How to Make The Best Short Film

Ever wanted to try to film a movie idea, but your friends and family laughed at you? Did you ever make a short film but everybody knew how terribly bad it looked? Well now this will change, here you can learn how anybody can make a short video just as good as the pros.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• MiniDV, DV, or HDV camera
• Firewire Cable
• Computer or laptop with firewire cable import
• Editing System
• Work light
• Sound Recorder
• Cast/Crew
• Script/Idea
• Creativity
• Patience

1. Get an idea for a movie or short film that you want to make. Write down your ideas or think about them.
2. Write a script for your short film with all of your ideas in it. Also, go over your script multiple times, remember, writing is rewritting.
3. Get together a crew and a cast that is willing to do everything it takes to make your project a success.
4. Get your items together in to get ready for shooting. Make sure you have everything you need such as a work light (which you can buy at Home Depot or Lowe's for 10 dollars)and a digital sound recorder (which you can get at Best Buy for about 50 dollars and up). Tripods also work really well, but they are not required to have a successful film, just recommended.
5. Shoot your film. Be sure that you have a camera operator (director of photography/cinematagrapher) and a director. Also prepare your settings before you shoot. Test out the camera to make sure its working. Also, make sure the actors are aware of what they are doing. Then, have the director yell action and clap his hands or have a clapstick/slate for editing purposes.
6. After you shoot your footage, get ready for a long editing process on your laptop or computer. Take your firewire cable and put one end of it into your camera and the other end into the computer or laptop import (usually in the back of computers or side of laptops). However, most computers don't have firewire cables, but laptops for the most often do.
7. Rewind your camera to the start of your footage, then capture the footage on an editing system.
8. Import the digital sound on your computer by its USB, (almost of digital sound recorders have one). When editing, match up the sound with the action. Watch and listen to the clapstick or clapping to do this. Then simply edit the clapstick and clapsound out and keep your footage.
9. Continue to edit you movie while placing it in order. Then, edit your movie again adding new ideas having creative colors doing whatever your creative mind desires. You can even add your own favorite songs to you film.
10. Save your film on you computer, make a DVD or upload it onto the internet. You can even save it onto you camera tape. Then there you have it, your own complete short film or maybe even a feature length movie.

Tips & Warnings

• You don't need seperate sound if you can't afford it or don't feel like going through the trouble, but it just makes your film sound better.
• If you don't have an editing system, you can download them off the internet, sometimes for free.
• Get different angles while shooting, the more the better.
• Position your lighting to where it looks to best for the film, you can also adjust the lighting exposure on your camera most of the time.
• If you have any questions, just email [e-mail] or visit our website for more tips http://topexentertainment.webs.com
• Filmmaking is a long, long, boring process, so remember this while your writting your script.
• Be careful about where you film at, always ask permission.
• Using other people's music that isn't yours is illegal,but if you are just making a movie for fun, then its no big deal.
• Watch out for the working light hazards, whenever you are not using it turn it off, unless you are endangered of a fire!
• Do not do any stunts unless your actors are trained professionals
• Your film won't look like the pros at first all the time, but just keep making them and you will get better.