Film Makers Thread

[halloweencheif]

Originally Posted by mmyersisgod

To make a good film and do it right. I don't wanna cheat and use a sub-par camera. The subject matter itself already makes it juvenile...literally.

Well, of course, no one sets out to make a bad movie.

Also, you're not cheating by using a sub-par camera. You should go with what you can afford..

28 Days Later was shot with the Panasonic DVX; student filmmakers laugh at that camera.

[darsilver]

I agree--the equipment is not as important as story. And if you've got one, I would go ahead and make the film, if having top equipment is the only thing holding you back. Clearly you need enough for the basics, but that should be enough, especially for a short. A good story and I'm pretty much into it.

Can you tell us about some of your projects, and this one? I'm a fiend for indie horror!

[Mr. Monkey]

Originally Posted by mmyersisgod

I don't know. I am thinking somewhere around the 60 min range but just a guess.

Originally Posted by mmyersisgod

I don't know. I am thinking somewhere around the 60 min range but just a guess.

That is film suicide length. No festival will play a film over 45 for a short and under 75 for a feature, so unless you are planning to make this a youtube only thing I'd suggest finding out how to make it shorter or longer.

The camera doesn't matter, it's how you use it. Sounds corny but its true. If you don't have money to buy 100 grand worth of equipment then just get something that can shoot 720 or 1080. Also, don't get a camera that shoots on DV tape, DV is obsolete, solid state is better and safer.

[little_mister_sunshine]

i use dv. it sucks tits to upload the footage and edit it, but it's still worth it. anything is worth it really

[Mr. Monkey]

Originally Posted by little_mister_sunshine

i use dv. it sucks tits to upload the footage and edit it, but it's still worth it. anything is worth it really

Use what ya got! It's better to have something in the can than not.

Man...I haven't shot on DV since '06 - memories...

[Robcbh]

Not to hi-jack the topic at hand, but ive alwasy been extremely interested more so in special effects of the traditional sort than anything lse. That being said, does anyone know the process they use in making the skin and such of monsters for example the worms in tremors or the monster in the Deadly spawn. I, think its a foam latex, but where do you find it whats the process in molding and creating the creature. Its been a question that has been killing me and i have some one building me the skeleton of a person sized creature and i want to allpy that process. Any help what so ever would be awesome thanks!

PS anyone in the Massachusetts area ever working on a film and need some help ( for free of course) id be more than willing. Not at acting, but set and prop and make up. Id love to get some connections.

[babagloom]

Originally Posted by mmyersisgod

I don't know. I am thinking somewhere around the 60 min range but just a guess.

A 60min film is pointless. Why not do the extra work and get it to 90?

[vizfxman]

There's nothing pointless about a film that's 60 minutes, as long as that 60 minutes has a quality beginning, middle, and end.

Originally Posted by Robcbh

I, think its a foam latex, but where do you find it whats the process in molding and creating the creature.

Have you tried Burman Industries?

[babagloom]

Originally Posted by vizfxman

There's nothing pointless about a film that's 60 minutes, as long as that 60 minutes has a quality beginning, middle, and end.

I still think it's pretty pointless. After putting all the time and money into it, you'll have an unsellable 60 minute film with a quality beginning, middle, and end.

[Butchery101]

I actually respect movie makers who know when to end their movie rather than padding it with filler in order to reach a predetermined running time for marketing purposes. In fact I'll even say that that's probably my single biggest problem with most horror movies. They could often be much tighter and leaner by cutting out that extra chunk of fat.

These days you can easily bypass film festivals and release your own movie through Createspace and distribute it through Amazon's 'Video on Demand' service. With so many of the social network sites and YouTube available for promoting your movie you can bypass normal distribution channels and keep your movie's running time at whatever length you feel is appropriate.

There are benefits to getting distribution deals from successful film festival screenings but it's no longer the only way to go.

A damn good trailer can easily go viral and there are plenty of success stories to attest to this. Also, as theaters are rapidly changing their projection systems to new digital systems the cost of creating film prints is no longer going to be an issue ($100 per hard drive copy for projection VS $1000 for a film print) so as the Hollywood studios throw theater owners under the bus by releasing their new movies on VOD so quickly after the theater release dates, the day may come when we can deal directly with independent theater owners and have digital copies of our movies shown theatrically for cheap (as long as we can put asses in those seats).