Question by : Film and television course portfolio confusion!?
I am going into college next year, to study television and film production. I need a porfolio to get in. I have no experiance whatsoever I’m only 16. I thought I’d do a preperation post leaving certificate course which ” helps you build your porfolio” but u need a porfolio to get into it too! I’m confused as to what to do, where do I even begin to make a porfolio, I don’t have professional equipment or anything and I don’t take art classes, all I know is I love making movies, none of hat I have made is very proffesional. Just little clips on a regular camcorder. How can make something brilliant if I have’n learned how to yet. Does anyone see where I’m coming from.
Best answer:
Answer by MrSandman
No – before Steven Spielberg made his first feature length film, he made a short five minute film called Amblin. Incidentally his production company is now called Amblin. He was only a teenager at the time, and had no formal training in film making. He is not alone. Many successful film makers started off with making amateur short films using basic equipment. A successful film maker needs to inherit an entrepeneurial like drive. With no training in film production, Stanley Kubrick got behind the camera and made a short film about the mental preparation a boxer goes through ten minutes before he enters the ring. It was nothing special, and no reflection of what was to come from this immensly talented director, but at least it demonstrated his dedication to film making, and good experience on which to develop his natural talent.
As for developing a portfolio you can be proud of, I would first attend a short photography course at your local college and then go out and take a few nice photographs. Kubrick began his career as a photographer. You can edit them using Adobe Photoshop. Once you have done that choose the ones you like the most and lay them out in a nice folder, with a short caption under each photograph. Next I will make a short film, preferably an interesting documentary on a thought provoking subject rather than a fictional story because you don’t need to write a script and hire a team of actors to play the parts. Dark subjects are compelling to watch on television and if done properly frequently make the best documentaries. e.g prostitution, homeless, drug abuse, steroid taking, gang crime. Or you may want to take a leaf of stanley kubricks book and make a documentary about the run up to a major event. e.g. a band staging their first concert. You may need to hire a decent digital camera and sound recording equipment to get good quality video but it doesn’t need to cost the earth. Books on filmmaking can help you make a short documentary. Be original!!!!!
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