6 Top Filmmaking Tips
The world and industry of filmmaking is big and can be bewildering. Everyone has a different idea of what you absolutely have to do to get ahead. You get different advice from different people. And if you don’t feel confident that you know the way forward, you can end up going round in circles.
So, here are some tips to bear in mind, aimed at helping you unblock the path ahead.
One
In short: Just get out there and shoot. Don’t wait for opportunities that may never come.
It’s very tempting to put things off until… *insert thing you have decided you absolutely must have before you can get started*.
Here’s something I can tell you from my 30 years experience as a professional composer and filmmaker: the perfect situation/set-up never arrives. There’s always something missing, or something not exactly as you imagine it.
Well, that’s almost a comical thing to write. Ask any professional filmmaker if they’ve ever made a film in the perfect circumstances and I think you will get a rueful, world-weary laughter in response.
Guess what – all movies are made against the odds.
What many successful filmmakers might be reluctant to admit is that most of the films we admire arrived in the world by an awful lot of luck.
I think I know why we delay making that movie though. Fear.
It’s fear that makes us look for excuses and reasons not to get filming… yet. Yes, we always say “yet” because we kid ourselves we will when *whatever* shows up.
How many times do we say things like: “I was going to shoot this script, but my neighbour says it needs working on. And he’s good friends with someone who wrote a script once.”
Or “I was going to shoot this script but then I read about this really awesome gimbal/light/camera/location so I’ll wait until I have that”
Or the classic: “I’m no good at producing so I need to get myself a producer first.”
The truth is – no filmmaker who waited for the perfect conditions to arrive ever made film. So accept that to make a movie with what you have is a challenge, that your story and your inner storytelling voice is what truly matters, and go and shoot your movies.
Two
In short: Filmmaking is almost always a group activity, so you need to meet other filmmakers.
Unless you are a vlogger, shooting travel videos or just experimenting in what’s possible, you will need to find other filmmakers to make films with. I can’t stress enough that filmmaking opportunities come from meeting people. Every film I’ve made has been enabled by other people. So it doesn’t matter if you are greatest filmmaking genius in the world, if you don’t have filmmaking friends you can’t put your ideas into practice.
But where to meet other filmmakers?
One great place is festivals. Here at the Mobile Motion Film Festival we provide a place for filmmakers to meet once a year at the festival itself. Plus we also run a Meetup group which meets in Zürich, Switzerland once a month. Check out your city for other Meetups (we also have a group in London, UK, but don’t yet have the resources to run it – if anyone wants to get involved with that, let us know).
You can also network very effectively online.
I find Twitter more than other platforms to be a great networking tool. If I hadn’t met Andrea on Twitter, my feature film wouldn’t have shown in Zürich. Then I wouldn’t have been involved with MoMo and I wouldn’t have met many of the people who have helped out with my recent filmmaking endeavours.
The last time I got a regular job, I worked at the BFI IMAX cinema in London. I chose that because I guessed it would have connections to the BFI – a major funder of British films.
At that cinema I met a lot of filmmakers, plus I got access to the BFI London Film Festival. I also got to meet someone who helped run the festival, who saw my debut feature, who then put me in touch with about 10 of his contacts for distribution of the film. Because of that the film screened at a prestigious festival in Germany, alongside some pretty big budget films.
So you see, even working in a cinema (as opposed to a supermarket or driving a cab) allowed me a ton of networking opportunities. It certainly wasn’t a glamorous job. But I met people who worked there, selling popcorn and hot dogs, who went on to become successful in the industry themselves.
We’ve also started a networking page on this website for filmmakers to list themselves. So, if you’re looking for new teammates, check out our network page.
Three
In short: Know your market
I think this comes later, after you have got some filmmaking time under your belt. Once you have made a few films, no matter how successful, you will know more about yourself as a filmmaker and the kind of films you like (or happen to be good at) making.
Now you can start to be more specific when aiming your films at a certain audience. Some people are very good at knowing their target audience and designing their films to appeal to those people. One example is the horror genre, a genre which is one market which doesn’t require name actors to sell the film. The more horror films you have watched and loved the more you will understand the needs of the horror-loving audience.
Spending days analysing a film is one thing which separates filmmakers from those who only watch movies. Not only do you learn how to make the film from watching how others did it, you also get to know better what fulfils the needs of a specific audience. For example, in simple terms – horror lovers do not want a film with long romantic scenes and romance lovers do not want a film full of gory shocks and jumps.
Another thing to bear in mind is the budget of the genre you are specialising in. Horror films can work with very low budgets, all the way down to almost nothing. That’s because low budget films often feel more “real” (if done well). Think films like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. They are presented as factual films, which of course helps to make them more scary. And this is what makes the horror genre an excellent entry point for new filmmakers.
For horror lovers, check out the film Char Man shot on iPhones.
Four
In short: Use what you’ve got
Tip four kicks off at the writing stage and is really an embellishment of tip one: Just start making films.
Which means using what you have to hand. Certainly when it comes to locations. I have a number of scripts which are hard to get off the ground simply because I don’t have access to the locations I need.
With filmmaking equipment now being so accessible, these days getting locations is the one remaining major obstacle to shooting your film. Save yourself the headache and write your story around locations available to you. Likewise, when it comes to casting, make sure you have written parts which fit the actors you know.
Why not use the camera in your pocket? If Oscar-winning directors are shooting $2m budget feature films with iPhones and selling them to Netflix, then how can we claim shooting with a smartphone is not professional?
Five
In short: Watch films
My guess is this is the tip which needs least encouragement. In my experience, aspiring filmmakers have no problems motivating themselves to watch films. The problem comes when making the step from the fantasy of bringing to life these magical worlds you love to immerse yourself in, and the reality of what it actually means.
I would qualify this tip to say, don’t just watch new films. The more you educate yourself with films made throughout the history of filmmaking, the wider your knowledge resource for making films yourself.
For example when I came to shoot my debut feature my knowledge of old, classic film noirs helped me to light the film with only one professional light. I didn’t just watch loads of old noirs, I read everything I could about how they got made. So I researched films like The Night of the Hunter, L’Atalante and Kiss Me Deadly combined with films like The Following and Primer. From this research I got ideas for a look for the film – and the practicality of achieving that look with minimal resources.
Check out my list of films to watch for aspiring filmmakers. Plus my 10 Best Films Funded By The Director.
Six
In short: Make up your own tips
In other words, never enslave yourself with other people’s opinion of how things should be done. Every single filmmaker got to where they are via their own individual path. They got there by defying the odds and the naysayers. They got there by sheer defiance and determination to do things their way.
This can put you into conflict with others who don’t agree with your method, but that’s just the way it is. Nobody became successful by dutifully following someone else’s “must do” checklist. Remember, creativity is by definition innovation and breaking rules – and a lot of filmmakers (especially ones who are more interested in the technical aspects of filmmaking) forget that filmmaking is a creative process.
At the same time, you have to bring others with you. As tip two tells you: filmmaking is a team activity. And this is something which defines filmmaking – to go your own way but at the same time inspiring others to follow you. Filmmakers are modern days explorers, setting off across oceans to unknown lands. No surprise then that both ships and films need crews.
Many film projects have crashed against the rocks because the crew mutinied. And that’s why networking is so important. You are an adventurer frequenting seaside taverns looking for like-minded folk to form a group of explorers – make sure you pick wisely.
Read more: The MoMo Kit List.
Eager to learn more?
Join our weekly newsletter featuring inspiring stories, no-budget filmmaking tips and comprehensive equipment reviews to help you turn your film projects into reality!
