Filmmaking / Directing

Hi there community,

I just wanted to draw your attention to a new awards show.

The Humanitas Awards cover these categories:

“The Humanitas Prizes are for film and television writers across nine categories — including drama teleplay, comedy teleplay, limited series teleplay, children’s teleplay, drama...

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Directing can be a deal breaker for any audience member or stay at home streamer looking for something to watch. If there is a trailer to your film, it has to convince the viewer that their valuable time won’t be wasted and trailers are constructed from the footage of the film so it has to look good...

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No matter what your budget is or how strained or abundant your resources are, the success of a film or movie ultimately rests on the director’s shoulders. You need your early work to be successful so that you can advance your career. Here are some lessons I have learned that may or may not help you out.

1) View The World From All Angles

Whether you are shooting your establishing shot, a medium shot, or a close up, the world can be observed in a infinite number of ways. Find the best viewpoint or have a concept you can plan for to get the best shot for the scene. Use miniatures and models and just be the observer to find the right angle. It can be too difficult because you don’t want to use up precious time on the shooting schedule for a 3-6 second shot but use the frame to really use your composition to your best advantage.

2) Control Your Camera

The two absolute worst filming techniques used way too much is today’s camera work is Shaky Cam and The Free Floating Frame. Audiences are not supposed to be aware of camera movement. If they are distracted by how the camera is twitching about, they are taken out of the story. Shaky Cam is not a filming technique. It is a panicked escape route from imminent danger while still filming. In a 90 minute film, if you want to use it once, fine. You want to base your whole movie on it, you’re totally killing any coherent enjoyment your story has to offer. If you want to move your frame around, move it in a slow deliberate manner. Your audience should be so focused on what is being shown or said, they should be completely unaware that at the end of the sequence, they are viewing what is going on from the other side. If the frame is just floating around like a soap bubble in a wind tunnel, you’re basically giving your audience bed spins without alcohol. Some directors say, “I wanted to give the audience an immersive experience.” You’re not. You’re giving them motion sickness. Even if it’s a POV shot, your character shouldn’t seem like they’re having a perpetual seizure. Keep it controlled.

3) Insert Shots Insert Life

There is a lack of insert shots in today’s filming. Not only can these shots add depth to scenes that are dialogue driven, they can be very useful in the editing process in case coverage has been compromised. These shots are not supposed to be in your face disruptions, but little observations of the mood of the scene. A tapping finger, a shot of a piece of a decoration of a room, or a subtle reaction shot of the person that is listening to the main speaker can add a lot to the tension of a scene or preface something that is soon to happen.

There are a lot of other little things that one should be aware of. You should always work off a video village, your lighting should be sufficient so that there is enough visual material to manipulate your image in post and never shoot in too dark a set up. Your audience isn’t there for an eye test. Show them what they want to see. Know how to film dialogue. Every inflection is important. Take notice of every sentence to make sure you’re milking every emotional potential of that sentence and capture it accordingly.

I’m hoping that this was somehow useful to you in one way or another. It’s important for independent filmmakers to produce the best product possible. You have to perform above and beyond the mainstream Hollywood machine. Your budgets are smaller so if you create a winner at the box office, that will build investor confidence. Your wins are all of our wins.

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Pat Alexander

2
2 people like this
- Sam Sokolow
- Maurice Vaughan
1 month ago

Maurice Vaughan yeah, that's kinda the blessing in his situation. He should be able to get bigger, better studio movies to work on from now on. So far, his 3 features have all been made for 11 million...

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Dan MaxXx Tim Miller was more of a hired gun on Deadpool than the creative force behind it. As Marvel was doing that thing (which they do repeatedly) where they hire a no-name (in Tim Miller's case) o...

Mike Childress studios are pretty stingy with the merchandise deals. The famous ones - George Lucas on Star Wars and Downey Jr. on Iron Man - only really happened because studios really didn't believe...

Sam Sokolow

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 month ago

John Cassavetes classically did studio films to support his independent work. Many actors work on studio pictures and also do indie films as they go. Commercials have always been a great avenue to mak...

Willem Elzenga

Its not that easy to get into and stay in commercials. I need to get paid if I want to direct a feature.

Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Geoff Hall
1 month ago

The Humanitas Prizes sounds like a great opportunity for creatives, Geoff Hall. So do the New Voices Fellowship and College Screenwriting Awards. Thanks for sharing the article....

Geoff Hall

Maurice Vaughan you’re welcome, Maurice.

Aiden Barr

That sounds surreal. It's awesome that they tipped. That makes me curious about what the communication was like to get access to the club for filming. Was that weird or simply business like?

We once did an independent pilot for a dance compeititon show at the Key Club on Sunset Boulevard in LA on a Tuesday from 6am-4pm - everything was paid in cash - that was wild. Aiden Barr - if you're...

1
1 person likes this
- Sam Sokolow
1 month ago

Hey, Dan MaxXx. "$0 budget" is an expression. It means really cheap/really micro-budget.

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth

I've done "zero budget" shorts, as we had all the gear, etc. But my zero budget did have a few expenses as I had a simple coffee set up with fruit, muffins, donuts, water, Gatorade, and sodas. Plus I...

Totally agree, Lindbergh E Hollingsworth - you have to feed the cast and crew, especially if they are working for free.

Deborah Gilels

2
2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Leonardo Ramirez
1 month ago

HI Ashley good question - I would say a great poster and director or producer statement, succinct bios and synopsis. Limited resources should be spent in the bigger markets like LA and NY, and towards...

Delrey, I would research the Korean production companies that make the series on Netflix or Apple and approach them. well written letter can go a long way.

Hi Amy, I would start by entering screenplay competitions and film festivals, that's a way to start out getting noticed - if there's any established writer you admire, reach out to them for advice, etc. They might be helpful in your networking.

Karen "Kay" Ross

3
3 people like this
1 month ago

A friend in the Writer's Room has her first short film accepted into its first film festival - YAY! We talked about what to have with her, and I thought I'd write the suggestion here, and then open it...

1
1 person likes this
- Jill Godley
1 month ago

Congratulations to your friend on her first short film getting accepted into its first film festival, Karen "Kay" Ross! Fantastic suggestions! What about custom merchandise that promotes the film? Lik...

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