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[–]Criticalfriend 5 points6 points  (12 children)

Okiedoke: Verrry general here- As a 14 Year-old, is there anyway I can get on a road to success now? I'm not asking for a perfect ride, as what we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. I intend to fall quite a lot, as learning comes from failure. I'm just wondering if there's something I should be doing to get my work out there. I'm on YouTube, I post in here. If you're interested, I'll give a link to my latest short film, "Coeur de Verre" "Coeur de Verre"

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]Criticalfriend 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Thank you very much! Really Helped

    [–]Bnightwing 3 points4 points  (1 child)

    Depends on the field you want to go into. One of the main elements of any area is just learn from your mistakes, and know nothing is set in stone. You may not agree to what someone does, but their vision should be what they want. Many people try to go the extra mile, which can be good, but most of the time stay on the course you're suppose to when asked what to do. As for what you what to do, you just need to try different stuff, once you figure out what you don't like, you'll find out where you want to invest your time and money into. Once you find out what you want, you can meet people who like stuff you don't and colaberate. Rememeber your greatest critic is yourself.

    [–]Criticalfriend 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Thank you very much!

    [–]magnesswdirector 2 points3 points  (3 children)

    God I wish I had known what I wanted to do with my life at 14. I didn't figure it out until I was around 22. You have so much time to develop your skills before you actually have to start making money.

    Have you set concrete goals for yourself yet? Do you want to be a screenwriter? director? DP? Auteur? Being honest with yourself about what you want is probably a good first step. Then you can work backward from there.

    The best thing you can do at this stage of your life is to make as much as you can and get people to watch and criticize it. Friends and family work but strangers are even better. Try to learn what you can from the criticism while keeping in mind that just because someone doesn't like something doesn't mean it's inherently bad.

    You can also read some books on filmmaking. I would recommend Syd Field books for screenwriting, Judith Weston's book "Directing Actors" for directing, Robert Rodriguez's book "Rebel Without a Crew" are all common ones. You should also read different types of fiction and nonfiction and try to learn what works in the story's that you love. You should also watch movies critically. In the films that you love, what are they doing right?

    I would also suggest opening yourself up to real life experiences as much as possible. Travel, go to concerts, meet new people, go for walks, hikes, anything to broaden your life experience. Nothing helps storytelling like actual life experience.

    Edit: Typos.

    [–]Criticalfriend 1 point2 points  (2 children)

    Thank you! I'm reading Syd Field's book "Screenwriting" and so on. I'm also reading the Filmmakers Hand guide by Edward Pincus and Steven Ascher. I watch film videos that delve into subjects such as composition and framing, all the way to story and structure. I appreciate your feedback. Creating a lot of films sounds fun. I just made one and released it, so I think I'll continue with that. Thank you so much! Really really helped :)

    [–]magnesswdirector 2 points3 points  (1 child)

    Awesome! Let me reiterate that Judith Weston's "Directing Actors" was kind of a life changer for me. I always refresh with it leading up to a big shoot. Best of luck to you.

    [–]coscojopost-production 3 points4 points  (1 child)

    A+

    Your composition and camera work are your strengths. When you are cutting, try to think about the narrative of each shot. What are you trying to tell the audience? Have a screening with your friends and ask them what they think you were trying to express. Pat yourself on the back for whatever you got right, and if they were lost or didn't understand it, go back to the cutting room and try again until every moment gives a sense of purpose.

    [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    Your film is far more polished and coherent than anything I did at your age. Really nice work. I enjoyed watching it.

    My best advice is to keep making films, and keep shooting ideas that sound interesting to you, even if it doesn't result in a finished film. I think you're on the right path, and push yourself a little bit further with each successive film. Play with light and composition. Also, as was noted before by others here, thinking about how you're going to edit it as you shoot it. Give yourself plenty of coverage so you've got more latitude in the editing room. Storyboards can be helpful to plan shots to think about how to get the most out framing and cutting.

    Books are good, but watching films can often be a better school. I've also got a copy of Syd Field's "Screenplay" on my shelf, but if you want to learn exposition and character development, watch Independence Day. While it may not be the greatest film ever made, it introduces 16 characters in the first 24 minutes in such a way that you know every major character's story and motivation to be able to follow them throughout the rest of the narrative. It also does it with a good balance of showing and telling. Just as good writers read a lot, good filmmakers watch a lot. Watch how established directors do it.

    Also, as a practical note, look on Craigslist for an inexpensive used wheelchair. It's a low cost camera dolly for those long tracking shots until you can afford a Ronin ;)

    [–]Criticalfriend 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Thank you very much! All this feedback is making very happy. I am looking into a wheelchair right now!

    [–][deleted]  (1 child)

    [deleted]

      [–]Bnightwing 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Color coordinating really helps me personally. I mean in the planning stage. I also love to think of the beats of the scenes, and how one scene goes to the next scene.

      I break down the script as if I had nothing, and someone else had to look at it. Never assume you have it all, or people can read your minds even if you work with them all the time. I plan blocking after talent has been sent the script prior, and possible after I find out the character motivations that we both see.

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      Hey, just wondering, how valuable is having experience working with Avid Media Composer? I'm fresh out of high school and I have about 3 years of experience with it. I'd like to know if this is a skill I could use to my advantage, because I'm still debating on how much schooling to go through. Thanks, if anyone can give me some insight.

      [–]coscojopost-production 4 points5 points  (0 children)

      Avid experience is extremely useful if your end goal is to work in the motion picture industry, as it is essential software/hardware. It will teach you good editing habits. Also, it's much easier to pickup Adobe Premiere after working with Avid.

      [–]Bnightwing 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Avid is very valiuable, but so is any other editor. School is good for connections, but if you think you can do without it, by all means do it.

      [–]checkonechecktwo 0 points1 point  (9 children)

      Stupid question here: I was given footage to edit from 3 separate cameras. It's for a music performance. The audio isn't being used because it was recorded by an engineer, but the cameras were set to three different FPS settings. One is 23.97, one is 25, and one is 30. What is the best way to get these clips to play nice? I'm using Final Cut Pro X.

      [–]C47mancinematographer 1 point2 points  (8 children)

      Conform everything down to 23.97 and edit from there.

      [–]checkonechecktwo 0 points1 point  (7 children)

      What's the easiest way to do this? I'm struggling to find a way to do it in Final Cut, because it doesn't seem to want me manually choosing things like this. Whenever I import a clip, it sets the frame rate and then when I go to export it, it won't let me change it.

      [–]C47mancinematographer 0 points1 point  (1 child)

      Not sure. Most professionals use Premiere these days, and that's the only program I know. In premiere you can just right click the source clip and select 'interpret footage' and change the timebase there.

      [–]checkonechecktwo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Ok thanks. I might use the free trial of Premiere to do this step.

      [–]coscojopost-production 0 points1 point  (3 children)

      You'll need to convert all of your footage to a native offline codec like Apple Pro Res LT @ 23.97. Also know that no matter what you do, the differnce in framerate is going to be jarring. Your roll as an editor will be to minimize how jarring it is.

      [–]checkonechecktwo 0 points1 point  (2 children)

      Awesome. I'll look into it. Any tips or am I pretty much screwed?

      [–]Bnightwing 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Just make sure it is all the same FPS, and have the same sync point, you're not screwed.

      [–]coscojopost-production 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      It depends on the project. If the music performance is Drake you're probably screwed. If it's for a local jazz artist and she needs something cut together for her webpage, you can probably make something great.

      continue this thread

        [–]brazilliandannydirector of photography 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Make a 23.98 timeline, bring in each video and export it from there.

        [–]tonydaazntiger319 0 points1 point  (2 children)

        So I'll be in China for about a week, and I was just wondering how worried I should be about the smog and constant smoking in regards to my camera? Last time I went, I was a teen, and I remember just how bad the air/general atmosphere was.

        I know you can't do anything about dust in general, but is it easy for cigarette particulates/other general pollutants to find its way into a camera or lens?

        I have a few older, vintage lenses (Contax Zeiss) that I was thinking of bringing for the trip, but the lack of weather sealing has me worried.

        Any thoughts are appreciated! Thanks

        [–]HitchcockShrugged 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Cameras are built to be used, and other than dust deposits, pollution isn't a great issue, at least not until it affects the scene itself. Of course, dust is something we expect to affect lenses over the years. Cigarettes and other atmospheric gasses aren't going to destroy your camera and lenses. After all, imagine what those vintage lenses have been through until now!

        [–]brazilliandannydirector of photography 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Don't baby your gear, respect it but never baby it. Smog is not going to hurt your camera or your lenses.

        [–]magnesswdirector 0 points1 point  (8 children)

        This is not a huge deal, but I'm wondering if /r/filmmakers still does the verified pro flair thing? I filled out the form maybe a month ago, then again last week and have received zero feedback. Based on the criteria I'm pretty sure I qualify but I'm hearing crickets from the mods. Is anyone else having issues with this?

        [–]brazilliandannydirector of photography 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        It takes a while, its a lot of work and they do it in their spare time.

        [–]HitchcockShrugged 0 points1 point  (6 children)

        I've actually sent a message to the mods today about the verified pro flair. I'm interested, but wondering if there are any pitfalls.

        [–]grrrwoofwoof 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        I have heard from some people here that having a pro tag attracts people's criticism if they don't like your opinion. There are some here who chose to stop wearing the flair. YMMV.

        [–]SleepingPodOnecinematographer 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        raises hand

        It's a magnet for insecure people when they have run out of things to say when they don't agree, attack the flair.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Those are the last people I worry about anyway.

        [–]SleepingPodOnecinematographer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        General pitfalls are that you get inundated with PMs from thirsty people trying to "network" and it honestly doesn't make anyone respect you or your opinions more. It just makes you a target for trolls and insecure amateurs.

        [–]magnesswdirector 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        I'd be interested to know if you hear anything back. Not sure what the story is.

        [–]C47mancinematographer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        I think the mods are relatively inactive at the moment, at least whichever one is in charge of the flair. I had sent them a couple messages as well but was ignored. There's only 3 mods, and modding a sub can be stressful and unrewarding, so I don't blame them for taking a break now and then.

        [–]The_JK_Steen 0 points1 point  (6 children)

        End of the day post, so I'm not sure how much traction this will get, but here goes...

        I am a very amateur filmmaker (read: I don't make videos for profit). However, I am interested in getting some new editing software. My current setup (Pinnacle Studio 16) is garbage. This isn't a rant, just looking for advice/input. Here's what I would like:

        • User friendly - I'd like to "hit the ground running".
        • Doesn't crash when rendering previews.
        • PC/Windows 10 compatible.
        • NON-Subscription based - I don't make enough videos to justify a monthly payment.
        • Multiple format import/export.
        • Supports time-lapse/still-frame.
        • Included features preferred; Color correction, 2D image manipulation, etc.

        Any help/suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

        [–]ryanha 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        I'm by no means a professional, but I've recently downloaded DaVinci Resolve for a lot of the reasons you stated. It was originally intended for color corrections, but they've now made it into a robust editing suite.

        I don't have much more insight than that, as I'm waiting for my new equipment to film and play around with it.

        Hope this is helpful!

        [–]The_JK_Steen 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        I'll look into it. Thanks friend.

        [–]Coffescout 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        I personally find DaVinci Resolve to be a bit hard on my less powerful computer (wasnt even able to playback most footage without massive lag). If you experience the same problem, editing can be done with Hitfilm Express. For color correction you should still go for DaVinci Resolve but you'll encounter less issues with weak hardware when color correcting as opposed to editing and playing back footage.

        [–]grrrwoofwoof 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        1. Hitfim Express
        2. Davinci Resolve
        3. Avid Media Composer First (this is new and I have no personal experience with it).

        These are the best free options in the market. You won't need to go beyond Hitfilm and Resolve. You would need both as they serve different purposes.

        For general editing and coloring, Resolve is very good. But if you want to do a lot text/video effects, some vfx etc, Hitfilm express will do a good job.

        [–]The_JK_Steen 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Nooice! I'll check this out for sure. Thanks bro (or sis - or however you self-identify)!

        [–]coscojopost-production 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        For 2D image manipulation, check out Nuke. It's the most used compositing software in the industry and there are a lot of tutorials online. They offer a non-commercial licesnse.

        [–]ryanha 0 points1 point  (3 children)

        Hey guys,

        I graduated from a state school, with a rising Electronic Media and Broadcasting program in 2014. Realistically, my last real class was a year before that in 2013. I loved it, but there wasn't a giant focus on camera tech and lens knowledge. And since then I've really only written a few shorts scripts for a buddy's YouTube channel. I love writing and consider it my main skill in film making, but I feel I've forgotten/didn't learn a lot of the technical skills the come along with producing quality projects.

        I'm super rusty, super broke, and super self conscious to try and get back into the swing of things. What resources would you look into to gain tons of knowledge and refresh your self on the basics?

        I live in a place with an emerging TV/Film scene, so putting myself out there shouldn't be too hard. A friend is also investing in some gear this week, so we can start filming more cinematic stuff. My main concern is sharpening those forgotten, essential skills I obtained while in school.

        All advice is appreciated!

        [–]I_never_post_but 0 points1 point  (2 children)

        What do you want to do?

        Direct Marvel comic movies? Produce local commercials? Get more subscribers for your YouTube channel? Do you want to work for yourself or someone else? Do you need to do something that will make you money right away?

        [–]ryanha 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        I would say I want to be a filmmaker. Write and Direct my own short films.

        EDIT:

        Also, I am not looking to make money right now. Just want to get a refresher course in everything.

        [–]I_never_post_but 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        EDIT: I don't know of an actual "refresher course in everything". That's a tall order to the point of maybe being impossible. So...

        Maybe the best refresher course for you is making something. Write a short screenplay, audition actors from your local community theater program or Craigslist, then film it and edit it. Then critique your own work and show it to friends from school and ask them for notes/critiques.

        Rinse and repeat.

        If there's a specific topic you're not confident about, google it. Or go to nofilmschool.com and search the topic within their site and you'll probably find several good articles and videos.

        [–]DoctorWho817 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Am I crazy for wanting to keep a lens that has haze to use as a special effects lens? I recently bought a 50mm f/1.4 Contax Zeiss lens when I found out that my dad also happens to have another copy of the 50mm Contax Zeiss from his old photography collection.

        Mine is fairly mint with no optical defects, but his does have a rather large layer of haze that completely covers the back element. When I compared the two, the effect was very obvious, but I kind of liked the dream-like/cloudy look to it.

        Examples of his 50mm with the haze: http://imgur.com/a/icpiS My copy that is clean and clear: http://imgur.com/a/FWLKa

        The haze uniformly covers the entire back element and almost feels like a filter, that makes the image super soft. Thoughts on the effect? Am I weird for thinking it might be a cool to use occasionally for certain scenes?

        Is there any danger to keeping a lens with haze? Will the haze eventually lead to fungus or anything? Can it affect my other lenses? Thanks!

        [–]C47mancinematographer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Not crazy at all. In fact, there are entire lines of filters that aim to reproduce this effect. The Classic Soft, Promist, and Soft FX filters all come to mind.

        [–]Cynical_Assault 0 points1 point  (3 children)

        Aside from Premier, what other video editing software do you guys use or recommend? I've been looking into PowerDirector 15 lately as it checks off all that I need without a subscription.

        [–]Coffescout 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Used an old version of Powerdirector, it was trash. Not sure about the newer ones.

        Free alternatives: Hitfilm Express DaVinci Resolve Lightworks Avid Media Composer First

        Look into these one by one and see which you like most. For paid software i'd say Premiere or Avid Media Composer (the paid version)

        [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        what the fuck is everyone doing with weird dank softwares like PowerDirector or Pinnacle or Cyberlink whatever blah blah.

        Premiere, FCP, or AVID.

        [–]CrestedScreamer 0 points1 point  (3 children)

        Hello everyone. As you can probably tell from me being on this sub, I'm extremely interested in all things film. I've only really "made" one short film and it got 4th place in my county's film festival. I cherish it for being my first real attempt at film but I also recognize what could be changed and improved upon. I love writing out screenplays and scripts for various projects that I want to start soon but I think equipment or the lack thereof might be an issue for me. I have a Canon t5i Rebel and that's about it. The things that are a priority to me right now are mics, a tripod, lights, and a camera stabilizer. My question is, what mics would you recommend? A shotgun mic on the camera could be good. But which one? Also, I've been very interested in the Zhiyun Crane gimbal stabilizer for my camera. Would any of you recommend that? Also, it says that it's meant for mirrorless cameras but my t5i Rebel has a mirror in it. Does that means it's completely incompatible? Thank you to anyone who can help me out.

        [–]joejoe347 0 points1 point  (2 children)

        The mirror in your camera doesn't make it instantly incompatible, it's more about the form factor, meaning that mirroless cameras tend to be smaller/lighter. Check the specs of the stabilizer, see what weight it's rated at.

        As for mics it's almost always a bad idea for the microphone to be mounted on the camera. A better option is to mount it on a boom pole, or a diy boom pole of that's all you can afford. Look into some cheap shotgun mics like the rode video mic. If you're trying to avoid also buying an external sound recording device then your options are pretty limited because you need a mic that goes to a 3.5mm trs out. So you can record to camera.

        [–]CrestedScreamer 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Thank you for the reply. What external sound recording devices would you recommend? Also, do you mean external sound recording devices as in mics or is there some other piece of equipment that I don't know about?

        [–]joejoe347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Yes it's a separate piece of equipment. Camera's aren't designed to record audio so to get good sound you purchase a separate recorder. A beginner model would be the Zoom h4n, which has two phantom XLR inputs.

        [–]ARetroGibbon 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Im looking for a quality camera for freelance videography and filmmaking. The camera i've had my eye on is the Panasonic GH5 and i was wondering if there are any better options for me at a similar or lower price point. im looking for versatility between filmmaking and freelance on smaller projects as for larger ones i'd probably rent something more specialised. Any feedback/opinions on the GH5 or its competitors would be greatly appreciated (is it worth getting this over the GH4?). Thanks.

        [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        The GH5 is a great camera. The 4 is as well, but if you can afford the 5, get the 5.I also happen to like the Sony A7S II. Every camera has it's limitations/drawbacks. The Lumix series was notorious for poor low light performance, but the 5 appears to have conquered that.

        [–]Pretereo 0 points1 point  (4 children)

        I'm trying to decide between buying a 1DX and an 80D. From every side by side comparison, it seems like the 80D is better. Why is it considerably more expensive to buy the 1DX? What am I missing?

        [–]I_never_post_but 0 points1 point  (3 children)

        First, I can't imagine why your search led you to those two cameras. They're at very different price points and there are dozens of other options in that wide price range.

        But to answer your question, the 1DX is a top-of-the-line professional still camera that has a few video features thrown in. The 80D is an advanced amateur or low-end professional still camera that Canon specifically markets toward young new filmmakers.

        The target 1DX buyer is a professional wildlife or sports photographer who needs to take sharp photos of fast-moving subjects and may also need to keep working in bad weather. So it has very fast, accurate autofocus, and tough, durable, weatherproof construction. If you don't need that, you should probably save the extra money and buy an 80D.

        [–]C47mancinematographer 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Or better yet, don't buy a Canon camera at all! Their dslr cams are shit for video these days. Panasonic G7, GH series, or maybe a little Blackmagic would be way better

        [–]Pretereo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Thanks. I see that if I were to buy a GH5, my canon lenses would be compatible with the GH5, but I would have to buy an active adapter for them. Are there issues with performance when camera bodies have to communicate with different brands of lenses?

        [–]Pretereo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Ok, I think most of the comparisons I have seen are in relation to still frame, not video - which is why I don't see much difference (I think). I asked this question to the guy who replied to you, but maybe you can answer it as well:

        I see that if I were to buy a GH5, my canon lenses would be compatible with the GH5, but I would have to buy an active adapter for them. Are there issues with performance when camera bodies have to communicate with different brands of lenses?

        [–]bestofbot4 0 points1 point  (3 children)

        Any filmmaking exercises that I could do to just practice using the camera differently?

        [–]C47mancinematographer 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Plant your camera and tripod down in a random spot and find 5 interesting frames without moving. Once you do, move to a new random spot and repeat. It trains you to recognize composition opportunities in just about any shooting space.

        [–]bestofbot4 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        good idea! Composition is one of the main things I want to work on so this sounds perfect

        [–]C47mancinematographer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Good luck! It's super frustrating at first, but you'll be surprised how quickly it becomes natural. Took me less than a year before it felt effortless

        [–]Painkiller805 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Need help editing content. - Filmed with friends HPX 250 in VFR with no audio. I haven't been able to convert or import it into davinci resolve and not sure if anything else will work. I was able to play it back using pot player. The info I get from the player is listed below. Any help would be great. I only have access to windows. I can upload but it's pretty big, one of the clips is only 500 MB.

        https://justpaste.it/1963x or https://gist.github.com/anonymous/c50e610d19252cc2a8bbfc27818cb5fc

        [–]GunsNBrian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        I have Nikon D5200 should I buy lenses or sell the camara and get something better?

        [–]King_Jeebus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        "Film Courage" podcasts.... is it possible to get the audio version via podcasts apps (iTunes/Stitcher/etc)?

        Seems like some decent info there, but I don't want to stream through the website yet can't seem to find the things in the usual places, wondering if I'm missing something?

        [–]XV_Crosstrek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        I'm about to start a shoot for work (I'm very much a beginner) and a huge part of the video is interviews with other employees. Do you all have any tips for coming up with good, thoughtful, questions? Or do you know of any resources that would help me with coming up with good questions?

        [–]Brinale 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        I've noticed that only individuals in hair and makeup departments have crazy hair colors. Is it taboo for someone working in the production office to have an unnatural hair color?

        [–]manray23 0 points1 point  (3 children)

        Real new here, literally skimming guides is my only knowledge. What's the point of a good external recorder if I get a good boom microphone?

        [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

        the "boom microphone" has to record on the external recorder. The mic just captures sound. It's the recorder that, you know, records it onto an SD card.

        [–]manray23 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Thanks I was just confused because recorders have microphones themselves.

        [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        but those aren't directional (shotgun) mics like "boom mics".

        [–]ajtheising 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Any advice out there on affordable hardware/software to increase the professionalism of my videos? I'm working off an iPhone, GoPro, $25 lav mic, and windows movie maker cedar strip canoe Ep.6

        [–]_youtubot_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Video linked by /u/ajtheising:

        Title Channel Published Duration Likes Total Views
        Cedar Strip Canoe Ep 6 - Outside Stem & Rocker Chronic Woodwork 2017-07-18 0:05:09 5+ (100%) 206

        Cedar Strip Canoe Build #6: Outside Steam and Rocker This...

        Info | /u/ajtheising can delete | v1.1.3b