How to Make Movies

Build a story with pictures. Since most movies are visual stories, the first step to take is to have an idea that you want to turn into a movie. What is it that you must see in order to believe? There’s no need to detail everything right now, but you should have a basic idea for your story.

• Think about the movies you like to watch, the books you love to read, and analyze what makes those works so appealing. Is it because of the characters, the action, the images, or the setting in it? Whatever the reason, always keep those factors in mind when planning your movie.
• Write down a list of the props, locations, and actors available where you live and develop your movie around these elements. Think of the movie as a dream and a visual story. Always carry a notebook with you to jot down ideas. Read news stories in newspapers. You need to have a basic idea and work on it. Narrow down your ideas as you write the plot.

Expand the idea into a story. What is essential when building a story from an idea is to determine what you are going to do with the characters? Who will be the main character in the movie? What does your main character want? Why haven’t they gotten there yet? How will the main character change? If you can answer all of these questions, then you are developing a great story in the right direction.

• All stories have one or two basic situations: A stranger comes in and messes with everyday things, or a hero starts a new adventure.
• Make sure your story has a beginning, where the setting and characters are specifically introduced, a middle with conflicts occurring, and an ending with conflicts resolved.

Write a script. The script will divide the story moments into independent scenes to shoot. Usually you’ll have a tendency to dress up and start shooting each scene when it’s your turn, but it’s actually easier if you prepare everything in advance and think about each scene in the movie.

• The screenplay needs to write down all of the characters’ conversations, along with instructions on actions, gestures, and camera direction. Each scene should begin with a general description of the setting (indoors, nighttime, etc.)
• Limit costs right from the time of writing the script. You’d be better off cutting out the 30-minute car chase and replacing the ending that followed. It is possible that the main character will lie on the bed, bandaged all over and wondering “What happened?”

Draw a movie script. Storyboard is like a comic book version of the movie, but without the dialogue. Storyboards can be done on a large scale, drawing only the key scenes or transitions, or if you have a very visual story, you can do the storyboard at a more detailed level, planning specifics for each scene and camera angle.

• This process smooths out a feature-length movie, and helps you anticipate difficult shots or problems that may arise. You can try filming without a storyboard, but this will not only help you visualize your movie, but it will also help explain your ideas to other members of the crew.

Develop a film aesthetic. Movies are real images, so it’s better if you take the time to “see and feel” about the movie. Let’s analyze two films: “Matrix”, with its monochromatic yellow-green tones throughout, enhancing the sense of “digitization”, and the director’s “A Scanner Darkly”. Richard Linklater, with video clipping technology and somewhat “looks” like a unique and memorable animated film. These are some of the factors you can consider.

Do you want a movie with smooth, professionally edited images or with images that are rough and look like they were shot from a handheld? Either way, you can do it. Take “Melanchpia” (Apocalypse) by director Lars von Trier as an example. The opening scenes were shot with a super high-speed camera that delivered graceful slow motion. Most of the remainder of the film is shot with a handheld camcorder that has a “vibration”, conveying the intent of the emotional and mental conflicts that run through the film.

Design costumes and backgrounds. What do you want the scene in the movie to look like? Can you film at an actual location, or will you have to set up the scene? Panoramic shots on the big screen of 60s or 70s movies depended on a combination of large space and studio setting and lighting. Scenes from the movie “The Shining” were taken at a ski lodge in Oregon. “Dogville” (Dogville Town) was shot on a single stage, with only buildings as a backdrop.

• Movies rely heavily on costumes to be able to portray the character’s personality to the viewer. “Men in Black” is one such example.

Consider lighting. Some films have soft lighting, which makes the actors and the setting more engaging and the overall film feels like in a dream; Some prefer light that is closer to reality, while others use bright to harsh light. Take a look at “Domino” by Keira Knightley.

Set up a scene, or find out the location. If you’re going to be filming outdoors, search for the location you want and make sure it can be filmed. If you’re shooting indoors, start editing and decorating the shot.

• If possible, use physical locations to make filming easier. The blue screen can look very fake in some contexts, but you can also use it if you want. It would be much simpler if you filmed in a restaurant instead of having to set up a realistic scene in a room.

Choose a director. The film director will be in charge of the creative side of the film and serve as an important bridge between the crew members and the cast. If you have an idea for a movie and know exactly what it should look like, you can take on the director’s position. However, if you’re not good at guiding people and don’t feel comfortable giving orders to those around you, you can try directing in a different way, or just hire someone and express yourself. give them the full picture of the movie. You will recruit the main cast members, oversee the filmmaking process and come up with creative ideas as you see fit.

Choose to shoot movies, or direct photos. This is the person who is responsible for making sure the lighting and actual shooting goes smoothly, and together with the director decides the composition, lighting and shooting style for each frame. The person in this position will manage the lighting and camera crew, or be the one directly handling the camera if this is a small film.

Specify a scene builder. This is the person responsible for making sure the setting matches the director’s intentions. They can also be props managers (in charge of the furniture used in the scene).

• Costume, hair, and makeup can all be in the same department if the production is small. If the production is large-scale, the curator can choose (even order) each costume used in the film. On a smaller scale, this position often includes other jobs.

Assign sound and music to a specific person in charge. In charge of sound can be one or more people. Dialogue recording needs to be done live while shooting, or supplemented in post-production. Sound effects like gunfire or grenades or an explosion need to be created. Music needs to be sourced, recorded and mixed; fpey (sound integration) (footsteps, rustling leather, broken dishes, strong trapdoor) all need to be created. The audio also needs to be mixed, edited and matched to the video in post-production. You also need to remember, the music doesn’t have to be too loud. Maybe a quiet melody in a quiet scene, while people are not too focused because the music at this time only plays a supporting role in filming.

Recruiting actors for movies. People living around you may be willing to work to get on screen for low-budget movies. Of course, if there is a famous name in your film, that will be an advantage. However, learning how to use the strengths of the actors you have will ensure that you have a great film production. If you need a cop character from a movie, try calling a police officer and ask if the cop would be willing to do a few scenes in the afternoon. You just have to make sure the movie doesn’t break the law while the police are there. If you need a professor, contact the school. ^[2]

• Test the actor’s ability. If you know a role that will cry during a sad scene in a movie, make sure the actor playing the role can fulfill the requirements before you sign them.
• Avoid overlapping calendars. Make sure the actors are ready when you need them.
• Be careful with dangerous scenes, which can cause injury to actors.

Centralize and test your device. At the very least you will need a camcorder to make movies. You may also need a tripod to mount the camera for scenes that require stability, lighting, and sound equipment.

• Doing a few “test shots” is a good idea. Give your actors a chance to practice while filming, as well as give crew members a chance to practice together.

Make a detailed plan. Track which shot worked best for that shot, making your editing easier later on. If you have to go through all the failed shots every time you find the shot you want, the editing process can affect the progress of the movie.

• Make sure everyone understands and agrees on everything at the start of the day and with each shot. Assembling all the crew at once may not be easy, so you can write and distribute instructions to everyone at the start of each activity.

Cinematicize your movie. Your decisions will affect whether the film becomes an “amateur film” or a professional-looking film.

• Some people think it is necessary to shoot multiple scenes from many different angles in order to have more options for post-editing. As a general rule, professional filmmakers shoot each scene with wide, medium, and close-ups for the key moments.

Movie editing. Feed the footage data to the computer, upload the files, number them and determine which shots pass. How you edit will affect the final “look” and “feel” of your movie.

• A movie with abrupt transitions will help draw the audience in and act like an action movie, while the long sequences have their own merits, though if not executed in a timely manner. Ingenious, these scenes can become boring. Refer to the opening of the movie The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly .
• You can also edit additional music, which is a quick and efficient way to edit. You can also add music to your quiet videos by choosing music with the right tune.
• Editing at different angles can quickly reveal what’s happening on the same shot. Use the split or trim tools in your editing app to create short clips from multiple shots, then blend them together properly. You’ll quickly get used to this, and with digital filmmaking, you can always redo if you make a mistake thanks to the Undo button.

Synchronize sound effects and music. Make sure that the music in a segment matches the content of the movie at the time, and that the live sound you get is loud and clear. Record the passages that you find important.

• Keep in mind that if you plan to distribute a movie with pre-existing music, you could run into trouble. Therefore, it is best to order the music made specifically for the movie, especially when there are so many talented musicians who are looking for more experience.

Create an intro at the beginning of the movie and a thank you at the end. You’ll want to put your crew members and cast names at the end of the movie. You can also mention the organizations that supported the location for you during filming. The most important thing is to keep it simple.