Filmmaking Tips October 31st, 2008
Be More Creative
Image by © G. Schuster/zefa/Corbis
Anybody who has suffered from writer’s block or reached a creative plateau knows how frustrating it can be to try to finish a project sans inspiration. Many have set out to discover the secret to being more creative, and some artists develop their own methods of making sure their minds are open to new ideas.
Learn what the experts have to say about tapping into your creative consciousness after the jump.
Competitions October 30th, 2008
Interviews with Finalists Posted
Get to know the Top 5 directors in the Low vs Diamond music video competition. These talented, compelling filmmakers come from a diverse background and all have a unique way of looking at the world. Read more about them after the jump!
Filmmaking Tips October 27th, 2008
Damage Control 101
No amount of reading, film-watching, or schooling prepares a young director for the most difficult task on set: damage control. Filmmaking is difficult and problems emerge from unexpected places. The results of these problems are almost always the same: delays, demoralized crew members, shots lost to accommodate the schedule.
It is important to keep in mind that
- Most modest-budget independent film sets are worked on by crews of students, interns and volunteers working for free.
- Newbie crew members, unaccustomed to the pace of set-work, often lose faith in the production and hinder and slow work even further.
A director can compensate by meticulously preparing for any issue that may arise during the shoot. Considerations to make include:
- Preparing a shot list and/or storyboards.
- Rehearsing actors.
- Fulling understanding the limitations of shooting locations.
- Keeping production documents organized and available at all times. More advice after the jump.
Massify News October 24th, 2008
Vote For Your Favorite Poster
Perkins’ 14 needed a poster, and you delivered!
Thank you to all of you who entered the poster competition. So many entries were impressive, innovative, and really pushed the boundaries. The community submitted over 300 designs, and the judges had to make some very difficult decisions. Find the 5 finalists and 5 honorable mentions here.
Now it’s up to you to choose which poster will represent Perkins’ 14 on the road to Horrorfest 3.
Competitions Massify News October 23rd, 2008
Music Video Finalists Announced
The Top 5 ideas for Low vs Diamond’s next music video have been announced. The effort and creativity that went into all of your submissions blew away our judges, and they really had their work cut out for them. At the end of the day, so many of the entries would have made great music videos for Don’t Forget Sister - so the judges felt compelled to recognize five additional pitches as honorable mentions.
Filmmaking Tips October 21st, 2008
5 Things to Budget For
Making a film is an expensive venture, and unanticipated costs are bound to arise. When budgeting, it’s perfectly understandable to look for ways to cut corners, but there are five things you should never skimp on.
1. Talent. There are many things a viewer is willing to forgive in a low-budget film, but bad acting is not one of them. You could have a great script and beautiful shots, but if the acting is terrible, that’s the only thing people will walk away remembering. Choose your cast wisely, and be prepared to pay standard SAG rates for quality actors.
Other News October 15th, 2008
Talking About Types
I like how people are just now noticing that a lot of young female characters in movies exist only to unlock the hidden potential of the men in their lives and show them how wonderful the world can be.
They’re called Manic Pixie Dream Girls, and they’ve been getting a lot of attention lately. First coined by A.V. Club writer Nathan Raban, Jezebel has an entertaining story about the phenomenon, NPR dedicated a feature to it, and it’s been mentioned on several other blogs. The most cited MPDGs are Kirsten Dunst in Elizabethtown and Natalie Portman in Garden State.
Filmmaking Tips October 14th, 2008
Fantastic Film Fest Advice
The author of the new book Film Festival Secrets: A Handbook for Independent Filmmakers, Chris Holland, is offering his book free - yes, free! - online. You can download it here and then decide to donate if you wish.
The book takes you through finding the right festival to fit your particular film and what to expect throughout the process. It expands on a number of super important points, like that it’s a good idea to hold objective test screenings of your film before you even begin the submission process and to always be realistic about your film’s prospects. What to learn from rejection, how to create a visual brand for your movie, and what to do when you get accepted to a festival are all discussed.
Other News October 10th, 2008
Politics as Usual
In case all of the election news/commentary/insanity is not enough political entertainment for you, a slew of new movies are vying for your attention with their own takes on the political process.
In theaters:
Choose Connor is a cynical look at small-town political corruption by actor and first time director Luke Eberkl. Alex Linz plays 15-year-old Owen, who is brought on by creepy congressman Lawrence Connor to help Connor with his senatorial campaign. The New York Times has a nice overview.
Filmmaking Tips October 8th, 2008
Try Animation…Why Not?
The best distractions come with some redeeming value. Semi-new site goanimate lets you create your own animations, which is a good way to practice another form of storytelling while wasting time online.
