Whats a good start?

[TMegens]

Hey guys,

Im new to filmmaking and I was wondering if you got tips for me for getting started. Like whats a good workflow, good app. to start/work with (got PPro, AE atm) , good books , etc.

Thanks in advance.

Teun Megens.

 

[director15]

Make a short film.

What do you want to do in film? (like a particular job)

 

[filmmakerone]

Here are a few bits of advice for first-time filmmakers:

• • Read Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriquez.
  • Buy a mac.
  • Get an AVC-HD camera.
  • Shoot and edit as much as you can.
  • Study screenwriting.

And of course, subscribe to my podcast for beginning filmmakers, Filmmaker One.

 

[Bob Kessler]

Check out my blog on production sound:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=111888913&blogID=265521269

 

[TMegens]

Thanks guys. Today i'm going to shoot some with my cousin.

 

[director15]

Here are a few bits of advice for first-time filmmakers:

• • Read Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriquez.

• 
  
  Yeah and also go to youtube and watch is Ten Minute Film School.

 

[filmmakerone]

I strongly agree with Director 15. Rodriquez's 10-Minute Film School pieces are very good.

All of Robert Rodriquez's DVDs have fantastic extra material for filmmakers. Most include one or more 10-Minute Film School segments. One has a 10-Minute Cooking School segment that is really good also, from a culinary as well as an editing study.

And the directors commentary on the alternate sound tracks are very enlightening. He talks in depth about his style of directing, cinematography, editing and producing. Great stuff.

The DVD for El Marachi is particularly appropriate for a first-time filmmaker. I think it still sells as a double disc set with Desparado. Check Amazon. A super bargain for any student off film technique.

 

[director15]

It definitely helped me out. Hope it helps him out .

 

[Screenplay Readers]

I'm a big proponent of just jumping in and making films. There's so many great books and websites (like this one) to help new moviemakers these days, it makes me wish I hadn't grown up in the 80's and 90's!!

Good luck!
Brian

 

[cybersarge]

Also a good thing that I've found helps. Depending on what type of movie/director/editor/whatever that you want to get into/do is to go to your local video store and rent a shit load of videos in that genre/by that director/whatever. And take lots of notes on pacing, editing, etc. You may not be able to emulate all that's done in that feild, but it gives you a fair idea of what to do.

 

[filmmakerone]

Yes, NetFlix can be your best friend.

And don't forget the old trick of watching them with the sound turned off. Turn off the sound so you are not distracted by the audio. This is the best way to study editing, camera technique, timing and such.

 

[TMegens]

Wow awesome advice guys. Thanks a lot.
We've been shooting our first film. So much fun even tough it was a serious film.
Ill sure use these advices. Thanks again.

 

[director15]

Post us up a youtube link when your finished so we can give you some constructive criticism.

 

[TMegens]

Ok, guys. Here is my first video. I did the acting myself...yes i know, kind of crappy, but someone had to do it. My cousin did the camera job and i did the editing part. Im not used to these applications yet. Especially AEE is still weird to me. Hope you can give me so good crits.
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=yzuzyluBEvU
Oh P.s. should have put more time into editing, but i wanted to have my first film finished
[EDIT]Important!: When the character is watching a youtube video in the film it's about being able to eat mushrooms straight out of the forrest without getting ill or something.[/EDIT]

 

[pharpsied]

Here are a few bits of advice for first-time filmmakers:

• • Read Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriquez.
  • Buy a mac.
  • Get an AVC-HD camera.
  • Shoot and edit as much as you can.
  • Study screenwriting.

And of course, subscribe to my podcast for beginning filmmakers, Filmmaker One.

I hate to be a jerk, but I think that is bad advice...

Get what you can afford in order to learn, move up later when you get a chance. Was waiting out for an HVX for my first camera and came upon a slightly used (about 50 hours) DVX100a for about $1500, should I have let it pass...

Read Rebel without a Crew along with Directing Actors (Judith Weston) and maybe The Film Director (Richard Bare- I learned so much from this book it's freaking unbelievable) and a few other books on shots and coverage, lighting and exposure of digital images, etcetera; you know, study up so you won't look like a schlub.

Then shoot and edit as much as you can with good, no, near perfect technique (exposure and composition) and creative workarounds (that what Rebel will show you).
Edit on whatever catches your fancy. In music there is a standard- Protools, and then there are others that are just as good if not better- Nuendo. The same paradigm exists in Video. I was introduced to editing on a dual processor G4 and the weapon of choice; Final Cut Pro.
I loved it.
Alas, I found out that upgrading was cost prohibitive at the time...
I began searching around and discovered a program called Vegas Pro. At the current time it was in it's 7th generation and was gearing up of the release of its 8th incarnation. I played with a demo of 8 and loved the look and feel... It was like a DAW but with pictures. I still have my Mac, love it and still work on it, but I went and bought an inexpensive but powerful PC and bought Sony Vegas for a fourth of the price of FCP and I run that exclusively for editing, don't even touch FCP anymore. I got After Effects and I love my editing station; my workflow is extremely smooth. If I followed the above advice I might still be saving up $1600.00 for just the editor and $3000.00 for the computer. You've got choices!

Finally, study story telling and then story telling for the screen. Screenwriting is often times boiled down to script formatting and the aspect of storytelling is shat upon

Please forgive my impertinence!

Sorry for the long post.

 

[Red Prince]

I did the acting myself...yes i know, kind of crappy, but someone had to do it.

Nothing crappy about your acting! You were very good, very natural, very realistic, very believable. I was quite impressed by your acting.

 

[filmmakerone]

pharpsied, I think all your advice is great, and believe that we agree more than we disagree.

Is it my camera choice that you think is bad advice? Well sure, if you can't buy a $900, then certainly get something that you can afford and start shooting now. No argument there. I started with paper and pencil before moving up to a B&W vid camera tethered to a BetaMax deck!

And if by story telling, you mean dramatic structure, then I wholeheartedly agree. Lots of good books on this. I like Michael Tierno's annotated Aristotle's Poetics. Many consider Aristotle to have written "the bible of dramatic structure." But I think reading the more screenwritey work of Syd Field is just as important.

Coincidently, I just completed a podcast episode on dramatic structure, it's importance, and how to learn it. Give it a listen if you have a few minutes. You can find it at FilmmakerOne.com or at iTunes.

tracy

 

[TMegens]

I did the acting myself...yes i know, kind of crappy, but someone had to do it.

Nothing crappy about your acting! You were very good, very natural, very realistic, very believable. I was quite impressed by your acting.

Wow thanks man. Felt weirder than it looks perhaps

Get what you can afford in order...

Thanks so much for the advice and I sure will take it with me.

 

[TMegens]

Someone who has some more usefull crits on the shortfilm?

 

[director15]

I haven't had time yet. Is it in English?