Filming 1st movie

[cbax9888]

Hi I just completed my first screenplay. Its about 75 pages and I plan on filming it this summer with the hopes of entering it in to different film festivals. Im fairly new and I was hoping I could get some advice or any tips for making an amateur film. I have a Panasonic HDC-SD800 and I need a mic and a tripod. I am on a small budget but want the film to look profesional as possible. A few questions that come to mind are

1.) Music? Can i choose any song if its not for profit just festivals or do i need original scores.

2.) Sound? Ive neevr used a mic before and im not sure how they work.

Anything else of importance I may need to know or any tips at all please dont hesitate to comment

Thank you so much for all the help


Baxter

[moonshieldmedia]

If film is something you're passionate about, spend as much time as possible researching every department in filmmaking. Before you start filming, you should have a pretty firm grasp about how a mic works, as well as countless other things.

Once you have a pretty solid general knowledge about how to make a good film, my advice would be to surround yourself with people who know even more about it than you do. Make friends with a sound expert, for instance.

[finderskeepers]

This summer is in one month (June) ! You are probably not ready to make a 75 page movie. You've written one script. You should at least write 3, I would say and give yourself a chance to develop your style. I started casting 8 months before filming (you don't have to do that obviously)
If you're fairly new, it's okay to slow down and take some time to plan. Once you start filming the time and money gets sucked away super quick so delaying things for some research a few months might be a good idea. Hope that makes sense.

[rayw]

1.) Music? Can i choose any song if its not for profit just festivals or do i need original scores.

2.) Sound? Ive neevr used a mic before and im not sure how they work.

1) DEFINITELY NOT! and not really.
Try to stick to music in the "public domain".
http://www.artistserver.com/music.cf...cid/keywords/7

2) Fortunately your camera has a microphone mini-jack plug.
http://panasonic.net/avc/camcorder/h...fications.html
Since the on-board camera mic has only an effective >4-5' or >2m range your feature will best be served by having an audio guy with a mic on a boom pole.
Recording onto the camera is "less than ideal", but... you do whatcha gotta do. Right?
Now, if you have another few hundred bucks available you'll want to look into getting a Tascam DR 100, if possible.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/MultiTrack-R...=tascam+DR+100
However, if push comes to shove, a less nifty digital off-camera audio recorder will serve you well.

And for Pete's sake remember to always get releases. Whichever strikes your fancy:
http://www.videouniversity.com/artic...ilm-and-video/
http://kino-eye.com/docs/dvb/DVB-release-forms-v2.pdf
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_M...l/Release_Form


Learn to use your camera handheld as well as possible.
STRONGLY consider building your own shoulder rig. Something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa7eeZgqRas

Watch all the videos you can on this thread: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=39721
See if you can develop a feel for A) what is possible, and B) what you like the look of.
Then watch a bunch of handheld films.

• Cloverfield
• REC/Quarantine
• Any recent Paul Greengrass flick
• Unstoppable

Shaky/docu-cam look is all the rage these days. A lot of nubes eff it up.

Watch your over and under exposures. Get a decent ND filter set.
Watch for your own shadow in the frame.
Follow the rule of thirds and the 180° rule.

Spend some time figuring out SPECIFICALLY which film festivals you know you want to enter and make sure your film shucks and jives with what they're looking to INCLUDE.

GL & GB!

And spend as little money as possible.

Originally Posted by directorik

You camera does not have a mic input.

Nah. He's got mic input into the camera.
http://panasonic.net/avc/camcorder/h...fications.html

INTERFACES
Microphones (stereo mini) Yes

It's just admittedly not the best (nor brightest) idea in the world to record onto the camera via a mic+pole.
(And mini-jacks are staticky!)

Get your audio off-camera, if at all possible.

>> This<< + >>One of These<<

[directorik]

1) No. Music is under copyright - that is the rights to copy. You
cannot use music you do not have the rights to use. Profit is
not the issue - at issue is the rights of the owner of the music.
Please respect those rights and get permission. Better yet, use
an original score. Right here on indietalk there are several dozen
composers willing to write a score for a movie for free. Do not let
that amazing resource go to waste.

2) Nice to see you thinking of sound. Too many first timers do not.
You will need a good shotgun mic and a boom pole and and audio
recorder. You camera does not have a mic input. In the most simple,
basic terms the way you use a mic is to put your shotgun mic on
the end of a pole to get it as close to the actors as you can. There
is, of course, much more to getting good sound but since this is your
first movie I suggest you do the best you can with your limited budget
and experience.

To make a movie good enough to be accepted into festivals you will
need excellent sound and excellent lighting. You have probably never
been to a film festival so you have not seen your direct competition.
If you can work with a good DP and a good audio recordist you will be
one step up. Much better than doing everything yourself.

Will you, personally, be buying and using the mic, boom and recorder?
If so will you, personally, be operating the camera, too? What about
lighting? Have you considered lights or are you just going to aim the
camera at whatever is there and record?

[Alcove Audio]

The sound half of any project is just as complicated as the visual side, and deserves half of your attention and budget. Since that is not going to happen, and you have no way in eight weeks to close the knowledge gap, find someone competent to do the sound, both production and post. Poor sound kills more otherwise good projects than any other technical reason.

[cbax9888]

Thanks so much for the help everyone.

Yes I dont really know anything about lighting besides very basic things. I am learning as we speak.

As far as a cameraI am about to purchase the panasonic hdc 880 but was considering the canon HV40. Does anybody have experience with any of these?

I am not exactly sure what camera to get.I was looking for the best quality in the 400-800 price range

[Zensteve]

Originally Posted by cbax9888

was considering the canon HV40. Does anybody have experience with any of these?

I have one. The only time I use it is for long events, as b-cam for wide shots.

You can get a Canon T2i & some nifty vintage lenses, and still have money left over for more, within your listed budget. If I had a choice between the two, I'd suggest the T2i (or T3i) unless you plan to do lots of long coverage requiring no cuts, such as plays, etc.