Halloween Horror Triple Feature: The Aftermath

The premier came and went and in the end it was all worth it. We showed three of our short films to a crowd of folks at UNR and received some really good feedback that didn't feel like lip service. If you can't be honest with me about what you thought about the films then you aren't being helpful in the long run. Filmmakers need to hear what people think so they can adjust how they approach things the next time around. I'm not saying I'm going to do everything people tell me but I will consider what folks say.
We didn't have any technical issues which was a big load off my shoulders. The last time I saw movies in this room everything went wonky and the evening dragged a little because of it. Every film played perfectly and it all looked pretty cool on the big screen in front of an audience. There is no reason to make the films if they aren't going to be seen by the public.
Each one of the films were applauded and I heard people talking about them in a positive light after the screening. This is always a cool thing to over hear as they aren't talking to me about how they thought the film was which sometimes hampers the ability to get a good idea about what people really thought.
After the screenings we had a Q&A moderated by a fellow filmmaker from the area, David McDowell, and we had a great time on stage and were asked some really good questions by the crowd. It was fun talking about local film making with folks and they all seemed to be interested in learning more about the areas film scene.
One guy I met was from the campus film club and as I watched his reaction to one of the big reveals of one of the films I knew he got what I was trying to do with the whole film. It's things like that reaction that makes the whole thing worth doing.
There were a lot of folks generally impressed by the quality of the films as well. They looked and sounded professional and I don't think a lot of folks were expecting that when coming to a screening of movies made locally. People tend to have a mindset that these films are going to look cheap.

All in all it was a great night and one I will remember for a long time to come. I can't wait to get more of my projects out to the masses.

The Q&A

The Camera

Not too long ago I sold my baby. When I say baby I don't mean that I sold my child. I mean my first camera. The camera that started it all.
A few years back I discovered that film making had become something that could be grasped by people that were outside the world of the big lights of Hollywood. Cost on some really great cameras had come down so that I could invest in one and begin making films. This camera served me well for a long time and eventually I had to move on. I sold the camera and bought new ones. These will serve me well until I need to upgrade again.
For me the need for the new cameras didn't come from thinking my films would be better for it. I needed something that would be more efficient as I worked on more and more projects at the same time. I knew that the new cameras weren't going to make my films better. They were just going to make it faster in the post production process as well as saving me space due to the new cameras smaller size.
One thing I've learned over the last few years is that it really doesn't matter what camera you are using as long as you know what you are doing. I've seen some pretty great flicks shot on some very simple machines. There are even some very established filmmakers making films with nothing but their iPhones. It's not the camera but the vision of the filmmaker that makes a good film. Remember this the next time you think you need the bigger and better camera. If you're making crap films on the camera you have then that's not going to change if you are shooting on a really expensive machine.


 

Our Premier

The time has come to present a few of our films to the public. It's the scariest time for a filmmaker. We've put a lot of effort, time, money, and worry into these stories and now it's time to see if it was all worth it.
For me it's always worth it. The fun of making the movie and meeting new people always makes the work worth the trouble. I enjoy the experience of creating and even of the end product isn't everything I hoped it would be at least I've learned something in the process.
The thing that most filmmakers worry about during this whole process is whether or not people are going to like the stories we have told. It's a legitimate fear. Most of us don't set out to make a crappy film. We want to entertain people. We want them to like what we've done. But the hard truth is that not everyone will. There are going to be people out there that won't like what you've done. They will tear it apart and walk off feeling like their time has been wasted. There isn't anything you can do about that. Just shrug it off and carry on.
There are people out there that will connect with the story you have told. It's those people that matter. Focus on them and the rest can all go find something that speaks to them.
I'm looking forward to showing my work to everyone who wants to come see it. It's pointless if I keep it to myself and a betrayal of the trust that many put into my vision if it never sees the light of day.
The night is going to be a good one with all three of our short films showing one after the other. A Q&A will follow which allows folks in the audience to hear about the making of the films as well as meet the folks who made them. It's their night to shine. They deserve it.

The flyer for the showing of our films.

 

Forgetting Things

We're shooting our latest short film tonight. This means that today is being taken up with making lists of things I need to take to the location tonight and going over it many many times trying to figure out what I have forgotten.
I am a list person. If I don't have a list then I feel like I am prone to forgetting everything I need to do. But it's a good issue to have when shooting a film of any kind. Forgetting even one piece of equipment could kill part of your shoot.
One of the worst things to forget is the boot off of your tripod. This is the little device that screws into the bottom of your camera and then allows the camera to be attached to the tripod so that you can have nice steady shots. Forgetting this little piece renders your tripod pretty useless. I have forgotten to bring this on a few occasions and now it's the first thing I check before leaving the house.
This is also where the shot list or storyboards come in handy. I usually go through the shot list and storyboards slowly trying to list out everything that will be needed for each shot. Each shot is a different beast all it's own due to lighting, camera movements, and props needed. Make sure you are prepared for each one.
Also, never assume someone is bringing something. Don't assume that the guy running the second camera will bring his tripod is he's using your camera. Don't assume that you don't need to pick up extra batteries because the sound guy usually has some. This is a good way to screw up the shoot and cause delays while you run out to get something you should have brought.
The sucky part is that no matter how much you prepare something will get left off the list and the show will have to continue. Just try your best to make sure there is as little of that as possible.
For example... In a recent shoot I had a character who is mixing chemicals. I bought some black rubber gloves for the costume and completely forgot about them until later that night after the shoot. I'm still kicking myself as it would have added a nice bit of production value to the shot. It was my fault and I even forgot to put the gloves on the list of things I needed to take. Oh well. At least I brought everything else we needed.
It's ok to bring more than you need as well just to be safe. I usually bring more of my equipment to shoots than I ever use but at least I know that if the need arises I will be able to quickly get the gear needed without delaying the shoot or killing a cool shot.