Tips for beginning filmmakers!

I am the staff advisor to the film club at the University of Arkansas. I have been involved in filmmaking since around 2001 when I volunteered on the set of “Barberian Poet”, a film that hasn’t been finished yet. I mostly hung around the camera crew and gleaned little bits of knowledge here and there. After that, I taught myself how to edit and shoot video. I took out a student loan and bought myself a video camera and custom built a video editing computer. Since then, I have been constantly working on improving my craft. I have selected my projects with care and don’t commit to a project I know I am not interested in. Usually each project forces me to learn a new skill or technique and I build upon my existing knowledge base. I am not an expert and don’t claim to be the best short filmmaker out there. I’m not and never will be. I am just a guy who enjoys making videos and have a little bit of a reputation of someone who knows a little about filmmaking. Sometimes people ask me for pointers and I am happy to provide them. So here is a little advice I have for people interested in making films.

Good ideas are everywhere
Don’t think just because you have a good idea that you’re going to be able to do it… Leadership is what’s hard to come by. I’m not talking about someone who can organize things, anyone can do that, i’m talking about someone who can sell the movie to people and places, somebody who can create and stir up passion in other people. Otherwise they bail at the first obstacle.

Expect obstacles
If this was easy everyone would do it. If you run into a problem it doesn’t matter what it is, you just gotta work through it. Rewrite the script, cut the scene, re shoot, whatever it takes, just work through the problem.

Pay people
It doesn’t matter how much or in what form you pay them, but they will be loyal for much longer if you pay them. Be organized. If you aren’t people will know it and bail on you. It doesn’t long for people to get annoyed. Have a back up plan on most locations. Try not to have very many locations.

Practice
Practice the shots, practice the script, act it out before you bring in actors, practice using your camera, practice everything so that when the moment happens you don’t screw it up.

Finish something
If you get started on the project and recruit people to help out, give them something even if the project fizzles. which does happen. You don’t want to develop a reputation as somebody big on talk and small on action.

Don’t start with a feature!
start with a short film, maybe 10 mins, so that you can learn the basics. It will save you time and money in the long run to have something under your belt. It will also help with recruiting.

check out {my website} and watch a film called carousel to see a good example of true guerilla short film making. We used my apartment and two actors and I did everything else. It was tough but it was a superb experience. let me know if you have any specific questions. also check out {www.celtx.com} for a free screenwriting/planning and collaboration tool…