« Famous Mountains to Climb | Home | Succeed In The Music Industry: Get A Recording Contract »
Preparatory Tips for Home Movie Makers
Making a home movie is a pretty fun way to pass the time, and is great practice too if you’re an aspiring movie director. The tips I’m about to give you are less geared towards aspiring actors or writers, and more towards budding movie directors who want to try their hand at engineering a home movie from the ground up.
It all starts with a Story
Before you can even begin to make a home movie, you have to know WHAT the movie is going to be about. Select a genre, a plot, and write a script. At this point, you should also have enough self knowledge to admit to yourself if you actually stink in any of these departments. If you honestly think you can write a decent screenplay as well as direct one, well and good. If you know that you have a friend who can write a better script, plot, and dialogue, then by all means ask him or her for help!
Keep it Simple and Achievable
Remember: Hollywood movies operate on huge budgets. You don’t. Keep the story simple, and make sure that any needs for props, special effects, costumes and background materials are all within your means. If you happen to know a world class graphics specialist who can CG most of the effects AND has the necessary equipment to help you, you’re probably more blessed than the majority of aspiring movie makers out there. Otherwise, keep it real. Remember that the money for the props is coming out of your pocket.
Casting Call: Try not to limit yourself
More often than not home movie makers try to keep the cast of a movie within their circles of friends. While this is perfectly acceptable, remember to choose people who are appropriate for the roles you give them. Also keep in mind that your home movie may have a character that none of your friends can portray properly. Branch out a bit at this point and check out other sources like drama clubs and other home movie maker clubs for potential cast members.
Remember to get clearance from local authorities if needed
Lastly, before beginning to shoot the actual scenes, keep in mind the locations where you’re doing the scene. If you’re going to be doing a scene by a park lake for example, or a graveyard, you should always make certain beforehand that you have the permission of the owners or proper authorities. You’d be surprised at the number of people who forget this simple courtesy and wind up getting thrown out in the middle of a scene by irate landowners and caretakers.
Comments are closed.