The past few weeks have been very difficult here at Skipsterfilms. Not only are we having extreme difficulties getting everything organized and filmmed, but we're also racing snow. Frustration seems to be a re-occuring theme for us. Our actors haven't been able to come together to film (usually not through any fault of their own), and when they do, internal conflicts have made getting anything substantial done nearly impossible. It's been discouraging to say the least.
It was Steven Spielberg who said that if you want to learn how to make films, start by getting a video camera and some friends to be in movies while you're still young. He had the right idea. Even through this difficult time, we've learned a lot about what it takes to make a film. There's a lot more to it than you'd think, if you're trying to achieve a quality end product. So many crucial factors have to come together to make it work.
First, you must have the vision to get started. You need an idea, a story, a group of characters that will make the vision come alive. You need to be able to close your eyes and see the film play out in your mind, scene by scene. What angles you'll use, the dialog that will get your message across, the way you'll create the mood and atmosphere.
As soon as you have a solid idea, you have to transfer it onto paper. Write your script like you would a story, because a film is just a story with pictures to accompany it. Watch your movie as you write, it'll help you keep in mind what you want to come across.
Pick a cast, and immediately make a scedule you feel is realistic, and STICK WITH IT! Make sure all of your cast and crew have a copy of the scedule and are prepared to show up when they are needed. Understudies are essential. Unexpected events tend to occur (BELIEVE me, we have proof), and having a back-up plan in place will help your blood pressure stay at reasonable levels. Keep the cast as limited as possible (making sceduling easier), and pick people who WANT to act in your movie. I can't stress that enough. If someone doesn't want to act or isn't enjoying themself, they'll make your life hell REALLY quickly (we have proof of this too). Think of these people as your staff, hire them wisely and treat them with respect.
Get the filmming done efficiently. The easiest way to make this happen is to BE PREPARED FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SHOOT! We are guilty of ignoring this rule, and oh have we payed. Go into a shoot knowing what you want to happen and having everything ready to go. This includes your script, your props, the batteries for your camera (charged), your actors, everything. Don't leave anything to chance. We're beginning to experiment with storyboards, and if you have time it's a great way to show your actors exactly what's expected of them.
Last night Damon and I watched all the Hacker Riley footage we have, as well as some lost footage of Hacker1 and some skits Damon, Darryl and Ashley did, and it has given us new drive and determination. I'd been very nervous that we hadn't done a good job of Hacker so far, but really, it wasn't bad. It wasn't GREAT, but it wasn't bad. I was actually somewhat impressed. Besides that, watching the footage of our past exploits made me very nostalgic, and got me thinking about the reasons that we make movies. They're like time capsules, they bring you back to a place long forgotten. It was quite a trip.
A pleasant (but unexpected) side effect of our bitching was recieving an e-mail from Casey Griffith at BnB Productions, offering us some good advice that will help us quite a bit in the future... The internet is a powerful tool that can really connect all of us, most of what I know about film I've learned off the internet.
This page will be updated whenever we feel the urge to rant/rave, so until the next crisis, keep filmming!
