Table of Contents
Every prominent filmmaker started small before they directed big films. Earlier, people had limited resources to give filmmaking a try. They required access to good pieces of equipment and enough investment.
However, you can now easily start creating films with the help of budget cameras and even smartphones. Making short films is a great way to fuel your creative career. Many local, national, and international film festivals exist to reward and recognize such talents.
Hence, producing a short film is an opportunity to test your skills and show the audience that you have the potential to fulfill their entertainment criteria. In this article, we will be discussing some efficient tips to consider when making short films.
5 Helpful Tips for Short Film Production
The first step of the filmmaking process is to write a beautiful script. You require a complete script before you can start looking for actors and gathering shooting equipment.
In addition to that, there are other factors to look for when creating a short film. With proper implementation of useful tactics and preparation, one can create a top-notch piece of art.
Here, we have shared five crucial tips to help develop, produce, and direct exceptional short movies.
Be Realistic
Overconfidence is not healthy when it comes to exploring and starting new things. Having high hopes and expectations is good, but you need to be practical and realistic as well. Work out a detailed plan and try to see problems well ahead before they present themselves to you.
You have to plant your feet on the ground and start questioning each instance of your plan. Go through your contacts and check the network of people you have. The list of contacts should contain local businesses, creative friends, and those who can help you get the most out of certain situations.
Also, don't fall prey to your expectations. Always focus on writing the story and the approachable way you're going to direct it. You have to understand that your project will not land you an Oscars or some other appreciation right away.
That takes time. You may not become a star overnight, but it will surely land you amazing opportunities to advance your career.
Gather Funds from Multiple Sources
Procuring funds is another crucial part of the filmmaking process. The number of funds depends on the number of elements you wish to put in your film. Film producers have to struggle a lot to gather funds from investors if they're not widely known.
For the most part, you have to rely on collecting the majority of the funds yourself. This means that you have to save enough money to invest in your project.
Apart from that, you can try to procure funds from friends, family, and relatives. You can also collect funds from social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others. You can find many anonymous investors through this method.
However, you should have a clear vision and a great script to procure funds from online sources. There are many websites and online communities that can help you to finish your first short film.
Screen Test your Actors
Your choice of actors will either make or break your short film. Even if you're going to screen your friends as actors, they should be at least natural at it. However, make sure that friends and family are your last option.
Try to lookup local actors or those skilled enough to play your script beautifully. Unskilled acting will dull up the film to a great degree. Your viewers will not be engaged with the film even if the script is amazing.
Actors demonstrate the story in the way they should be portrayed. Also, make sure that you choose an actor based on their experience and a small screening process. You can also conduct interviews and have them play a crucial part in the story to see if they're the perfect fit.
Focus on Cinematography
Camera angles, lighting, shooting lenses, and effects play another crucial role in the filmmaking process. Lighting should be the main focus of your cinematography. It will set the mood for the story.
Apart from that, you should try to use graphical effects only if you're good at it. Artificial effects will stand out if not done properly and can make your film look bad.
You can also try to use as many practical effects as you can. Post-production, you can try to edit your videos with a free movie maker with minimal effort.
Explore or discover such practical effects and try to learn about color-grading. You can even hire some local professionals if you have the budget for it.
Do focus on investing in quality sound-capturing tools to record clean audio. You can overlay the audio on the clip later on, but recording natural voices would be far better.
Meet the Demands of your Team
Filmmaking is not a solo thing as it requires a team of hardworking members that will help you to the end. Hence, it is crucial to make them comfortable and not pressurize them along the way.
They sacrifice and use their precious time to help your story come alive. Don't forget that they're as much of an individual as you are. Also, they're as crucial to your short film as you are to creating it.
Widen up your budget for food, transportation, and other basic needs to help them work in a cozy environment. Stock up on liquids, energy drinks, light snacks, and coffees for starters.
You can easily save money by providing home-cooked meals. Accordingly, ordering food online or buying pizza is another way to keep them happy. However, make sure that you're still in charge when you need to shoot films in a particular way or during a particular time of the day.
Conclusion
To summarize, these are some tips to lighten up your burden for creating a short film. In comparison to full-fledged movies, people have started adoring short movies as they are less time-consuming and rich in content. Hence, make sure that your movie has a rich story with amazing visuals.
YouTube is the best platform to get recognized for your work. Here, you can use various online tools like the youtube intro creator to make movie-like intros.
Filmmaking is an exhausting but rewarding experience. You will face many challenges, breakdowns, or imperfect shots. Do not let these demotivate you and keep grinding until you get the perfect shot.
Thank you for reading!