Filmmaking / Directing : What I strive to be real by Dana Bidlake

One of the best things you can do as a director is take some acting classes. This gives you an understanding of where the actor is coming from and how to speak to them on set. There are plenty of directors out there that understand the technical side of filmmaking but don't understand the acting part of it. And when you're on set you have to allow your actors some freedom so they can make the character theirs. Filmmaking takes multiple people with all sorts of input and you have to trust the actor to do their job. And if you don't like what you're seeing then you have the power to speak up, but never ever give an actor a line reading, it's a big no no and drives them nuts. Also don't settle in your casting. We've all seen great acting in film, and it doesn't take a seasoned veteran to tell whether or not the actor is believable or not, but don't be afraid to take a risk on someone whom you might think you can pull a great performance out of, on the flip side, don't be afraid to re cast if it's not the right fit. Also read everything you can about the technical side of filmmaking. From what a c-stand is to what each lens does to what everyone's job is on set. And never try to do it alone. One of the most important people to have on set is your 1st AD, the AD makes sure that everything runs smoothly, creates the schedule, handles the crew, etc. A good 1st AD is invaluable. And practice makes perfect. Go to a local community college and take a filmmaking class (most have them due to Communications degree requirements), or grab a random camera and start figuring it out. Learn the way all of us have had to. Make a 10 minute short first and you'll learn so much. You'll understand what bad lighting and bad audio can do to your film, you'll realize what angles you could've/should've used to make your scenes more energetic, and you'll deal with actors and how to communicate with them. Never be afraid of failing, it's part of the process, and if a project comes out terrible and you don't want anyone to see it then don't. It's better to learn from the bad ones and keep them tucked away then to show them to the world and try to defend them. Your image is important and if you proudly send out bad work to everyone you know before you know it no one will take you seriously. Instead learn from the bad and always strive to create something you're proud to show off. Oh and learn how to edit, it's an invaluable ability, and don't waste your time with Imovie or crap like that. Find a way to get Premiere Pro, Final Cut X, or Final Cut Pro and once again learn by doing.

Thats a lot of good info Jon. Thank you for all the good pointers. Well it seems I am on the right path after all in in my filming adventures. i have been saving up for a couple twin cameras. Thats what I am waiting on n to try out some new angles. I have been working on the small things. Thanks again

Look into the Panasonic GH2, great DSLR cams that are considerably less expensive and better then the Canon series. If you get it then you'll want to get a 4:3 micro to f mount lens adapter and you can find some really good Nikon f mount lenses that aren't too expensive. Make sure that if you get the GH2 that you get the package that comes with the 18-300mm telephoto lens, it's a great lens and the alternative is a 16mm WA lens that's pretty crappy. The one thing about getting the f mount adapter is those lenses will have to be manual focus, unless you get an electronic adapter and f mount lenses with auto focus in them (but their more expensive, and when you're doing a film you rarely want to rely on auto focus if at all). Then get a decent tripod, decent mic, and a zoom h4n or h2 field recorder and you should be set.

Thanks a gain Jon what do you think of the smaller cameras like Casio or Philips with 12 or better mega pixel what would be a good audio system for mics say I wanted to run three or more mics in the same room. What would be a good system to get??? I have a few deferential camera's I was just wondering if I should use all the same kind of camera??? or using all the cameras for different kinds of shots threw out the movie???

If you're going to be doing it just for practice then the smaller cameras will work, but if it's going to be something that you want to send out then those cameras wont give you the ability to make a great looking piece. They don't give you very good depth of field, you can't normally control the focus, and you normally can't control feature like the ISO, frame rate, shutter speed, or f-stop. In terms of mics, all you need is a single shotgun mic on a boom pole with a field recorder and you're good to go. You might look into getting some lav mics to help but then you need a field mixer in order to get all those channels to go into your recorder. The Zoom field recorders normally allow 2 channels of audio to come in. Just research different shotgun mics. You never really need 3 mics sitting around, just one good one slung over the head of the actors, and when you start getting into the professional range then whatever sound guy you bring on should be putting lav mics on your actors as well as a boom mic. If you're looking for a cheap camera that does good video check these out: http://gopro.com/hd-hero2-cameras/ They shoot great HD video and their small and cheap. In terms of using different cameras it's usually not a good idea because most cameras shoot differently. They have different chips in them, they have different color spectrum's, shoot at different frame rates, etc. It can be done and I've seen it done well, but it was with professionals who understand exactly what they were getting out of each camera and they used the differences in the camera to give them a specific look in post. So you may have a camera that shoots 1080i, and another that shoots 1080p, and another that shoots 720p and when you get into editing it's going to be a nightmare. First you wont be able to keep your video at 1080p, because of the 720 video (if you blow the 720 up to 1080 it'll look bad), and you now have to deal with 1080i (interlaced) files which can be a headache to match up with 1080p files. Not to mention color correction will be a nightmare because one camera gets better skin tones then the other, or one camera has more red in its spectrum and so on. So again unless you're a seasoned veteran who knows how to utilize the abilities of different cameras or you're okay with the different looks it's going to give you, then make sure you have the same camera or very similar cameras. For example if you use a canon 5d and 7d, their essentially the same so you're not going to have an issue, but if you use a gh2 and a 5d then you'll run into some color issues. The 5d doesn't do skin tones as well as the gh2 and can often put an orange tint on people.

I have been reading what you write a few times over now. I have been have the different camera problems. I have done a lot of little videos nothing I am too greatly proud of I just thought why not. Now I am looking into every thing I can find out about filming. I tell ya this stuff gets in your blood and its all I want to do. Just not having the hard cash to spend on it all to get it sporty. So I am going to start pushing a little harder. Thank you for all your input. I will take it all in as best I can and put it to work. See what I can make of it...I still have a long ways to go the desires there and the skill is growing.

The desire and the passion is where it starts, just don't ever get complacent. Even if you've only got a crappy handheld camera find a way to make it interesting. I mean watch Following (Christopher Nolan's first "feature") It's only 68 minutes long shot on black and white 16mm film with no lighting. The lighting is terrible in it, and sometimes the sound isn't so good but he had a good script, with good actors, and the cinematography is never boring, and look what it did for his career. That was the film that got him funding for Memento, and it won a ton of awards too! Just remember it's all about the story and the acting. You can make any piece of crap look like gold with the right camera but everyone will also know it's a piece of crap, as long as you have a good script and some decent actors people will watch. Look at Clerks, at times the acting is mediocre at best and he doesn't do anything crazy with his camera but the dialogue that Kevin Smith writes is so enthralling that you can't help but watch and love it. Read the book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, by far the best screenwriting book out there. It'll teach you all about format and how to wade through all your bad ideas in order to find the hidden gem. You can even buy an HD handheld cam from bestbuy with a average shotgun mic and still make an interesting film. But the best thing you can do from a technical standpoint is watch a ton of films. Pay attention to the angles and the lighting, and how they utilize certain angles and lighting to make you feel certain emotions. Go to home depot and by a bunch of little can lights, and research what kind've bulbs are the best for what kind've lighting. At the end of the day don't worry about marketability, make what you love and put everything you have into it.

Thank you Jon. I must say. What ever it is or how it works. You can make a person take some thing that's really heavy and make it light. Before I got on line I was going threw my When humming Birds Cry Script some thing I put together my self in a very short time . Its something that i want people to be engrossed in the things they do by the realness I show. Hard to explane but I think you know what I am talking about. After reading what you've written It all seems do able again. Been going threw this wishy washy thing do or don't . At the end of the day Make what you love. I will remember you for what I got from your letters another thing thats fading I seemed to have miss placed the world and it has not found me not that I really want to be found I just want the money thats legal I do have a thing for movies. My brain works differently then every one else you could say slower then the average yogie Any thing you want to give advise on I would enjoy and take heed in what you say to be true. I am no one to argue with any one. I just want to have some fun making something enjoyable for the world around as long as i make money at it. I need to find a way to give my family a better life with out taking all the crazy chances life has to offer in the so called real world. So Jon be truth told your helping me out alot more then you could ever imagine. Thank you for taking the time hardly any one else would do. I think Movies is the best way any one like me could do. Your showing me a light in darkness. In a darkness thats been clouding over sunny days for what seems to be a life time waiting on. O theres other lights out there. even so they just pass by doing what they do best what ever it be. We all have our own worlds we live in. A bubble of friends each with in their own little personal spaces trying not to bother the space around them or be bothered. I find the world and life oddly interesting. The big question at hand is why am I alive. What am I here for Not that I don't enjoy being alive. I think I should go ponder that for a while more. whats a few more moments after a life time of asking any ways...???

Wow sorry to invade on your post Dana, but that was great advice Jon. So thanks as well.

No worries I was intending to find answers for any one reading. And Jon has some awesome advice to share So thanks for reading Marcus By the way its cool meeting you...