Filmmaker's Dream Blog

Although I'm always sharing help and tips for other filmmakers out there, I thought I would share some of my own work. Of course all of my work can be found at www.vimeo.com/lindseypressley. Here is my latest short film I re-edited due to my discontentment. This film was shot in May of 2011 in 6 days right before my graduation from undergraduate school. The first release was July 4th after finally receiving the software needed to edit the film( Final Cut Pro). As time went on, I thought 'I could make this so much better if i take my time.' So, that is what I decided to do. The second release was on Valentine's Day 2012. I received some very positive feedback on it and look forward to shooting the prequel over the summer titled, 'E-manic'. This film is about a stalking maintenance man and a girl who finds herself in a triangle of drama. Take a look at this month's inspirational film, 'Luv.Net'. I wrote the script a couple of years ago and used full creativity, because I didn't think I would be able to shoot it, in turn it actually did work out. I had no crew of a sort. I believe I had one production assistant for about two days of shooting, other than that I was on my own. I held the camera and got to directing. I felt I had full control and a little help could have worked, but I still managed to pull it off. Either way Enjoy!

Managing your own film production is a huge achievement, but it is also tons of work. Aside from all of the basics you learn about filmmaking and business, there's still tons more to know. One thing that you'll have to deal with is conflict. Dealing with a conflict in a film production will arise especially with a larger crew. Your actors will need to relax and be comfortable before performing. Going into a film production company with a positive attitude and knowing how to manage stress will help keep tension low.
      Usually, the film director is in charge of keeping a peaceful environment together. Here are some tips to help you manage your own film production company and help with others.

1. Give a motivational pep talk

• Before everyone starts to get into a frenzy of shooting, let everyone know how valuable they are. Give gratitude to everyone there and make sure everything is calm before starting.  

    2. Be direct

•  No one else is going to be able to read your mind, so stay as clear and direct as possible when giving instructions. Remain respectful but still show assertiveness when speaking. Send emails and reminders before meetings and shoots to keep everyone on the same page. A great way of communicating is to create a group on Facebook or using Google Groups, to keep everyone on the same page.

    3. Don't waste time

•  The biggest value to a filmmaker is time. Don't waste time on petty things that can be addressed later. Prioritize the most important things that need to be completed at that time.

      4. Stay cool

• Always remain cool, calm, and collected. Although you may feel comfortable with the crew and actors, but everyone will be keeping a close eye on how well you manage the set. You don't want anyone telling any prospective teammates that you're difficult to work with. (Joel, 2011)

       5. Treat everyone as a team

•  Everyone's role is very important. From the PA to the lead actor, everyone should apart of the team. When people feel they belong to a team they are more likely to value their position. Let everyone know how their role depends on others and vice versa. This will decrease the risk of people not showing up at the last minute.

**The last important tip is to always have back up plans ready, because  usually Murphy's law will show up.

References:

Joel. (2011, January 15). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.austinfilmmeet.com/resources2/how-to-manage-conflicts-in-the-film-production/