Filmmaker's Guide: to crafting Independent Productions in Digital Era
In an era where the digital revolution has democratized filmmaking, everyone has the potential to be a filmmaker, with a studio that fits in a backpack or even pocket. Yet, even the finest equipment cannot replace human creativity. Before venturing into the uncharted territories of film production, a proper guide is essential. This book delves into every aspect of film production. From scriptwriting, through the shooting process, to editing, promotion, and distribution.
A must-read for aspiring filmmakers seeking to navigate the complexities of digital cinema.
Inside, you'll find answers to many questions that plague filmmakers:
Where to find crew members?
How to plan a shooting day?
Why does actors' experience matter?
Which equipment to choose?
What's needed for recording an interview?
How to source music for your film?
When to submit a film to a festival?
The best routes and shortcuts you won't learn in school!
Paraphrasing Zdzisław Maklakiewicz from "Rejs," we like the films we've seen before the most. No story is original, as they rely on familiar patterns. According to screenplay guru Raymond G. Frensham, there are only 8 basic types of stories from which all others derive (these are: Achilles, Candide, Circe, Tristan, Cinderella, Faust, Orpheus, Romeo, and Juliet). Browsing today's cinema repertoire, this becomes even more apparent – 75% of premieres are sequels, remakes, reboots, or adaptations. This significantly limits the freshness of the audience's impressions because you can roughly predict what to expect. Favorite characters, known actors, the same stories retold – a proven formula allows studios to save millions on marketing because there already exists a fan base eagerly awaiting the continuation. No wonder some filmmakers capitalize on others' successes to grab a piece of the pie. Picasso used to say that plagiarism is copying someone else's work, but stealing from many is creativity. Let's see how the idea of remix fits into the footsteps of remakes, sequels, previs, and director's cuts (topics I've discussed in earlier texts).
Everything is a remix. Even such influential – and seemingly original – works like "The Matrix" were created as a blend of threads from various entertainment films ("Ghost in the Shell," "Akira," "Fist of Legend" – a remake of "The Chinese Connection"), with the script interwoven with ideas from various religions and philosophies, including Zhuangzi, Plato, Kant, and "Alice in Wonderland". Video essayist Kirby Ferguson created the video "Everything is a Remix," in which he juxtaposed individual shots from "The Matrix" with corresponding shots in terms of frame, movement, and composition from films that served as inspiration. This juxtaposition of sources could even serve as a previs, or rough sketch of a shot list. Ferguson produced several essays on the topic of remix, and at the famous TED conference, he delivered a speech proving that creativity is also a remix, not only in the world of culture but also in science and technology. Nothing exists in isolation from past achievements.
Studying in FilmSchool gives you insight into the cinema’s masterpieces and its hidden interpretations. The lectures on film history are usually boring, if not illustrated with curated clips. But we live in a digital century and you can appreciate the masterpieces instantly. Waiting in the shopping queue, sitting in the subway or maybe even between the shots – you can explore variety of topics on-line on the smartphone (though High-Res screen is recommended). Let's take a look on Stanley Kubrick’s One-Point Perspective:
The Founder of Festival Formula, a consultancy company focusing on filmmakers covering film festival strategy, crowdfunding, and social media presence. She’s hosted workshops and seminars for a broad range of audiences over the past eight years. Selected appearances include: Encounters Film Festival, Shooting People, LOCO – London Comedy Film Festival, YouTube Pro-Panel Series, Falmouth University, East End Film Festival, ICO, MetFilm School, and several training events at the BFI.
aim high... but be realistic - going online is an option
For me and our company's the main issue that we want to talk to filmmakers about is knowing what they want from the Festival Circuit, if their film is suitable to go onto the circuit. Sometimes filmmakers are making content to go straight online. So that doesn't mean it's not warranted that you cannot put on to the festival as well, but some filmmakers prefer to put their stuff straight online, not worrying about the festival circuit.
I think for us the important thing is knowing what you want and also knowing that you have the budget to make it happen. It takes time to submit to the festival circuit, and it also costs money to submit.
Berlinale Talents is the annual summit and networking platform of the Berlin International Film Festival for 300 outstanding creatives from the fields of film and drama series. The idea behind Berlinale Talents lies in elevating young filmmakers careers. It offers the possibility of learning from masters such as Darren Aronofsky, Wim Wenders or Ken Loach. There are also panels and special workshops dedicated to cross-media or film editing. For example, Susan Korda with her "Kill your darlings" will be the guest this year for the third time. And if you are not enlisted as a 'Talent' you can still watch some of them on-line.
The icon of independent filmmaking doesn't slow down efforts for popularizing the craft. Maverick director Robert Rodriguez always shared his knowledge with others. And he is a keen student too. The newest example of this approach is his "Director's Chair" on El Rey Network - interviews with the most rebellious filmmakers on the planet.
Beside producing a fistful of 10-Minute-Film-School videos Rodriguez penned two books in the early nineties. These were the famed "Rebel without a Crew" - his journal from the time of filming "El Mariachi", which catapulted him to Hollywood. The second book titled "Roadracers: The Making of a Degenerate Hot Rod Flick" dealt with his less known first Hollywood picture starring Salma Hayek and David Arquette.
Festivals are about relations within the industry, with the press, getting to know the trends (current language), and of course the audience. You can get some prestige, hang out at parties and maybe even win some cash awards. But there’s a lot of festivals around the world and their number is still growing. Top festivals should be your main concern, however.
Googling is common practice not only for doing the research. You shouldn’t wait to build your own brand, but don’t be fooled with Facebook. The most important presence you can have is on your own website. And it’s not a problem to build it by yourself. Once you put your bio and info about the films (preferably with pictures and clips) you could try to build your presence in global databases.
