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Home » Blog » Video Production Business – Getting Started and Some Filmmaking Pearls of Wisdom

Video Production Business – Getting Started and Some Filmmaking Pearls of Wisdom

First off, Don’t be mistaken. This is not an article on how to start up your new video production company as I’m just getting started myself. What it is though is a look at what I’m learning when it comes to “getting out there” and a bit about my experience as a film producer.

What have I learnt so far you may ask? Well for one thing I’m not very computer savvy so when it came to sorting out my Facebook page, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts for my video production company it took longer than I thought it would. Don’t get me wrong, setting them up were pretty easy but when it came to Facebook I did a dumb thing.

First thing I did was create a page in my personal account. This is not a bad thing to do but when I heard its best to have a Facebook account dedicated solely to your business I deleted the page I created. This has now given me a problem linking my Twitter and Facebook accounts. The good news is that I found out about Twitterfeed, which I highly recommend. I have now linked up my blog directly to my all of my accounts so when I post anything on my blog it goes directly to those accounts.

Okay, enough about the boring stuff. I would say the key thing I have gotten right so far is assembling my team. I can’t stress this enough. I have learnt this big time when producing my own films. If you get one person who’s being a problem it can cause a domino effect throughout your team.

What sort of problems you may ask? Well, to be perfectly blunt, people who just bitch all the time. You’ve met them before. They just bitch for the sake of bitching. It’s like air for them. Here’s a tid-bit of information for all you want to be producers out there, especially if you are doing an independent film on a low budget.

You want to know how you spot these people who are going to give you grief throughout your film? Well there is one way and it’s not always foolproof but it will give you a good sign most of the time. It’s…are you ready for this? Its people who agree with everything you say. Are you kidding me you ask. No I’m not I say. I wish I was.

In my experience when I’m in pre-production prepping a short or a feature these people have been great. You will say “Can you do this?”, “Are you okay with that?” They will be very courteous and polite and say things like “Not a problem” or “She’ll be right” (popular New Zealand saying by the way). If you hear these words a lot in your everyday conversation with any member of your crew and at the same time they are agreeing with everything you say, take those words as “There will be a problem” (“Houston, we have a problem” for you americans) and “Everything wont be right”.

Don’t ask me why. Maybe they crave the attention they never got as a child. Who knows and who really cares for that matter. Remember, they are going to make your life hell! The truth is there’s no real answer because there’s no logic to it. It’s like asking “How did Sandra Bullock get an academy award for best actress?” Again, no logic to it and a question that has people stumped to this day.

Anyway, I have babbled on long enough. I have an email campaign for my video production company going out next week. I’ll keep you informed on how I get on with that and any other stuff that I have to contend with. I’ll also share more of my pearls of wisdom on the film front.

Take care,

Rob.

We are The Collective, a Video and Television production company based in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Instructional, Training, Corporate and promotional videos. Commercials for Television, the web or in-store display. If you have a reqirement to produce visual media we can do it for you. For more details, visit us at: http://www.thecollective.net.nz

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_F_Rowe

Following on from the excellent tutorial by RickVanMan on how to make your own low budget dolly, we decided to have a go. The tutorial is a bit hit and miss, sorry – drink was involved and planning went out of the window. We opted for nuts instead of spacers, but both are fine. The 2nd part of the film is devoted to making some sleepers for the PVC pipe to run on.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Question by Jeremy C: How to start making film?
I am almost 16 years old, and going into the 10th grade. I am currently on summer break. Me and a few friends are really interested in making film…and I have found great interest in possible becoming a film maker as a career. I am interested in stuff like green screen (chroma key) and programs such as After Effects and Sony Vegas. I have an extremely low budget…but soon will increase by a bit…and I want to make short 10-30 minute films. I prefer to use chroma key, but have no knowledge in anything filmmaking…except for what I learned on my own, which isn’t much.

I basically need a good start in learning how to become a good filmmaker; what are the different cameras, which is best, how do i use them…what about lighting, actors/actresses, screenplays, software, other equipment…etc. Those are basic questions. We want to eventually have our own studio where we can produce films and what not. Does anyone know where we might start to learn all the basics of filmmaking?

Best answer:

Answer by fhotoace
First write a script.
Next draw a storyboard
Then block out each scene

The basics of film making can be found in many text books used by colleges and universities that teach film making. You can usually find good used ones at the end of each semester

What you are attempting to do is a huge undertaking on one hand, but with simple planning and some help with some experienced people, you can achieve your goal.

Look here for some more good information.

http://www.birnsandsawyer.com/cgibin/BIRstore.cgi?user_action=detail&catalogno=txtforum

Give your answer to this question below!

More Low Budget Filmmaking Articles

Filed Under: Filmmaker News Tagged With: business, Filmmaking, Getting, Pearls, Production, Some, Started, Video, Wisdom

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