Indie/DIY Film Maker Says Have More Fun
Get a pep-talk from this veteran director whose sage advice is simple: have fun! It's a creative process after all, making a film. Start with what you have and "Be a host, not a boss."
And check out Videoguys' specials - find the tools you need to help your DIY film get off the ground.
Less Professional, More Fun FilmmakingIn my travels as an independent/DIY film maker, the most common issue for those just starting out in filmmaking is FEAR. Filmmaking has become such a globally branded entity that the simplicities of production have been lost. And the absolute explosion of filmmaker egos have taken the art and joy out of the process. I’ve managed to find the joy again late in my life, and for this article I’d like to share some of my methods with those who might be afraid to take the first step.
A Little Background
I have been a film maker since age 12 when my father handed me a super-8 camera and told me to go off and make movies that he and his friends could watch at my parents’ dinner parties. Since we were a showbiz and theater family this seemed like a brilliant idea and extremely easy to produce, since I knew a lot of actors in my drama classes. This weekend habit of making films to entertain people has stuck with me for over 4 decades.
I was an actor from age 5 into my late 30’s, then transitioned to directing in my 40’s. All the while and to this day, I still gather a few friends and grab a camera and saunter off to make one of my ‘home’ movies. Although now, they are way more polished and viable than when I was a kid. To be honest, some of my super 8 comedies still stand up to this day. And I absolutely love how simple they were to make. A joyous time and constant reminder to keep that feeling alive.
As my professional directing career blossomed and the jobs kept getting bigger, I found that simple fun was lacking on most Film and TV sets because the pressures of making ‘commercial widgets’ was overpowering. It was this realization that motivated me to go back to my ‘home’ movie roots and begin making my own films again with the same freedoms that I had making super-8s. When you are a gun for hire, you are seldom the author of the film or episode. And while that is just dandy for some, I prefer to have an outlet that I create autonomously. The more I keep making these films, the more I discover that the lower the budget, the better the movie...[continue reading]
Less Professional, More Fun Filmmaking
Digimediapros.com by John Putch
Less Professional, More Fun FilmmakingIn my travels as an independent/DIY film maker, the most common issue for those just starting out in filmmaking is FEAR. Filmmaking has become such a globally branded entity that the simplicities of production have been lost. And the absolute explosion of filmmaker egos have taken the art and joy out of the process. I’ve managed to find the joy again late in my life, and for this article I’d like to share some of my methods with those who might be afraid to take the first step.
A Little Background
I have been a film maker since age 12 when my father handed me a super-8 camera and told me to go off and make movies that he and his friends could watch at my parents’ dinner parties. Since we were a showbiz and theater family this seemed like a brilliant idea and extremely easy to produce, since I knew a lot of actors in my drama classes. This weekend habit of making films to entertain people has stuck with me for over 4 decades.
I was an actor from age 5 into my late 30’s, then transitioned to directing in my 40’s. All the while and to this day, I still gather a few friends and grab a camera and saunter off to make one of my ‘home’ movies. Although now, they are way more polished and viable than when I was a kid. To be honest, some of my super 8 comedies still stand up to this day. And I absolutely love how simple they were to make. A joyous time and constant reminder to keep that feeling alive.
As my professional directing career blossomed and the jobs kept getting bigger, I found that simple fun was lacking on most Film and TV sets because the pressures of making ‘commercial widgets’ was overpowering. It was this realization that motivated me to go back to my ‘home’ movie roots and begin making my own films again with the same freedoms that I had making super-8s. When you are a gun for hire, you are seldom the author of the film or episode. And while that is just dandy for some, I prefer to have an outlet that I create autonomously. The more I keep making these films, the more I discover that the lower the budget, the better the movie...[continue reading]
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