ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 9 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

^^ Listen to Marlom, great ideas there! I'd also take any of Guy's suggestions very seriously - he's a first-rate editor and talented director in his own right. I've had the honour of working with him in the past, and his blog is essential reading. In fact, start there, right now. Tales from the cutting room floor https://cuttingroomtales.wordpress.com
If you have money but no film experience, pay a line producer/PM to budget your script for you and basically put a team around you so you can't fail.

If you don't have money, go and raise some. Filming, even with the best goodwill going, is expensive. Favours last a day or two - after that, you need money. A good line producer/PM will help you spend it wisely (ie tell you to choose between the helicopter shot or the snow effect in central London in August) and will be an absolute sounding board for all your ideas and probably be important in shaping your film to be best bang-for-buck.

What you won't get is anyone paying proper money for you to learn to direct on the job - so if you need to start saving, start saving.

10 years, 9 months ago - Marlom Tander

So, you are used to time pressures, deadlines, dealing with people and getting the best out of them for the camera. You know about the mechanics of filming. Just do it.

You could do lots of courses and spend forever and fail to get anyone to pay for you to shoot a first movie.

So, I'd try and shoot something impressive - a full feature - for money you can afford to lose, making maximum use of all your contacts and resources. People will love to help you out ONCE, so make the most of it.

The trick will be to find a good, inherently low cost, script that plays to the resources you think you can muster and looks a hell of a lot more expensive than it actually is. Work with what you know, make it WOW!

Off the top of my head, a plot based around a Fashion Week.

You sweet talk a suitable venue into a free/cheap deal. You contact all the Fashion courses around the country inviting them to stage a show. A real show, to which genuine buyers and journo etc will be invited.

The models are unknown models you recruit to be in the film, perhaps no money, and they give you the day for the show(s) that they're in. Those who can act, you use more.

Your story structure is all set before, during and after shows. Your shooting is done ditto. Ok, not so much during the show, as that needs to work as a show to get the rest on so you can't interfere with the show too much.

Your pitch to designers is "it's fun, different and low cost. Really good chance for a first show". To the models it's, "fun, different, and a chance to act". To the venue (probably new, wanting to get known for more proper paid shows) it's a combination of good publicity and filling an unpopular time of year.

Have a lot of coffees with a bunch of writers and throw ideas around - chances are that one of them will have legs and get everyone fired up.

PS did you notice that you also got your costumes for free (or material cost) and a whole bunch of warm involved journalists, plus lots of social buzz to build on in post and marketing...

Good luck.

Just don't ruin it by throwing around buckets of blood. Make it one that can go on TV, then you might also get your money back :-)

10 years, 9 months ago - Dan Selakovich

Oh, by the way, I've been at this since the late 70s and have very definite opinions about filmmaking. I read Guy's blog every now and again, and tend to agree with Guy. I don't hardly agree with anybody except maybe Paddy and Marlom. So Guy's blog is a really nice starting place.

10 years, 9 months ago - Guy Ducker

Awww Paddy, you're too kind!

10 years, 9 months ago - Dan Selakovich

What Marlom and Paddy said. But I also think he is asking a broader question: what are the creative and technical aspects I need to know to DIRECT? Things like camera placement, staging, screen structure, editing, etc. Is that correct, Tomo? All of that is a life long endeavor that will hopefully improve with each film.

If that truly is your question, then yes, take a class. At least you'll learn the basics of the camera line, working with actors, etc. Then start making shorts to get your chops down. There is no easy path. I personally think there are two positions on a film that can really prepare you for directing: script supervisor and editor. Script super is an easier way to go. You'll also be around directors--attached at the hip--as they create each aspect of a film during shooting. Quite a good place to be a fly on the wall. Surely there must be some top notch script super that teaches his/her craft in London. Take it, then start doing shitloads of shorts for free. Eventually that will lead to paid jobs and working for better directors.

10 years, 9 months ago - Tomo Kembery

Thats for the advice Guy, and the link the the course. I will check this out

10 years, 9 months ago - Tomo Kembery

Thanks for your comments Marlom, i like your ideas.

It all makes sense just shooting, i can pretty much put anything together on the production side.
However as my experience in based in the "stills" side of the industry, so i don't know a lot of video people.

Where is the best place to fine a creative crew of people that would be up for working on said projects.

Do you think post something on this site or are there other sites you can recommend?
Once i have a team i am good to go.

10 years, 9 months ago - Marlom Tander

Ok, in that case a course introducing you to video technical and language would be good, though a stills background is great as knowing the image you want is critical.

You don't need a team to be good to go. Your team want to know WHAT, WHEN, HOW LONG FOR, HOW MUCH?

1) Writer

When you have first draft

2) Budget and DATES pencilled in for the shoot.

Then your Cast/Crew team.

That way you're saying to them "this is the story, shooting weeks 2-3 Jan 2015, can pay you X per day, plus food/drink and, as you're from outside London, we'll arrange a place to stay - probably some cast/crew spare room or Travelodge if we have no choice."

And they can be in or out accordingly.

10 years, 9 months ago - Guy Ducker

Hi Tomo,

One course I can recommend is that taught by Simon Phillips:

http://www.dggb.org/training.php?type=training&cid=182

It's not exactly beginner level, but if you've been around shoots for a time I think it should work fine for you.

As for your general question, getting to be a director is easy: you just pick up a video camera and start filming. Getting other people to pay for your shoots, now that's more difficult. Getting people to pay you to do it for a living... that doesn't happen quickly, I'm afraid.

Meanwhile, check out Simon's course; he's something of a guru.

All the best,


Guy Ducker