Rehearse scenes before shooting. If possible, at least a day ahead to give people a chance to work out the kinks, and if not, give them a few hours break between rehearsal and shooting. Actors need to work on their roles, sleep on ’em, and dream a bit. It’s usually worth the effort.
(more…)If you can’t light your action, then at least try to light your set. Dark figures moving around in a room can be spooky and still tell a story, but poorly lit figures in a big black meaningless space is hilarious. And not in the way “hilarious” is intended.
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Stay tuned to this spot for new Low-Budget Filmmaker tips posted as fast as we can defrost ’em out of the archives.
(more…)Pick one person to figure out what the actors are wearing during each “day” and to keep track of that for everything you shoot. Give that person the authority to keep costumes and props with them. Unless you’re shooting Gilligan’s Island, people change clothes once a day. The viewers will notice.
(more…)The Director determines the mood of the set. If the Director is cheerful and having a good time, chances are everyone else will be, too. If the Director is being bitchy and fussy and demanding, everyone else gets that way, too. It’s a law of nature.
(more…)Make sure the story makes sense and the script makes sense before you start. Cause and effect should make sense. Motivations should be pretty clear. What happens at different times and places should be obvious. The script is the blueprint, and everybody uses it. Where it’s weak, everything else is weak.
(more…)Get it right on set – fixing it in post takes ten times as long and is twenty times as expensive as doing it again right there. Probably more, by the time you read this. Yes, I’m guilty of saying “we can fix that in post.” And for each of those instances, yes, I suck.
(more…)Rehearse any physical effect or stunt. Film the rehearsals in case you need some handy pickup footage. If people are rehearsing a physical effect or stunt in costume, even better. After a half dozen rehearsals, you may find that you have the footage you need, with everyone relaxed and focused during shooting. But that’s just a bonus. Rehearse the crazy stuff regardless.
(more…)Avoid the use of real guns. You can buy fake guns that look just as good as real guns and make realistic sounds in post. It’s practically impossible to hurt someone with a fake gun. Fake guns are cheaper, so you can buy more, which is useful because they often fly to flinders.
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We are very happy to be able to start offering shorts, web episodes, and features through our site via HBM Theater.
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