How do I start?

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ozzyfur

hello everyone

This is my first thread on this forum. Please bear with me.

I want to get started in filmmaking and become an established fillmmaker. I love movies and would love to make a living out of it. Quite simply I'm passionate about movies!

But I dont know how to go about it. I dont have any friends who are interested in my passion.
I' m working in a dead end job that has no relevance to creativity.
All I do is read alot about filmmaking, but I dont know how to get free equipment for filming coz I'm like broke.

Oh yeah I'm from the U.K so if anyone can hear my cry please respond!

Thanks in advance much appreciated. :)
 
First of all, welcome.

I assume you have a PC... do you have anything that could bring footage in.. maybe a Firewire port?

I would suggest getting a digital camcorder.
Come up with a story, and use what you have lying around the house to make it so...

Another thing is, always move forward towards your dream...

There are others here from the UK that could get to specifics and possibly help you out personally... IndieTalk is the best board I visit... the community is awesome!

Again... Welcome!
 
RE: getting started...

ozzyfur said:
hello everyone

This is my first thread on this forum. Please bear with me.

I want to get started in filmmaking and become an established fillmmaker. I love movies and would love to make a living out of it. Quite simply I'm passionate about movies!

But I dont know how to go about it. I dont have any friends who are interested in my passion.
I' m working in a dead end job that has no relevance to creativity.
All I do is read alot about filmmaking, but I dont know how to get free equipment for filming coz I'm like broke.

Oh yeah I'm from the U.K so if anyone can hear my cry please respond!

Thanks in advance much appreciated. :)
Click to expand...

I feel your pain! But hey... With the internet, now you can at least try to find others out there interested in your passion...

One way might be to try:

IndieFilm.Meetup.com

Film Industry at Meetup.com

Screenwriters.Meetup.com

Hopefully, you can locate some groups close to you within these categories... Additionally, you can always check out the same site but browse through the Acting category, Movie Fan category, etc. If you still can't find anything happening around you, start your own Meetup.com group.

Aside from that, you'll need to learn how to get some ideas for a film down on paper and write a screenplay... Check out the thread on this site:

Film Ideas

Get a couple of books about screenwriting... Don't worry so much about proper format as much as proper storytelling. The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier would be a good book to start off with. This will keep you busy for quite a while...

Take some of your ideas, get them down on paper and try coming up with a script... You might want to start out with some real small shorts... like 3 minutes or less... Watch shorts on the net... Lots of places starting with IndieTalk to watch them at... See what works... See what you like. See what you don't like and don't do that with your stuff...

Put ads and flyers up around where you live to see if anyone else is interested in getting together to make some films or, at the very least, discuss making them... The entire time you devote to finding others however, you should be learning how to get your idea(s) down into screenplay form... After you've gotten that part down well enough, you'll need to start learning about filmmaking... More books. More web sites. More discussions. That's what we're all here for! There are a lot of us who can help guide you down paths depending on what you want to do...

Hope this helps...

filmy
 
Welcome Ozzyfur!

You'll receive much good advice here from starting out to presentation at festivals. Regarding dead-end jobs stunting creative impulses, you'd be surprised at how once you've got a project in mind, the monotony of a day-job can actually enhance your work. You'll be thinking of a line or a shot, or a scene and the time will fly by. Just tell yourself that the paying job will get you to your dream. :)
 
Awesome welcome to Indietalk, and welcome to the Indy world. there's always people around that need help just search local filmmakers in your area and offer to help on shoots. Cause trust me we always need help with holding a Shot gun, or whatever. Also if you save up some cash it's really not that expensice to buy a cheap miniDv camera so that you can start shooting stuff just to learn the basics. Ans you can get some cheap editing software and just mess around. Take like one editing class in college, that also gets you the connections to equipment.

Now for writting, don't even worry if you have a good story thats all you need. It's not that hard to write a script its the idea. To me at least. Just do it follow your dreams good luck, and if you ever come out to Las Vegas look me up.
 
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Dead end job stunting your creative growth. Big dreams. For a minute there I thought you were talking about my life.

This is my plan so far.

1. Hang out here. This is by far the greatest resource I have found. Folks are friendly and helpful. Though from time to time some members do get sucked into vortexes. Zen.... buddy.... you out there.

2. Read everything I can get my hands on. Books, magazines, internet forums and articles.
Check out
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sonnyboos site. He has some articles that are a great place to get started. Specifically STEPS this is a MUST read. Right now. Go. What are you waiting for.

3. Tell everyone what I want to do. Family, friends, co-workers, strangers on the street. Anyone who will listen. Surely someone will want to help... Surely.... somebody.... anybody. Ok well I am still working on this part.

Good luck to you and Welcome.
 
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Thanks guys!

This is to everyone who replied to my message.
Thanks guys I really appreciate your help.

This site has really helped me alot already and is a fountain of knowledge!
 
Check out http://www.budgetfilmmaker.com and http://makingthefilm.com . Both of these sites are run by people more local to you (in the UK). Hakan at BudgetFilmmaker might be a good resource for you.

I also agree with CootDog--get a digital camera, even a low end would be good to start, and some editing software for your computer. Start shooting, import the video and practice editing. After a while, you will start to look at things differently...you might walk by a certain place...stop...and realize that you could get a neat camera angle of it if you crouch over 'here.'

Let us know when you start working on a project! Good luck!
 
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