The Filmmaking Process for Beginners
Great movies make you sit back and think, they stay with you and bury their story into your heart, yet few people think about the work that went into making the masterpiece. It’s often advertised the amount of budget invested and which actors were paid the most; but so much more goes into making a film.
Here we summarise the key steps of making films, so even aspiring beginners can let their creativity shine:
1. Concept
Every movie, advert and tv show started off as a simple idea. Of course, such idea’s grow and develop as the project continues but there is always one idea that is the foundation of everything that follows next. Ideas often come out of no-where so make sure to jot them down as and when they happen, something that may seem uneventful at the time may evolve into something great.
2. Script it
This is your opportunity to dialogue your concept, it is imperative as it is a tool helping everyone involved in the filmmaking process know what is going to happen. It’s a reference for you, the actors and any additional production team involved. Again, the first script is likely to evolve throughout the process as you may be struck with creativity in the moment.
3. Storyboard it
Storyboards are universally used to show the shots to be filmed, little drawings help visualize the shot and can be used as an indicator to share your vision with others. Remember not to get hung up on your artistic talents (or lack thereof), it is only an indicator.
4. Pinpoint the perfect location
Tracking down the best spots for filming can be time consuming. A specific area may appear perfect but is there enough room for all the cast and crew? Do you need specific licenses to film there? How will members of the public impact filming? There is so much to consider and it’s important to consider all needs, not just visual.
5. Lights, camera, action!
All of the planning comes down to this point. Make sure you have enough time needed to film and expect the unexpected, things will go wrong and it always takes that little bit longer than expected. You may even want to shoot the same scene from several different angles, this will give you lots of options when it comes to editing and adding an additional ‘edge’ to your film.
6. Post-production
This is likely to take the longest out of all the above. It is not one simple edit, you will be bringing hours and hours of footage together, deleting parts, adding sound effects and background music, not to forget any visual effects needed. If you are not experienced with this, always ensure to have a quality film producer on your team.
Even as a brief summary, it can be seen why films can take years to come to fruition and require a healthy budget, but done right it can be something unforgettable.