In posting in sonnyboo's indie tips articles I wondered if maybe others would like to compile lists of topics that would show where the most common questions lay in this communty. ( :secret: and perhaps the Guru's could pick the most common questions and address them :idea: )

in no particular order for me:

01. Micromanaging each shot to make a larger story whole
02. Set Design
03. Color Palettes in Set/Costume
04. Color correction
05. Intermediate/Advanced Camera Placement/Movement
06. Intermediate/Advanced Lighting How to's
07. Scheduling/Planning a shoot
08. Stepping from making movies with friends to casting and using a larger crew
09. Differences in editing for video output/dvd and film out
10. Dealing effectively with actors as a director

Hmm, interesting idea for a thread, nice one knightly.

I've split mine into sections:

Business

1) How the American film industry works as a business and how to operate profitably within it.
2) How to make sales of screenplays when you're unknown to the industry.
3) How to get the most out of festival entries, which festivals to go for and why.
4) How to package your film for sale; what's expected from the producer in terms of deliverables? (so, for instance, if you've got a digi-deta master of your film, contracts for all preformances, releases for locations, contracts for usuage of the music worldwide and in perpetuity, unit photographs as large JPEG's, an electronic press kit and finally a separate sfx and music track without dialogue for dubbing purposes have you covered everyhting you need to sell your film to a distributor?)

Technical:

5) Advanced Final Cut Pro techniques: creating a unique look for your film (filter/pluggin choices)
6) Generating and compositing CGI in no-budget film without it looking like no budget.
7) Advanced audio mixing (going froma stereo environment to 5.1 or THX)

On the Set:

8) Cheap, effective and safe effects that you can build on set when you can't afford pyro's, burns or armourers.


I've only got eight right now ... I'll think about two more.

However, although I'm not a guru I'd be quite happy to talk to you about your No. 10 (Working with actors), because that's what I've the most professional experience of doing and what I'm best known for in the UK. (I'll throw something together and PM it to you.)

Good idea--

1. DV Lighting
2. Color correction
3. Post production filters/effects
4. Planning shots using storyboards
5. Creative uses for white balance
6. Other tips/tricks to get the best use out of your camera

That's all for now. Thanks!

Here's my partial list of things I'd like to see:


Next-to-free legal advice.
How to find actors that will work for next to nothing or volunteer for the film credit.
Recording/Editing sound properly. (I have 13,000 others questions pertaining to this one subject).
EDITING ACTION SEQUENCES.
Pre and post color correction.
Compositing (From greenscreen footage to post).
And of course...


Once your feature is done, what next?

Lawyers
Media creation (DVD)
Distributors
Publicists
etc...

I'm sure there's dozens, if not hundreds of diffrent options here, but I've never found a complete list.

Great thread! This will help people who write tutorials out a lot. I've been thinking about a color grading/correction tutorial but haven't ever gotten around to it. Maybe sometime.

Clive, if you have time I think everyone here would love a tutorial on working with actors. I could use it at least!

Anyway, here are some of mine (in no specific order):

1) Advanced lighting techniques
2) Cheap materials for advanced lighting techniques =)
3) Working with actors and their agents on low/no budget work
4) Audio mixing and sweetening

I'm sure I'll think of more once I hit the submit button =)

Clive, if you have time I think everyone here would love a tutorial on working with actors. I could use it at least!

Consider it done. I've also got some great techniques that relate to planning coverage, so I may write a tutorial on that as well.

On an aside I've recently suggested resurecting the idea of an indietalk wiki, where we could co-write and update articles on our areas of expertise. Personally, I think this would be :cool:. It is something to which I be prepared to donate some time and effort.

Excellent- a wishlist of learning! I like this.

1) Compiled list of resources for ultra-low budget gear solutions
2) More low budget lighting- with non-professional lights... no budget solutions
3) Achieving the "celluloid" look through software/lighting/camera angles.
4) Preparing a pitch for investors, cast, and crew - planning expenses
5) Self Distribution- is it worth it to set up your own online store for one film or sign up with a film store like Customflix or whatnot and save the hassel? Making the DVDs aside, how many people have attained a recoup of at least $10,000 through online DVD sales? How did you do it, specifically?

That's all I can think of- I'd like to see more stuff on creative processes too- technical is great, but it's like math- you can get it very right, alright, or horribly wrong- the creative processes and coaxing of performances get overlooked a lot- I'd like to see a how-to-act video.. might be an interesting project for someone out there?

That's not a bad idea. If a wiki can't be done, why not a sticky (non postable/editable) area of "Resources", "How To", "Refrences" or whatever you want to call it. This would be a priceless resource.

On an aside I've recently suggested resurecting the idea of an indietalk wiki, where we could co-write and update articles on our areas of expertise. Personally, I think this would be :cool:. It is something to which I be prepared to donate some time and effort.

That's an excellent idea, and I as well would be happy to donate time and knowledge to a wiki..

Hmmmm ....

I dont have a top ten per say but I def wish I knew more about...

1. CGI and the processes
2. Managing Hollywood stars and egos
3. IPOD & UMD Movie creation
4. Sceduling
5..... cant think of anymore at the mo!

I'd like to see a how-to-act video.. might be an interesting project for someone out there?

Hint taken, duly noted and put on a list of things to think about. Seriously, I am thinking about it.

Seriously, I am thinking about it.
O rly? :redgrin:

I can't list 10. I'm still new at it; I'll learn everything I can on any subject. :yes:

Hint taken, duly noted and put on a list of things to think about. Seriously, I am thinking about it.

I'd pitch in on that project!

...I would be willing to do what I can. I don't know how much help I could be considering everything is pretty much learn as you go, DIY for me, but I would offer what I could....

-- spinner :cool:

Actually, if anyone wanted to do a tutorial on the best compressions and sizes for web viewing I'd be fascinated.

My trial and error approach is annoying the heck out of me (You have to believe I almost never use the word heck; subsititute your best guess)

I'm definetly with you on that one Clive, I can't seem to compress my films to a reasonable quality unless the file size is something ridiculous like 250mb.

for internet, I've been using quicktime export (I'm on a mac) using mpeg4 compression for both video and audio. Default settings and streaming turned on. Size set to 320 x 240 (ntsc dv=640x480 so halve each measure, adjust accordingly for pal). Pix quality is nice and download of software is free from apple...I think everyone with iTunes installed has to have quicktime installed, so most PC users now have quicktime as a result of that. and mpeg should be unix/linux friendly as well.