Low budget cinema: getting to the basics
Low-budget filmmaking is a process that can be arduous at times, but the payoff is one of the most creative forms of accomplishment a modern storyteller can achieve. It is with this concept that we will cover some of the most basic steps of low budget cinema. Keeping these rules in mind will prove to be a smart move.
Spend some time getting to know your camera and its features before you shoot. Practice shooting simplistic scenarios. Familiarize yourself with the instruction manual, do not take anything for granted. This could save you hours of critical time during low-budget film projects.
Be careful with the zoom. A big point of confusion for many digital filmmakers is using all the features of their digital camera. Going overboard with the zoom switch and digital filters may look cool, but it will definitely give your video an amateurish look. If you watch most movies, you’ll see that there aren’t many zooms to find. Many low-budget film productions are compromised by autofocus.
Plan to spend more time than you think. Another mistake that many low-budget film projects have in common is poor timing. When you’re making an image, things often take a lot longer than you thought. Always try to be realistic when making your schedule. Being unrealistic will make the shoots feel even longer.
Don’t steal music for your soundtrack. You must acquire the rights to use any song or piece of music. Please note that the price may be prohibitive. Always try to use royalty-free tracks or songs that you have rights to. Many low-budget filmmakers will use a trending song during their project, with the concept of replacing it later on. This is often a bad idea because during distribution, you will have to jump through hoops to find audio to replace the copyrighted material.
Get ready to commit. When doing a low-budget shoot, it’s important to realize that not everything will be completely finished. You may have a particular final concept, but if you’re not ready to commit, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to complete the project. Use your creativity to come up with acceptable compromises. Your creativity that got you here, and can get you to the finish line.
Don’t always plan to fix it in editing.. A stereotypical Hollywood comment is to fix it in post production. Don’t go that way. Get the low-budget filming steps right, and you won’t have to deal with the truly complex and hellish hassle of arranging footage during editing. This will equate to hours saved.
When it comes to filming or even making your project for web video [http://easywebvideo.net/web-video.html], just do it! The biggest mistake, and probably the most common, is simply doing nothing. It is a widespread movement in low budget cinema, as well as in higher budget cinema, to postpone the project due to a number of factors. Many think that it takes thousands of dollars and a lot of training. Thanks to high-end digital technology at very low costs, fortunately this is no longer the case.