Filmmaking Stuff
Filmmaking Stuff provides resources for independent filmmakers. The website includes articles on how to take a story idea from script to screen, including articles on scriptwriting, producing, finance, shooting, editing, directing, marketing, distribution and how to build an audience. Filmmaking Stuff also has articles detailing how to make money making movies – including interviews with Hollywood Producers, Directors, writers and other filmmaking professionals.
For those of you looking for Movie Lighting Techniques, you should know there are multiple ways to light a scene and there is no really wrong or right way to light a scene… just as long as it fits the story.
The first piece of advice is watch a bunch of movies and TV shows and see how the pros do it. See how the lighting setup is creating a certain style and what kind of mood they are trying to convey.
This even works for the news – watch this type of setup and you will find it has flat lighting. They have no shadows and they want to keep everything neutral.
Another thing to look for is looking into the talent’s eyes. There you will find where the key light is. For sit down interviews that will normally be around 10 and 2 o’clock in the pupil.
So the main question when it comes to lighting a scene in the narrative world is – where do I want the shadows.
For comedies, they have a flat lighting setup. There’s not that many shadows involved.
Just remember your story and what kind of emotion you want to convey. Translate that into your lighting design.
What kind of lights to use?
Tungsten is a pretty harsh light when it’s left by itself. This look like create harsh shadows and could work very well for a noir or a horror film. The one downside about tungsten is that they do get hot and if you’re shooting indoors in a small room the temperature will go up.
A thing with DSLR cameras is that they don’t really require that much lighting but you still need to light. An option would be LED lights. They are always cool to touch and they also don’t require a lot of wattage. So if you’re filming in an old house and worried about blowing fuses, this could be a good option. They can create shadows but they won’t be as harsh as using a tungsten light.This is sort of an in between light.
What if you just want to create a simple, ambient light? You’re on a budget but you need to light the talent’s face with something. The cheapest and best solution would be with China balls. You can add a dimmer and you can really control the amount of throw these lights have.
Some key tools to have in your lighting package:
Gels. CTO 1/4, 1/2 and full. CTB 1/4, 1/2 and full. These will help balance your lights if you’re shooting with a mixture of different types of lighting. Usually tungsten is 3200K and LEDs are around 5600K. So if you want your LED to match your tungsten light, you are going to have to add some CTO in order for it to match.
Diffusion material. Cuts down on the amount of light that is being thrown. A cheap… very cheap way of doing this is using wax paper. If you have a budget, there’s a variety of different diffusion out there. 250 is a good start.
Dimmers. Work the same as diffusion, but this works well if you don’t need to have a 1K light full blast.
Black wrap. This is a foil you can wrap around your light and it controls the amount of spill your light produces. If you want to light a counter top, but you don’t want the light to spill onto the wall, you can just makeshift your own setup by wrapping this around the light. This also works well if you want to create some kind of pattern on the wall and it helps you avoid flat lighting.
That’s the basic rundown of materials needed to light a scene. Just remember, it always starts from the script and try your best to enhance the story with your lighting.
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Joseph Ort is an independent filmmaker who has spent the last decade working on his own independent film projects. He is also co-owner of a small based Los Angeles Production company – Shadowmind Productions. More articles can be found at: ShadowmindProductions.com/blog
You need filmmaker release forms for everybody. Point blank. Don’t skimp here. Get a lawyer.
Get releases for locations, actors, crew and anybody who shows up on camera… Pretty much if someone is working with you, you need paperwork. You will want to make sure you have legal releases for everyone associated with your project. Also, since you’re probably hard up for cash, check with your state. Most states have lawyers who can help you with your artistic legal needs at a discount, based on your income.
Based on my experience, the name of the game is CYA (Cover Your Ass). You will want a release from everyone working on your movie, including the guy cooking the food. You’ll also want a release from the actors as well as the location owners. Should any corporate logos make their way into your movie, you’ll need permission from the corporation. And if you’re getting music for your film, make sure ALL copyright holders sign (not just the singer)!
The other thing you’ll want is some production insurance for your movie. Liability insurance will help in the event someone gets hurt on set. There are also people who recommend you consider Errors and Omissions insurance even in preproduction. For more information on the types of insurance you’ll need, contact folks in the online filmmaking forums.
“The Movie Man“ a little Filmmaking Fable of what not to do…
I know a guy who came to Hollywood. He was a pretty good director. And he wanted nothing more than to direct a feature.
To achieve his goal, he convinced a bunch of people to work with him.
Promises were made. Agreements were signed.
This guy did or said anything it took to achieve his goal – And as a result, he directed his first feature.
Turns out this guy was full of crap. His promises were broken. And his agreements were forgotten. Long story short, this “director” burnt every bridge he could. He lost his girlfriend. He lost his friends. Then he left town.
Now he is on the east coast of the US. His new game is to go into small towns, where he convinces people to pay for his movies. And his strategy seems to be working. In at least two towns, he has convinced locals to rally in support. Promises were made. Agreements were signed. But in both instances, after the movie wrapped – guess what?
This guy left town.
Now this idiot is moving on to a third town. And while I know karma is a bitch (and he will never find REAL success), I wanted to share this story as an example of what not to do.
A little success tip? Your word is your world. Break it, and your world will collapse – eventually. And secondly, it is probably a good idea to get a gazillion references before you bring someone new into your filmmaking world.
Today’s Filmmaking guest article comes from U.K. based writer, director and producer Suzie Halewood. Her and I got the opportunity to meet during her last visit to Los Angeles. And I was very much impressed with her story and experience. Today she shares some awesome filmmaking tips – which serve as a very nice case study for any independent filmmaker embarking on a bigger than life project…
Here is the trailer:
FILMMAKER’S STORY
The day we started filming Bigga Than Ben we had £77K in the bank. This may sound a lot (depending on your ambition) but it’s never enough and it shifts – fast. By the end of the shoot we raised a further £45K (loan and remortgage) and shot the film for £122K.
PLAN POST PRODUCTION
The post cost the same again. Sort out your post deals up front. Make sure every element you need for delivery is pre-agreed and signed off. On paper.
FILM EQUIPMENT HOUSES
The great thing about equipment houses is that they’ll lend out their stuff gratis when it isn’t being used. You of course offer them a stake in the film – it’s going to be a success after all – and they accept. They’re experienced enough to know their stake will amount to diddly. It’s the relationship that counts. They won’t lend anything without insurance and this is one cost that can’t be avoided.
Make sure generosity is rewarded. Equipment houses like theatrical posters for their halls and invites to screenings (whether they attend or not). This relationship is going to serve you extremely well in the future. Nurture it.
HAVE A PHOTOGRAPHER ON SET
I might be kidding myself, but the actual shoot turned out to be the easiest part of the whole process. This is because it’s the only time you have an entire team behind you. You need one throughout – you just won’t be able to afford it. Make sure you cover all the potential PR angles.
Have a photographer on set. You will forever thank yourself that you have hundreds and perhaps thousands of pictures to accompany your PR campaign. And get someone to film an EPK/making of. Make sure the actors know there is someone filming the EPK and limit their exposure to this – downtime is just that and they don’t want a camera in their face 24/7.
KEEP CURRENT WITH TAX INCENTIVES
Producing is thankless – especially if you feel grubby & cheap asking for money. After all, both you and the investor know how hard it is to make money back from film (it doesn’t need to be – we’ll get to middle men later) but there are enough tax incentives to make it attractive – in the UK risk outlay can be reduced by 70% depending on tax position through the EIS scheme. We didn’t run an EIS for Bigga, but it’s worth it.
Keep up-to-date with all available tax incentives – makes the job of raising money a lot easier. You’ll sound more professional if you understand and can explain the financials. Run your business plan by an accountant/lawyer. Chances are you won’t be sued. But you can if you offer the world in a legal document and fail to deliver.
BE PATIENT WITH YOUR SCREENINGS
A common mistake (guilty, your honor) is to rush your film out too fast. You’ve sweated over this thing. You want to pay back your investors and your creative ego would like some rave reviews and an active imdb feature credit. Remember, at this stage YOU CANNOT SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES. Luckily, if you’re not a studio pic, you’re not tied to a timetable. Screen the first cut to friends, take notes. Do not (as I did) end up re-editing after the sound mix. It improved the film, but it cost me £25K and that’s a loan + interest I’m still paying off – to Nat West/RBS – a bank being sued by companies and individuals on both sides of the Atlantic…but that’s another film.
Hold fire. Be sure. Even if everybody tells you it’s great. If you know in your bones it can be improved, do it. I know you’re tired, but this is crucial.
PLAY TO YOUR PR STRENGTHS
So, I’ve now spent £225K (approx) of other people’s (and my) hard earned money. And I have two trump cards in the two leads. Andrei Chadov who has huge value in Russia (as does the book Bolshe Bena by Sergei Sakin and Pavel Tetersky – on which the film was based – and which outsold Harry Potter in one Moscow bookstore, apparently) and Ben Barnes who won the role of Prince Caspian while we were recutting. Great. Slam dunk. However, the audience for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is never going to buy into Ben Barnes as a racist, drug dealing Russian. They’re not even old enough to see the film. Dull of them, but there you go.
When considering PR angles, play to your strengths. Andrei was the one to push in Russia. His brother Aleksey (Nightwatch, Daywatch) attended the Moscow premiere – they’re both big stars there, so it really helped. The film took $500,000 at the Russian box office and the investors got back half their money – from one territory. Knowing which are your strong territories for whatever reason will help you focus and target PR campaigns for those territories.
ENJOY THE PROCESS (OR WHY MAKE MOVIES?)
So things are looking rosy. The Russians (a joy to work with and uber-professional) paid up-front so the investors are happy. But just when things are going swimmingly, some guy pops up to say he owns the rights to the book as it was he who first printed the extracts. This is true. I’d met him early on in the proceedings and when he proved impossible to negotiate with, I gave up on the book (nearly broke my heart). It was only a couple of years later when one of the writers approached me to say the rights had reverted back to them (I saw the contract) that I decided to pursue it.
But the law is a strange thing. In Russia, if anyone makes such a claim, the film has to be pulled (whether they own the rights or not) which meant a deal had to be struck. Which was basically, cough up $50K or don’t leave Russia (I was in Moscow at the time and I embellish). Thankfully, those being the heady days when it was two dollars to the pound, I was able to rustle up $20K which was enough for a hasty exit (I’ve been arrested in Russia before – it’s not pretty). The rest could come out of the TV sale.
I have to admit to a slight tear on the train to the airport (no car this time, I’d fucked up after all). I put this down to tiredness – I’d been drinking all night with the Chadov brothers and their impossibly beautiful girlfriends – but it could as easily be the sheer effort it takes to sometimes get nowhere. As I looked from the train’s net curtains to the lady selling old books from a shopping cart (in the UK they sell old sandwiches) and the Moscow workers, hands dirtied from manual labor, it struck me what a privilege it is to make films. It cost me money, time and some friendships. But I only cried twice during the process – less than in any relationship. And at least I have something to show for it. Enjoy it.
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To find out more about Bigga Than Ben and how you can help, check out the crowdfunding campaign here: www.indiegogo.com/biggathanben
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Filmmaking Tips: PART TWO
Pretentious as it sounds, filmmaking isn’t something you choose. It chooses you. So this isn’t something you can give up on, no matter how many of your friends & family send links to teacher training sites, dating agencies and various cash incentive opportunities. For the content providers, it’s about love. For the sales agents and distributors, it’s mostly – and as it should be – about money. The trick is finding a relationship which benefits all parties and unless you’re a banker, there is such thing as a win-win deal.
If yours is a micro-budget film with no stars but a great PR angle – you have to consider whether the PR angle is strong enough to a) generate enough publicity and hype to sell directly online – all proceeds go to filmmakers and therefore investors or b) strong enough t be taken up by a sales agent/distributor/studio. They’ll do the work, conjure up the razzamatazz and keep the money.
It may have the possibilities of both. But there can be only one. The choice (if you’re lucky enough to be offered one) as to which direction to take is yours and (depending on your contract – and you’d better have one) that of your investor(s).
Don’t underestimate perception. If you take the a) route and you generate good traffic to your various sites, you may keep the investor happy, but the lack of razzamatazz could make financing your second film harder. That said if your contact list and conversion rate is better than the sales agent with the offer on the table, you probably don’t need that sales agent.
If you take the b) option, more people will hear of your film and you. You’ll get a fuzzy feeling from seeing a Lionsgate or Universal or whatever logo before your film (or on the DVD case), you’ll probably get an agent (or a better agent) and after seeing you in the LA Times your mom will finally get what you’ve been up to all these years.
Films with no domestic release are a harder sell overseas, so if you’re opting for a) make sure there is one – no matter how small – reviews are free publicity. If option b) check the contract – it may not include theatrical.
Again, these decisions depend on a multitude of variables, not least the type of film (sci-fi and horror have strong direct platforms) and your relationship with your investor(s) who may be more excited about having his/her name on a Sony picture than actually seeing a ROI (return on investment).
I have no advice on this. It is your own personal take. I can however pass on the advice I was given from a very successful producer (behind one of the biggest hits of all time) who, on hearing I was about to turn down a particular sales agent in favour of going it alone, said ‘Suz, bend over, take it up the *** and for God’s sake, don’t forget to thank them afterwards’.
THE SHOOT
Get good actors (by this I mean ones that can deliver) and give them as much time as is feasibly possible when on set.
Get a great, ambitious and fast DP.
Get top quality sound recordists – bad sound will affect your ability to sell the film and you’ll have to fall back on ADR which actors hate and is always horrible. Don’t ever go over the top on this (filmmakers can get addicted to studios – don’t get too comfortable on that sofa that’s bigger than your apartment, because it is you paying for that sun-dried tomato brioche).
Don’t forget the on-set photographer – seriously worth their weight in gold. If you only have silver, bring them in on the super-visual days and make sure the actors are covered – in character.
SALES AGENTS
1. Make sure there’s a get out clause
2. Cap costs (% of sales)
3. Get money from first dollar – corridor
4. Don’t skimp on their commission or they’ll have no incentive.
5. Don’t agree to expenses/year or they’ll spread their bet
6. Sales commission from net not gross (they’ll always say ‘no’ to this)
7. No option to refuse a sale unless OK’d by producer
8. Limit the rights term
9. Hold back a territory or two
10. Go via a collections agent
PERSONAL FILMMAKING TIPS FOR YOU
Don’t pick fights you don’t need.
Don’t hate people who don’t like your movie. They might like the next one and one day, you might need them.
Stay focused on The Work. The rest is as enjoyable or miserable as you wish to make it.
STAY ON GOOD TERMS WITH EVERYONE. You’ll be surprised who you need later down the line.
FOLLOW THROUGH. Essential if you’ve opted for option a). After working so hard on the film, raising the money, casting, crewing, kicking yourself that you were too busy to perfect the script – don’t be fooled into thinking the film has suddenly developed a momentum of its own. You are the momentum. It won’t go anywhere without your input. It won’t get itself into festivals, Walmart or onto IndieGoGo and Kickstarter. Never give up until the fight is done!
And if you’re still getting nowhere, change your mindset from ‘why won’t anyone help me?’ to ‘who is going to stop me?’
Never, ever, give up.
THE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
To find out more about Bigga Than Ben and how you can help, check out the crowdfunding campaign here: www.indiegogo.com/biggathanben
A little disclaimer: There are many filmmakers who may disagree with the above. So just know that these observations are based purely on my own experiences.
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Suzie Halewood’s first feature screenplay One More Kiss starred Gerard Butler (300, Machine Gun Preacher), her second The Filmmaker was optioned by Andrew MacDonald (Trainspotting) and further screenplays have been optioned including two co-written with LA Times correspondent Richard Marosi The Fortress (TV Pilot) and Death & Deliverance. She also directed a number of award-winning shorts, commercials and the Bafta nominated interactive web series Running Time produced by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire). Bigga Than Ben starring Ben Barnes was her first feature as director. It made The Times Top 100 Films of 2008, showcasing at Edinburgh (Best of the fest) Moscow, Cinequest, Los Angeles DIYFF (Winner), and Austin (nominee). Her follow up film is science fiction thriller Division 19 with Dougray Scott, Neve Campbell and Jamie Draven.
As a filmmaker your success depends on your ability to produce film ideas that sell.
And unless you have a gazillion dollars allocated to your marketing budget, it will be impossible for you to target everybody on earth. However in the world of internet marketing, there is a saying that applies to your movie business: “Everybody is nobody and niches will make you riches.”
The first step to planning your movie and finding your niche begins with brainstorming a few movie ideas. Write down a list of at least a dozen movie concepts that seem interesting to you. From there, pick the most appealing idea. Keep in mind that getting your movie made, seen and selling is not a fast process. So in addition to creating marketable concept, you have to love your material. If you cannot have fun with your story, then why make the movie?
Once you focus on a concept, you will need to distill your movie into one concise sentence known as a log-line. For example, let’s say your movie is described as “Zombies attack people.” Obviously this is a very succinct log-line, but it lacks the necessary detail to make your movie memorable. So your next job is to incorporate some flavorful elements back into your log-line. Here is the same example with added detail: “Zombies attack a camp for the mentally challenged.”
While socially inappropriate, the extra detail adds sizzle to the description. This will help you in two arenas. With a unique description, your prospective audience will immediately understand how your movie differs from all the other movies. And from a marketing perspective, the words “zombies,” “zombies attack,” and “zombie movies” will help you to target your core audience. Later, these targeted keywords will help you jump-start your internet search engine optimization campaign.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera -- Image via Wikipedia
As a filmmaker, if you’re interested in buying a Canon DSLR camera, I would go with the Canon T2i. If you have the budget to buy the Canon 5D Mark II – hold off. Canon will be making an announcement at the end of this month and then another camera announcement on November 3rd.
So if you’re on a budget – T2i. If not, hold out to see what Canon is going to announce.
Lenses
The lens that comes with the Canon camera is not really geared to DSLR filmmaking. Sure it will do the job, but there are better lenses out there. The main problem with the stock lens is that they’re not that fast of a lens (at least 3.5) and it’s not a fixed aperture, so if you zoom in it’s going to go to 5.6.
Just buy the camera body and go with a 50mm prime. The reason I like this lens is that it’s very fast and it’s an easy way to achieve that shallow depth. Canon has a 50mm 1.8 that’s around $100, which is a really great deal. They also make a 1.4 that’s built a bit better, but it will cost more.
If you’re on a budget go with the Canon 50mm 1.8. If you’re looking for the best glass to own – go with a Zeiss ZE 50mm 1.4 lens.
Another lens is something that has a good amount of zoom and is a good walk around lens. Canon has an L lens that is 24-70 and is a 2.8. Very sharp and a pretty fast lens. This lens is around 1,500 so it’s very expensive. If you were to own one lens, this would probably be it. However, rumor has it that Canon is going to replacing this lens in the next couple of months. So even if you have the budget, maybe hold out until version 2 is released.
Another way to go is with an another brand – Sigma or Tamron. Tamron has a good 28-75 2.8 lens. This sells for around $400. It’s sharp and a pretty awesome for the price point.
Some other lenses to look into would be a 70-200 and then something wide, a 10-20 or 11-16.
Filters
One of the last things to stock up on is filters. A UV filter is going to protect your lens and it is good to keep on at all times.
Another one to get is a variety of ND filters. This will help keep your lens fast and give you the ability to shoot at 2.8 in sunlight. There’s another option when it comes to ND filters and that is with variable ND filters. They will take way some of your sharpness but if you’re in hurry and need to film something fast, this is a better way to go.
So that’s pretty much my rundown of what to get and why.
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Joseph Ort is an independent filmmaker who has spent the last decade working on his own independent film projects. He is also co-owner of a small based Los Angeles Production company – Shadowmind Productions. More articles can be found at: ShadowmindProductions.com/blog
As a filmmaker, when you set out to make your movie – you have to think of the process like a business. You are creating a product.You are going to take your product to market. And if the stars align, you will sell your product.
To do this, you need to plan your marketing strategy from day one.
How will you reach your target audience and sell enough units to recoup your movie investment?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you do not have a movie business. You have a filmmaking hobby.
Over the past year, I really started using LinkedIn more and more to promote both myself and my projects.
While LinkedIn has some of the same features as other social networking sites – like your ability to search for friends and contacts, the LinkedIn culture is geared towards business networking, which makes it vastly different than twitter or Facebook.
As a result, the social rules are different. While it would make sense to post something funny, silly or stupid on Facebook, posting a similar message on LinkedIn may not be appropriate. Conversely, it would be strange to utilize Facebook in an attempt to get a lunch meetings with prospective Hollywood Heavyweights whom you never met.
But in the world of LinkedIn, as long as you’re not a jerk, it is appropriate to seek out and connect with prospects.
To get started with LinkedIn, reach out to people who know you and know your work. Once you establish this foundation, write out a list of at least 10 to 15 film industry professionals who may be able to help you with your movie business. Then use LinkedIn search to find your prospects.
Depending on the strength of your network, you may find that one of your contacts already has a relationship with your prospect. Your next step would be to reach out to your friend and ask if he or she would make an introduction. Assuming the introduction is made on your behalf, your prospect will be more receptive to hearing from you directly.
Step-by-step, you can utilize LinkedIn to help you build your filmmaking team.
As a reminder, the biggest question you need to ask (and answer) is this:
Given the resources that I have right now, what is the feature that I can make this year?
As a filmmaker, you need to take action and make your movie NOW! The world awaits. If you want more information, make sure you reserve your spot in our filmmaking community.
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