Can you make a film with no experience?

Good day student filmmakers from all over the world! I have seen many tutorials online of teenagers making great brolls using their iphones and it made me think if someone can make a film with no experience. I have always wanted to make a film but the fact that I did not go to film school and I do not have the budget to purchase the expensive cameras discouraged me. I have found this community and I really wish to know your opinion about this because obviously most of you have already made feature films or short films. Is there a possibility for me to make a film with no experience? How can I become a filmmaker with no experience or film school studies?
 
Hello Colton and welcome to our extended community!

You have asked if someone can make a film with no experience and the short answer is YES! However, there are some things that you need to consider, and I will go into detail.

1. Making a film has a few requirements: gear, actors, editing software, props, a budget and a lot of time. Don’t worry if you don’t have a big budget, expensive gear, actors or props when you are just starting.

2. You don’t need professional gear to get started. As you mentioned, you can use a smartphone. You might, however, need a Lavalier, preferably a wireless one.

3. Lights are important and they can better the quality of your films. If you don’t have at least a ringlight, try making the most out of natural light: use windows, for outdoor shoots, try to shoot early in the morning when the sun rises, avoid Contre-jour (it’s best to have the lights in your subject’s face, not in his back).

4. At first, you might not have professional actors or a budget to hire them. On the other hand, you can ask your friends and family to act in your films. You could also ask a local acting club to help you out or actors that are just starting in their career and need a portfolio.

5. When you write the script, you need to consider the locations you have available and the props that you can use. You will need to adapt your script and story accordingly. Because you probably have a low budget, you cannot afford to rent a location or purchase many props. You will need to get creative and improvise a lot but don’t worry, there are plenty tutorials on the internet that can help you out.

6. You can use editing software on your smartphone but it will be more difficult than using an editing software on your PC or laptop. You will need to learn editing skills or you will need to find someone who already has these skills and is willing to collaborate with you. You can find plenty tutorials on YouTube on how to use editing software but it will require a lot of time for you to learn the basics.

It will be difficult to shoot your first film because there are so many things that you don’t think about. The good part is that the more you do it, the better you become! There are many examples of self-taught cinematographers who learned everything by themselves: Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg etc.

Good luck and keep us updated!

[Later edit] Don’t forget to take Production Stills while you are working on your movies and share them with our community!
 
None of us has any experience when we are just starting. We are born into this world without knowing how to talk or walk and yet we learn them anyway. It is the same with making films.
 
Look at all these high school students who make their first films and upload them on their youtube channel and tik tok. Some of them get really popular and viral. You don't need a college degree to make a movie and you don't need an outstanding filmmaking career either. You just need to do your own research, at your own pace and start working on it.
 
Thank you for your responses! You have given me hope and courage to start working on my first short film. It can be intimidating to see so many good films that are being made by others.
 
Good day student filmmakers from all over the world! I have seen many tutorials online of teenagers making great brolls using their iphones and it made me think if someone can make a film with no experience. I have always wanted to make a film but the fact that I did not go to film school and I do not have the budget to purchase the expensive cameras discouraged me. I have found this community and I really wish to know your opinion about this because obviously most of you have already made feature films or short films. Is there a possibility for me to make a film with no experience? How can I become a filmmaker with no experience or film school studies?
Yes! you can become a filmmaker without any experience. Everyone starts with zero. If you have an interest in film making then start implementing it don't waste your idea or the script. Other than that you must have smartphones, with the help of that you can start your shoot. For acting ask your friends or your family members to help you with this.
Light is the most essential part of filmmaking try to cover the maximum part of your movie in daylight as you don't have an iPhone or camera or some specific lights. Implement your idea first then you will realize what you need more in your movie or what are the things you need to change.
Once you will upload the video then only people will get to know about you and the audience reach will increase.
 
By all means, make a film as others have suggested. But: sound.

TLDR: there are ways inexperienced filmmakers can get good sound; see below.

There are only two kinds of sound in movies: good and terrible. Sound is way harder than picture, and much more important. Bad sound ruins good picture; good picture can't redeem bad sound. The only way to learn and/or get ahead is by someone watching your movie, and no one wants to watch a movie with bad sound: any movie made with bad sound was a waste of everyone's time.

Inexperienced people don't know the difference between what they hear in their earbuds while making the movie and what the audience will hear: large, important difference. They don't know where to put a microphone. This means that poorly trained sound people usually record very bad sound.

No money to hire a professional sound recordist? Some ideas:
-- make a movie with a voice-over narrator; record the voice-over with the microphone near the actor's mouth
-- try having the actors in a scene wear bluetooth earbuds and record their voices on a recording app on their phones; this puts the microphone near the actors' mouths. Some have snipped a bud off of wired earbuds and used its microphone as a DIY budget lavalier microphone.
-- make learning sound one of the first things you do in your journey into filmmaking
 
the film industry is a dream career. A lot of people aspire to work in film but don't take the first steps to make it happen. Even if you currently have no experience, you will be able to work in film if you are willing to put in the time and hard work. techzpod download mobdro
 
Last edited:

Network Sponsors

Back
Top