How To Make The Film That Will Change Your Life

Introduction

I’ve made two short films, one that was nominated for an Oscar and another that won an Oscar. Short films have changed my life, and I’m going to show you how one can change yours too. But, not by talking, I’ll show you by doing. After all, as Stanley Kubrick said – “The best education in film is to make one” – so that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We’re going to make a short film together – from ideation to delivery – all in 4 hours!

Workshop Description

Making a film has three stages. Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. And this workshop will be a whirlwind tour through all three stages. The goal is to inspire you to make your own film with skills you learn in this here by showing you the best ways to approach each of the three stages.

Pre-Production – this is the stage where we come up with the idea. This is the most important step! In many ways the idea determines how good the film can ever be. Then we write that idea into a script. Writing is the first time the movie exists – on the page. If you can write a film, you can make a film, and we’ll go over some key approaches that will help you face what can often be the most challenging step. Then, script in hand, we have to plan our shoot. Logistics are everything when you’re making a film, you’re in charge of a small army who all need to walk to a single beat, and that beat gets sorted in Pre-Pro.

Production – this is the stage everyone loves! We’re on set. We have actors. We’re choosing camera angles. Life is good! It can also be the most intimidating. It’s also the area where you are most likely to make mistakes – the pressure to get the shots right in a tight amount of time is a huge part of filmmaking. We’ll look at tactics on how to remain true to your vision and how to adapt to reality.

Post-Production – my favorite stage! This is where take what we wrote, and then what we filmed and we write it one final time with the footage we have. We will look at key editing tips (I was an editor for almost a decade) along with how music and sound design can change the entire experience of a film.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A FILM! Which we will watch, and examine for strengths and weaknesses. The final thing that I want to help you understand is how critical it is to be able to look at your own work critically. You can only get better by being honest – both in what is good, and what needs work.

Module 1

Pre-Production – we will come up an idea for a short film using the resources that the workshop will provide. Then we will write the script. All in about 1 hour.

Module 2

Production – Then we will go to a nearby location and shoot, with two actors. This will take about 1.5 hours.

Module 3

Post-Production – Then back to base where we will edit the footage into a final film!

What Should Students Bring?

Laptops.
Video Cameras if they have them.
Phones with Good Cameras.
Selfie Sticks or similar.
Editing software if they are familiar with any.

But most importantly– Ideas, Laughter, Chaos & Courage.