by Brian Taylor

Created on: December 23, 2011

Film-making is just the ability to break a story into a series of steps, plan those steps, then film those steps, finally putting them all together in the right order, whatever that may be, perhaps with certain embelleshments.

Novice film-makers know this, they aleady have the story, they want to know what they need to "make their movie."

"Why does a movie look like a movie?" The simplest answer is "a group of people want to make a scene look a certain way."

Directors mus think of every shot as a still shot, a painting, a work of art, with focal points, light and shadow. These things cannot be taught in a few sentences, but this is not the point. The new Director can only gain by trying. He or she must design scenes to look good before pointing anything at it.

This will be achieved by "dressing up" everything the audience will see, the scenery, the actors, the light. Lighting is key and is as good a place to start as any. Film-makers should take the time to learn about light temperature and white balance. There are many tips online.

Purchase two 500 watt construction lamps for bright "outdoor" (fake sunlight) and night applications. $80 at Walmart

Purchase two or three indoor gooseneck lamps with 60w 2700k "soft white" bulbs as spots and fills. $12 each at Walmart. Some have stands, some have clips, both are useful. Coloured light bulbs are great for effect.

Invaluable is a reflector/diffuser kit. This a collapsible circle that reflects light off of either a large silver, gold or white disc, and contains a transluscent material for diffusing light, reducing glare. $20 off ebay

A good Director uses what he or she has. Keep in mind the golden rule, it's better to have too much light than not enough.

(Movie tip: don't just "light up a room." Place light, here and there.)

Second equipment purchase, "sound." (Yes second, amateur film-makers often neglect sound and it's extremely important to the overall effect of movie magic making.)

A piece of music or creepy sound effect can make the difference between "a cool shot in a movie" and "video footage." Conversely, hearing the whispered confession of the murderer is preferable to not hearing it. The novice film-maker can only benefit from buying the best possible microphone. 

There are many excellent mics out there, it's nearly impossible to hear them work before purchasing, consumers must trust reviews. However, after reading a few reviews, everyone comes to understand that it's just a matter of taste. Comments

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>