With the cost of cameras and editing software reduced in recent years it has become a lot easier for student filmmakers to create their own work. However it is not just the technology that is important when creating films. Being aware of the language of film and knowing the practical aspects of filmmaking will make it easier when it comes to doing your work.
The good thing is that the tools needed to make films are now much less expensive and far more accessible than in recent years. Whereas people would previously have to buy a lot of expensive film and rent unwieldy video cameras nowadays people can use relatively cheap cameras and shoot digitally. Furthermore it is a lot easier to view and watch footage so you can avoid wasting time reshooting scenes that do not need to be reshot.
Admittedly the downside of this ease of access is that there is more films and video out there. With video upload websites there are a lot for people to watch. This is why the fundamentals of learning how to shoot a film and how to edit it properly become more important than ever in order to stand out from the crowd.
Robert Rodriguez not only did a lot of the work involved with making his first film El Mariachi himself he also managed to fund it through various odd jobs. The director Kevin Smith used the convenience store that he worked in as a location for his debut Clerks, doing the filming in between shifts. Ideally you should start with a short film. Many directors first learned their craft this way. It allows them to learn about the process of filming, working with actors and so forth. There is also less pressure as you are not responsible with a larger budget that comes with a feature.
Ironically this would happen again in the Nineties when Quentin Tarantino would take the style of the French New Wave and fuse it with other influences to form his postmodern deconstruction of classic genres. This was often attributed to his days as a video library clerk. It was here that he was said to gain his now legendary obsession with a wide array of films.
The truth is that it is unlikely you will produce an instant hit. There is an old joke about how the people who become overnight successes took twenty years to get there. While this is intended as a joke there is a serious point in that people often see the finished product as opposed to the amount of work that went on behind the scenes.
When working on your own pieces you need to be thorough. People often make the mistake of working quickly rather than effectively. Plan your shots as much as possible and get as much coverage as possible. It is better to have too much material that you have to edit down than find you did not shoot enough and that reshoots are necessary.
There is also the issue for student filmmakers of what type of course to get. There is no course that can guarantee you work. However the best courses can allow you to develop your skills and in some cases the teachers may have connections that can give you possible work or at the very least improve your chances. Look online to find out more information and for more advice on how to improve your film making skills.
The good thing is that the tools needed to make films are now much less expensive and far more accessible than in recent years. Whereas people would previously have to buy a lot of expensive film and rent unwieldy video cameras nowadays people can use relatively cheap cameras and shoot digitally. Furthermore it is a lot easier to view and watch footage so you can avoid wasting time reshooting scenes that do not need to be reshot.
Admittedly the downside of this ease of access is that there is more films and video out there. With video upload websites there are a lot for people to watch. This is why the fundamentals of learning how to shoot a film and how to edit it properly become more important than ever in order to stand out from the crowd.
Robert Rodriguez not only did a lot of the work involved with making his first film El Mariachi himself he also managed to fund it through various odd jobs. The director Kevin Smith used the convenience store that he worked in as a location for his debut Clerks, doing the filming in between shifts. Ideally you should start with a short film. Many directors first learned their craft this way. It allows them to learn about the process of filming, working with actors and so forth. There is also less pressure as you are not responsible with a larger budget that comes with a feature.
Ironically this would happen again in the Nineties when Quentin Tarantino would take the style of the French New Wave and fuse it with other influences to form his postmodern deconstruction of classic genres. This was often attributed to his days as a video library clerk. It was here that he was said to gain his now legendary obsession with a wide array of films.
The truth is that it is unlikely you will produce an instant hit. There is an old joke about how the people who become overnight successes took twenty years to get there. While this is intended as a joke there is a serious point in that people often see the finished product as opposed to the amount of work that went on behind the scenes.
When working on your own pieces you need to be thorough. People often make the mistake of working quickly rather than effectively. Plan your shots as much as possible and get as much coverage as possible. It is better to have too much material that you have to edit down than find you did not shoot enough and that reshoots are necessary.
There is also the issue for student filmmakers of what type of course to get. There is no course that can guarantee you work. However the best courses can allow you to develop your skills and in some cases the teachers may have connections that can give you possible work or at the very least improve your chances. Look online to find out more information and for more advice on how to improve your film making skills.
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