Filmmaking is something you learn largely from doing, and frankly I’ve not been doing most of this very long.
But I feel you pick up so much so fast that I thought, after three short films and three more in production, a few festivals and now, development on a full-length feature, I’ve picked up a few things might be worth sharing. You can call them filmmaking tips, I prefer to look at them more as a loose collection of thoughts.
- Your way isn’t the only way.
- A pathological zeal for organization will save you on set.
- Many of your plans will fall through, for one reason or another. Be flexible.
- Get out of the way of the actors.
- Your rough cut will suck. And that’s okay.
- Story is everything to your film.
- Conflict is everything to your story.
- Crews respect directors who listen.
- Crews respect directors who learn their names.
- You can’t get every shot you want. Prioritize.
- There is never enough time.
- There is never enough money.
- Amazing actors cannot save an awful script.
- But watch what great actors can do with a a great script (in other words, don’t rush the writing… or the casting).
- Move the damn camera.
- Not every shot needs to be on slider, though.
- DSLRs will be more cinematic rigged up; they’ll be heavy, like real cinema cameras, and move like real cinema cameras.
- Diffusion is your best friend. Soft light makes things pretty.
- Shallow depth of field looks cinematic, but not every shot calls for it.
- Everything in service of the story. Everything.
- A single zoom lens might save you money (and time) over a set of primes, but limit yourself to two or three focal lengths.
- There is nothing more important than the safety of your cast and crew.
- Always be willing to teach someone just starting out.
- Always be willing to learn from someone who knows more.
- Lose your temper and you also lose respect.
