How to start

Intergage

Intergage

Hey all,

Fairly new on here basically live in the screening room to see all the new stuff coming out but I have a question that I need answered.
I have only just started to get into film making at a higher level then lets say, A case of beer, $400 handy came and, Microsoft Movie Maker.

I have made a few little short clips (Effects tests basically) and I have made a short clip for a series I want to make. (http://www.youtube.com/user/intergageqxc)

What I need answered is, how do you start a short clip that is meant to have some kind of story line. I'm a full time IT tech and film making is only a hobby. I have, however, read books, did research, watch what other people are doing and taking notes. (Things like the 180' rule and stuff)

I can't seem to figure out where to start when making a short film?
At the moment I plan out as I go and edit right after we finish filming so it's all still in my head.

Need some help, tips and pointers.


TL: DR - I have no idea how to start a short film that will take more then a day to film, edit and complete. How do I start?
 
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hey looking at your content it seems your in to VFX and stuff. I put out similar content and my channel is called usnfilms check me out for some ideas if you want.

anyway, you should really look at freddiew on youtube, he puts out great stuff and has made himself like a youtube verision of james bond, he makes pretty short videos but they have a lot of plot and are awesome
 
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USNFilms said:
hey looking at your content it seems your in to VFX and stuff. I put out similar content and my channel is called usnfilms check me out for some ideas if you want.

anyway, you should really look at freddiew on youtube, he puts out great stuff and has made himself like a youtube verision of james bond, he makes pretty short videos but they have a lot of plot and are awesome
Click to expand...

Hey,

yeah I love Freddiew's clips. Sub'ed to all 3 of his channels.
I'll give you channel a shot now, see if I can get any ideas on some effects I can learn! :)

Checked it out and loved it.. Can I ask where you got your sound effects from?
 
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So Intergage -

Why don't make it a story about 2 characters who hid a pile of guns in the woods. Who cares about backstory at this point. Perhaps they are stolen, maybe they used them in a robbery and wanted to stash them away until things cooled down. Whatever the case may be.

So the 2 characters are retracing their steps and are following a hand drawn map where they left a pile of guns. That gives them reason for being in the woods. The guy in front can be all sneaky like you originally wrote, because his character can be paranoid. The other guy walks normal without any worries, because he's the chill type.

It's a start...
 
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TheOpusFuller said:
So Intergage -

Why don't make it a story about 2 characters who hid a pile of guns in the woods. Who cares about backstory at this point. Perhaps they are stolen, maybe they used them in a robbery and wanted to stash them away until things cooled down. Whatever the case may be.

So the 2 characters are retracing their steps and are following a hand drawn map where they left a pile of guns. That gives them reason for being in the woods. The guy in front can be all sneaky like you originally wrote, because his character can be paranoid. The other guy walks normal without any worries, because he's the chill type.

It's a start...
Click to expand...

Oh shit, sorry. I left out some important information..
These two characters are both living in a post apocalyptic world. Never see the actors face, never hear them talk so on so forth. I'm basing it very loosely off the STALKER game and a mini series comic I used to read awhile back about on deviant art.

TheOpusFuller: Checking out your site at the moment.. Mate, you are bloody good. I loved everything I'm watching so far.
 
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Hers my approach ... I took your paragraph and made it a list of actions
I got rid of -ing words. There is no DOING only DO. There is ONLY NOW, nothing came before.



We need names.. so its Bill and Dave


  • Bill and Dave walk [into the living room]
  • Bill and Dave sit down
  • Dave falls asleep
  • Bill walks [out of the house] pissed off
  • Bill finds some guns,
  • Bill gestures happyness
  • INSERT Sound FX: RUSTLING IN Bushes [was: Bill hears a sound from the bushes]
  • Bill is nervous
  • Bill is composed [was Bill gets serious]
  • Bill Finds cover
  • Bill panics
  • Bill runs
  • Dave sleeps
  • Bill runs
  • Dave sleeps
  • Bill runs
  • Dave wakes up
  • Dave walks out of the house
  • Bill climbs a tree
  • Bill scopes the place out.
  • INSERT SOUND FX: CRUNCHING RUSTLING
  • Bill looks up and sees Dave
  • Dave is munching chips



Now lets look at that for holes..

  • Bill and Dave walk [into the living room]
  • Bill and Dave sit down
  • Dave falls asleep
  • Bill walks [out of the house] pissed off

    ----maybe you can have something happen that leads him to the guns, random is generally bad.

  • Bill finds some guns
  • Bill gestures happyness

    ---- finding guns is cool, everyone likes guns, but does Bill TAKE any of the guns..
    maybe Bill takes a Sniper Rifle (you say scope out, so its a guess)


  • INSERT Sound FX: RUSTLING IN Bushes [was: Bill hears a sound from the bushes]

  • Bill is nervous
  • Bill is composed [was Bill gets serious]
  • Bill Finds cover
  • Bill panics


    --- you point out a hole here your self, but does it matter why.. I mean he just found a bunch of guns, they must be somebodies.. and maybe that rustling in the bushes is them coming back.. ?!?!!

  • Bill runs
  • Dave sleeps
  • Bill runs
  • Dave sleeps
  • Bill runs
  • Dave wakes up
  • Dave walks out of the house
  • Bill climbs a tree
  • Bill scopes the place out.

    --- He uses the sniper rifle scope to look for Dave in the living room window?

  • INSERT SOUND FX: CRUNCHING RUSTLING
  • Bill looks up and sees Dave
  • Dave is munching chips

That is an acceptable form of story telling, its not Narrative Plot, its more absurd, but that can be funny. Think Monty Python ..
 
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you need a couple of these bad boys..
$(KGrHqR,!hQE2eg,KZ2VBN)0PZ1h!Q~~0_3.JPG
 
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Intergage said:
Oh shit, sorry. I left out some important information..
These two characters are both living in a post apocalyptic world. Never see the actors face, never hear them talk so on so forth. I'm basing it very loosely off the STALKER game and a mini series comic I used to read awhile back about on deviant art.

TheOpusFuller: Checking out your site at the moment.. Mate, you are bloody good. I loved everything I'm watching so far.
Click to expand...

Very cool, Intergage. I'm very familiar with the stalker game. Also familiar with the movie (Tarkovsky) that it was loosely based off of. Great atmosphere in both the game and movie.

That's fine. It's very doable even if you never see their faces and never hear them talk.

Thank you much! Glad you enjoy the content on my site. I have a lot to learn and a lot to make! :)
 
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