Highschool Students First Film

I think that article is trying to get across the idea that you shouldn't use these types of shots just because you can or because you saw them once and they looked cool. Rather, use them as a story device when it really is the best solution. But I see almost everything he wrote on there used professionally, on television shows that are very, very high quality, etc. So I think the point is more to use things because they make sense, not just because you can.

I'm scripting this comedy short now, and although I own a dolly and porta-jib, the shots I want to do, because of the way characters interact (they are all sitting scenes, there is no walking or wide shots really), don't require any of those more complicated camera movement devices. So despite the equipment I have I will probably stick with the sticks, haha. I don't want to pull out the jib just because I can, or just because I own it. I want equipment usage to be motivated by the story.
 
My view on doing all the cliche stuff is that you should just go ahead and do it to get it out of your system. Every filmmaker should outgrow the temptation to do "cool" shots for the sake of it and God knows nobody ever listens when you tell them that everything should be motivated. The best way to learn is just to actually do it and realize that it doesn't work. First time I got my dolly the camera was on it for 90% of the shoot. Then I got bored and move on to rack focusing, then crane moves, shallow DOF and so on etc.
 
haha, that sounds about right. But I think it's not always necessary to play with new toys right away. I was on a 20-day corporate shoot across 7 states and it was always a discussion with each room (it was virtual tour footage mostly) whether to tripod it, dolly it, or jib it. We had all three options. Of course we wanted to give everything a really professional feel and give the client value, rather than just sit a camera on a tripod for every shot. But then again, some rooms are simply too small to use a jib or dolly and a tripod with a wide-angle lens is your best option. It's just all about the right tool for the job.

I shot a music video a few weeks ago where, because of the number of extras we had show up compared to how many we expected, we had to shoot mostly medium and tight shots, rather than any wider shots. We used the jib somewhat sparingly compared to on past efforts, and because it was supposed to be a more rugged video, grittier, etc., we avoided the dolly entirely. It just wouldn't have been appropriate for the theme, having really smooth, slow dolly movements with this wild, crowded rocking scene. Yet sometimes the dolly gives a shot such a smooth, professional feel by adding subtle motion that really enhances your final project.

I think, and so apparently do most of the big filmmakers because that's part of where I get my opinions from, if you can add visual eye candy and it is called for in the story, you absolutely should. There's no reason not to keep your scenes visually interesting. But there's a time and place for everything. Doing something just because you can is really not a good idea, but if your character can be walking, for instance, through an office while he's on the phone and you can throw a desk in the foreground with some interesting objects on it, and then dolly by the desk so you get some eye candy in the foreground and some nice movement, rather than tripod on a character sitting still talking on the phone, let's say, that's going to enhance what could have been a pretty boring scene by quite a bit.

And there is something to be said for the way the camera moves as far as a project having a professional feel. Even though I'll probably tripod basically this entire short I'm shooting, in general I think tripod-only shoots can come dangerously close to amateur student filmmaking where they lacked the tools to do anything more sophisticated than placing the camera somewhere and filming it like theater. But on a tripod, you can still make your camera work interesting and powerful, you just need a really good DP and a director and editor who understand how to get the most out of the situations / footage.
 
Not too sure about filling the foreground with good looking eye candy since it may distract the viewer's attention on details that don't add up to anything. I'm torn on that one at the moment, as I love movies like Three Days of the Condor where every shot is packed with information.
 
*shrug* It depends on the type of film, but I think it's usually a good idea. Then again, I think viewers aren't idiots -- I love the Star Wars films because there is so much going on at one time, they have much more replay value, I can look at the edge of the frames and notice cool stuff. You can't do that with every movie. And it's not distracting to me at all.
 
I can't believe this is an ongoing thread!!!! lol.
and yes, I'm making it worst by bumping it up to the top! :)~
 
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yeah this thread is getting ridiculously long. But I'm still taking some advice out of it.

Thanks guys.
 
So, I've been curiously following this thread since I've "been there" so to speak. 18 and not really knowing how to make this whole "film thing" work. I'd been making movies since I was ten, so I had some experience. Most of that stuff was experimental, helping me learn the technology. My senior year, I made my first narrative short as a Senior Project. I kept it simple, no dialouge, just music, and tried to tell the story visually. It wasn't until I graduated that I did my first short dialgoue film.

A note about dialgoue: (This comes from either Tarrantino or Rodriguez, I can't remember which) Get two characters together and have them start talking. Soon, even you will be surprised by what they say. I know it sounds dumb, but it's true!

At this point, I say one the major things to consider is that you need to write a film that you can make. One of my first projects after high school was way to ambitious and unfortunatly I didn't realize that until much later on in the production. Granted, I did learn a lot from it, but I just wasn't ready for it.

Just keep making movies and make movies that you can make. Add production value by taking stock of what you have available. And never let anyone tell you you can't do it.

I was 22 when I shot my first feature. I had a budget of 600 dollars. Everyone told me it couldn't be done. But I didn't listen. It turned out amazing and is already helping to raise funding for the sequel. Check out the journal here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=156104

And if you have any questions, feel free to message me.

One last thing, if you don't have "hollywood grade" equipment, don't try. I had SD gear. I knew how to make it look like 16mm, so I opted to go the B-movie route. At the end of the day, most people (this includes investors) can't tell the film was shot on a camera from Best Buy. Take advantage of the position you're in and use it to try something you may not have considered before.
 
Thanks. You're Actually getting this thread back to what i intended of it, rather than ranting and bashing college like its not valuable.

Appreciated
 
Hey,
Just stumbled across this thead... but thought I'd throw in my two cents (or more!)...

I'm actually from the Buffalo, NY area, too... so I know how difficult it is in terms of lack of resources. As you have one more semester left before college, I suggest exhausting whatever resources we have in the Buffalo area... do an internship, talk to local film professors & students, work on indie film sets. Experience and the knowledge you can gain from those who are experienced are invaluable. I am currently in my second year at a school in California, and I do see the ups and downs of being at school versus just getting out there and going for it. In the end it really depends on how much initiative you are willing to put into what you do. Are you going to go out and meet people, get your hands on equipment, and seek excellence as you work at whatever job you have? An education can be found in and outside the classroom... but you have to go get it. If you're interested in cinematography, keep working on your framing, lighting, etc. even with your old camera. Yes, good camera quality will enhance a good shot... but it doesn't make it. You say you write... that's awesome--we seriously need some good writers in the industry. Read scripts (script-o-rama.com), keep writing, and show your scripts to a wide variety of people to get feedback. Want to be a director? Understand both the technical and story aspect of film... and learn how to effectively communicate with people. Watch BTS movies and watch how directors work. DVXUser.com, as you probably have found, is a great resource... watch people's videos, read their production blogs... just make sure you take what you learn and implement it in your work.

I'm going to stop blabbing on and on... but one last thing. Be inspired, dedicated, and excellent at what you do. There are tons and tons of people out there trying to make it into the industry--I have to face the reality that if I were to look at the numbers, the odds of "making it" are slim. So what's going to set you a part? What do you bring? Sure, you can never bank on anything... but do what is in your control. And then pray that everything else works out. :-)
 
Thanks.

Ive been working on a short for a while but, the weather has really not been my friend. I had equipment rented and actors ready and then a few storms came in. So hopefully this month ill get things in motion. Ill let you know how it goes. Maybe a follow up post or something. Put my video up on vimeo.
 
I remember shooting a couple of shorts (3-5 mins duration) when I was at college 2 yrs ago. I'd like to give a few tips that'll (hopefully) help every1 (but will probably help new film makers more).

My tips:
1. When writing a script, it's best to write out the story first.When writing a story,try to find something that can will inspire you as well as give you more ideas.A good story should set the theme well, is easy to follow through, and fit's in with what you're trying to create.When I have the chance, I'll upload some examples.

1b.Once that's done,write down what the actors will be doing and saying in the scene.It's best to write down what to do in italics as it won't distract from the lines that are meant to be said.That's how I did it.

2. Write a plan on what equipment you'll need (or rent) as well as props, and whatever else you'll need, then look out for suitable actors or people who you know can fit the roles properly. It's best to sound convincing when asking people to be part of the short film.

3.You'll need to agree on suitable times for filming it all but don't forget to tell them what the film's about. It's best to give out copies of your script to the actors before going further.

4.Grab your gear and get filming

5.When you finished filming what's needed, capture it onto your PC with a movie editor.If using expensive software get the trials first , as you'll know if it's any good or not.

6.When editing, you'll want to find music that goes with the theme of your film,. the best way is to transfer the Mp3s (from whatever source you got them from) you have onto your (portable)drive.It's best to watch the film footage and then listen to the music to see whether it fits in or not.I did this for my film shoots.

7.When everything's sorted and the film is edited, get it out there for people to see (family, friends, students, the internet even). I used a trial version of Premiere Pro CS4. Tip for you:If u wanna get this and you're a student/teacher at high school, college or uni, it cheaper to get it in the Production Premium CS4 suite as you get loads of tools for about £370 (UK) including Premiere Pro CS4 whereas getting this separately can cost £399, the last time I checked but do check it as well as good deals can often change.

I hope that info's helpful and good luck for your film shoot:)
 
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Good tips, Mega Man. I remember that on my first digital short, I wrote the script in Word, doing just what you did. Now though, I couldn't work without a formatted script. It's just easier. For the price and features, I'm a huge supporter of Celtx, which you can get here. Once you write the script, you can do your breakdowns so you know what you need in each scene, and you can then schedule your shoot and print out the schedule, all in one program! The best part? It's free!

Personally, I use Vegas 7.0 for editing. I used Premiere in high school, and when I graduated, I came across a trial for Vegas 4. I really liked it, and liked how you can do ANYTHING from the one program. It's like combining Final Cut or Avid with After Effects. For me, it was a good choice. If you're a Linux user, Cinelerra is the best program on the Linux platform. All the others are too much like Movie Maker, or i-Movie. I switched my laptop over to Linux, so that's what I run on it. Cinelerra allows for multiple tracks, and even allows chroma key. Not bad for open source.

When it comes down to it, Vegas, Premiere and Final Cut are all great programs. Like Mega Man said, try out the software and use the one that YOU like best.
 
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