What's the Best Way to Get Started in Film?

tomdshriver · Dec 19, 2013

I am very interested in pursuing film. I have absolutely no experience outside of shooting short videos and editing on movie maker or iMovie but I want to learn film. I want to start exploring it and understanding exactly what is involved in the filmmaking process.

I am especially interested in cinematography. The power that comes with the operation of a camera astounds me. You, the cameraman, get to be they eyes of an audience. You choose what they see. You have the power to captivate an audience with a camera. I absolutely love the idea behind that. I can only begin to imagine some of the psychology behind different camera techniques.

With that being said - what's the best way to start seriously pursuing this passion? I'm 23 with a full-time job and an undergrad in religion. The closest legitimate (I think..) film school is the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (I live in Greensboro, NC). Is film school the best way to start learning about film? Can I even get in without a portfolio? It seems highly unlikely...

Beyond that I don't know where to start. Should I just start shooting film on my iPad and get critique from local filmmakers? Should I try to volunteer at a production company in exchange for some training?

I would love some input on this. Thanks!

GuerrillaAngel · Dec 19, 2013

film school? just say no. stay away from gearheads and technofreaks for now

Buy a cheap camcorder with auto functions you can turn off. Learn basic filmmaking techniques, shoot footage based on a simple story idea you thought of. input to computer, master iMovie, and edit together something that'll leave viewers wanting more.

After a half a dozen COMPLETED short films, you'll have a better idea where you stand with filmmaking and your wallet will thank you.

Good luck.

GuerrillaAngel · Dec 19, 2013

tomdshriver said:
Can I even get in [film school] without a portfolio? It seems highly unlikely...

Of course you can, you don't even have to be breathing -- all you need is to ensure the tuition is paid.

Film schools are a farce. The only reason so many exist is because there is an endless stream of suckers willing to fork up $40 to $75K in tuition.

The vast majority of film schools do not exist because of a need in the profession.

tomdshriver · Dec 19, 2013

GuerrillaAngel said:
Buy a cheap camcorder with auto functions you can turn off. Learn basic filmmaking techniques, shoot footage based on a simple story idea you thought of. input to computer, master iMovie, and edit together something that'll leave viewers wanting more.

Any camcorder recommendations?

I have Premier Elements 10 on my PC at the moment. iMovie on my iPhone/iPad. I take it using Elements is the way to go rather than editing solely on my iPad?

ChimpPhobiaFilms · Dec 19, 2013

Welcome to IndieTalk!

ChimpPhobiaFilms · Dec 19, 2013

tomdshriver said:
Any camcorder recommendations?

I'd actually recommend going the DSLR route and investing in a T3i. You can buy one used from eBay, Amazon, or B&H.

PhantomScreenwriter · Dec 19, 2013

Film schools are good if you want to get a certificate at the end stating you completed the course but even with that certificate doors aren't just going to fly straight open. So while it's good to get that certificate the best thing about film schools is networking and conversing with people who have similar interests.

If your main area of interest is cinematography that's great. Read up all the information you can regarding the subject. Do tests with various conditions to find out what's best to use in which situations. Watch plenty of movies and take notes on camera angles and shots that grab your attention and learn the theory behind how these shots are achieved. Even experiment with a scene from movies you like and come up with your own camera angles that could be used for that same scene.

But also read up all you can about other aspects of film production from the art of screenwriting to directing to editing. Start with the foundations and work from there.

Stanley Kubrick is quoted as saying, "Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all."

This is an excellent quote because basically it says go out there and do.

tomdshriver · Dec 19, 2013

Fantastic stuff, Chimp! Thanks so much for the links. That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for!

tomdshriver · Dec 20, 2013

Love it Phantom. I'll look into all aspects of film to have a broad understanding. I really like the idea of re-creating a scene that captures my attention and figuring out the theory behind it.

GuerrillaAngel · Dec 20, 2013

A hd cam that you can shut off auto functions. You want to be able to focus manually, set the white balance easily, as well as manually set exposure and shutter speed.

For sound, you want to be able to shut off the auto gain control, and a jack for external mic.

If the camera doesn't have all of these things, don't get it.

Almost all major brands make decent camcorders these days. Avoid starting out with a cam having too many buttons, knobs and menus. You want to learn filmmaking techniques at the beginning, not how to operate a high tech camcorder -- a true buzzkill.

I would NOT get a DSLR for this reason. You want fun, not WTF!

Good luck.

Alcove Audio · Dec 20, 2013

My personal advice is to go work on any film set that you can in any position you can get. You can learn a lot - both good and bad - by watching others practice their craft.

If you want to be a DP by all means get something you can use to shoot with right away. You have A LOT to learn, so get started.

SkyCopeland · Dec 20, 2013

I'll throw in my opinion on the film school aspect

Yes, the degree from a film school (or a traditional school with film studies degrees) are NOT going to just get you jobs. Sure it looks nice, but it is absolutely no assurance or a promise to studios that you're good at it.

Is it worth it to just invest your money in a feature instead of going to film school? Sure, but you better hope the feature gets somewhere... cause I believe investing in film school is way more beneficial.

Your skills will improve with trail and error, but a film school has instructors who can teach you based on the errors they already have YEARS and YEARS of film. This is a beneficial aspect that can't be looked over.

Next is the obvious. You are surrounded by peers who wish to make a future in film just like you. The best possible start to Networking is at your disposal, you will work with at least a few of them during and after school. They will get to know your style and you'll know theirs. Also some schools have a special way of keeping you in touch with your classmates to help you all have jobs (i.e. Alumni Networking at Full Sail).

Thirdly and the point I want to stress the most, a good bit of film schools will cost an absurdly high amount of money. Invest in it well, take advantage of that time because you did still invest in a feature! Full Sail for example has countless studios and a film lot which are something that can't be overlooked. Plus the set design and prop shop is FREE for students to use. You're not just getting a degree and knowledge of your instructors but you're also getting a multimillion dollar budget without actually needing any of the budget. The resources far out way the tuition cost.

Just my two cents on film school. It's more than networking, but it's not career making.

ChimpPhobiaFilms · Dec 20, 2013

tomdshriver said:
Fantastic stuff, Chimp! Thanks so much for the links. That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for!

You're welcome! Glad I could be of help

jax_rox · Dec 20, 2013

In my personal opinion:

The only education worth anything is either learning from working on real film sets, or film school. For me, film school opened doors that otherwise would have taken a lot longer to open, and also allowed me to get onto real sets and be able to impress from day one, as well as cater my career path to what I now realised I want to do. My mistakes could be made in a safe environment.

Film school's not for everyone, and I wouldn't recommend one way or the other - it's up to each person individually; I personally know two DPs who are constantly getting work who both dropped out of film school. I also know other DPs who are constantly getting work who completed the whole thing. I know DPs who are getting work who didn't go to film school, and I know DPs who aren't getting any work at all, despite their best efforts, and regardless of whether they went to film school or not.
It's an option that's available and one that can be taken and has varying results depending on the person you are.

For now, getting onto a real film set and doing whatever you can wil really help you IMO.

tomdshriver · Dec 20, 2013

Sky - that's great info, too. The cost of in-state tuition for UNCSA is a bit over 8k/year (in state w/no meal plan or housing). I have a bachelors degree already so hopefully most of my electives would transfer and it would only take me 3 years to complete all of the film courses. That's a whopping 24k for the process - a lot of money but not nearly as much as my undergrad cost me. I totally see your point in the value of film school. There's also a closer (but not as highly recommended) school that's about 6k/year.

I do think getting on a set would be beneficial, too, Jax. I'll start looking for a set or two to help out on to start watching the process.

JFP · Dec 20, 2013

I'd say just get out and shoot and experiment with your own stuff. Try and educate yourself as best as possible and really try to find out what part of the craft you want to explore. Everybody and their mother seems to want to be a director and that's great, but it doesn't always translate into a job. I found that I actually don't really enjoy directing, I'm more interested in the visual storytelling, so I pursued cinematography.

Start looking around your local area for professionals that you could contact or get an informational interview with, just to ask these same questions. This can also help start your network if you decided to pursue this professionally, without immediately just asking for work.

I will say from my experience my work and knowledge didn't start coming together until I began working on professional sets to see the right (or wrong) way to do things.

arthobby · Dec 20, 2013

tomdshriver said:
I am very interested in pursuing film. I have absolutely no experience outside of shooting short videos and editing on movie maker or iMovie but I want to learn film. I want to start exploring it and understanding exactly what is involved in the filmmaking process.

I am especially interested in cinematography. The power that comes with the operation of a camera astounds me. You, the cameraman, get to be they eyes of an audience. You choose what they see. You have the power to captivate an audience with a camera. I absolutely love the idea behind that. I can only begin to imagine some of the psychology behind different camera techniques.

With that being said - what's the best way to start seriously pursuing this passion? I'm 23 with a full-time job and an undergrad in religion. The closest legitimate (I think..) film school is the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (I live in Greensboro, NC). Is film school the best way to start learning about film? Can I even get in without a portfolio? It seems highly unlikely...

Beyond that I don't know where to start. Should I just start shooting film on my iPad and get critique from local filmmakers? Should I try to volunteer at a production company in exchange for some training?

I would love some input on this. Thanks!

Look in to community colleges in your area. They might have a program with classes you'd be interested in. You can take one or two part time in addition to working to see if you like it. You'll learn a lot and the price will be more reasonable than a film school.

Getting books will also teach you a lot. I think reading through physical books is a great way to learn and retain knowledge. This is the top link from a search for cinematography on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cinematograph...qid=1387577693&sr=8-1&keywords=cinematography

Reading books won't keep you from later deciding to go to film school. Neither will a few classes at community college. Film school is way expensive.

You can start shooting film and getting input but I think you should learn the technical reasons behind things rather than just opinions of artists.

It might be difficult to get a useful internship at a production company.

Whatever advice people give you, it's your dream to follow so if something feels right to you maybe that's what you should try.

tomdshriver · Dec 20, 2013

Excellent advice, Art. Thanks!

moonshieldmedia · Dec 20, 2013

My best advice is to find other people who are also interested in making film. It's so much easier to learn and stay passionate when you have a group of people to bounce ideas off of and share new ideas with. You'll keep each other motivated and you'll be making better films with each other as time goes on.

jasmerrin · Dec 21, 2013

I'll second what other people have been saying... I took some film and video courses in college, but mostly just made movies on my own (and ultimately decided to invest my time and money in my first feature instead of going to film school - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasmerrin/sleepwalkers-feature-film). Even when I had amazing instructors, I'd say I learned more just from making my own movies and being on other people's sets than I ever learned in a classroom. I'd recommend investing in a low end DSLR, making some shorts and seeing where that takes you.

Ultimately, the only bit of advice I'd add is that if you're interested in being a director of photography, you might want to try your hand at drawing and animation. You're going to need to work on your composition, and animation lets you work on that frame by frame. A lot of people who started in animation became really well known for their visual style once they switched to live action filmmaking (Tim Burton for one). You don't have to get good at drawing or produce any animated masterpieces, but doing some short doodles might be a good way to exercise those muscles.