Not sure if I posted this before, but I'll post anyways.

A usual, I can't find the opportunity to actually begin. I have no actors/actresses (none of my friends are actors and actresses), no equipment (literally, no equipment, not even a stupid camcorder), no money for the equipment (too young to get a job), no place to film (too young to drive, and living in my little area, the stores are MILES away), you get the idea. I really don't know where to start.

Since I'm fairly young, a lot of times all the chances I do see are reserved for older people only (film school, working on a set, etc.).

I live in Arizona, and so far every other place that gives me a chance is out of state, or I'm too young to go to, or it costs an arm and a leg. Another problem is the fact that I just can't go out a lot, other then school.

I'm really confused. I've been thinking about this all year I came up with nothing, even though I tried.

Where do I find actors/actresses? Where do I go in order to film a place WITHOUT lots of a noise like the average household full of 9 people is? Any tips? Suggestions?

Start by not making so many excuses for "why you can't" and start looking for the positives and ask yourself "why you can". You have filmmakers around the world, in poor crime ridden countries... you have filmmakers on farms with nothing but cows near them... if they all said "why they can't" the first would end up dead and the second would be a lifetime farmer. If you have no money, ask your parents to help, explain to them its a dream... the majority of parents want their children to be happy. Ask them if there is a way you can maybe do some chores to earn the money if they wont straight out help you. If all that fails, wait till you can get a job... and when you can, bike the 3 miles to work everyday. If you love something, nothing should stop you.

Its nice to see you have the dream. As the poster above me says... now you need the drive. You wouldn't believe all the obstacle people have to overcome to even make a 5-10 minute short. Start by using the resources around you. If you have 9 people in the household, that would be noisy otherwise, make them your actors. Now, they are involved so they'll keep quiet when they have to and you have performers. You'll need a camera.... whether big or small, so if your only financial resource is your parents... work them for a camera. Since you aren't going to be making a film that Hollywood will see, yet, you don't have to have the best of everything. Start small, write a short script. Then just do it. I've seen short films that were shot on handycam that made it to festivals.

Its nice to see you have the dream. As the poster above me says... now you need the drive. You wouldn't believe all the obstacle people have to overcome to even make a 5-10 minute short. Start by using the resources around you. If you have 9 people in the household, that would be noisy otherwise, make them your actors. Now, they are involved so they'll keep quiet when they have to and you have performers. You'll need a camera.... whether big or small, so if your only financial resource is your parents... work them for a camera. Since you aren't going to be making a film that Hollywood will see, yet, you don't have to have the best of everything. Start small, write a short script. Then just do it. I've seen short films that were shot on handycam that made it to festivals.


Yes, I'll look for resources...I have extremely cheap and free things (my only recorder, sadly, is a Zen), so I'll just see what I can do with it.
My family isn't the artistic types and NONE of them are interested into acting. Although, I have 2 younger sisters, which is what I'm planning to use so far. And my elder sister is an artist, so luckily I'll have her to do backgrounds.

Thanks!

Not sure if I posted this before, but I'll post anyways.

A usual, I can't find the opportunity to actually begin. I have no actors/actresses (none of my friends are actors and actresses), no equipment (literally, no equipment, not even a stupid camcorder)

First: there is no such thing as a "stupid camcorder" when you are just starting out. If you have had no training and have never used a camera before, a "good camera" is not going to help you. You'll end up with a crappy film shot on a really good camera. Too many people think a great camera will make their movie great and it just ain't so. BTW, don't you have second hand stores in AZ? And go to discount stores and see if you can find a camera for a couple of hundred bucks. I mean, Christmas is coming, right?

How about a friend with a camera? Since you are just starting, you don't need alot of 'stuff' yet.


no place to film (too young to drive, and living in my little area, the stores are MILES away), you get the idea.

I am going to be talking to some grade schoolers next month about how to start filmmaking. No locations is a pet peeve of mine. What do you mean no place to film??? Here is an example I will be using in my little talk:

"There are no woods near where I live": Translation: I can't shoot The Blair Witch Project with no woods.
Well since the Blair Witch has already been done and there are no woods, what DO you have?
Wasn't/isn't there something/someplace that creeps you out? What about when you were a kid, were you ever afraid of what was under the bed? Or in a closet or worse yet, were you ever afraid of the dark? You mean you can't find something scary about that?

The point is to come up with something else, use what you do have. Everyone has a closet and it gets dark every night. Use your creativity and come up with something original. use your house, use your living room, use your closet. And as for noise, tell everyone what you are doing and ask them to be quiet or wait til they are out.


Since I'm fairly young, a lot of times all the chances I do see are reserved for older people only (film school, working on a set, etc.).

As a young person, all you have is free time. The chances you see for older people, aren't necessarily for older people. These chances most likely are for experienced people. You have to make some of your own opportunities. So you don't have actors. See if your friends would help you out so maybe you all can start learning. Your first film isn't going to win an Oscar anyway.

Figure out what you can do and go from there....good luck!

-- spinner :cool:

Working on set isn't as difficult a goal to achieve as one might think either...

If you can find out about any low (or more importantly NO) budget shoots going on in your area, see if you can get in touch with the producer or director (in the no budget realm, that will most likely be the same person) ... tell them who you are and that you're really interested in getting involved in film and would like to help them out if at all possible.. Unless you're a particularly annoying person, more than likely you'll be on a set in no time because there's almost always a shortage of a few pair of hands on these shoots.

Keep you chin up, think outside the box, and just jump in. I, like you, spent a lot of time and energy focusing on why I couldn't start doing film (It's too hard, it's too expensive, I'm no good, I don't have the right gear, I don't have the right people, etc, etc, etc) Long story short, instead of starting when I first got interested in it at about the age of 12, I waited until I was 25... that's a lot of wasted years and I can only imagine where I would be had I started then.

In the immortal words of The Doors, "The time to hesitate is through"...

Working on set isn't as difficult a goal to achieve as one might think either...

If you can find out about any low (or more importantly NO) budget shoots going on in your area, see if you can get in touch with the producer or director (in the no budget realm, that will most likely be the same person) ... tell them who you are and that you're really interested in getting involved in film and would like to help them out if at all possible.. Unless you're a particularly annoying person, more than likely you'll be on a set in no time because there's almost always a shortage of a few pair of hands on these shoots.

Keep you chin up, think outside the box, and just jump in. I, like you, spent a lot of time and energy focusing on why I couldn't start doing film (It's too hard, it's too expensive, I'm no good, I don't have the right gear, I don't have the right people, etc, etc, etc) Long story short, instead of starting when I first got interested in it at about the age of 12, I waited until I was 25... that's a lot of wasted years and I can only imagine where I would be had I started then.

In the immortal words of The Doors, "The time to hesitate is through"...


Thanks! But I don't know how or where to find a set to work on...is there a specific place I should look or something? Any recommendations?

As Will says, you can hope to get someone to put you on their set. I brought on a 15 yr old last year because he had the drive and the creative mind. He worked with lights and cables and helped load and unload equipment. Every other chance he had he was asking me and the cinematographer questions. Then we even let him set up his own shot, which made the final cut. Now, I use him on every project with positions as high as cinematographer for quick web shorts. He did have some experience behind him, but he got that from doing it on his own.

check craiglist.com... find the closest city or town listed on the site and look down at the bottom right hand corner. You see FILM/TV/VIDEO under jobs. Keep an eye one that and send emails explaining your story. Even if you go on set for one day, it's experience.

Also on craigslist, check the crew section in 'Gigs' which will be straight below the Film/TV/Video section previously mentioned.

As Will says, you can hope to get someone to put you on their set. I brought on a 15 yr old last year because he had the drive and the creative mind. He worked with lights and cables and helped load and unload equipment. Every other chance he had he was asking me and the cinematographer questions. Then we even let him set up his own shot, which made the final cut. Now, I use him on every project with positions as high as cinematographer for quick web shorts. He did have some experience behind him, but he got that from doing it on his own.

That's the problem- I don't HAVE any experience.

Attitude, willingness to learn, attention to detail, and passion are much more important anyway.

Well, so far I'm not finding anything.
But anyways, I didn't want to make a new thread. Where do I find a crew? I don't want this experience, big huge crew because I'm just starting out. None of my friends act, and trying to get friends to meet up at a place with me is impossible, because like I said, I'm too young to drive.
Where do I get a crew? Where do I learn to direct? How do I learn to direct? And where can I find some sets to work on, because I haven't found anything yet.

Have your older sister drive you and your other sisters to the local park and start shooting stuff with them. I agree with the other posts, you need to stop looking at all the negative and start taking advantage of all the things around you.

p.s. www.mandy.com is another place to get cast and crew.

Have your older sister drive you and your other sisters to the local park and start shooting stuff with them. I agree with the other posts, you need to stop looking at all the negative and start taking advantage of all the things around you.

I have to agree.

If you are expecting to find a big job on a film set, then yeah, you are going to have a hard time. You don't have any background or experience.

Also, you will be a useless director if you don't know how to shoot a camera. Period.

You have to remember that Robert Rodriguez' first film was NOT "El Mariachi". His first film was "Bedhead" and it was about his sister and it was only eight minutes long.

The first thing you have to do is stop going over what you can't do and what you don't have. Its not going to help and will only get you depressed. This is also not about your friends not being actors. This is about you finding a good subject to get started on.

Now. What do you have?

I can't tell you how many people that I know of, who started out just videotaping their friends on their skateboards. Who says your friends aren't actors, did you ask them to be in anything? There is more crap on YouTube than you can look at in one day. The difference between you and them is that they got a camera and they did something. Anything.

I don't know where you live, but you need subjects, okay. Are your friends skateboarders/snowboarders?
In Ohio, there is an amusement park called Cedar Point. Do your friends ride rollercoasters? Are they surfers?

Or how about this:
I don't believe I am suggesting this -- (all you IT members, I don't want to hear it :D) -- how hard is it to make a zombie movie?
Get 3 friends, hold out your arms, roll your eyes back, have someone yell "Brains! and have a girl run away. How hard is that?

Start looking at what you CAN do, don't dwell on what you CAN'T do. It will only waste your time. YOU are your crew. Get, Find, BORROW a camera and get started. You will never be a filmmaker if you don't.

-- spinner :cool:

If you haven't seen Bedhead, you should.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlDhaGY9X4g

Attitude, willingness to learn, attention to detail, and passion are much more important anyway.

Unfortunately, as this thread continues to show us.. right now your attitude kind of sucks. Stop trying to convince us that you can't do it. If you've already convinced yourself that you can't then maybe you should stop thinking about it. But there's no reason to complain to us that you can't -- we've all been there and overcome it, not by someone on a forum telling us how, but by just going out and starting to shoot stuff.

You don't have actors? Who cares, make a documentary about your neighbor, sibling, pet, whatever.. just pick up your camera, use it, and stop whining.


I'm done here, clearly the advice I've offered to this point has gone unheard. Good luck.

If you haven't seen Bedhead, you should.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlDhaGY9X4g

Really? It's on YouTube?

(opens browser number 3....)
:D


-- spinner :cool:

Hah! That just made my day!

Plus, Rodriguez's 5 Minute Film School is on the same link.

....anyone know what Quentin Tarantino's first film was? I'm assuming it wasn't Reservoir Dogs. And I can't seem to find Spike Lee's "Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads". Anyone know where I might find that one??


-- spinner :cool:

Unfortunately, as this thread continues to show us.. right now your attitude kind of sucks. Stop trying to convince us that you can't do it. If you've already convinced yourself that you can't then maybe you should stop thinking about it. But there's no reason to complain to us that you can't -- we've all been there and overcome it, not by someone on a forum telling us how, but by just going out and starting to shoot stuff.

You don't have actors? Who cares, make a documentary about your neighbor, sibling, pet, whatever.. just pick up your camera, use it, and stop whining.


I'm done here, clearly the advice I've offered to this point has gone unheard. Good luck.

Oh no, no, no, trust me, I'm taking the advice. I'm getting it organized a bit (wrote a list down, and trying to find places where I can do this and that). Did I not thank everybody? Sorry if I didn't.

But yeah, you're right. And actually, I was thinking about a documentary (just need permission first, but the permission isn't really a worry too much), and I'm already trying to find at lease some similar classes in my school right now.

I'm sorry, I should have said thanks first off all.

Check this out Spinner.
http://www.tarantino.info/wiki/index.php/My_Best_Friend%27s_Birthday_Transcript:cool:

You can watch Tarantino's first film here: My Best Friend's Birthday [Part 1 of 4] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xCGSWJDfLM). There is no ending, though. It was burned.

Anyone interested in diving into filmmaking (such as deejay & myself) should watch this. It really makes you think if Tarantino started off like this...well...anyone can do it. :)

One of our members - Filmmaker516 - is 15 years old. Here is a link to his SECOND movie

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=14374

Perhaps this will give you an idea of what can be done when you stop thinking about the limitations and start looking for the possibliities.

Check this out Spinner.
http://www.tarantino.info/wiki/index.php/My_Best_Friend%27s_Birthday_Transcript:cool:

Wheels!

Thanks so much! When you look at the Rodriguez film and Tarantino film, it reminds you that everyone started off badly!

I also think that the first step to doing your first film is to look at a film, any film that isn't too involved, and be able to say: I bet I could figure out how to do that. Then figure out how to do that.

Everyone should take a look at these two films, it will give you hope!

-- spinner :cool:

One of our members - Filmmaker516 - is 15 years old. Here is a link to his SECOND movie

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=14374

Perhaps this will give you an idea of what can be done when you stop thinking about the limitations and start looking for the possibliities.

Thanks for the link and all, I was very interested into it :)
And I don't expect to be nearly on that level yet, considering that this may be the first or second time I even touched a camcorder in years...now I have to wait until it comes out of the repair shop again :grumpy:
Thanks for your help guys, I'm sorry for whining or asking. I'm just paranoid is all but I'm okay. Thanks for the links everybody!

Don't apologize for asking.. asking is how one learns, but now that you know the most important thing to do is get out there and make some movies... get to it! :D (as soon as the camera returns from the repair shop and all)

Yes, your first several will probably suck.. almost everyone's first several do. Heck, a lot of people continue to suck long after their first few films, but they are still actively pursuing something they enjoy, so that's the important thing. And if you don't just jump in and try it, you'll never have the skill or experience to get where you want to go anyway. Less procrastination, more action... take it from me, I speak from experience in this area.

I'm just paranoid is all but I'm okay.

Don't be paranoid!! :scared:

Remember that the first person--possibly the only person-- to see your first film is you. Your gut will tell you if it is good or bad. If it is bad, then figure out what you could have done to make it good. Then you take that knowledge and use it on your next film. Plus, once it is out of the shop, you'll have a camera. When you are starting out, that's pretty much all the equipment you need :yes: You don't need expensive equipment to figure out what you are doing. When you know what you are doing, then invest in the BIG camera.

Get going and have fun! And remember you can always come back here to ask questions. IndieTalk has saved me many times....:lol:

-- spinner :cool:

You don't need to buy equipment. If you search online, there are plenty of how-to tutorials on building gear out of cheap stuff you can find at Lowes. Just this Saturday, my dad and I build a steady cam for about $20. We also started work on a jib that we pretty much finished, although we scrapped it and are starting a newer, sturdier one. The final products that go into the jib will be about $100. The stuff isn't perfect, but it saves money over buying it.

OMG same here, you must live in REDDING CONNECTICUT

Well there are many GURU guiding us. I am just a small kid here in terms of experience. I will like to share one thing which i have come to know from this great site. Thats is ask many many many questions regarding filmmaking. I mean technical and creative aspect. And till that time save money and start filming your movie by taking help of the surroundings no matter where ever you live.

Suppose if you are living in a COld desert of Entartica where you are the only one living with few family members of friends. Then try to make a movie with a story like a couple is stuck in that desert. If you live in jungle then show something like few kids are stuck in a Jungle and how they spend few days there........something...........

The main intention is make a list of places near you and try to write something keeping your surrounding in mind..


Camera is the biggest issue ..............even for me...well try to get a job........earn some money dont think of other equipments just a came with 3ccd or HD...i dont have idea but i think 3 ccd is less expensive.............make out a film even with a bad sound....dont think of the best stuff coming out in first attempt,.......................at the momment just try ro show creativity...........I dnt think it is hard......... the only main issue is a CAM...........and you will have to work for it.........

Even i am saving money for a CAM though i think it will take 18 months to even think that i am able to get a cam but till that time keep working to get something


LAST NOTE. As you said you are too young. Well My father was in his 18 when he had his own business company. In that company my father had not invested a single penny and that company had 7 investors and all of them were above 40. The only thing which brought those investors to my Father and the company was my fathers perfect homework and confidence that he can even handle the president of the country.

So never think you are young.......Just believe that you are the one with 100% homework and confidence

Take a pen and pad of paper around with you, no matter who you are, how much money or equiptment you have you can;t make a film without a script so you can always write or at least plan what you want to do. Write out what your planning in script format if you can and whenever you go out keep you eyes peeled for places that would make a good location for the scene you've been working on.

I've only just started writing and planning seriously and i'm 24, how much i wish i'd started even just writing stuff down at your age i'd have had a treasure box of idea's by now :P

Have to say that since i've started writing i'm seeing the world through film makers eyes now, i dont see people anymore i see charactors, dont see scenery its all possible locations. Something funny happens in school between 2 people, scribble it down it'll make a funny scene with some tweaking. Observe things goign on around you and by the time you've worked out your financial situation etc you'll have so many idea's to start looking to film.

Robert Rodriguez mentions on one of his dvd commentaries that he has an 'idea's file' which probably have years of material built up in it.