Four Steps to Filmmaking

While waiting for the Introduction to Cinematography lecture, I spoke to one of my class mates comparing notes on how we are coping with our assignments. Because I have made films and 2 community television programs, I am well aware of the task that awaits us and the need for commitment to complete our assignments.

To help filmmakers understand the four steps of filmmaking:

1. Pre-Production
2. Production
3. Post-Production
4. Marketing

I have started writing articles taking you through each step from pre-production through to marketing. It is hoped that you will realize the mammoth amount of work you need to do to be prepared and organized in making films.

I would also suggest you download Celtx which is a freely available pre-production software application that will help you:

• Write a screenplay
• Create a storyboard
• Break down your screenplay
• Create a shooting schedule

You can download Celtx from here.

Link to my first article: Four Steps to Filmmaking

References
Celtx Website: http://celtx.com/
Celtx Download: http://celtx.com/download.html
Four Steps to Filmmaking: http://www.fandangle.com.au/how-to-make-films/148-four-steps-to-filmmaking.html Read more Entry>>

Production Diary - Tuesday 4th August 2009

This is the start of my production diary for my University studies in Introduction to Cinematography.and Editing Sound and Image Last week we familiarized ourselves with video camera settings e.g.

Manual Exposure (apeture)
Neutral Density Filter
White Balance
Color Bar
Manual/Auto Focus
Setting color, brightness and contrast for camera monitor
and a heap of other settings and tripod setting up.

This week we learned about three-point lighting(key, fill, back light) Uni is great because the lights are provided for us to play with. Mmmm-more toys.

I borrowed 1 book on cinematography and 2 books on lighting. The subjects I'm doing for this semester are really heavy and a lot of details to learn and master. But besides these issues it is really cool. I am learning so much and studying intensely.

More to come Read more Entry>>

Creative Commons License - Elephants Dream

I was doing some research on the internet today in regards to Creative Commons Licenses and found an interesting example of how the Creative Commons Licenses has been used.

As we know producing a 3D animation film for cinema is a very expensive process. You need specialized software such as 3D Max, Maya, Softimage etc which requires license fees. On top of this, if you were to use Windows XP as your computer operating system you would have to pay for the number of computers you are using etc. which adds more to the expense of production costs.

Blender is an Open Source 3D Modeling and Animation suite meaning it is free, no license fees. Linux is a computer operating system and it is also Open Source, and yes no license fees.

Well the Blender Foundation decided to make a short 3D animated film using only Open Source software(free). When the film was finished, the Blender Foundation have allowed and given permission to the artistic community to download all the production files (7 Gig). The files are covered by the Creative Commons License and you can remake, remixed and re-purposed the movie. The producers of the film have stated that the movie “Elephant Dreams” is the world’s first 3D animated “Open movie” . For further information and videos on how and why the film was made [Read More] Read more Entry>>

If you can type you can make movies

As the title suggests, 'if you can type you can make movies'. Xtranormal is a quirky online application that you can use to make your own animated movies. The application is in Beta mode, which means there is no limitations on what type of characters you use. They are all free while the application is still in Beta mode. Here is an example of what you can do. [Read this Article] Read more Entry>>

The Creative Journey

The journey of a filmmaker is a creative one. This journey will lead you to cross roads where you will need to make decisions which may require you to change the direction you are going. There will be opportunities, disappointments and achievements along the way. You will develop long lasting relationships that will support you during the difficult times. And on reflection of your memories, you will be encouraged and determined to follow your creative journey so you can continue to grow as a filmmaker.

This is a story about my expedition as a filmmaker and how it may assist you as you travel along the road of your creative journey.

I remember when I first started out as a filmmaker. The films I made were subjects that took my fancy with no direction as to where it will take me. I wasn't aware of what film genre appealed to me, what my directing style was and where I wanted to go with my directorial skills. After making several films the road I was taking as a filmmaker was becoming clearer. As you continue to make films you eventually realize that you are going on a creative journey. You realize there is a particular style or film genre that you just love, that you have a favorite colors, a favorite era, period of history, and your method of making films matures. As you make more films you will develop relationships with fellow creative people who are on a similar journey as you. Those relationships will build a strong bond with fellow directors, film and television industry people, actors, cinematographers, editors, musicians etc. It takes time to develop these relationships, but if you persist with your dream, you will find those relationships will be a great support in you creative journey.

My journey began in Adelaide, South Australia. I made several short films, organised the Schlockfest film festival and my dream was to write and direct a feature film. After writing my feature film “Feme” I moved to Sydney to develop some interest in producing it. There was some interest but giving a first time feature film director a break was an obstacle. I remember back in Adelaide having an in depth conversation with local feature film Producer/Director Rolf De Heer of Vertigo Productions about films and my passion to make a feature film. He gave me a word of advice “You have to be crazy to make a feature film. Because the film industry is a crazy business. If your not crazy you wont survive.” The dream faded. I met a lovely lady and got married. My wife and I went a monthly film night organised by Essan Laurent where we met a lot of people in film and television industry.

One of the people we met approached me saying he wanted to produce a community television program. I was adamant about my artistic integrity (something you have to get over very quickly. In reality it can restrict your creative growth). I didn't want to make television programs, I wanted to make a feature film. My wifed jumped in the conversation and said Daryl is the man for you, he is amazing (aint love grand). So I started producing a community television infotainment program called “Simply Living in Sydney” doing all the production work, with the help of a videographer friend who had a 3CCD Video camera and my wife was the production manager. When I made a 5 minute short film, it would take me a month to write the screenplay, breakdown the script, look for locations, actors, shoot the film and edit it. This television program required 5 x 5 minute segments a week. I was amazed I could do it. I was given a brief by the executive/producer. Read the brief, picked an interviewer, went to the location and I had to come up with a concept on the spot, direct the interviewer and client, shoot the interview and grab shots relating to the segment, edit the 5 segments and get the program to the television studio by Saturday to be aired. The program went for few months. The Producer had financial problems and the program stopped. My wife said why don't we make our own television program. So we produced “Fandangle” a program focusing on the music scene in Sydney where we would film live bands and show them on our program. The community TV station's license was up for review. It was revoked and given to another community group. Community Television in Sydney came to a stand still. Almost everyone who produced community television programs in Sydney moved on and I went to work in a regular job.

Finally we moved to Canberra, I heard about the new degree, Bachelor of Media Arts and Production at University of Canberra and decided I had to do this.

As you can see from this story, I have been on a creative journey. As a filmmaker, you too are on a creative journey. So let it happen, accept the offers that come your way, follow your inner guide and most of all, enjoy the trip.

References
Rolf De Heer: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0208854/
Rolf De Heer Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_de_Heer
Vertigo Productions: http://www.vertigoproductions.com.au/
Essan Laurent: http://www.essanlaurent.com/
Fandangle Productions: http://www.fandangle.com.au/
University of Canberra: http://www.canberra.edua.au/ Read more Entry>>