How to Make Your First Film

Do you want to be a filmmaker? Do you have a cell phone or a camera? Making your first film is one of the simplest things you can do, and it’s a great introduction into filmmaking. You need an idea to begin, so aim for something simple. Less King Kong, more Pixar short. You can work on adding bells and whistles in later films, but this is something you can do in less than a day and post to YouTube. Set your camera to record, adjust your lighting and read on.

Ideas Come from Everywhere

The amazing power of YouTube is the freedom of creativity. Someone released a video of a dog running down a villa and into the ocean from the perspective of the dog. It is neat, and it’s simple. Look around you and find something you want to try and capture. Just one moment. If you are having some trouble, do a video about yourself and be the actor in your own movie.

Stop Criticizing

If you try and compare yourself to the greats, you’re not going to get very far. You need time to develop your own style. Be willing to laugh at yourself, be creative, be cheesy, be fun. Whatever you need to be to get creative and step outside your boundaries is worth exploring.

Set a Deadline

Here is your unofficial deadline: 30 days. Make your first film in the next 30 days and then decide what you want to do with it. Professional filmmakers will have to consider all aspects of production when they make a film, but this is the time to get things done one step at a time.