By Jennifer Albright
The amount of resources, equipment, and information available to the aspiring director is almost overwhelming. However, in an age where literally anyone can pick up a mobile device and shoot a quick video to upload to YouTube, how do you make your finished product stand out and look really professional? A little bit of care, planning, and ingenuity can give you an edge.
A fat binder full of pre-production documents may seem overwhelming to the newbie filmmaker, but careful planning will save you no end of headaches. Sit and think about what you want to accomplish before jumping in. What props and locations will you need? Make a pen-and-paper list. Will you be shooting interiors or exteriors? Take a moment to visualize where you'll be taking your camera and walk yourself through the logistics of securing your location and setting up your shots. These moments of visualization will help you plan your pre-production phase, and prevent surprises.
Yeah, I know, you can't even draw a straight line. It doesn't matter. You can make perfectly adequate boards using stick figures and a rudimentary understanding of perspective. If you can visualize your shot in your head, you can rough out an approximation of it on paper. But why should I, you ask? Well, the simple fact is that stringing your shots together in board form will often alert you to problems or issues that otherwise wouldn't have cropped up until you were on set. Whether it's an awkward shot sequence or maybe even the realization that the awesome Wachowski-esque shot you want might actually be impossible, these are things you'll want to iron out before you're burning valuable production time.
I talk about storyboarding more extensively in a piece I wrote for Videomaker magazine. Check it out here: http://www.videomaker.com/article/f2/15415-how-to-make-a-storyboard-storyboard-lingo-techniques
Mistakes mean added production and post production time. Take a moment before every shot to verify that you've done everything you need to do to make the image as correct and attractive as possible. That means white balancing, zooming in digitally to check your focus, taking a hard look at your lighting setup, and all those other little fun things that make filmmaking such a delightful pain! And don't forget the small details. It's easy to forget when you're squinting at a tiny LED display screen that we're in the age of HD and a single speck of dust can be glaring in the final product. Are there some unsightly wrinkles in your lead actor's shirt? Smooth, lint-roll, check and re-check! Is there a distracting object or sign in the background of your shot? Look at the four quadrants of your frame and verify that everything in your fancy mise-en-scene is something that you actually want to be there.
The true signpost of filmmaking on a budget is making do with what 's on hand. I've rigged up lighting out of a workshop clip light and a stepladder, used posterboard and aluminum foil as bounce, and rolled on office chairs in lieu of dolly track. Sam Raimi nailed cameras to lumber and sent his cam ops running through the woods to get his unique shots in movies like Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. A little ingenuity will take you a long way, and spare your wallet.
That said...
If you have friends, they might have resources! These can range from photo equipment, wardrobe, lighting-anything you might find in front of or behind a camera.
Remember, though-treat every piece of equipment you borrow with utmost respect, and return it in a timely way. And a tank of gas or case of beverages often goes a long way as a thank-you for the inconvenience.
That said...
Sometimes you have to spend a little scratch to get the pro look you want. Don't despair over the prices of dedicated filmmaking equipment, though. Many online retailers sell used or discounted equipment, and sites like eBay or Craiglist are a good place to find affordable prices. Use patience and hunt down a bargain.
Speaking of that, Accessory Power offers some good resources for the budget filmmaker. Our ENHANCE VidBRIGHT is a powerful on-camera light:
http://www.accessorypower.com/enhancevidbright
We also offer great bags and cases to protect your equipment:
http://www.accessorypower.com/bags-cases
Other people have boldly gone where you want to go, and they've made all the mistakes you might make. Learn from their experiences. A trip to your search engine will take you to hundreds, if not thousands, of tutorials and posts about filmmaking on a budget. Happy hunting!
The amount of resources, equipment, and information available to the aspiring director is almost overwhelming. However, in an age where literally anyone can pick up a mobile device and shoot a quick video to upload to YouTube, how do you make your finished product stand out and look really professional? A little bit of care, planning, and ingenuity can give you an edge.
Plan as much as possible
A fat binder full of pre-production documents may seem overwhelming to the newbie filmmaker, but careful planning will save you no end of headaches. Sit and think about what you want to accomplish before jumping in. What props and locations will you need? Make a pen-and-paper list. Will you be shooting interiors or exteriors? Take a moment to visualize where you'll be taking your camera and walk yourself through the logistics of securing your location and setting up your shots. These moments of visualization will help you plan your pre-production phase, and prevent surprises.
Storyboard!
Yeah, I know, you can't even draw a straight line. It doesn't matter. You can make perfectly adequate boards using stick figures and a rudimentary understanding of perspective. If you can visualize your shot in your head, you can rough out an approximation of it on paper. But why should I, you ask? Well, the simple fact is that stringing your shots together in board form will often alert you to problems or issues that otherwise wouldn't have cropped up until you were on set. Whether it's an awkward shot sequence or maybe even the realization that the awesome Wachowski-esque shot you want might actually be impossible, these are things you'll want to iron out before you're burning valuable production time.I talk about storyboarding more extensively in a piece I wrote for Videomaker magazine. Check it out here: http://www.videomaker.com/article/f2/15415-how-to-make-a-storyboard-storyboard-lingo-techniques
Be meticulous
Mistakes mean added production and post production time. Take a moment before every shot to verify that you've done everything you need to do to make the image as correct and attractive as possible. That means white balancing, zooming in digitally to check your focus, taking a hard look at your lighting setup, and all those other little fun things that make filmmaking such a delightful pain! And don't forget the small details. It's easy to forget when you're squinting at a tiny LED display screen that we're in the age of HD and a single speck of dust can be glaring in the final product. Are there some unsightly wrinkles in your lead actor's shirt? Smooth, lint-roll, check and re-check! Is there a distracting object or sign in the background of your shot? Look at the four quadrants of your frame and verify that everything in your fancy mise-en-scene is something that you actually want to be there.
Use what you have
The true signpost of filmmaking on a budget is making do with what 's on hand. I've rigged up lighting out of a workshop clip light and a stepladder, used posterboard and aluminum foil as bounce, and rolled on office chairs in lieu of dolly track. Sam Raimi nailed cameras to lumber and sent his cam ops running through the woods to get his unique shots in movies like Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. A little ingenuity will take you a long way, and spare your wallet.That said...
Ask around
If you have friends, they might have resources! These can range from photo equipment, wardrobe, lighting-anything you might find in front of or behind a camera.Remember, though-treat every piece of equipment you borrow with utmost respect, and return it in a timely way. And a tank of gas or case of beverages often goes a long way as a thank-you for the inconvenience.
That said...
Spend a little
Sometimes you have to spend a little scratch to get the pro look you want. Don't despair over the prices of dedicated filmmaking equipment, though. Many online retailers sell used or discounted equipment, and sites like eBay or Craiglist are a good place to find affordable prices. Use patience and hunt down a bargain.Speaking of that, Accessory Power offers some good resources for the budget filmmaker. Our ENHANCE VidBRIGHT is a powerful on-camera light:
http://www.accessorypower.com/enhancevidbright
We also offer great bags and cases to protect your equipment:
http://www.accessorypower.com/bags-cases