{"id":28470,"date":"2023-01-07T18:36:31","date_gmt":"2023-01-07T18:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/07\/everything-you-need-to-get-started-filmmaking-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2023-01-07T18:36:31","modified_gmt":"2023-01-07T18:36:31","slug":"everything-you-need-to-get-started-filmmaking-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/07\/everything-you-need-to-get-started-filmmaking-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Get Started Filmmaking \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Filmmaker
guruXOX\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January is the magical time of year when movie buffs from around the world gather at the Sundance Film Festival to enjoy what the best indie filmmakers created the previous year. If you dream about being one of them but don\u2019t know where to begin, we\u2019ve got a list of gear to get you started.<\/p>\n

I am a hobbyist filmmaker. I started making films in 1996 with a friend from high school and my parents\u2019 VHS camcorder. I\u2019ve picked up a thing or two in the quarter century that\u2019s passed since then. I\u2019ve written, produced, directed, acted in, and crewed for dozens of short independent film projects. I\u2019ve also been involved in four feature-film projects. I currently have three films that I\u2019ve directed or produced on the festival circuit. So, I have some idea how to get rolling.<\/p>\n

The following gear list is just for starters, and while some items might be a little expensive, you can pick up the whole list for about $1,500. And it\u2019s a worthwhile investment because once you have this gear, you can use it over and over again for multiple projects. I\u2019ve tried as much as possible to recommend products I actually use on my sets.<\/p>\n

Screenplay Writing App: Fade In<\/h2>\n
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Every film begins in the writing room. And you can\u2019t just use a regular word processor to write a movie script. Well, you can, but I highly recommend against it. Screenplays are formatted the way they are for a reason\u2013because it works. A properly formatted screenplay will guide you through all stages of production, from writing to filming and editing, and post-production.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that a screenplay is not a piece of literature or art. It\u2019s a production document\u2013a blueprint for a movie. Everyone involved needs to see the same thing. The traditional screenplay format is how your cast and crew literally stay on the same page.<\/p>\n

The screenplay program I generally use is Slugline 2<\/a>, an app developed by veteran screenwriter John August. However, that app is only available for macOS. If you\u2019re running Windows or Linux (or Mac), a great place to start is Fade In<\/a>. You can download it for free to see how you like it. It\u2019s a lot less expensive and easier to master than industry-standard programs.<\/p>\n

A big caveat to this is that if you\u2019re planning on making screenwriting your career in Hollywood, it\u2019s likely best to cut your teeth on what they use in the professional world. Typically, they use Final Draft<\/a> and Movie Magic Screenwriter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Remember that the craft of screenwriting is far more critical than the program you choose to write with. If you\u2019re just starting out, I recommend reading Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting<\/em><\/a> by Syd Field to understand the basics of the screenplay format. I also recommend picking up How Not to Write a Screenplay<\/em><\/a> by Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country<\/em><\/a> co-writer Denny Martin Flynn. Additionally, having a great example of a finished screenplay is helpful. On my bookshelf, I have the shooting script for the 2010 film\u00a0The King\u2019s Speech<\/em><\/a> by David Seidler.<\/p>\n

Camera: Canon Rebel EOS 7<\/h2>\n
\"Canon
Canon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You don\u2019t need a massive movie camera to make an independent film. An old fashion DSLR photography camera will do. My filming camera is a Canon EOS Rebel T6i. I\u2019ve had it since 2017 and filmed four or five film projects with it. The included lens has a fantastic optical zoom, and you can get additional lenses<\/a> for more nuanced shots.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Canon has moved beyond the T6i since I got it. The most recent EOS Rebel model available on Amazon is the T7<\/a>. This is likely because camera manufacturers are leaving DSLR technology behind<\/a> in favor of more advanced mirrorless digital cameras. And if you want to spring for one of those, that\u2019s fine with me. But, I\u2019m hanging on to my T6i because it still works flawlessly and captures excellent footage, and there will still be parts and lenses available for it for a long time.<\/p>\n

If you choose to get a Canon T7, be sure to pick up plenty of storage cards<\/a> and extra batteries<\/a> for those long shoot days. Additionally, consider picking up the book Film Directing Shot by Shot <\/em><\/a> by Steve D. Katz to help you build your cinematography skills before you call \u201caction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also, if the few hundred bucks to invest in a DSLR is too expensive, you have a great movie camera in your pocket right now\u2013your smartphone. The cameras on smartphones are excellent these days, and you can learn the ropes of filmmaking without spending an extra penny if you\u2019re willing to go the no-budget route.<\/p>\n

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Sound Equipment:\u00a0Sennheiser MKE 600\/TASCAM DR-40<\/h2>\n
\"Boom
guruXOX\/Shutterstock.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One thing to keep in mind when starting out in film is that what the audience hears coming out of the speakers is just as important as what they see on screen. But, the microphones built into cameras just won\u2019t do. Avoid a rookie mistake and invest in a high-quality boom microphone. The one I use for my projects is the Sennheiser MKE 600<\/a>, and it\u2019s so powerful that it can pick up an ant fart. So, you\u2019ll want to make sure your crew listens when you call \u201cquiet on set\u201d (be mean about it, trust me, they don\u2019t listen if you tell them to be quiet nicely).<\/p>\n

But the microphone itself isn\u2019t enough. You need an excellent recorder to capture that sound. On my sets, we use the TASCAM DR-40<\/a>. And it\u2019s never failed to capture all the fantastic lines of dialogue I write for my actors.<\/p>\n

One more thing you\u2019ll need for sound is a slate<\/a>. You may call it a \u201cclapper.\u201d It\u2019s the small board you put in front of the camera that has the name of the film, scene, and shot number on it. You clap it down before every take because both the audio and video files have a spike in the waveform. Matching those up in the editing phase is critical to making sure that your actors\u2019 mouths match the lines of dialogue they\u2019re giving.<\/p>\n

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Lighting Kit: Neewer 2 Pack Lighting Kit<\/h2>\n
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Neewer<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lighting is one of the most crucial elements of any film shot. The wrong light and a character can seem sinister instead of cheerful. One of the worst errors a beginner filmmaker can commit is relying on indoor fluorescent bulbs to light the scene. If you want your actors to look the worst they possibly can, do that. However, you can fix this problem by investing in a simple lighting kit.<\/p>\n

This is one of the sections of this guide where I can\u2019t recommend that you use what I use. Because I have a good friend who is a lighting whiz and has accumulated a great deal of equipment over the years, there\u2019s no way you\u2019ll be able to afford that as a beginner filmmaker. However, the Neewer 2 Pack Lighting Kit<\/a> looks great to me. This kit has everything you need to ensure your actors are correctly lit for your film.<\/p>\n

These starter lights will help you learn the ropes of proper lighting until you find your own lighting guy\u2013more on this in a minute. You also may want to check out the book\u00a0Lighting for Cinematography: A Practical<\/em> Guide<\/em><\/a> by\u00a0David Landau to give you an idea of how to give your scenes the feel you want.<\/p>\n

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Editing Software: Hitfilm<\/h2>\n
\"Hitfilm
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Once you\u2019ve wrapped production and sent all your actors home, it\u2019s time to combine those long hours and hundreds of takes into a finished movie. And you\u2019ll need a solid video editing program to do it. However, industry-standard products like Final Cut, Adobe Premiere Pro<\/a>, and Avid can get expensive, and at this point in your project, you\u2019ve probably already spent all your money. Plus, video editing is a painstaking task.\u00a0It can take hundreds of hours<\/a> just to become a competent video editor, let alone a master.<\/p>\n

For the beginner filmmaker, I recommend Hit Film<\/a>. It\u2019s a free program that can handle all the high-quality video footage and sound files you want to put into it. I also think it\u2019s suitable for beginners because it has a wealth of training features that let you cut your teeth on your starter projects and hone your skills. You can buy more modules with advanced tools as you improve and branch out into more refined territory. It\u2019s a program that grows with you. And it won\u2019t break the bank with subscription fees. Plus, what you learn using Hit Film can easily be applied to industry-standard editing suites.<\/p>\n

Get a Little Help From Your Friends (Or Make Some New Ones)<\/h2>\n
\"Filmmaking
Dean Drobot\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s a saying in the film industry: \u201cIt ain\u2019t show friends, it\u2019s show business.\u201d But, from my perspective, it absolutely is \u201cshow friends.\u201d Remember how I said I started out in the 90s with a high school friend? I still make movies with him. Granted, we never went to Hollywood and struck it big (I\u2019m actually thankful for that). But we have, over the years, accumulated a small but loyal film troupe, a group of people that gets together once or twice a year to make some really compelling material. We\u2019re all experts in our given areas. And we produce our movies out of the love of making them.<\/p>\n

So, how do you find your film troupe? I want to tell you that it\u2019s easy but takes a long time. But I\u2019d rather pay the price in time to find good, loyal, competent people I love to make movies with than raise millions of dollars to hire people I can\u2019t stand. Nevertheless, here are a few suggestions for finding your crew.<\/p>\n

Actors<\/strong>: People to stand in front of the camera and say lines aren\u2019t hard to find. Discovering the right ones is difficult. The first place to look for actors willing to be in your beginner films is acting classes. Go sign up for one yourself and start attending regularly. Acting, even if you won\u2019t be in front of a camera, is a critical skill for any filmmaker. If you can\u2019t act, how can you possibly expect to direct people that do? Another good place to look is community theater. The actors who spend months on end putting on plays are devoted to their craft and are willing to try new things. And most of them would probably love to be in your film.<\/p>\n

Crew<\/strong>: The best place to find a film crew is on a movie set. Get on Facebook and look for your local independent film community. Browse through the posts looking for small projects people need crew for and volunteer. Show up, do what you\u2019re told, be nice about it, and learn. Working for free is one the best ways not only to learn how other people make films (and often they make films badly) but also to meet everyone in your community who makes films for their own sake and for personal gratification. Plus, the more work you do for free, the more other filmmakers are willing to help you out when you have a project of your own ready to go.<\/p>\n

The Rest<\/strong>:\u00a0There are a million things that go into making a great film. Some things I haven\u2019t touched on so far, like locations and music, are hard to pin down because you can\u2019t just buy them on Amazon. These are just things that you\u2019re going to have to feel out for yourself on your filmmaking journey. But, like actors and crew, you can find a lot of what you\u2019re looking for by meeting the right people. Sign up for a screenwriting class, attend local film festivals, be an extra in movies filming in your town\u2013put your face in front of as many other filmmakers as possible. You\u2019re going to meet a lot of jerks and hacks. But, I promise you that among them lies your film crew. Good luck.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n