I know nothing about anything

I want to start making my own short films but besides having ZERO experience i know nothing about anything, literally.

I have several scripts but im focusing on one that i can shoot in my house with just one actor due to being simple. Thing is i don't know what lighting i need, i don't know if i should film with audio on or off (The short only has 2 ou 3 lines and most of the sounds i need i can find online).

I really need help guys, this is something i really want to do but i must confess im kinda of slow. I have spent coultless hours reading shit online but im still clueless, nothing beats talking to someone so please help me.

And since i have no budget do you guys think i can just use a couple of small lamps and house lights along with natural lighting from windows?
 
Just get a camera and film something. It's gonna suck, but it has to so you can learn. And don't stop making films. Keep at it over and over and over and over until you have some experience.

And yes you can use small lamps and natural lighting
 
So several lamps using 10-20w bulbs and natural light (when possible) will do ? Yes you're right, i just got a major lack of confidence.
And it doesnt help that i have to ask people to come n' help since i have no camera, asking someone to help you and then look silly in front of them without really knowing what im doing is not really my thing. But yeah i know, practice practice practice
 
I really need help guys, this is something i really want to do but i must confess im kinda of slow. I have spent coultless hours reading shit online but im still clueless, nothing beats talking to someone so please help me.

And since i have no budget do you guys think i can just use a couple of small lamps and house lights along with natural lighting from windows?

Nothing beats doing. The reality is all our first shorts aren't good but they are learning experiences. Can't learn to paint from a book and can't learn film making without doing.

You need a camera, sound, some lights (sunshine is the most powerful lighting) and to be completely insane. No-one sane would do this...
 
Nothing beats doing. The reality is all our first shorts aren't good but they are learning experiences. Can't learn to paint from a book and can't learn film making without doing.

You need a camera, sound, some lights (sunshine is the most powerful lighting) and to be completely insane. No-one sane would do this...


Ahaha well i got the insane part right ;)

Btw if i were to buy some cheap lights what do you recommend ?
 
+1 Your first shorts are gonna suck.
Can't help it.
Deal.

Your first attempt to use a spoon will suck.
Your first steps w/o holding onto the couch will suck.
Your first play of any video game will suck.
Your first few days of driving will suck.
Your first doink will suck.
Your first month on a new career job will suck.
Guess what your first video will look like?
Ah, nah. It'll be effing great!

Nah. It'll suck.
And THAT'S OKAY.

Now, your second and third video oughtta get progressively some better as you improve your QC, quality controls.
Yup, this biz has those, too.

And remember - the cheaper your camera is the more light it will need.
So get your bum outta the house on a nice overcast day for even lighting and give a try at something.
Anything.
Just keep it short.
A minute of screen time is easily gonna take an hour or three in production, planning, and upload.

Watch the vid: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?p=353909#post353909
Read the thread.

Be brave.
Go shoot, edit, and post something.

GL! :yes:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhyxeCn3JYw
 
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I have spent coultless hours reading shit online but im still clueless, nothing beats talking to someone so please help me.
If you had spent countless hours shooting short films you would
not be clueless. Do you know what beats talking to someone?
Making movies.

And since i have no budget do you guys think i can just use a couple of small lamps and house lights along with natural lighting from windows?
Try both. Set up a shot using natural lighting from windows - shoot
the scene. Then try add a couple of small lamps and shoot a the scene.
Look at the video you shoot and see what you like and what you don't
like and make changes.
 
Your first attempt to use a spoon will suck.
Your first steps w/o holding onto the couch will suck.
Your first play of any video game will suck.
Your first few days of driving will suck.
Your first doink will suck.
Your first month on a new career job will suck.

I'll add another... Remember learning to masturbate? That was a painful experience wasn't it? But you did it every day and now you're probably a mastur at it.
 
Guys btw yesterday i watched Pusher from Nicolas Refn for the second time and i payed special attention to the lighting or the lack of it. Did he shoot the movie without using any "special" lights or whatever ?

The only source of light i spotted was either the sun or the normal house lights. Sorry if i can't explain myself well, english is not my first language.
 
You definitely aren't alone Jeff.

I'm still learning loads and have just joined this to learn more. It's a neverending process I suppose. It just feels like so much to learn, but we all know we love it.

Stick with it.
 
I think to expand on previous points would be to say, that thinking positively, is your first film will suck AT WORST. That is the worst case scenario; you made a bad film but had a great learning experience. You aren't going to be shunned by the industry or banned from making another film ever again... and that really is the bottom of the scale.

You could take all the things you instinctively know by watching good films, or experimenting successfully, and the film could come out really good. You don't know until you just get a camera and do it. Then get a response, feedback, and start film number 2. Thats where the real process begins - that gap between the first two - does your second film improve on the mistakes of the first? Are you learning? Progressing?

The great thing with art, at least in my experience, is that unless you are a hugely famous talent with a consistent string of fantastic work that THEN releases an absolute turkey of a film, your bad work will be forgotten fairly quickly and you'll get noticed when you finally hit your stride.

Just work at it. Make the film and learn and stop worrying about what you do or do not know now. You're always preparing for the next film in a way.
 
Btw if i were to buy some cheap lights what do you recommend ?

See attached. Clamp lights and halogen work lights should be easy to come by from any home improvement store. The China balls, a little more difficult to find, depending on what's around you you may have to order online. For those of us in the states, World Market is the place I've had the easiest time finding them.
 

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For now you don't need light, don't need no microphones. All that will confuse you for now. Just grab a camera and put friends inform of the camera. Shoot your movie, and put it together in a free video editor.
This way you will experience general process of making a movie.

The rest will come later.

PS use your phone as a camera too. That's good enough.
 
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