-
Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.
wanting to make a little film for fun over the summer
- Thread starter florence
- Start date
Take into account who will be working with you--especially on the acting side of things. Base your story around the age-group of actors you will be using--even though you're just doing this for fun, it still helps to understand a filmmaker should shoot what they know, and what they can realistically do.
If it's purely for practice, go crazy with it...practice shots you admire from movies you love. Utilize plot points from movies you think are cool. Fool around with lighting techniques...learn what works and what doesn't.
When you're ready to shoot something serious...try not to cast your 16 year old friend as a scientist or government agent.
I don't mean that to sound elitist at all...it's just something that young filmmakers do, and many times aren't taken seriously because of it.
Good luck, and have fun.
If it's purely for practice, go crazy with it...practice shots you admire from movies you love. Utilize plot points from movies you think are cool. Fool around with lighting techniques...learn what works and what doesn't.
When you're ready to shoot something serious...try not to cast your 16 year old friend as a scientist or government agent.
I don't mean that to sound elitist at all...it's just something that young filmmakers do, and many times aren't taken seriously because of it. Good luck, and have fun.
There are alot of films about people just hanging out and the things that happen on that day. Why not start from there? The best movie I can think of like that is "Friday".
EDIT: Smokey: "...'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got sh*t to do."
-- spinner
EDIT: Smokey: "...'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got sh*t to do."
-- spinner
Last edited:
so, this is pretty similar to what everyone else is saying but... Make a list of interesting/cool/weird/maybeexpensivelooking/friends/things you have access to. Utilize them, it'll ramp up your production values. 
Also, I would advise to try to see every restriction (resources. age of actors) as a creative challenge that is your friend, not as something that is a total hinderance or can be ignored. Restrictions can birth some truly rad art, soes work with them
Also, I would advise to try to see every restriction (resources. age of actors) as a creative challenge that is your friend, not as something that is a total hinderance or can be ignored. Restrictions can birth some truly rad art, soes work with them
Okay, on a more literal note (feel free to borrow from/rearrange at will...)
Romantic comedy: A high school girl thinks the cutest boy in the class is in love with her. Only problem? He's actually acting on behalf of the boy who she has known since pre-school, because he owes him a favor/lost a bet.
Drama: A high school girl thinks that her teacher is in love with her.
Campy horror: A high school girl discovers a ghost/vampire/etc. living in her school's basement. At first she is petrified, until she realizes he has an entirely inappropriate crush on her. Then she uses him to wreck havoc on her enemies.
Sci-Fi: A high school girl discovers that she has the ability to read people's minds. But only when she is in a fit of genuine convulsing laughter.
Coming of age: A high school girl who has just lost her mother to cancer discovers a journal describing a love affair her mother had during senior year of her own high school, before she met her father...
These are all pretty cheesy/stereotypical... but maybe just use as prompts to get ze creativity rolling?
Romantic comedy: A high school girl thinks the cutest boy in the class is in love with her. Only problem? He's actually acting on behalf of the boy who she has known since pre-school, because he owes him a favor/lost a bet.
Drama: A high school girl thinks that her teacher is in love with her.
Campy horror: A high school girl discovers a ghost/vampire/etc. living in her school's basement. At first she is petrified, until she realizes he has an entirely inappropriate crush on her. Then she uses him to wreck havoc on her enemies.
Sci-Fi: A high school girl discovers that she has the ability to read people's minds. But only when she is in a fit of genuine convulsing laughter.
Coming of age: A high school girl who has just lost her mother to cancer discovers a journal describing a love affair her mother had during senior year of her own high school, before she met her father...
These are all pretty cheesy/stereotypical... but maybe just use as prompts to get ze creativity rolling?
Hi, I'm in exactly the same boat as you - 16, just finished GCSEs - although I have been planning my project for a long time.
I'm the producer on my project so I'm in the position of managing the 10 strong cast, figuring out which days we can shoot which scenes - which is a logistical nightmare, given that its the summer and people have got jobs and holidays booked; and keeping my extreamly creative but somewhat tempremental Director from throttling the Director of Photography.
My advice to you would be, once you have the script, hold casting sessions in your local area (put up posters in local drama groups, community centres etc.). Also, its a good idea to have a facebook group everyone interested in the project can join.
Once you have a cast get them to give you all the dates they are away so you can plan around them.
Obviously how much time you need will depend on the length of your script, my project is feature length so we are shooting for the whole summer, but your short might only need a couple of days.
As far as ideas go you just have to be creative, I can recommend an excellent book on screenwriting: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raindance-W...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244889320&sr=8-1
Or if you just want to mess about with your camera and your imagination and arn't to fussed about writing a script take a look at this compitition from E4: http://www.e4.com/estings/index.html
Good luck & happy film making,
Smith
I'm the producer on my project so I'm in the position of managing the 10 strong cast, figuring out which days we can shoot which scenes - which is a logistical nightmare, given that its the summer and people have got jobs and holidays booked; and keeping my extreamly creative but somewhat tempremental Director from throttling the Director of Photography.
My advice to you would be, once you have the script, hold casting sessions in your local area (put up posters in local drama groups, community centres etc.). Also, its a good idea to have a facebook group everyone interested in the project can join.
Once you have a cast get them to give you all the dates they are away so you can plan around them.
Obviously how much time you need will depend on the length of your script, my project is feature length so we are shooting for the whole summer, but your short might only need a couple of days.
As far as ideas go you just have to be creative, I can recommend an excellent book on screenwriting: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raindance-W...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244889320&sr=8-1
Or if you just want to mess about with your camera and your imagination and arn't to fussed about writing a script take a look at this compitition from E4: http://www.e4.com/estings/index.html
Good luck & happy film making,
Smith
Consider visual storytelling -- make a short movie without any dialogue. Some may think this is hard to do, but others may actually be relieved by not having to agonize over the best way to say a line.
It may also make it easier to work with non-experienced actors.
It may also make it easier to work with non-experienced actors.
Seriously, what I'd think about doing is a story about a British girl who is only 16 who wants to make a movie just for fun as she's just done her gcse's (whatever the heck that is...I know, an after school testing to pass and go to University...right?) and who knows she's going to be bored as hell.
She tries to get her mates to join her. Trials and tribulations of trying to shoot a film with a bunch of goofs getting into her way, including some American fools telling her what kind of film to make. Intertwine a mystery shoot, a sci fi shoot, a romance shoot with the same actors all doing a horrible job.
End it with the film going to Cannes and getting the Palm D'Or!
Chris
P.S. I hope that everyone knows that I'm NOT busting chops here. Everyone has given appropriate advice, it's an appropriate question, and this is a bastardization of that reality. I think that it could be a funny and fun movie to make. Heck, I might even make it myself!
She tries to get her mates to join her. Trials and tribulations of trying to shoot a film with a bunch of goofs getting into her way, including some American fools telling her what kind of film to make. Intertwine a mystery shoot, a sci fi shoot, a romance shoot with the same actors all doing a horrible job.
End it with the film going to Cannes and getting the Palm D'Or!
Chris
P.S. I hope that everyone knows that I'm NOT busting chops here. Everyone has given appropriate advice, it's an appropriate question, and this is a bastardization of that reality. I think that it could be a funny and fun movie to make. Heck, I might even make it myself!
Well on that note , I read that Kevin Smith actually worked in the Quick E Mart he later used in his movie Clerks. He basically wrote about one day working in a convenience store and he wanted to play the lead role but being he was also the writer/director ect he couldn't...so he played Silent Bob.
He would work during the day and film overnight when the store closed and boarded up the windows (remember in the film the reason for the boarded window was they couldn't get the lock undone for some reason). All outside shots were done later on and Smith barely slept for those weeks of filming.
So sometimes the answer to your query is smack dab in front of you...and it can make the most interesting stories and cheapest to make.
He would work during the day and film overnight when the store closed and boarded up the windows (remember in the film the reason for the boarded window was they couldn't get the lock undone for some reason). All outside shots were done later on and Smith barely slept for those weeks of filming.
So sometimes the answer to your query is smack dab in front of you...and it can make the most interesting stories and cheapest to make.
I am 17, and can't wait for summer to start.
I came up with an idea for documentary/comedy when i was cutting a pineapple....
yah, so it's a prove that inspiration is all around you.
just look for what interest you the most
i suggest you focus on your age group (as many of the experts suggested) so it's easier to film and to find actors XD
I came up with an idea for documentary/comedy when i was cutting a pineapple....
yah, so it's a prove that inspiration is all around you.
just look for what interest you the most
i suggest you focus on your age group (as many of the experts suggested) so it's easier to film and to find actors XD