There is more to making a movie than having outstanding scripts. Creativity, leadership and professional skills, handwork, resilience, and attention to detail are just half of the whole package. There are also hair and makeup artists, designers, editors, and much more that play key roles in the overall movie production. If you feel making movies is what you want to do, read what Richard Lechartier, a Director at ILY FILMS Limited, has to say about how to make videos everyone will love.
From an expert point of view, if you are just diving into movie making, it is important to start small, be teachable, and be prepared for anything that can go wrong” says Richard Lechartier. This means if you want to make a movie, start with small video clips. if it is a musical, go for a mini-music video. if it is an action-packed film, get started with one scene to practice. With that said, let’s get started with the movie-making.
Get the equipment ready
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High-quality camera
To get a better quality video, you need a very good camera to make it happen. While there are homemade videos that can be done with webcams, camera phones or cheap cameras, the outcome might not be of good quality. If you are on a tight budget, Camcorders are a good alternative as they are relatively cheap, easy to use and effective.
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Tripods and microphone.
If you are going for a camera, you need a microphone for good sound quality and a tripod for stabilization.
Write your story
Firstly, you will want to figure out the type of movie you want to go for and why you are doing it in the first place. Is it a musical, comedy, drama or documentary and which aim do you seek to achieve?
Understand that a good movie begins with a good story. If your story is all hogwash so will your movie. Ensure it is engaging, clear and efficient if you want to get your audience’s eyes glued to the screen from the beginning to the end. Moreover, a good story will pick people interest making it easy to find people and collaborators who will be willing to make your movie happen.
For inspirations, stream award-winning short films online to see techniques employed and how the characters played their roles.
After drafting your story, consider giving to crew or people to read and get feedback. This will help you to see areas that are not up to mark and make necessary improvements.
Select Location
Decide on the location where the movie will be shot and ensure it is safe for film making. Look out for any locations available to you such as malls, restaurants, parks and you can simply ask for permission from the owners.
Get the team ready
When it comes to film making, it is not something to go solo as there are a lot of activities involved. Working with a team will make your work easier and faster. Getting the team will be easy as there are also people like you who are just starting out and will be willing to take on any opportunity that will make them better.
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The director
The director controls the overall work and is the middleman between the actors and the crew. This should be you but if you feel you don’t have the necessary skills, you can hire someone else.
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The cinematographer
This is the person that manages the camera, lighting, filming and ensuring all equipment work in harmony to produce desired results.
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Designers
Costume, makeup and hair designers to get the cast ready for the role they have to play are also important. If it is a shot movie, this can be done by you or get somebody to help.
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Sound recordist
This sound man checks out the microphone and audio quality, edit where necessary and ensure the audio is spot on.
Film your movies
“The first thing is to ensure the actors are a perfect fit for the roles and have got their lines perfected,” says Richard Lechartier. “Hold a meeting to know their schedules as well to avoid schedule conflicts as this can delay projects,” Richard advises.
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Test the equipment
Gather all the equipment, crews, and actors at the location. Arrange and test the equipment to avoid any pitfalls and ensure they are up to standard. Moreover, let your actors practice with the equipment and review the script to avoid any loopholes.
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Get the team excited for the production day
It will do no harm to get the team motivated and excited for the day with a simple motivational message or treat.
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Editing
There are many editing tools, software and apps( free and paid) that you can make use of. Editing is where you will decide on the effect, colors and what needs to be removed or added.
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Share
After the release of the movie, share your videos on major video hosting sites and also on social media platforms to boost visibility.
Tags: cinematographerily filmsmake a Moviemovie-makingRichard Lechartier