How to get Started as a Film Director
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR?That is the sixty-four million dollar question. Do you have what it takes? Answer these simple yes or no questions to find out!
Are you a storyteller? No, I don't mean can you tell your Mom what happened at school today. I mean when you tell her does everyone in the house, including the dog, stop to listen? Are you the type of person who can turn a simple walk in the park into the Odyssey?
Have you ever been accused of having too much imagination? Daydreaming in school is a classic hallmark of most directors who speak about their early years. Their biographies are often filled with examples or descriptions of the vivid artwork and ambitious writing projects they undertook in their youth.
Do you feel you have something to say? Is your viewpoint on life sufficiently unique that it causes others to rethink their own views, or maybe wonder how you understand their own struggle so well?
Are you able and willing to give up everything in pursuit of a dream? Most stories about successful artists don't start out, "Once upon a time, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth and a full ride to UCLA film school." You might be required to eat a lot of ramen and peanut butter, live in less than a palace, spend lunch money on new mic cables, hock your stuff to keep going, or even, as was the case with Robert Roriguez (director of El Mariachi and Spykids among others) sell your body to science to fund your production.
If you are able to say yes to at least one of these questions then get started! The tools you need are right in front of you on the desktop, or as in my case, in your lap. There are many great software tools that can help you get started.
First you'll need a script, visit Celtx.com to obtain one of the most powerful preproduction and screenwriting tools available anywhere, completely for free! Now go download a few screenplays to get an idea of what your shooting for, or visit your local library or bookstore and pick up one or two of the great books written by industry professionals on screenwriting and start today! Start simple, find a sublect or story that you know you can cast and find believable locations for, save that great Scifi trilogy for the multimillion dollar budget they will soon be handing you, do simple really well and you will have something to be proud of!
Next, you'll need a camera. Now, to make a saleable movie this is going to be a considerable expense, but to learn the skills necessary all you need is a couple hundred bucks and a trip to the pawnshop. Either way, look around online and educate yourself to the features and quality of the gear your buying so you can make an informed decision. You may already have a camera, great! Use it for your first movie. Don't forget to find out a little about lights and sound, this will go a long way to making a no budget film at least watchable.
Now map out your production. Figure out where and how long it will take to shoot each scene. Decide what you will need in advace and write it down. Try to think of eveything you can at this stage (preproduction) draw story boards, photograph potential locations, make notes on types of actors you want. Need a budget? You may need a little money to get the stuff it will take to make this happen, try getting a local camera or electronics store to sponsor you for credit on a website and in the credits. Try to have everything you need in place before you move to the next step.
Hire a crew. Whether this is one guy to stand next to you to keep you from talking to yourself or a group of people who know what they are doing, you need help. You can pay them with food, or a share in the movie, or if you have it offer cash, but make sure they know what you are asking them to do, how much time it will take and what they get in return.
Okay, you have a script and gear, a plan and a crew, now you need actors. Go to your local theatre, university, or even highschool drama department. Ask aound at bigger churches or music stores. Put an ad on the paper, or just recruit roommates or family members. Many directors are "discovered" with a first film that was acted by total beginners (Robert Rodrigues again, read REBEL WITHOUT A CREW),Hold an audtion, cas the sucker and call action!
When its over, watch it with everyone you can, show everybody your movie. Chances are you will be surprised at what you were able to accomplish. Wait a couple weeks, still feel like starting over and going through it again as many times as it takes to learn all the details, or forking over the big bucks for film school, then you my friend may have what it takes.
