Old Advice on Making New Movies
I had someone recently call me for advice on where to begin on making and directing a film. They of course wanted to start with a feature.
(My own directorial debut was the feature length action flick BLOOD TIES, filmed in Thailand, Cambodia, DC, Miami, Virginia, and Atlanta)
Shoot on a high definition camera, throw some make up on their friends and lens their contribution to the sub horror genre we fondly know as 'zombie'. They were pretty well convinced that even though they had never done it or anything like it, they were pretty much ready. After all, they've already watched every horror movie ever made.
After about 30 secs of talking, I should have known better than to try to continue with any useful advice. Of course being hard headed myself, it was nearly a half hour later before I gave up. So I thought maybe I should just write it down. Of course these days that means a blog or a quick webcam YouTube video, or even just a twitter or a text message. So, even though I am sure I will write a book someday whether anyone reads it or not, here is my most basic advice.
Don't bother learning...
...how to edit. Or how to film. How a camera works, or how focal length and apeture control the look of your picture. No need to learn modern software or tested editing principles. No reason to investigate mics and the way they influence not only shooting decisions and shot choices but how your final film is perceived. No reason to study or try to understand story and myth and dramatic structure. Of course, there's no reason to even make a movie - it's really just too much work.
Or... even though it won't happen overnight, do the opposite. Learn everything you can about not just the technology that allows modern day acquisition and delivery, but about ascetics and art, framing and composition, architecture and construction. Learn the inside and outs of a camera - almost any camera - and the lessons will carry over. Try to understand the limitations of codecs and compression schemes.
Study music and sound. Talk to engineers and producers. Or jump into Garageband or Acid, or grab an instrument and try your hand at creating sound that compliments the visual message you are involved in.
Try your hand at make up and special fx. Both practical and computer generated.
Talk to actors. Work with actors. Learn what they go through so you can find a common language to communicate with them.
Now my own goal is to someday be the least experienced, perhaps least talented person on the set; surrounding myself in both production and post chores with people who have more talent, more experience, and certainly are more specialized. Yet my experience as I start to work with them is that by having some understanding of their contributions and the unique skills they bring allows me to communicate in a way that serves their practical and creative needs while bringing me closer to my goals and vision as a storyteller.
I've got so far to go that it's a bit self indulgent to look back, but I've been fortunate by a combination of both happenstance and design, that I have been and am an actor, a writer, a cameraman, an editor, a make-up person, composer, sound designer, set builder, choreographer, stuntman - and now producer and director.
The key I think is that the biggest part of that learning should come from doing, not just reading, or talking or watching. Learn from the mistakes of others, and then get out there and make your own. And last, certainly don't listen to me!
Posted at 12:34PM Jun 24, 2008 Read More...
by William McClung in General |
