just finished my 1st script

[ned c]

Hi John; no problem, this is a helpful discussion. If you prepare a story board with how you visualise the shots this will be a tremendous help and make it easier if you do decide to use a cameraman and very helpful to you if you do both; direct and shoot. I don't know what program you use for scriptwriting but celtx has a wide range of features that help in the planning and organisation.

We always have a read through before the shoot begins with the actors and crew everyone sitting around a table; the actors read their lines and have a discussion with the director about the style and personality of the part. The crew are part of the team and everyone gets to know who is who.

I have worked with two directors with two totally different approaches to actor preparation. One asks the actors to invent a back story (life history) for the character and work it into their part; the other writes the back story and gives it to the actors to build their character on. Both seem to work well.

Good luck

ned c

[The CELTX suite of free tools is at http://www.celtx.com. - Ed. ]

[john ingham]

thanks for the link Ned..

yes, my idea now , would be to sit down with the actors, and tell them their character's backgrounds

ie... Clare (mother) she is knackered, she spent months helping to look after her mother in law Edith, Edith is now in a home... Clare is tired yet happy to have her freedom back, and spending quality time with richard (her husband) and harry ( her son)
but she feels she has failed her mother in law..everyone knows she hasn't yet she still feels she let her down

Richard, !!! Richard is a gentle giant, he loves the outdoor life,he loves clare and harry but struggles with dealing with his mums illness, he would rather go shooting and be alone in a field than sit watching his mum decline, this has also put a small gap between him and his dad Tom

Tom .... is a sweet man, everyone's grandad, a smiling man who loves his wife and loves his grandson...a very smart man ..Tom wakes up smiling..he loves to laugh . Edith (Toms wife) has been his world..she is his right arm....she will never die..that will never happen... so when edith dies..Toms world falls apart completely
his world becomes a bubble filled with white noise, he hears and see's nothing around him

anyway..thats all your getting for now

[john ingham]

quick question guys..would you put a copyrite on your scripts

[Dave Watterson]

It does no harm.

In UK the script is automatically your copyright without you having to do anything special, not even put the "c in a circle" on it.

If you are concerned about internatational theft use the "c in a circle" sign and somewhere in the script say you claim copyright, give your name and the date.

BUT remember that there is no copyright in ideas and stories as such ... just in the way you present those ideas or stories.

PLEASE CONSIDER the various Creative Commons options (see: http://creativecommons.org ) which are much more like the spirit of our movement. They allow others to use your material to varying degrees but it remains yours.

[col lamb]

John

With this post and your other on starting a movie club, its seems that with the Actors and the young movie makers who have offered to help that you have the start of a Club

As for the advice given so far is as usual excellent, especially having specific crew roles ie the Director directs, the cameraman looks after cinematography, the sound man aquires the sound and gets in the way all the time

A quick tip on the actors, we have often used amateurs who are used to the stage hence their movement, expression and voice levels are to reach the audience at the back of the Theatre. So we say if your stage performance is a 10, then for this scene give us a 6 on movement, a 7 on expression, and a 5 on sound levels

Good luck

[daveswan]

Having just finished (Yeah, right!) my first short film, I can say don't try to be director and DP unless you are very experienced at both.

I did, DP, camera op, AND 1st AC and it shows on many shots, in fact I had to use a less than perfectly framed take (Good performance) because the best had an aircaft flying through the frame that shouldn't have been there (Scene on "the astral plane" FWIW) and which I hadn't spotted as I was directing from a slightly different perspective.

Fortunately I did have a very good soundie, dedicated clapper loader and shot logger.

I also had a mixture of first time actors, a couple who had done a bit, and two from my am-dram group, and the difference stood out like a sore thumb, mind you I could see the non actors getting better as the shoot went on

For my next film I'll try to get a dedicated DP.

[john ingham]

thanks Dave,,that message is becoming clear and i can honestly say i have realised that it will be impossible to do everything

i have now found that i have written the script in the wrong format but i am still smiling..i have just looked at a scriptwriters format and thought........ Ummmm thinking how the hell does everyone understand that ..but i guess everyone else has had some sort of training

my format was quite simple

HOME (Clare) Day time (Hallway)

Scene 3.. act 1.. (Clare) sitting by staircase cupping the cut with her hands.. (camera low level Mid shot from clare's left)

Scene 3 ..act 2.. (Clare) turns towards kitchen , close up on clare's face tears running down (camera face level,

FIELD (Richard) Daytime (Gate)

scene 4 act 1.. Richard leans over gate, "lets get that rabbit" Richard looks down to Dog

scene 4 act 3 ..(Dog) close up Dog


I think i will get someone to script write it as it should be done

[daveswan]

Have a go with Celtx, it's free and pretty well forces you to use the "correct" format. Which is the "correct" format for a reason, as it makes everything very clear.

[john ingham]

just downloaded it dave..... now the learning curve

[john ingham]

well..a quick update..i down loaded Celtx,,rewrote the script ..and today met up with one of the main actors...
its building nicely... locations are almost in place, the crew are almost assembled... this is getting exciting

[ned c]

Hi John; a piece of advice from current experience; try and get your shooting done in the shortest time possible, We have just had a project fall apart as the shoot was spread out over too long and we lost two of the key actors. Now recasting and preparing to re-shoot!

Best wishes for the holiday season to all and a happy healthy new year

ned c

[john ingham]

thanks ned... I guess i am lucky that only one scene contains 3 actors in one go..the rest are solo acts..but what you say makes sense

[col lamb]

John

Whilst you are still in the planning stage do make allowances for: -

Continuity checks (a still camera will help)
Prepare a shoot list
Prepare a props list
Storyboard
Use a clapperboard or something similar to have a visual record when editing of what is what and also someone to use the c/board and to make a note of which is the preferred one to use
It will also help if you Direct and an other operates the camcorder

Not a comprehensive list but something else for you to think about

In other words there is more to making a good movie that the actors and cameraman you need a team to be effective and to manage time efficiently

The biggest problem yyou will have is with the actors, especially if they are Am Dram where they are used to starting at the beginning and running through to the end, the disjointed method of movie making is difficult for some of them to get their heads around

[john ingham]

Hi Col..story board is almost done..shooting list is done
actors are all film... not am-dram as i 1st intended..been very lucky on that side of things even though I am still holding auditions for one part.. the rest are in place
also got an assistant director with lots of experience.. and a spare cameraman.....plus many gofers also purchased a clapper board..that will make editing clearer

can i say a massive thankyou to all of you who have taken the time to give comments and advice, to a newcomer its really been a driving force...
i still know i am a total novice, but having people offer tips and advice is a fantastic tool to have on board

john