6 Steps to Making Your First Movie
Penguin July 24th, 2007
- Write a screenplay. Before you do anything else, you have to have a script. Your script is your blueprint, your business plan, your todo list, it’s everything. Without a script, you won’t have a movie. Even if it’s a really simple outline, have something that you can share with your actors and crew so they know what’s going on.
- Cast, scout locations, get a crew. Now that you have a script, it’s time to find people to help you make your movie a reality. You’ll have to cast actors for your parts. Find interesting places to shoot them. And a crew to work the slate, camera, sound, food, and everything else. Most likely, YOU will be the crew. Especially if you don’t have any money, you won’t be able to pay anyone to do this stuff for you.
- Storyboard. Now that you have your cast and where you want to shoot, plan out and put on paper how you want your shots set up, the camera to move, and your actors to move. A lot of times, it’s easier to show them what you want in addition to telling them. And it doesn’t have to be elaborate, just get your ideas down.
- Shoot your movie. Grab a camera. Grab your crew. And start shooting film. If you have a script and storyboard, you’ll save a lot of time when shooting. Have fun, because it can get boring or tedious when you’re doing the same scene over and over and over again.
- Edit your movie. Sometimes, you get the opportunity to edit the same day you shoot. If you have this luxury, take full advantage. It’ll be easier to see the progression of your film and to see if you need to shoot coverage or cutaways or reshoot some key scenes while you still have your actors. Most times, you’ll edit the whole thing at once. This usually takes 3 to 4 times as long as it took to shoot.
- Sell your movie. You’re done! Right? Wrong. You need to go out and tell people of your new masterpiece. This does two things. First, people love movies. Once they’ve seen that you’ve finished one, your friends will by dying to get involved and be IN the movie. Secondly, you may catch the eye of some sugar daddy who’s jumping to bankroll your next project.
- Bonus! Watch it! It’s all done. You’ve sold your movie for a million dollars. Now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Get your cast and crew together, get some friends, some popcorn, and enjoy your latest masterpiece.
Now, your done.
Happy filmmaking!
-Penguin
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