BrettMikaluk
Uniquely Awesome Since 1997
How do you go about making short films? I don't want something like 10 minutes long or anything, but just short, 2 minute clips that I can throw together to gain some editing and writing experience.
Making Short Films
- Thread starter BrettMikaluk
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BrettMikaluk
Uniquely Awesome Since 1997
thank you!
Ben Smith
Well-Known Member
I found the easiest way for me was to pick up a camera and get to it. just come up with a quick idea like a fight scene or some witty narrative and do it!, dont worry about planning to start with and as you get more confident then start writing and getting things down on paper and expanding ideas! But yeh just to see what looks good, just go for it.
If you've never really edited before then keep it simple in your mind and then when you come to editing you wont stress yourself being too complicated and work up! Once you know the basics it just comes down to time and patience
If you've never really edited before then keep it simple in your mind and then when you come to editing you wont stress yourself being too complicated and work up! Once you know the basics it just comes down to time and patience
Weekend Noobs
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Ok firstly anything and everything is a good viable source for writing material. Especially with comedy. With my scripts its always comedy based and I find even when im having writers block that the simplest ideas can develop later on.
1:
Jot down every idea you have, even if its just something that may happen in a scene, or just a simple action. That way you can always come back to it and see if it can develop into something else. I like to twist meanings of words and sentences and how people pronounce words etc. For example we had an advert a few months back with some guy dressed as a matador advertising a cleaning product and he would say "It's me, ONE SHEET! Hmmmm.....stand back pretty lady, that spill is no match for me!! (He wipes it with one sheet of kitchen towel) Dis is why the call me ONE SHEET!!"
The trouble is the guy had a spanish accent and my brain instantly read it as "ONE SH##" Which then developed into some spanish guy taking a dump on peoples tables and kitchen counters lol
2:
before filming, always story board the idea first to give you a rough idea how it may look. The last thing you want is to film a camera angle for however long to find out it doesnt actually look right.
3:
Always think about your target audience. Is you clip more for the younger generation? teens? or adults? That will give you a general idea of how to structure your script ideas.
If you are aiming at younger generation then you need to remove any strong language and explicit scenes of violence......it sounds obvious I know but you'd be suprised what some people do. With comedy it would mean you focus more towards silly and slapstick. Rather than dry or dark comedy
This may seem maybe extreme as you just want to do short sketches however it will help to make those sketches stand out and come across more professional.
4th and final tip I will give and I believe it to be the most important bit of advice I was ever given. DONT SANCTION YOURSELF.
Meaning, dont be afraid of an idea. Dont be afraid of what people may or may not think because otherwise you limit yourself and hold yourself back to potentially amazing material and ideas. After all, ideas you think are great, others may think is rubbish anyway. Unless your idea is featuring beastiality or someone burning badgers and wearing them as shoes then.....yeah its best you dont go with that idea lol
Trust in your ideas. If it doesnt work then it doesnt work, but at least you know rather than thinking "what if?" and if it works? Then it may end up becoming a hit!
1:
Jot down every idea you have, even if its just something that may happen in a scene, or just a simple action. That way you can always come back to it and see if it can develop into something else. I like to twist meanings of words and sentences and how people pronounce words etc. For example we had an advert a few months back with some guy dressed as a matador advertising a cleaning product and he would say "It's me, ONE SHEET! Hmmmm.....stand back pretty lady, that spill is no match for me!! (He wipes it with one sheet of kitchen towel) Dis is why the call me ONE SHEET!!"
The trouble is the guy had a spanish accent and my brain instantly read it as "ONE SH##" Which then developed into some spanish guy taking a dump on peoples tables and kitchen counters lol
2:
before filming, always story board the idea first to give you a rough idea how it may look. The last thing you want is to film a camera angle for however long to find out it doesnt actually look right.
3:
Always think about your target audience. Is you clip more for the younger generation? teens? or adults? That will give you a general idea of how to structure your script ideas.
If you are aiming at younger generation then you need to remove any strong language and explicit scenes of violence......it sounds obvious I know but you'd be suprised what some people do. With comedy it would mean you focus more towards silly and slapstick. Rather than dry or dark comedy
This may seem maybe extreme as you just want to do short sketches however it will help to make those sketches stand out and come across more professional.
4th and final tip I will give and I believe it to be the most important bit of advice I was ever given. DONT SANCTION YOURSELF.
Meaning, dont be afraid of an idea. Dont be afraid of what people may or may not think because otherwise you limit yourself and hold yourself back to potentially amazing material and ideas. After all, ideas you think are great, others may think is rubbish anyway. Unless your idea is featuring beastiality or someone burning badgers and wearing them as shoes then.....yeah its best you dont go with that idea lol
Trust in your ideas. If it doesnt work then it doesnt work, but at least you know rather than thinking "what if?" and if it works? Then it may end up becoming a hit!
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