How To Improve Your Film Making Skills
It is common for beginning filmmakers to realize that there is more to their new craft than pointing a camera and hitting record. In fact, making a great film is no easier than a beautiful painting, a groundbreaking new genre sculpture, or a brilliant piece of choreography–but by knowing where to start in filmmaking, you can absolutely succeed at it.
LEARN THE BASICS.
Make sure you absorb point of view, and all different shots and angles; but most importantly, get to know the psychological implications each have. Think about where you place subjects, and think of the rectangular moving image as a picture plane for every frame (or group of frames).
On the subject of frames, know your camera! You don’t need a great one to make an incredible film, but maximize your control of it. Get familiar with the zooms, lighting options and if it’s digital, pixel counts.
IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT COUNTS.
Apart from how your film looks, make sure you plan ahead for other aspects that will change its feel. If you have actors or performers, decide if they need a script and make sure they know what they are supposed to convey. If your film is a documentary or live action, you may find that little can be done to control what happens, and to an extent you can expect the unexpected.
IT’S ALL IN THE EDITING.
Well, maybe editing alone can’t entirely make or break a time based work, but it certainly carries a huge portion of that weight. Know how you are using a film editing machine or digital video editing platform before you start. Always have more than one copy of film if possible, and back up digital video files in several places. Allow for editing to take time, and be careful with every second on the edge of a clip. When you think you’re nearing completion, watch the edited footage with your undivided attention several times.
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
Feedback and critique are imperative to your work as an artist, and especially as a beginning filmmaker. Get all sorts of opinions, from other filmmakers, artists, friends, family, colleagues, and teachers.
What’s 1 more click? Your boss isn’t watching… MediaPost Publications Peering Into The Future Of Digital Video In 2012 12/19/2011