What type of film would be the best to start out with?
- Thread starter Bubbles
- Start date
Whatever story you are most passionate about telling! If its a doc, then make a doc. If its the psych drama, do that one. Point being, the more passionate about the story you are the more likely you will work hard to tell it.
Refine your story to its simplest elements...think small...for your first effort.
Refine your story to its simplest elements...think small...for your first effort.
welcome!
uranium city's advice is good.
and yes, psychological dramas can be hard to pull off.
but u can either try big and learn from it or try small, as uranium said, and probably see better results.
goodluck!
uranium city's advice is good.
and yes, psychological dramas can be hard to pull off.
but u can either try big and learn from it or try small, as uranium said, and probably see better results.
goodluck!
Any creative endeavor, be it in the arts or even business, is all about passion. If you are passionate about your topic, be it a documentary or a narrative film (short or feature length) the rest is simple. Just keep in mind that simple is not the same as easy; if something is easy we don't place any value upon it.
When it comes to filmmaking it is all about preproduction. On the artistic side it is producing a script that will capture the audience, the cast and crew. On the technical side it is all about mapping out the budget, the scheduling, the visual & audio gear and a thousand other details. As artists we must be well-versed both creatively and technically. The more technique and experience you have the more creative you can be within your budgetary constraints.
As the director you are a benevolent dictator. Your word is law, but an open-mindedness to the technical and creative contributions of your cast and crew is essential. You can't know it all and you can't do it all, not matter how talented you are.
So pick your passion, plan carefully and surround yourself with like-minded people.
When it comes to filmmaking it is all about preproduction. On the artistic side it is producing a script that will capture the audience, the cast and crew. On the technical side it is all about mapping out the budget, the scheduling, the visual & audio gear and a thousand other details. As artists we must be well-versed both creatively and technically. The more technique and experience you have the more creative you can be within your budgetary constraints.
As the director you are a benevolent dictator. Your word is law, but an open-mindedness to the technical and creative contributions of your cast and crew is essential. You can't know it all and you can't do it all, not matter how talented you are.
So pick your passion, plan carefully and surround yourself with like-minded people.
Whatever you feel comfortable with:
My first story was a film short that involved no dialogue or music, shot (originally) in one location (a house).
Piece of cake.....
Not....
I guess I don't set out saying "what would be a good story", the story kind of comes to me over time (or overnight like aformentioned did). Remember to ask youself "who are you doing it for?". I do films for myself first. If I start thinking "will so and so like this" or "can I make money off this", I don't get very far...
My first story was a film short that involved no dialogue or music, shot (originally) in one location (a house).
Piece of cake.....
Not....I guess I don't set out saying "what would be a good story", the story kind of comes to me over time (or overnight like aformentioned did). Remember to ask youself "who are you doing it for?". I do films for myself first. If I start thinking "will so and so like this" or "can I make money off this", I don't get very far...
I started with a documentary and while I an getting that made decided to do a contest for a short script. I will produce that soon.
www.soggymopsproductionco.com
www.soggymopsproductionco.com
I don't think there is a certain genre to start out with. My first screenplay was a horror which took nearly a year to write but I learnt so much about my chosen genre along the way. Three re-writes later and it's done. If you think you have a story that needs to be told and you think people will enjoy it then write it!
I think your first instinct was correct. People are more forgiving of shoddily shot footage and sound in a documentary, providing they care about the topic.
Technically, fiction should be at a higher level of precision in terms of lighting, sound, etc., because that's what the audience is used to. Every shot is lit specifically on a professional production. Lights are matched for color temperature, etc.
Then there's the wildcard: Nobody knows what the hell people will suddenly go goo goo over and send a link on to their friends and acquaintances. Baby sets cat on fire is probably a sure thing. That may be a different thread.
There are good guidelines to think of when considering what people DON'T want to bother with, especially with documentaries. They tend to like conflict and controversy, avoiding boring talking heads. Do you provide the goods?
Anyway, the odds of anyone caring all that much about your first project are pretty steep. Don't spend too much money.
Peace.
Technically, fiction should be at a higher level of precision in terms of lighting, sound, etc., because that's what the audience is used to. Every shot is lit specifically on a professional production. Lights are matched for color temperature, etc.
Then there's the wildcard: Nobody knows what the hell people will suddenly go goo goo over and send a link on to their friends and acquaintances. Baby sets cat on fire is probably a sure thing. That may be a different thread.
There are good guidelines to think of when considering what people DON'T want to bother with, especially with documentaries. They tend to like conflict and controversy, avoiding boring talking heads. Do you provide the goods?
Anyway, the odds of anyone caring all that much about your first project are pretty steep. Don't spend too much money.
Peace.
Bubbles (awesome name, BTW), I've done about equal time in both documentaries and narrative, and it is my opinion that they are both equally challenging. Like Zensteve mentioned, planning (pre-production) is super crucial for both documentaries and narratives.
So, I'm going to echo Uranium -- do whatever your heart tells you to do. What do you think you would be most passionate about? That's your answer.
So, I'm going to echo Uranium -- do whatever your heart tells you to do. What do you think you would be most passionate about? That's your answer.
