The short film process (the hard truths)

Making a short film.

How to make a short film.

Thank you to everyone who came to the digital screening of my short films, event hosted by Pop Brand Entertainment. I had a lot of fun and I hope you did as well. I loved seeing your engagement with the emojis, all the comments in the chat, and I hope everyone took advantage of the digital networking sessions we had as well. Hopefully, you’ve sent a follow-up message to continue your relationship with anyone you connected with. Remember, film is a people industry based on relationships.

I am very proud of these short films, but please understand it took time to build my knowledge, skillset, and attract other talented artists to make films that I’m happy to share. Of course, I’m still growing as a filmmaker and excited about what the future holds. Looking back at my learning curve, there’s a solid handful of films that served as my training ground and do not see the light of day.

For those of you attending film school, I urge you to take advantage to make as much content as you can in and out of the classroom. You have access to like-minded people and free equipment. That goes away after graduation. You may move or your colleagues may move. Or someone may give up on working in film as a career. And you’re likely paying for the college experience, so take full advantage.

Quality

For anyone looking to make their first film as a Writer, Director, and/or Producer, do not be too precious with it. Hate to break it to ya, but it’s probably not going to turn out as good as you hope. You may have a Coen brothers aesthetic, but it is highly unlikely you’ll land it on your first film. Knowing the basics of filmmaking, I convinced myself I could make a great film with my first serious attempt at filmmaking. It was a story I cared to make so I wrote the script. I wanted greater control of who I was working with so I was responsible for gathering the cast and crew. However, I did not have the experience to make it as good as I hoped. Everything takes time to learn and you have to be gracious and realistic about that learning curve.

Trim the Fat

Write the easiest to film script you can. How can you tell a story with impact using the least amount of resources? Can you still convey a theme and omit a character? Sorry actors, but that’s one less person to cast, have character elements for, and one less logistic. Everything adds up.

Don’t worry, I won’t just throw shade for casting, but also locations. Do you really need as many locations as the script calls for? Do you have a car dialogue scene that really can be shot right outside a character’s house you’ll be filming at anyway? Be realistic with your time and resources.

Non-Negotiables

Okay, now that I’ve taken away part of your precious baby, let’s talk about your non-negotiables. Where are you not willing to budge or sacrifice? Are you making a sci-fi alien movie and you are dead set on there being VFX or could you settle for a practical effect like puppetry? Especially when it comes down to time and money, do your research on what it’s going to take to achieve the look you want and can you afford it? If not, you may need to adjust your vision, crowdfund, or apply for grants.

Know what you NEED

This is a BIG one. Know what you NEED to have a completed film. I highly recommend everyone try their hand at editing so you know what works and doesn’t when cutting together a film. We all have our wish lists, but if you don’t get enough coverage to cut together a film, you’ll be in a tough spot of re-gathering all the people and resources for reshoots. Be sure you have something to cut between actor’s coverages, like insert shots. If someone is making a cup of coffee, grab some inserts of the process that can speed up the action. Otherwise, if you have one wide shot, you’re forcing the audience to sit through a process that doesn’t move the story forward.

What are your camera needs? What big camera movements or angles are absolutely necessary and will result in expensive equipment? Is there a more simplistic, achievable way to get your shots? Filming always takes longer than you think because the unexpected will rear its ugly head.

When ordering your shots, have an open dialogue with your DP to ensure you’re going in the best order for lighting setups. Also, keep in mind your actor’s performance and the peaks and valleys of their journey. If an actor has a grand speech, it may work best if they’ve undergone some of the journey already that led up to that moment.   

Set Dressing, Props, Wardrobe

Don’t forget about your character’s environment and how they dress. Your location and how it’s decorated is very important to how your frame looks. How your actor is dressed will be revealing about their character. If you’re undertaking a period piece, do your research. You will likely have to remove and replace items at a location to better fit the era. Where does your story take place? How old are your characters? What’s their social and economic status? What is their job or hobby? You don’t have to go overboard, but always be thinking of ways to further reveal your story and character. The audience will pick up on these hints of a character’s world and will have an impact on how effectively the story is told. 

Hair, Makeup

Ask yourself similar questions for establishing the look of hair and makeup. How much time do your characters take for grooming their appearance? How does their social class or culture affect their appearance? Do they use makeup to look older or younger? Will there be any major shifts in a filming day that will require an expert’s hand to achieve? Do you also have extravagant needs like complicated updos, mustache on a clean-shaven actor, & so on.  

Money

Create a budget BEFORE you pull the trigger on making your film. Yeah I know, most of us are creatives and don’t do numbers. Well, I’m going to guess you’re also a starving artist or are not making money from your craft. Filmmaking is a business as well as an art form so you need to be aware of both. Put on your big boy and big girl pants so you don’t break the bank.  

How many people are coming on board between cast and crew? Will they be working for free or at an “indie” friendly rate? How many days of filming will you need? How many meals are needed? Do you need to budget for any travel accommodations? How much are your location fees? How much is your Production Insurance? How much will be spent on props, set dressing, and wardrobe? & it doesn’t stop there…

How much will you need for Post Production? Will you need an editor, composer, money to license music or sound effects, a sound mixer, foley, ADR, hard drives, graphic designer, and film festival fees. Production can cost a pretty penny, but so can Post. And speaking from personal experience, there’s a lot less excitement in Post and money can be a motivator to keep the project moving.

As a side note as someone who is the head creator on projects, I do not appreciate this stigma that I’m then responsible for funding everyone else’s dream. As you can see there are A LOT of line items that go into making a film with high production value. Please be courteous and realistic of your own expectations. I do believe everyone should be paid their value. At the same time, ask it of the right people. Get Netflix or Universal to pay your full rate, not your independent filmmaker who is already sacrificing their most valuable and non-renewable resource: their time.

Leader

Know that as a Director and/or Producer, you are a leader. You must be decisive and able to communicate your vision for the story. Everyone will have an opinion and their own thoughts on how the process is going. You must have confidence in yourself, otherwise, the cast & crew likely will not trust you. People will not stay in their lane and there will be too many cooks in a kitchen and the project will be derailed. You’re working with a bunch of different types of personalities, with varying skillsets, and you need to learn how to navigate what can be tumultuous waters. Filmmaking is a team effort, so it’s a balance of relying on other’s expertise as well as bringing your own. Everyone works differently and it speaks volumes when someone is adaptable and keeps a positive, supportive attitude.

Finish it!

It is really sad to go through all the work and have the film get stuck in Post Production. I will say, Post is the hardest to get through. Some of my projects have taken way longer in Post than I care to admit. You’re more reliant on individuals to deliver their part and you’re often competing for their time and motivation. You may need to change course due to timeliness or aesthetics. It may seem overly reactive to let someone go on a shoestring budget, but if they aren’t going to deliver or be on board with the vision to bring all the elements into alignment, then you need to change direction. Don’t let anything stop you and finish the project, by any means necessary. If you have to learn a new skill to bring it to the finish line, do it. Your cast and crew are expecting a finished product, as is your future.

Bottom line, be resourceful, realistic, creative, and reach the finish line. AND remember to promote yourself and your work. No one will know you have an award-winning film if no one knows about it.  No one will know you unless you get on their radar. You’re in control of manufacturing opportunity.