Recent content by FredGinsburg

As a student or low budget, independent filmmaker -- finding actors and casting your project is always a difficult hurdle. But as TALENT, as eager as you are to help out a fellow filmmaker (and to build your own reel), you must practice common sense caution these days. 1) Is the project...

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSY8LG6gVbQSXUWAM_P-uAYL9rpnrk2in This is the link to a series of 13 short videos that I wrote and consulted on, 6 years ago, for Audio Technica. Lots of great information about using lavs and boom mics.

You need an agent. Unsolicited scripts are NOT READ, NOT OPENED, RETURNED TO SENDER. Thank the lawyers! Now to get an agent, you need to be published, with a byline. Print is preferable, but online for a bona fide, major website is often acceptable as well. So, if you want to be a professional...

One of the most common questions that I get from students asking advice about choosing a film school is whether or not it is better to attend one of the larger (and more famous) universities versus some of the "smaller" (and lesser ranked) state schools. Each have their pro's and con's. The...

You are making a film, not having a firefight with bad guys. It is FICTION. It is CINEMA. Is the make, model, chrome appearance so critical? There is no need for a hard to find, rare appearing prop that emulates real firing. Just use an air soft, or a rubber molding. Gunshot muzzle blasts are...

I think it depends on what your goal is, in terms of WHY you want a Masters Degree. If you already have a BA in filmmaking, then you probably won't benefit that much from another degree. If your undergrad degree is in something else, and you want to add filmmaking to your education -- then I...

Unless you KNOW someone, it is difficult to submit a script in Hollywood. This is due to the fear of a producer being sued after a film comes out by someone claiming that their idea was ripped off. So the best way to get your script read is for it to be submitted by an agent. To get an agent, it...

I believe that it is important to denote between story telling and screenwriting. To tell and create a good story, it is important to truly understand the topic, or to write from life experience. Writing about something that you barely understand always results in mediocrity. Learn what makes...

Business Cards: Avoid small fonts that are hard to read. Avoid dark backgrounds that you cannot write notes on. Include a small photo so people can associate your face to the name. Keep the back side blank to accommodate notes. Create a Signature Look: When networking a busy venue such as a...

I might also add that it is important to view it from your audience's frame of reference. Do not use implied symbolism that you did not establish, example: white colors represent death, or a certain flower represents life. Also, you need to firmly hook your viewers' attention early on. Do not...

The biggest issue that I have encountered with my students trying to raise money for their films is failing to answer the universal question: What's in it for me? (the investor). Sure, we know what's in it for the student (the money to make a film showcasing their abilities), but what benefit...

Do not limit your education just to film tech! Think about what you will be doing after you graduate... and what skills you should have in addition to film/video technology. Accounting is very important, if you are going to run your own company. Psychology, sociology, anthropology, criminology...

You should be comfortable with basic math and algebra, because you need to work with financial numbers all of the time. Filmmaking is a business, not just an art. Also, dealing with frame rates, memory, optics, and so on -- all require being able to do snap calculations in your head, or at the...

These days, the difference is not much. Cinematography is shooting moving images, on film. Videography is shooting moving images, in digital recording. In the old days, the contrast ratios, image resolution, frame rates, scan rates (video) all contributed to different variables that the...

Do NOT encourage cast & crew to drive themselves, unless they are locals and have properly equipped 4x4s rigged to handle snow covered terrain. Ask around; maybe find a local off-road club to help you with the transportation. They would probably be thrilled to assist on a movie, and it is a lot...