Trends Throughout Indie Films

Equipment/Crew/Knowledge limitations, all of which contribute to the lack-luster, yet immensely important learning curve all go through.

It is rare that you will begin your journey with the necessary know-how of the trade, suceptible to routine and method displayed by others in similar positions, so inevitably bad-traits will arise, but are often recognized, very much like you are doing this very minute.

The vital thing is how you see them, do you recognize their importance, or are you simply prone to compile a list of the what-not-to-dos?

P.S Alarm Clock, if it's the latter...

Adding to the OP's second point, I think one of the biggest problems beginners have is that they want to show you everything. I remember editing one of my first pieces so as all the sequences were practically in real time - I didn't want to break the continuity. I think good editing is as much about what you leave out as what you put in.

The other mistake (and one I too have been responsible for in the past) is bad lighting. Not no lighting - which nearly everyone knows isn't going to look amazing - but the next step up. This is half an equipment/budget issue, and half skill. My best tip for very low-budget lighting is bounce, bounce, bounce - no worklight looks good as a key directly onto someone's face.