The final and perhaps most frustrating parameter factor is usually referred to as simply Murphy’s Law: everything that could possibly go wrong, will. Trust me. The best thing you can do is prepare for the worst. If you think, “Gee, we’re a responsible bunch. We can take good care of equipment. Screw paying $25 for […]
11. Second Camera Unit This is an expense that can save you time and really CYA. If you can afford a second unit, do. When weather knocks out plans to shoot your primary scene- the second unit can be already prepared to shoot at location B. The backup location is theoretically in a place less […]
Safety is always the number one priority while on set. Any sort of stunt, from a simple trip to exploding buildings, require a lot of time, money, research, testing, and (if it’s a special effect) even rendering needs to be considered. All greenscreen shots need to be scheduled as close together as possible so the […]
Time Period Period pieces (and science fiction) are among the hardest films to produce because the entire world must be remade down to every last detail. Make-up, clothes, cars, set dressing- most sets must be made from scratch. Time and money, people. Consider your budget first. Time of Year You do not want to be […]
4. Interior/Exterior Shooting Categorize your shots once again. The kicker here is going to be Mother Nature, the filmmaker’s nemesis due to the fact that our goal is never reality, exactly. Here is why it is so important to stay up to date (down to the minute) with the weather, which happens to be factor […]
It seems straight forward: how many night shots and how many day shots? However, there’s a lot more red tape in the film world than students and beginners first anticipate. Turn-around time must be taken into account, lest you get in a serious legal debacle with the SAG or IATSE. The actors must have a […]
There are many, many variables to consider when it comes to casting. From a director’s standpoint: is the actor right for the role? Whether you’re on a big production or a low-budget project, always audition potential players. The believability of the film will depend heavily on the performances given on screen- so, trust me when […]
Location. Say it out loud: location. The number 1 parameter factor and key ally in storytelling. A poorly chosen location could kill the film’s believability, or destroy any attempts at decent cinematography. In fact, location can make or break the entire production. So? Put all the effort you can into scoring the best location for […]
Two things are absolutely required to make a film: time and money. Beyond that, time is money! Therein lies the greatest purpose within the art of producing: efficient scheduling (because scheduling is budgeting, and vice versa). This requires near prophetic foresight and obsessive-compulsive organization. A single definitive system exists that successful films use in the […]
On Monday, July 18th, at approximately 1900 hours, my $4,000 (not including software) MacBook Pro was stolen. Needless to say, the consequences have proven to be endless. For starters, the authoring of this blog (created only two days prior) came to a halt. My personal website can no longer be edited and will most likely […]