hi

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deadkennedys797

hi all my life i wanted to be a film director adn ive been thinking of film ideas/plot and i write them down and i have just started wrting my first script im in 10th grade and i want to know how i can start my life of in the right direction to get to this to be my carrer, cause i dont want to fail
its just that im not sure how to get there
 
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I'm a big movie guy myself, which is why I am now an aspiring filmmaker. I too am in high school, 11th grade, and so I'm getting prepared for college and whatnot. I'm interested in some upper-tier film schools, and many of them require a portfolio of experience in the field. Not just interest, but ability and talent, and so I had to get myself a camera.

You should be asking yourself a few questions.

"What are you willing to spend on Independent Filmmaking?"
"Is this just a phase that I'll grow out of, or is it a dream I truly wish to pursue?"
"What exactly am I interested in? Editing? Being a cameraman? Director? Actor? Writer?"

The first thing I did was learned how to write a script, and although I'm kind lacking an idea for an affordable, in-my-house indie film, I'm aware of how to write a script. Download a program, such as "FinalDraft," which will automatically format your script, and learn how to write it.

When you've got a script, or while you're writing one, start researching cameras. When you reply to this post with a price range, I'll reply back with a few cameras that may interest you.

You also should get acquainted with some sort of editing, whether your experience comes from Final Cut Pro, Sony Vegas, or even Windows Movie Maker, you'll be on the right track because as long as you have some experience with editing, you'll get the picture much quicker in college or in the future.

Also, many people here would suggest just finding anything that moves and shooting it, my first film (that I filmed in about an hour and edited in like 20 minutes) was just of me making a peanutbutter and jelly sandwhich, and then freaking out that I spilled some excess jelly on the plate. Anything will do, as long as you get to know your camera.

So yeah, in 10th grade the best thing you can do is just get a camera and make a bunch of shorts for fun, stuff you can keep on the side just as experience in the field. In 11th, start researching some reasonable colleges you can apply and possibly attend that have Film Production / Cinematography as a major, and you should be set. Keep me updated with your endeavors!
 
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There's tons of free (and legal) software out there for every aspect of production. I like the advice of "Buy a Camera, Shoot something!" Doesn't matter what, after you've got 2-3 crappy productions that make no sense and hurt to watch, start in on Jake's questions. You won't know the questions or the answers in any real sense until you've started shooting and assembling stuff.

Dig in and have fun!
 
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The T.V. Productions class is a road I wish I took this year, but I'm forced to take the level 1 course next year, Senior year, and it'll be too late to take "Independent Film," which requires the Level 1 course.. But yeah, that's a great way to start off, and all starter cameras in the -$1000 range are MiniDV Camcorders, not 35mm Film or anything.
 
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depends on your budget or your ability to raise funds. Film, processing and telecine costs alot to produce...to the tune of $40-$50/50 feet (2.5 minutes) for super8mm. At a shooting ratio of 4:1, you'll use just over 30sec of that 2.5min of film in your finished film. That doesn't really allow for screwups much.

DV costs $5/hr to get to the same point. I'd rather learn in a way that allows me to make lots of mistakes without hating myself for wasting money. Treat it like film though so you learn the techniques better.

You can make your own call on that, but cost will be the magic number that makes your decision in this day and age. Film used to be the only choice, so it's still considered "THE THING" that makes you cooler than us vid kids, but the fact is that you can learn and use the same techniques either way. What you do with it and how you approach your learning will define what you get out of it.

Film vs. Digital doesn't exist! I've said it. Now come the floggings with old underexposed film (can't use new stuff, it's too expensive ;) )!

Stop thinking digital and learn to use digital like film (white balance only has 2 settings; daylight and indoor, no custom WB... stop the camera at cut... light and expose correctly) You'll be able to transplant your knowledge, and you'll get the "Film Look" (crap marketing term IMHO) without having to buy expensive extra software or seeking for some magic recipe online for it.

Make mistakes, make many of them, and learn from them... You'll get it. I'm firmly on the side of digital for learning film... Period!
 
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Speaking as someone who has wasted at least a few hundred feet of film in the process of learning about light, lenses, developing, etc., I am envious of people who can skip the resource hungry, unforgiving celluloid process. I can see the case for shooting a final masterpiece on real film (kind of), but for the sake of practicing technique and learning about light, etc. I can't imagine why anyone would want to use $film$.
 
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