edit. Is adobe premiere that much better, btw?
Click to expand...

Does Vegas do what you want it to?

Basically there are only two editing programs used in "hollywood". Avid and Final Cut, both of which are great but expensive for the average everyday filmmaker.
 
Ive directed/produced/made a few shorts, on the art house side of the spectrum. Sorry I cant give you a link to my work, still re-editing my last film. As for suggestions, first and foremost get comfortable. Comfortable with the camera, production, post production everything, because as a guy without a lot of money/resources youll be the one doing most of the work. Also, you need to understand how to tell a story (something that has taken me far too long to come to grips with in terms of my own work), understand the beats needed, characters, even the basic stuff like just outlining your plot. Also, start watching films analytically, dissect them, youll see behind the curtain so to speak, but you need to if you want to make films of your own.
 
zombi said:
Ive directed/produced/made a few shorts, on the art house side of the spectrum. Sorry I cant give you a link to my work, still re-editing my last film. As for suggestions, first and foremost get comfortable. Comfortable with the camera, production, post production everything, because as a guy without a lot of money/resources youll be the one doing most of the work. Also, you need to understand how to tell a story (something that has taken me far too long to come to grips with in terms of my own work), understand the beats needed, characters, even the basic stuff like just outlining your plot. Also, start watching films analytically, dissect them, youll see behind the curtain so to speak, but you need to if you want to make films of your own.
Click to expand...

I'm on that path already kinda. A while back I would just edit my friends skateboard footage just to get a feel for the editing programs and all the little shortcuts and such. I've been working on telling stories, and developing characters properly, it's a lot harder than one thinks. I've been following stuff like that when I watch movies for a while now, the one I love the most would be eternal sunshine, but once you realize what makes up a movie, it can truly make or break a movie, and you truly start to realize why critics aren't so easily impressed.

akachan ningen said:
Yeah, I filmed, just footage to test shit out. I used Sony Vegas to edit. Is adobe premiere that much better, btw? Anyway, I don't think I need a crew. The production will be relatively easy for what the movie is, I think. Rodriguez shot El Mariachi with basically no crew, and that was an action movie.

Anyway, I guess I could do a short film, but like I said, I've never seen one I like and I have no ideas for one.
Click to expand...

it's good to start with short films, full movies take a LONG time, not just shooting, but editing, how long were you thinking? A 5 minute movie can take hours to film.

stephendedalus said:
You don't really need 24p or a 35mm lens adapter, unless you are going to sell your film. Those would be great 'extras' to have if in your price range (or experience), but honestly any sort of midrange prosumer camera will give you more than enough. 30p is fine, and you don't need any sort of upgrade to your editing suite in order to edit your footage. You can do a lot of in-camera stuff in your editing program.

The biggest thing that you should worry about is audio. So many people forget about how a film should sound, and it shouldn't sound like you bought some mics at Radio Shack. Spend some money on some decent mics.

Experiment. Get to know your equipment. Just be knowledgeable about 3 point lighting setups and goof around with a camera. I mean it isn't like you are wasting film... this is digital! You can shoot around and find out what lighting setups suit your scene the best.
Click to expand...

that's what I'm doing right now is just messing around with what I've got. Truth is I NEED that cinema feel, that's what I truly want, even if I'm not selling it, I want it to at least approach a movie level, I really want to do this, it's where my heart is and has been for the past few years, and now I'm really getting into it.

edit- ahh 3 point lighting this is what I'm into right here, more techniques like this, got anymore?
 
I'm a filmmaker, of sorts. I've been making film since the sixth grade, and was writing plays before that. I'm a sophmore in college studying film, and while I'm not in a production class right now I'm getting a shoot done hopefully in November.

I actually have a personal site with some films up (mostly photographs though). You can check them all out here, though admittedly I made almost all the films in high school (except "Found & Lost" which was a group project).

msdstc said:
that's what I'm doing right now is just messing around with what I've got. Truth is I NEED that cinema feel, that's what I truly want, even if I'm not selling it, I want it to at least approach a movie level, I really want to do this, it's where my heart is and has been for the past few years, and now I'm really getting into it.

edit- ahh 3 point lighting this is what I'm into right here, more techniques like this, got anymore?
Click to expand...
Most cheap cameras nowadays can film widescreen natively, and have capture rates that imitate film (filming with a shutter speed at 30 helps a lot). He's right, though; no matter how pretty your film looks, nothing will matter if you don't have audio to back it up. I do absolutely nothing to fix up my lighting, but will go out of my way to get a decent microphone and spend hours in Final Cut getting the audio to work properly.
 
el jacko said:
I'm a filmmaker, of sorts. I've been making film since the sixth grade, and was writing plays before that. I'm a sophmore in college studying film, and while I'm not in a production class right now I'm getting a shoot done hopefully in November.

I actually have a personal site with some films up (mostly photographs though). You can check them all out here, though admittedly I made almost all the films in high school (except "Found & Lost" which was a group project).


Most cheap cameras nowadays can film widescreen natively, and have capture rates that imitate film (filming with a shutter speed at 30 helps a lot). He's right, though; no matter how pretty your film looks, nothing will matter if you don't have audio to back it up. I do absolutely nothing to fix up my lighting, but will go out of my way to get a decent microphone and spend hours in Final Cut getting the audio to work properly.
Click to expand...

thank you thank you. Yah I understand the whole mic thing, but I REALLY want to start with the camera first... here's why though, I would like to make short films maybe without dialog maybe with just a naration track, and as time goes on grab some decent equipment for auido. Any recommendations for audio equipment though, how much will I need?
 
akachan ningen said:
Yeah, I filmed, just footage to test shit out. I used Sony Vegas to edit. Is adobe premiere that much better, btw?
Click to expand...
I use both. Premiere makes "more sense" imo regarding the controls.

edit : Sorry for the double-post
 
i want to make films, but i always have trouble actually going forward with projects that i want to shoot. my senior year of high school i spent a good amount of time writing a script for a movie, but nothing was ever done with it. lately i've been brainstorming and putting together ideas for a short film, and hopefully this one will actually be made. i'm thinking about going to film school after i graduate college, but who knows. wanting to make and act in films has been something i've always wanted to do, so hopefully somewhere down the line i will actually be able to do that.
 
^
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

I'm sorry, but...don't do that.

Just buy a better camera if you're going to spend all that money on a 35mm adaptor/follow focus/shoulder mount.
 
oatmeal said:
I am a music video director. Will some day venture into shorts/features, but I love music videos right now.

My latest one can be seen either here:

http://www.dreamsoftproductions.com/musicvideos/planet4.html
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Hey, really dig the look and the music video in general (rock isn't my thing though)

Oh and @HV-20 : It really is weird, there's no cam in that price field and up that's able to hold up with the HV20, even the FX-1 looks worse in comparison (IQ-wise, IMO).
 
This is my cam, it's delicious:

12.jpg
 
Ok, I'm not a filmmaker nor do I want to be.. but a kid at my high school always makes these short films and everyone talks about them like they are amazing, and then I watch them, and I don't see anything good in them. Like.. not one good aspect at all.

http://runhomestudios.com/videos.php

Is it just me or do they suck?
 
oatmeal said:
Don't hate the player, hate the game.
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lol...perfect reply.....

Here's my camera. Not as good as the above...bit I am only in High School.....so im pretty much good. GOnna go high-def in college.

Panasonic-AG-DVC30-2.jpg
 
That's a great camera!

I would have killed to shoot with that in High School.

I had my families Sony Handycam...

Then in film school, I bought a friends DVX100, and then earlier this year bought the HVX200.
 
oatmeal said:
That's a great camera!

I would have killed to shoot with that in High School.

I had my families Sony Handycam...

Then in film school, I bought a friends DVX100, and then earlier this year bought the HVX200.
Click to expand...

How much does a camera like the one you have right now cost approximately? What does it do?
 
Im a film major currently going to SCAD. The best piece of advice i can give you when it comes to a making a feature, if that is what you intend on doing, is dont skip the preproduction portion. Its no fun at all but without it your shoot will be a disaster. If you get people to be on your cast and crew make sure they want to be there (unless youre paying them) Or you'll end up standing around with noone. As for a camera, unless you plan to sell your film you dont need 24p or a 35mm lens adapter. Although I love mine dearly, they are costly. You can make a world of difference with interchangable lenses. Go with A panasonic, canon, or sony.

In lighting the basic principal is a 3 point lighting system. The key light which lights your subject, The fill light, which fills their shadows on the subject not gotten by the key light, and the back light, which covers any shadows left by the key and fill lights. Somethign to try and shoot for is to get a gleam of light in your actors eyes, it makes them come to life and pop on the screen.

For shooting digital I own an Panasonic HVX200 with a letus 35mm adapter and a set of nikon lenses.

For film I own an Arriflex Arri S/B (I love this baby)
sb-front.jpg
 
i'm a film major. I prefer to work with video, though. I've never actually operated a film camera yet. Dunno if its gonna happen anytime soon.

i've made a lot of movies during high school, but only 3 actual movies with some sort of story during college. here's the 3 i've made last semester:

The Chronicle of Steven Nguyen (Wrote, Edited, Directed, Acted):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3219389620021308219

Stationery Theatre - An Eraser and Two Pencils (Wrote, Edited, Directed, Acted):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2865503280112399599

Sabishii Alfonso (Lonely Alfonso) (Edited, Directed):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8281842053813931346


if you're interested in seeing my other movies, just look at more from user. most of them i've made, but i also put up a few game commercials or whatever, so you'll have to dodge those :P

I use a Sony Handycam MiniDV for all of my movies. its ultra light, and i've got a pretty stiff arm, so i can make handheld shots be very very steady.
 
davepoobond said:
i'm a film major. I prefer to work with video, though. I've never actually operated a film camera yet. Dunno if its gonna happen anytime soon.

i've made a lot of movies during high school, but only 3 actual movies with some sort of story during college. here's the 3 i've made last semester:

The Chronicle of Steven Nguyen:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3219389620021308219

Stationery Theatre - An Eraser and Two Pencils:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2865503280112399599

Sabishii Alfonso (Lonely Alfonso):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8281842053813931346


if you're interested in seeing my other movies, just look at more from user. most of them i've made, but i also put up a few game commercials or whatever, so you'll have to dodge those :P

I use a Sony Handycam MiniDV for all of my movies. its ultra light, and i've got a pretty stiff arm, so i can make handheld shots be very very steady.
Click to expand...

you made those FOR CLASS?
 
oatmeal said:
^
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

I'm sorry, but...don't do that.

Just buy a better camera if you're going to spend all that money on a 35mm adaptor/follow focus/shoulder mount.
Click to expand...
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
a "better" camera is $6,000

pay $6,000 instead of $800 + future addons? ($800 for 35mm, everything else DIY for cheap)

Sorry. that's stupid suggestion ESPECIALLY for a beginner.
 
Okay, then spend the 1600 and get a better camera. It's not like it goes 1000 and under to 6000 with no solutions in between.

I don't know, personally, I wouldn't do that. But I guess you say "beginner" but not many beginners want a 35mm adapter. Or know how to use it properly, how many stops of light you use just by adding it, stuff like that.

The camera by itself is a fine investment, it's the addons that make it funny.
 
AlxRymnd914 said:
lol...perfect reply.....

Here's my camera. Not as good as the above...bit I am only in High School.....so im pretty much good. GOnna go high-def in college.

Panasonic-AG-DVC30-2.jpg
Click to expand...
That's a sick camera for high school. My class uses GL2s.

Though I guess we make up for the cameras in steadycams, dollys, cranes, etc.
 
Cool thread! Will post some advice later today when I have the time for it. For now, let me tell you this:

Lighting: if you basically just need stuff to not be too dark for your camera and need it to look at least 'okay' at the same time, it really isn't hard, just get some 500w work lights, try to diffuse it in some way and maybe also get some filtering gels (they're really cheap, try rosco ctb's) to make them look like daylight, otherwise any windows that will be in shot will show very blue light coming in or all the light indoors will have to look very red

Acting/directing: If you don't have fantastic actors, shoot your stuff slightly docu-style instead of classic Hollywood-style static shots with slow dolly's, pans and tilts. The latter always looks really really fake unless your actors have enough experience to know how to really light up the screen because the latter puts all the weight on the actors. But if you shoot it more loosely, some of that weight is shifted to the "I feel like I'm right there" feeling that the camera movements evoke and it makes a lot of slight acting fuckups forgiveable because the viewer is pretty much already convinced it's real. Ever watched BSG and thought "man, how can all these actors be so damn amazing, every single one?"?. Check out other shows they've done, the actors are not super-brilliant, the way it's shot compensates a shitload.
 
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