Question by Captain Haddock: What is the best course of action for aspiring filmmakers?
Best answer:
Answer by grimsbaugh
The first thing you should do is figure out which aspect of film making thrills you the most. Film making is not a solo effort and there are many facets that are challenging. A director needs a director of photography, editor, sound designer, producer, screenplay writer and even camera operator or audio engineer to make movies.
Sure, you can go to some affluent school that will drum theory into your head, but practical experience is best. Don’t just watch & talk about movies: roll up your sleeves & dive in!
Look around your community to find other film makers who are actually rolling footage (don’t worry, there’s always a few brave souls out there) and volunteer to do anything on the set. Whether you have to set lights, hold a boom pole, script supervise (a glorified term for feeding actors their lines) or general PA (Production Assistant) duties, you’ll BE on a set and can LEARN how to do (or not do) things. Sometimes the greatest teacher is other people making mistakes that you can avoid when you get to doing your film. Most local productions will welcome the help AND age is usually not an issue (unless you’re under 16 or the material is of an adult nature).
Also, I’d suggest getting together with your like-minded friends, getting a decent mini-DV camera and experimenting. This way you’ll run into everyday difficulties (such as lighting & sound issues) as well as learning how to frame a shot that YOU like. Doing it yourself gives you insight on the many different jobs that go into creating a scene.
Speaking as someone who has made an Independent film (writer/director/producer), the most important aspect of making a movie is surrounding yourself with people who share and/or believe in the vision of your movie. With little or no money to create your masterpiece (which is usually the case for aspiring filmmakers), these people will become your foundation & driving force to help you achieve your goal. Never be afraid to take suggestions from ANYONE, but always remember that YOU are the one in charge. And NEVER forget to appreciate your cast & crew EVERYDAY.
Also, it never hurts to write the screenplay you’re directing 😉
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!