Where should I start?

P

poutyyy

I'm not too sure where to start, I'm 23 years old and I've always been interested in movies since I was a child always wondering what it would be like to act, or even film a movie. I've messed around with special effects when I was younger, fake blood, cuts, scars, bruises etc.

Fortunately for me I have a group of friends that all want to do the same thing. We have all known each other for 5+ years and we would be very dedicated to this and put all of our effort into it.

The only problem is, I have no idea where to start! We need a camera first off, I only have a Aiptek 720p handheld camcorder... and it's not in the best of shape.. We are really interested in making a horror film for our first movie because we believe it would be the easiest to start with.

I'm just looking for answers such as - should we start with short films, documentaries, movie, etc.

I have also been debating on going to college for intro to film production. Is it really worth it or could I learn everything on my own? Is there any specific books I should read, or videos to watch? Any tips or help to get me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much - Justin.
 
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poutyyy said:
I'm not too sure where to start, I'm 23 years old and I've always been interested in movies since I was a child always wondering what it would be like to act, or even film a movie. I've messed around with special effects when I was younger, fake blood, cuts, scars, bruises etc.

Fortunately for me I have a group of friends that all want to do the same thing. We have all known each other for 5+ years and we would be very dedicated to this and put all of our effort into it.

The only problem is, I have no idea where to start! We need a camera first off, I only have a Aiptek 720p handheld camcorder... and it's not in the best of shape.. We are really interested in making a horror film for our first movie because we believe it would be the easiest to start with.

I'm just looking for answers such as - should we start with short films, documentaries, movie, etc.

I have also been debating on going to college for intro to film production. Is it really worth it or could I learn everything on my own? Is there any specific books I should read, or videos to watch? Any tips or help to get me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much - Justin.
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If the camera you has films then you have something to start with for filming. Pick up a recorder for external sound and you can start making shorts on Youtube and Vimeo. As for the debates on what is best to start with you will get thousands of opinions. It is much cheaper to make a short then a feature but you are not likely to make any money from a short.

As for the question on college or not that has been asked a dozen times on here. Click search and type it in I am sure you will find hours worth of reading. I for one am for college I am going to Full Sail for their program. I chose them because I got a Macbook Pro, FCP X, and After effects as well as a Sony NEX FS-100 camera included in my tuition. For that reason alone I chose the school because I get a head start on my equipment. It is an expensive school so be warned there.

If you want to get started with basic things check out Film Riot on Youtube and Indy Mogul as well. They give you basic how to and film riot even has weekly/monthly challenges.
 
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Thanks for the quick reply - I posted on another section of the forum but didn't get too many answers. What camera would you recommend just to start out with? - Just to make short films for now to upload online.
 
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Start with shorts.

Watch some shorts: http://www.shortoftheweek.com/films/

Wanna do a horror film? Cool.
A feature length horror is not much more expensive than drama to shoot, considerably less expensive than adventure and action, and fairly profitable - IF YOU DO IT RIGHT!
http://www.the-numbers.com/market/Genres/
IF.

But... you're better off practicing with five four minute shorts than four five minute shorts than three seven minute shorts than two ten minute shorts. And please don't plan any twenty minute shorts right outta the gate.

You learn a lot from each project.

You don't make any money offa shorts.
Think of them as vacations. Whaddaya have after a vacation? Not much. Memories. Maybe some fun. Decent bill. That's it.
Same thing.

Keep your Aiptek. It's fine for now.

Download some free screenwriting software: http://download.cnet.com/Celtx/3001-13631_4-10850080.html?spi=4cc3d8761b3b16ba4676164f1cd462f8
Learn how to write in proper screenplay format: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12721428/Professional-Screenplay-Formatting-Guide
Become acutely aware of the three act structure and decide how you want your story to adhere to it or deviate from it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsBznn8D13zOdEI1dGU1VUxaVDhCQmVnVFBLeUxSaWc#gid=0
Write for the resources you have instead of for pie-in-the-sky tooty fruity stuff you can imagine.
Locations (prefereably FREEEEEE ones)
Equipment
Actors/Cast/Talent
Crew
Budget​
Write for what you have, not for what you don't have.

Write for the MPAA audience you have in mind.

Plan on every screen minute to take about five hours of time between:
  • Writing/rewriting/rewriting/and rewriting
  • Planning and organizing
  • Shooting
  • Video editing
  • Audio editing

Download some free audio editing software: http://www.free-audio-editor.com/download/index.htm

Go crazy.
Don't poke your eye out.
Good Luck! :yes:
 
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poutyyy said:
Thanks for the quick reply - I posted on another section of the forum but didn't get too many answers. What camera would you recommend just to start out with? - Just to make short films for now to upload online.
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Whatever camera you can get your hands on. I have made films on my iPhone and a Kodak DSLR before I got my FS 100. If the one you have works start with it. If not figure up your budget and research which camera fits into your budget. You can get a T3i for around 1k all the way up to the a Red Camera for 10k.

Some people swear by GH1, GH2, T3i, T2i, the list goes on and on. If you're doing horror you will want a low light camera and from what I have seen the Sony NEX FS 100 is pretty good at it. Act of Valor was filmed on a Canon EOS 5D but the lenes they used were extremely expensive. The most important thing in Horror films is your music and ambient sounds as well as the audio of the actors.
 
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poutyyy said:
Do you think it is important to go for an HD camera? I was looking at this because of the price https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...&sa=X&ei=eSh1UN6vEa-C0QHO_IDwDg&ved=0CL8BEMwD

but it doesn't have the HD option so I'm not too sure ;\
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That question I really can't answer that is on you as the director to determine what look you want for your films. I personally like digital cameras that are HD. One of the biggest reasons is with a digital camera I can just pop my memory card out of the camera into my computer and get to work editing. With tapes, dvds, film etc there is a whole other process involved. One I do not understand because I have no experience with it.

Clerks was shot on a black and white camera. This year The Artist was a silent film that was shot in black and white and won an Oscar. Haywire was shot on a red epic to give it more colors. Act of Valor on a 5d to give them the ability to move around faster.
 
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Screw HD at this point.

Shakespeare's pen isn't going to make your write the reboot to Macbeth.
Spielberg's camera isn't going to make you shoot the reboot to Jaws.

Honestly, goto youtube, search for "horror short" and see how many start to suck ASAP.
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...0.187.1047.8j2.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.enBzGAyDf0I
You're not twenty seconds into most of them before you're ready to flip over to the next.
And it ain't the camera.
It's the boring @$$ story.

Start with story.
Bells and whistles after that.

Less than 720p: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2956447426428748010
 
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rayw said:
Screw HD at this point.

Shakespeare's pen isn't going to make your write the reboot to Macbeth.
Spielberg's camera isn't going to make you shoot the reboot to Jaws.

Honestly, goto youtube, search for "horror short" and see how many start to suck ASAP.
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...0.187.1047.8j2.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.enBzGAyDf0I
You're not twenty seconds into most of them before you're ready to flip over to the next.
And it ain't the camera.
It's the boring @$$ story.

Start with story.
Bells and whistles after that.

Less than 720p: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2956447426428748010
Click to expand...


Thanks I do appreciate it, your post are very inspirational and motivational
 
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Sorry for the double post, I feel as if the hardest parts for me to film for shorts/movies would be the random scenes in between the actual scenes with people. Like for example the beginning of night of the living dead it's just a shot of the road/trees/graveyard/etc following up to the actual events and what's in between.
 
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Do five or six shorts to start with whatever camera you have so you guys can get your feet wet. Spend a week per short. They key here is to get experience. After six short films, you'll all have a better idea where your strengths and weaknesses are, and you can write a feature based around your skillsets. After your shorts, then buy a camera, you'll know better what you need. Camera-wise, I'm one of those that swears by the T2i with Magic Lantern. The kit lens will be good enough for your first feature.
 
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