Filmmaking for Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Filmmaking
	Chapter 1 So You Want to Be a Filmmaker
		Independents Day versus the Hollywood Way
		Filmmaking: Celluloid Film Stock or Digital?
			All digital: The new age of technology
			Thanks for the memories: Memory cards
		Developing Your Sense of Story
		Financing Your Production: Where’s the Money?
		On a Budget: Scheduling Your Shoot
		Planning Your Shoot, Shooting Your Plan
		Hiring Your Cast and Crewing Up
		Shooting in the Right Direction
			Seeing the light
			Being heard and scene
			Actors taking your direction
			Directing through the camera
		Cut It Out! Editing Your Movie
			Listening to your movie
			Simulating a film-look with software
		Distributing Your Movie and Finding an Audience
	Chapter 2 Genres in General
		Exploring Film Genres
			Making ’em laugh with comedy
			Getting dramatic about it
			Horrifying horror films
			Romancing the romantic
			Getting physical: No talk and all action
			Separating fact from (science) fiction
			Indulging your fantasy
			Go west, young man: Westerns
			Going to war
			Thrilling audiences with suspense
			Stealing the audience’s attention: Crime pays
			Making music with musicals
			Kidding around: Family-friendly films
		Categorizing Your Genres
			Featuring films
			Made-for-TV movie
			Documenting documentaries
			Shooting digital shorts: Keep it brief!
			Directing television programs
			Directing commercials
			Minding your PSAs: Public service announcements
			Feel like dancing? Music videos
			Industrials: Industrial strength
			A word about branding and sequels
	Chapter 3 Penning and Pitching a Great Story
		Screening for the Perfect Screenplay
			The “write” way to find a writer
			Adapting: A novel idea
		Writing Your Own Original Screenplay
			Structuring your screenplay
			Creating conflict
			Developing characters
			Drafting your screenplay: Scene by scene
			Collaborating with writer’s software
			Formatting your screenplay
		Selling Your Screenplay to a Studio, Distributor, or Investor
			Getting your foot (and screenplay) in the door
			Pitching a home run
Part 2 Gearing Up to Make Your Movie
	Chapter 4 Scheduling and Budgeting Your Movie
		The Art of Scheduling a Production
			Lining your script
			Breaking into breakdown sheets
			Creating production strips
			Scheduling software to make your life easier
			Stripping down your schedule
		Balancing Your Budget
			Tightrope walking above the line
			Hanging below the line
			Topping your budget
			Budgeting for budget software
			Factoring in a contingency amount
		Insurance Is Your Best Policy
			Finding an insurance broker
			Bond, completion bond
	Chapter 5 Financing Your Movie
		Creating an Enticing Prospectus
			Synopsis of your story
			Information about you: What’s your history?
			Info about your cast and crew
			Your budget and profit projections
		Investigating Investors
			Locating potential investors: Show me the money!
			Approaching a potential investor
			Keeping the Securities and Exchange Commission in mind
		Starting a Production Company
			Being in the right company
			Other things to do to set up your production company
		Going Escrow
		Contracting Your Investor
		Tapping into Alternative Sources
			Pre-selling your movie
			Getting a grant
			Getting a loan
			Kickstarting your Indiegogo: Crowdfunding
			Bartering: Trade you this for that
	Chapter 6 Location, Location, Location
		Locating Locations
			Managing location managers and scouts
			Evaluating potential locations
			Taking location pictures: Shooting in Landscape mode
		Sounding Off about Soundstages
			Finding — or creating — a soundstage
			Putting up walls: Using flats
		Shooting in the United States or Crossing the Border?
			Researching U.S. government incentives
			Traveling to Canada
		Locating Stock Footage
		Virtual Locations: Creating New Worlds on Your Computer
		Securing Your Locations
			Acquiring permits
			Ensuring you’re insured
			Mapping out your locations
			Policing your locations
			Fire!
		Shooting Second-Unit Locations
	Chapter 7 Crewing Up: Hiring Your Crew
		Something to Crew About
			Producing the producer
			Directing the direction
			Stepping over the line producer
			Uniting with a production manager
			Supervising the script
			Directing photography with a cinematographer
			Going with your gaffer
			Getting a grip
			Sounding like your sound mixer
			Booming the sound
			Propping up the prop master
			Dressing up the wardrobe department
			Making up is hard to do
			Gopher this, gopher that
			Keeping your composer
			Editing: Cut that out!
			And the rest . . .
		Finding and Interviewing Your Crew
		Creative Ways to Pay Your Crew
			Paying later: Deferments or points
			Racking up credits
			Hiring student bodies
			Paying a kit fee
			Hiring crew as independent contractors
			Union or non-union — that is the question
		Putting Out a Contract on Your Crew
	Chapter 8 Assembling Your Cast of Characters
		Hooking Your Cast and Reeling Them In
			Calling all agents
			Casting through casting directors
			Placing casting ads
			Calling casting services
			Accessing actor directories
		Screening an Actor’s Information
			Headshots and resumes
			Recording their act
			Spinning an actor’s website
		Auditioning Your Potential Cast
			Creating a friendly environment
			Inspecting an actor’s etiquette
			Slating on camera
			Avoiding bitter-cold readings
			Monologues leave you all by yourself
		Making the Cut: Picking Your Cast
			Calling back
			Screen testing
			And the winners are . . .
		Agreeing with Actors’ Agreements
			Contracting union players
			Contracting non-union players
			Securing releases from extras
	Chapter 9 Storyboarding Your Movie
		Understanding the Basics and Benefits of Storyboarding
		Setting Up to Storyboard
			Breaking down your script
			Evaluating each shot
			Organizing a shot list
			Framing storyboard panels
		Deciding What to Include in Each Panel: Putting Pencil to Paper
			Choosing the right angles
			Imagining camera and actor movement
			Boarding your special effects
			Sketching out the actors, props, and vehicles
			Looking at lighting and location
		I Can’t Draw, Even If My Life Depended on It
			Designing with storyboard software
			Drawing the help of a professional artist
Part 3 Ready to Roll: Starting Production on Your Movie
	Chapter 10 Shooting through the Looking Glass
		Choosing the Right Camera
			Rolling with film cameras (the old-fashioned way?)
			Recording with digital cameras
		Do You Need Glasses? Types of Lenses and What They See
		Pocket Camera Osmosis
			The normal lens sees what you see
			Short or wide-angle lens
			Going long with telephoto
			Zooming in on zoom lenses
		Clearing the Air about Filters
			Sliding-in or screwing-on: Types of filters
			Coloring with filters
			Day for night and night for day
			Neutral about neutral density filters
			Polarizers
		Exposing Yourself to Exposures
			F-stopping to a “t”
			Shuttering to think
		Focusing a Sharper Image: Depth of Field
	Chapter 11 Let There Be Lighting!
		Lighting Up Your Life
		Shedding Some Light on Lighting Jargon
			Big foot-candles: Lighting for film cameras
			Lux (and cream cheese): Lighting for digital
			Taking your color temperature
			Illuminating with soft light versus hard light
			Seeing your eye light
		Painting with Light
		Spotlight on Lighting Equipment
			Shining light on halogens, LEDs, incandescents, fluorescents, and HMIs
			Filming the light of day
			You’re on a roll with gels
			Reflecting on reflector boards
			Opening barn doors: No cows or chickens here
			Cooking with cookies, scrims, and diffused glass
			Waving flags and snoots
			Measuring with light meters
			Gathering light on accessories
		Blowing a Fuse: Taking Safety Precautions
	Chapter 12 Sound Advice: Production Sound
		Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3
		Assembling a Sound Team
			Mixing it up with your mixer
			Making room for the boom operator
		Choosing Analog or Digital Sound
			Analog: The sound of Nagra Falls
			In the field with digital recorders
		Recording with Microphones
			Shooting with shotgun (directional) microphones
			Omni-directional mics
			Lapel microphones
			Wireless microphones
		Using Your Headphones
		Walking and Talking: Walkie-Talkies on Set
		Listening for Quiet
			Shushing the camera: Barney hears you
			Silencing footsteps with sound blankets and foot foam
			Slating with the clapper board
			Syncing picture and sound with timecode
		Capturing On-Set Ambience
		Reporting Your Sound
	Chapter 13 Directing Your Actors: . . . And Action!
		Getting Your Actors Familiar with the Material — and Each Other
			Remembering that familiarity breeds content
			Reading through the script: The table read
			Adjusting dialogue to make it read naturally
		Being a Parent and Mentor to Your Actors — with No Allowance
		Preparing Your Actors before the Shoot
			Rehearsals, yea or nay?
			Rehearsing the characters, not just the lines
			Discovering the characters’ backstories
			Reading between the lines: Subtext
			Exercising and warming up your actors
			Acting is reacting
			Speaking with body language
		Directing Actors during the Shoot
			Encouraging your actors to ask questions — but not too many
			Reminding your actors that less is more — more or less
			Feeling the words, not just memorizing
			Blocking, walking, and talking
			Taking care of business
			Matching actors’ actions
			Commending the actors
	Chapter 14 A Sense of Direction: Directing Your Movie
		Focusing on Directing
			Directing traits
			Training yourself as a director
		Translating Script to Screen
			Understanding the screenplay
			Rewriting or adjusting the script
			Visualizing your screenplay
		Mapping Out Your Plans for the Camera
			Designing storyboards
			Creating a shot list
			Sketching schematics
			Making notes on the script
			Planning with models (not the high-fashion kind)
		Continuing Continuity with Your Script Supervisor
			Got a match?
			Inserting coverage and cutaways
			Screen direction: Your other left
		Taking Your Best Shot
			Where the heck are we? Establishing a wide shot
			You don’t have to be a psychic to get a medium shot
			Two shot: Three’s a crowd
			I’m ready for my close-up
		Picture This: Deciding When to Move the Camera and Why
			Playing with dollies
			Craning to get a high shot
			Stabilizing the camera
Part 4 Finishing Your Movie in Post
	Chapter 15 Cut to: Editing Your Movie — Shot by Shot
		Editing Your Movie: Putting One Frame in Front of the Other
			Choosing an editor: Cut that out!
			Shooting enough coverage
			Assembling a first cut
			Building a director’s cut
			Photo finish: Finalizing a final cut
			Listening to the sound editor
		Linear versus Nonlinear Editing
			Editing in linear
			Editing in nonlinear
		Editing on Your Computer
			Hard driving
			Cutting it with editing software
			Posting your production in your computer
			Outputting your masterpiece
		Developing a Relationship with Your Film Lab
			Developing negatives, producing prints, and DCP
			Being positive about a negative cutter
			Color-correcting your movie: As plain as black and white
			Coloring your world
			L.U.T.s to look up
		Cloning, Not Copying; Cloning, Not Copying
	Chapter 16 Posting Your Movie’s Soundtrack: Adding Music and Effects to the Mix
		Finishing Sound in Post-Production
			Stirring up the mixer’s toolbox
			Mixing the right balance
			Looping the loop
		Creating Sound Effects with a Bang
			Listening to digital sound-effects libraries
			Creating and recording your own sound effects
			Getting to know Jack Foley
			Adding room tone: Ambience or background sounds
		Scoring Big with Music
			Conducting a composer to set the mood
			Composing your own music
			The sound of music libraries and music software
			Singing original songs
			Orchestrating the rights to popular music
			Cueing up cue sheets
			Finding songs in the public domain
		Outputting Your Final Mix
			Surrounding sound
			Listening in stereo
			Separating music and effects tracks for foreign release
	Chapter 17 Conjuring Up Special Effects
		Creating Effects: In or Out of Camera?
		Dropping in Backgrounds
			Turning blue and green
			Dishing out background plates
			A touch of glass: Matte paintings
			Have you seen scenic backdrops?
			Weathering the storm
		Downsizing Miniatures
			Looking down on miniatures
			Foreground Fooling
			Forcing the perspective, forcefully
			Climbing the walls
		Creating Effects Right in the Camera
			Backward about reverse photography
			Double exposure, double exposure
			Cranking the camera and speeding slowly
			Creating effects with lenses and filters
		Exploding Effects on Fire
		Making Up Your Mind about Makeup Effects
			Applying prosthetics
			Here’s looking at scleral lenses
			Take a bite out of this
			Pulling out your hair with lace hairpieces
	Chapter 18 Giving Credit and Titles
		Titling Your Movie
		Running a List of Names and Positions
			Spelling it write
			Entitled to a credit
		Designing Your Titles and Credits
			Designing the style with fonts
			Animating your main title and credits
			Digitally creating your credits
			Crediting without a computer
		Rolling Your Title and Credits with Software
			Timing for opening and ending credits
			Ordering your title and credits
			Ensuring the safety of your credits
		Covering Your Eyes: Stripping Titles for Foreign Textless
Part 5 Finding Distribution for Your Movie
	Chapter 19 Distributing Your Movie
		Understanding How Distribution Works
		Presenting Your Film to Distributors
			Posting a poster of your movie
			Picturing the set photographer
			Pulling your audience in with a trailer
			Premiering your movie
		Distributing Your Film Domestically
			Minding media rights
			Steamlining your movie
			Anticipating ancillary rights
		Distributing Your Film around the World
			Selling your film at the super markets
			Negotiating: How much for your film?
			Speaking their language
		Finding a Distributor or Sales Agent
			The best domestic distributors
			The best foreign distributors (also called foreign sales agents)
		Demystifying Distribution Contracts
			Insuring for errors and omissions
			Accounting for creative bookkeeping
	Chapter 20 Exploring and Entering Film Festivals
		Demystifying Film Festivals
			Judging the difference between a film festival and a film market
			Screening the benefits of entering film festivals
		Entering and Winning Secrets
			Sending a work-in-progress — Don’t!
			Entering the right festivals for your film
			Choosing the appropriate genre and category
			Writing a great synopsis of your movie
			Picture perfect: Selecting the best photos from your film
			Submitting the best format securely
			Entering onto the Film Freeway
			Getting an entry-fee discount
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 21 Ten Tips for Discovering New Talent
		Streaming Independent Films
		Visiting Local Theater
		Auditing Acting Schools and Showcases
		Talking to Agents and Managers
		Accessing Actors Access
		Schmoozing at Film Festivals and Markets
		Partying at Parties
		Walking Down the Street
		Holding Talent Contests
		Casting Your Family
	Chapter 22 Ten Ways to Get Publicity for Your Movie
		Uploading a Press Release Online
		Getting a Review from Movie Critics
		Mailing Out DVD Screeners or Linking to a Secure Online Screener
		Attending Film Festivals
		Emailing and Setting Up a Website
		Being Social by Using Social Media
		Designing T-Shirts and Other Premiums
		Planning a Publicity Stunt
		Organizing a Screening Party or Charity Event
		Placing an Ad in Print or on Social Media
	Chapter 23 Ten Ways to Avoid Murphy’s Law
		Testing Camera and Sound
		Scouting Locations for Noise
		Forecasting a Weather App
		Backing Up Locations and Actors
		Using a Stunt Double
		Standing by with First-Aid Kit or Medic On-Set
		Anticipating That Cellphones and Internet Don’t Work Everywhere
		Mapping Out Directions with a Link
		Providing Plenty of Parking
		Securing Security Overnight
		Powering Up ahead of Time
	Chapter 24 Ten Tips for Shooting on Your Smartphone
		Shooting in Landscape
		Take Off with Airplane Mode
		Steady as She Goes
		Steady as a Rock
		Shooting Format and Resolution
		Saving Your Movie Files
		Miniature Camera Equipment
		Use Several Smartphones to Capture Your Movie
		Great Sound on Your Smartphone Too!
		Your Smartphone Is an Entire Production Studio
Index
EULA