So You Wanna Make a Movie « Making the Movie

17May/056

So You Wanna Make a Movie

So you wanna make a movie...

I do. But how?

Well, if you don't care about it being good -- if you just want to learn -- pick up or borrow the nearest video camera, grab your friends or family members and go shoot it. Edit it 'in camera' even. Have fun with it.

But I want to make movies that could get into festivals -- major festivals.

Then you're going to need some time and some money.

How much time? How much money?

The time to make a feature film can be anywhere from a year to never. The cost to make a feature is a big debate. We're always hearing about the Blair Witches, the Primers and the Paranormal Activitys that cost next-to-nothing and won festivals and got national releases and made a lot of money. But most indie films never make money, especially first features. So it pays to be economical until you have a sense of not only how to make a film, but how to sell a film.

You want some numbers? Some books say you can make a full-length movie for as little as $10,000 -- some for even $7,000. 99% of major festival movies have spent more. A lot more. If you want to make your film with professionals -- SAG actors and union crew -- the minimum is probably closer to $750,000, not including marketing costs.

My advice is, don't bother raising any money until you know how to spend the money. Invest in a digital camera, a small light kit and basic computer software, then use what you have around for sets, props and costumes. Try out several new techniques with each short film. Your ambitions will naturally push you to learn and improve with each project.

One last warning on budgets... You may have heard all kinds of different budget numbers for independent films. Budget quotes from the press can't be trusted. That's because budget quotes from the film producers themselves can't be trusted.

Here's why: if it becomes known that the budget for a film was very low, even if the film looks expensive, distributors can use that information as leverage to pay the producer less for the film. Once a distributor has bought a film, however, it makes a great story for the press if you low-ball the budget. Most budget numbers quoted in the press conveniently leave out large costs such as marketing, PR, and insurance.

Should I go to filmschool first?

In a word: no. I've studied at NYU and USC. I have friends who have studied film in Florida, Texas, Kansas, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and at AFI. There's nothing you'll learn there that you can't learn from reading a few books, hanging around a few movie sets and from going out and making some films yourself. The money you sink into a formal education is money that could go into your own film's budget.

But won't it help me get a job?

I thought you wanted to make a movie. If you want to make money working in 'the industry' then yes, I highly recommend film school. Not necessarily for what you learn, but for the 'networking,' the relationships and connections you forge there that you can't as an outsider. The bottom line in film is that you have to have films to show off. And the way to have films is to make them yourself. So do it. Right now. I'm not kidding.

Why should I listen to you?

Still here? While I work hard to make this website useful for emerging filmmakers, you shouldn't just listen to me. You should go to the library. You should watch, and carefully re-watch, other people's movies. You should seek out more experienced, more knowledgeable people as mentors.

But remember, making a movie is really about telling a story -- your story. A lot of amateur mistakes in film are forgiven if the story is great. Research and planning are necessary, but the main point is to tell your story.

So get out there and tell it!

About J. Ott

John Ott is a writer, filmmaker and futurist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

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Navdeep Singh
July 27th, 2010 - 20:57

Hey there, I am Navdeep, a guy from Chandigarh, India — a place where Bollywood is the big daddy.

I write, I act all the time, and I am learning 3D animation as well so that I may touch every aspect of filmmaking. That’s what I was born to do. I live filmmaking, I sleep it, I drink it.

For a while, people have been telling me that its not possible for a middle-class guy to succeed because it’s a big man’s game. I keep telling them the same thing that you have said: “It’s all about telling a story, it’s all about just taking the initiative, learning from here and there and do it. Instead of going to film schools, get acquainted with the knowledge and do something!”

At times, I used to feel low-spirited when I see that I barely have money to survive. But now that I have seen that someone who is into this field thinks the same way as I do, man, I’m all boosted up and ready to put my dreams to reality.

Thank you so much for that!
A learner called Navdeep
Sibi Manjale
July 20th, 2011 - 06:19

Navdeep, i’m sibi, a photographer from kerala… i too shares same intrest as u. i think my state have got a good name in indian film indutry, for the last few years national film awards goes to films from our state, eventhow our state is very small and only have less than 140 theaters all over… we make great films here…
what i was about to say is, this years national award for best director goes to ‘salim ahamad’ from our state for the film ‘abu the son of adam’, it is his first film… he waited almost 12 years making money for this film, he sold his property, take some loans, invested all the money he have made…. for his dream film… he dnt even have money to buy the print from lab to send to award…..
atlast he get wat he deserved….
navdeep, wish u all the best for achiving your dream… hope, one day we can meet somwhere, not as a ‘learner called navadeep’ or ‘photographer sibi’…. some thing more…..
sibimanjale@gmail.com , anyone from india who dream of film making can mail me… ive got a canon 55od cam.. every help will be provided…
sibi manjale
Damone
November 8th, 2011 - 16:33

Hello Mr.Ott,
My name is Damone Harris. I was surfing and came across your site I read your words and felt the inspiration. I am a director/writer/musician/visionary, but in reality im a healthcare worker. making movies is my passion and i made my second short (major turnoff). I knew i wanted to make movies when i use to play with my he-man toys and g.ijoes Now i want to take my passion to the next level thank you for your kind words
Krishna Samiddha
December 25th, 2011 - 06:18

Brave words….in future ,I am seeing the revolution of independent film making. Dslr made it possible . Navdeep & sibi, I m Krishna Samiddha form Bihar….and I m mad …mad…very mad about film making…I and my some friends just got all tool to make dslr film…Like Crazy is dslr film which got Sundance award and Paramount buy it for some millions …let do it in India …mail me krishnasamiddhalife@gmail.com
Vikash
December 29th, 2011 - 13:15

Hi sibi , krishna and navdeep…. I am vikash anand from Bihar. This time i am studying at CUSAT, cochin .. My dream is to make movie with a strong story. I am too crazy about it. After 2 year i will start to search such story. Guys main problem is money. But anyway i will make a movie with a great story.
Pacific
January 24th, 2012 - 01:50

@Navdeep, Sibi, Krishna & Vikash: greetings.

It’s good to see Indian Indie film makers/aspirants coming up with such mettle & ideas. I am a s/w engineer by profession & passionate about film making too. Like all indie film makers, I too have faced some problem or the other i.e. money, equipment & actors… but in the process of learning film making, I learned that it is not the equipment or resource that matters; it is the story telling. My friend told me that some Wipro guys made a pretty 20 minute film with just a point & shoot cam and it was well appreciated. True, DSLR have brought revolution in Indie Film making (thanks to guys like Vincent Laforet, Phillip Bloom). So, many aspiring film makers like me are now looking forward to come up with their stories. We live in an era of Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo. You don’t need a production house to show your film to numerous viewers. Make a good one & the whole world will watch it within week. Like Crazy is a brilliant example of what DSLR can do. But it has its budget($250000) & featured actors like Jenifer Lawrence(Mystique from ‘X-Men First Class’). But it won Sundance & made millions.

If you have a DSLR or any other capable cam/equipment, it’s good. But apart from that do you have a good script? Have you read it yourself & liked it? Have your friends/family liked it? Did you consider other aspects of film making; i.e. actors, cinematography, location, lighting, sound recording, NLE, film look(bokeh & color correction) & most importantly ‘the flow of your film’ !!!

I have been religiously trying to learn film making(Internet is a great resource) since last two years. The more I am learning, the feeling of ‘how less I know’ is getting stronger. It is really a tedious job to make a film(even one with short duration). One can not make a film alone; will surely need assistance. So, involve people you know. “Don’t be limited by what you don’t have, be Creative by what you HAVE”. Watch people, events & learn the act of story telling. Write scripts, evaluate yourself, give others to read, choose some & start shooting. like it was said, people will forgive your amateur knowledge & appreciate your story. Feel free to negate/argue. I am open to suggestion & discussion.