Zeke Iddon on March 01, 2013 in Production Filmmaking Pre Production
The Art of Storyboarding - Five Essential Tips
It's quite commonplace for filmmakers to fear the act of storyboarding moreso than writing the dreaded business plan. This is baffling, when you think about it - if someone can take a stack of paper and gleefully go through the mammoth task of turning it into a film, you'd think putting a series of doodles together would be no sweat.
Arthur Vincie on April 28, 2012 in Production Costume Design Wardrobe
Costume and Wardrobe
Two of the departments that get screwed over the most in indie film-land are wardrobe and costume design. But it doesn't have to be that way!
Arthur Vincie on March 20, 2012 in Production Casting
Budgeting For Casting
The casting process on a low-budget independent film often gets short shrift. Don't make that mistake!
Arthur Vincie on March 08, 2012 in Production Production Value
6 Cheap Ways To Add Production Value
No budget? No problem! Here's a few small ways you can make your film look and sound a LOT better than the competition.
Arthur Vincie on February 29, 2012 in Production Scheduling
Scheduling Sex (Scenes)
You may have to do this in your personal life, but you definitely have to do this on set.
Arthur Vincie on February 22, 2012 in Production
Budgeting Favors
Your cousin says that you can shoot in his apartment for free. But it's a studio. With a cat. And loud neighbors.
Arthur Vincie on February 16, 2012 in Production Budgeting
Loss And Damage
Since Valentine's Day just came and went, I thought it would be a great idea to talk about budgeting for loss and damage.
Arthur Vincie on February 08, 2012 in Production Scheduling
Climbing Out of the Scheduling Hole
What to do when your well-planned shooting schedule goes completely to hell.
Arthur Vincie on February 02, 2012 in Post Production Production Technical
You Can't Have Enough Drives
Don't let these words make you shiver - "You backed up last night, right?"
Arthur Vincie on January 25, 2012 in Production Promotion Festivals
Having The Good Festival Experience
You made your film. You got into a festival. Great! Now get the most out of the experience.
Arthur Vincie on January 18, 2012 in Production Art Production Design
Give The Art Department Some Love
When you're scheduling and budgeting your next film, try and give some love to the art department. They're worth it.
Arthur Vincie on January 11, 2012 in Production Camera Grip Electric
Grip, Electric, Camera 101
On a super-low budget film, everyone wears more than one hat. But when you start working on larger projects, you have treat these departments separately. Here are some basic tips to help you sort them out.
Arthur Vincie on January 04, 2012 in Production
Apple Doesn't Like Indie Filmmakers
Apple creates wonderful products for media consumers. But it doesn't care about you, the independent filmmaker - in some ways you're its enemy.
Arthur Vincie on December 28, 2011 in Production
Transportation - Your Biggest Headache
Transportation is the most difficult budget category to wrap your head around. But if you're not smart about it, you could wind up deep in the red - on something that no one in the audience will ever see.
Arthur Vincie on December 21, 2011 in Production Financing
Big Don'ts When Financing Your Film
Finding the money to make your film is a real chore. Why make it harder on yourself?
Arthur Vincie on December 14, 2011 in Post Production Production Distribution
Delivering Your Film (Part II)
Last week I hit you with the enormous number of deliverables you need to produce. This week you'll learn how to produce them.
Arthur Vincie on December 07, 2011 in Post Production Production
Delivering Your Film (Part I)
You've finished your film. You've landed a distribution deal. Now here's the fun part. The distributor wants your deliverables before writing you a check. What?
Arthur Vincie on November 30, 2011 in Production
Things No One Tells You About the Film Business
Here are a few things that you should know as you start your film career, things that aren't discussed very much. I wish I'd known them when I was starting out.
Arthur Vincie on November 23, 2011 in Production
Production Assistant Survival Guide
Somewhere deep in their hearts, most film school graduates harbour a vision of the successful filmmaker's life. A life spent writing, taking meetings, calling 'action' on set, going to festivals and premieres, and enjoying life. Then they graduate, and they start PAing. Reality quickly overtakes fantasy.
Arthur Vincie on November 16, 2011 in Production
Shooting in Bad Weather
Exteriors have many advantages over interiors. They can impart a bigger sense of scope and more production value. You can work with fewer lights (if you're shooting days). They often cost less to rent. But they have one significant disadvantage - you're at the mercy of the elements.
Arthur Vincie on November 09, 2011 in Production
Scouting For Fun on Location
The director's looking at the beautiful archway. The DP is figuring out where the morning light comes in. The sound guy hears an ice cream truck nearby. What should you, the producer, be doing? Figuring out where everyone's going to pee.
Arthur Vincie on November 02, 2011 in Production
Shooting Effects On The Cheap
Independent filmmakers are wary of effects, not without reason. They can be time-consuming and expensive, require some expertise, and can distract you from telling your story. But they can also help you tell your story and raise your production value . If you just follow some simple steps, you can produce good effects on a tight budget. So don't be afraid. The force is with you.
Arthur Vincie on October 26, 2011 in Production Cinematography
Covering That Scene: A Fresh Take
The traditional way of shooting a scene: get a master, close-ups, two-shots, three-shots (if there's a multiple-character scene), and cutaways. These setups come from a shotlist and storyboards. It's a fine way to make a movie, but it's not the only one, and for low-budget filmmakers, it may not even be the best choice.
Arthur Vincie on October 12, 2011 in Production
Loving Your Location Manager
If a film crew is a rock band, then the location manager is the room service attendant who has to clean up after the band has trashed the hotel suite in an orgy of drugs and mayhem.
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