If you suddenly set out to create your own movie, you need to learn not only how to make a movie, but also how to make it successful. First of all, you will need to decide which genre your work will be in. World practice shows that it’s much easier to create a “horror movie” on your own, since you don’t need to spend a lot of time and effort on this. Nevertheless, other genres will require a high-quality scenario, which takes a lot of time.
Film base
The first thing you should start with is the movie script. This is the most difficult and most crucial part of the picture. Even in documentaries, there are scenarios according to which the filming process moves. Each scenario is driven by an idea, so first you need to come up with the main plot of the film. It is necessary to answer the question of why the film is needed at all.
At each studio there are specially selected people who read scripts and try to identify the most worthy among their large number. Try to create a story that would be interesting not only to you, but also to other people, especially those related to the film industry.
The script of the film should also take into account the overall budget of the picture. It is possible to achieve a sufficiently low budget, for this it is necessary that the story be kept restrained, and its basis was dialogs. Get acquainted with other scenarios, read the work of members of the writing guilds, perhaps they will push you to create an unusual story.
Next steps
Next, you need to do a search for a producer. It is unlikely that you have enough funds to pay for all the shooting, the work of the actors, the director and the crew. However, if you have that kind of money, and you know how to make a film, then you may not need a producer in this case.
Exclusive rights to the script, the name of the film and the creative process as a whole - all this you get as a producer. However, you will have to spend time day after day working with the film, not everyone can afford it, so it’s recommended that you find a person who will be interested in working on your idea.
It is from the producer that the administrative composition of the picture will depend, because he recruits all those people who are usually displayed in the credits after the tape. The quality of films made by him will also depend on the selected actors, assistant operators, editors and many others.
The film crew is the key to success
If we are talking about a film in the style of "making the film ourselves", and the quality does not play a significant role, you can do without the participation of the film crew. However, if you want to get a high-quality picture, you still need to recruit a team of professionals who can create an unusual and original film.
In addition, before the start of the filming process, it is necessary to hire other personnel who will deal with less significant things. In particular, we are talking about assistant directors, costumers, administrators and managers who will control the budget, schedule, etc.
You will also need to hire a person who will be engaged in the allocation of places for filming, to specify where exactly certain scenes will be shot. The producer should control the work of all these employees, and if he does his job competently, then the entire filming process should go like clockwork.
We find the director
If you don’t know how to make a good movie, find a director. The success of a movie can directly depend on the quality work of this particular person. The easiest way to find such a person in special organizations and communities, for example, guilds or associations of filmmakers.
All filmmakers have their own portfolio, which is a brief presentation of the best works. Based on this selection, you can get an idea about the director’s vision of the world around him, about his value orientations and abilities. Only viewing such portfolios will allow you to decide on a candidate who can create a really high-quality film.
Remember that the director does not have the right to finally decide what changes to make to the picture. This is decided only by producers and screenwriters, the director only has the right to make any suggestions with which, in his opinion, you can change the film for the better and present it on the other hand.
Choosing an Acting Troupe
The selection of actors should be handled by a dedicated assistant director. It is he who sends requests to magazines, studios, acting guilds, web portals and newspapers. After that, he should select all the most suitable actors from the available applicants. This is one of the most difficult stages, since a huge number of candidates come to the office.
How are actors selected? Each of them will be given several test pages with a script, after which you need to play the necessary scene before the selection committee (producer, director, assistant director for the selection of cast members). Based on the demonstrated abilities, the commission concludes on the abilities of an actor.
As soon as all the actors are selected, the crew of the crew begin to calculate their salary and work schedule. Most often, negotiations are conducted with the involvement of managers and agents, but the average level of wages is quite low, especially when it comes to actors who are involved in secondary roles and in extras.
Equipment and props
Next, you need to prepare the props and all necessary equipment. We are talking about video equipment, tripods, batteries, etc. Props should be selected only after all the needs of the crew have been identified. Otherwise, you will be forced to face a situation in which you will constantly need to purchase something additional.
It is advisable that the crew include a specialist who would be involved in the preparation of estimates. He must take into account absolutely all the expenses of the film crew that can only arise during the filming process. This may be the payment of travel expenses and accommodation of actors, food crew, purchase of props, etc.
First shooting days
At this stage, you are minimally involved in the filming process. You should already know how to make a film, see a picture and understand what it will be. Now it is necessary that all the money invested in the film be worked out by the film crew.
All subsequent steps will need to be performed daily: create scenery, conduct rehearsals and work actively with actors. Operators will need to constantly display material that has been filmed over the past 24 hours. In the event that the shooting is carried out using digital equipment, nothing will need to be displayed.
Amateur, professional or documentary?
If you shoot an amateur film, then it will take no more than one shooting day. In the event that you are planning to create a chronicle, you will still need to find out how to make a documentary film, its features and what additional options can be used to make the picture look worthwhile. It will be nice if you shoot an additional video about where you shot the film.
Documentation is characterized by the handling of facts. This means that there is no place for artistic innovations here. Fiction may be allowed, but only to the extent established by the accomplished events reflected in the documentary. When shooting a similar picture, it is very important to constantly be in contact with historically savvy people who have an idea of ​​the events that are being described.
If you do not know how to make a documentary, you will need to consult with specialists in the field of film dramaturgy. They can always be found in theaters, film studios, film circles and other organizations. If necessary, you can attract them to work on the film as consultants.
During filming
Even if you know how to make a film, what features you need to take into account, you must follow the process. It is about both the camera and the actors. The sound should be aligned correctly, there should be no extraneous noise, and moreover, no people in the frame. It is very important that the correct sound of the actor’s speech is performed, this can be done using special equipment.
The director must get the actors to understand what exactly they need to do in the frame. It all depends on how long he has been working in this field and whether he can be a subtle psychologist. The main thing is that actors should not look at the camera, this is allowed only if films shot based on romance novels are relevant to you.
Final stages
After the filming is completed, it will be necessary to carry out editing, and the quality of the films or film should not suffer. It is advisable to hire a specially trained person for this. If this is not possible, this can be done independently, but first you will need to study the specialized literature on this issue.
After the installation is complete, it will be necessary to watch the film in full, to identify its strengths and weaknesses. At this stage, some directors and producers decide to shoot additional scenes or, on the contrary, to remove extra ones. Only after the final version of the film is formed, you can think about an advertising campaign and publication.
After the demonstration of the film, its authors will have to pass one more test - criticism. It is necessary to calmly react to negative reviews, in the end, even venerable masters of cinema have repeatedly been subjected to devastating reviews.