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Entry-Level Filmmaking Tips Ever wanted to get started with filmmaking at a basic level? Main Line Network program host Carole Adrienne recently welcomed filmmaker Anthony Giunta to her Producer's Toolbox show. About a decade ago, Giunta decided to leave a senior Human Resources job at 92Y in New York to pursue his passion of filmmaking. “It's really, really easy to get overwhelmed when you search the Internet and look at cameras that are 4K and 8K and equipment and editing - it can really get overwhelming,” Giunta says. “I'd like to talk about if you're going to just be starting out and coming in and a way to do that which is pretty inexpensive, but will give you some real-world practical experience. So, if you decide that it is something you're interested in, you can build up from there.” The following is an excerpt from the interview in which Giunta shared some tips for those just getting started.
Start Simple
“The first thing I would recommend is to make a short film. When you make a short film, you go through all the same steps albeit on a much smaller scale - as people go through when they make a feature film. When I say make a short film, you don't have to go out and come out with the greatest idea that will get you noticed and win an Oscar or something like that. If I was starting today, I'd come up with the simplest idea possible. The simplest thing to do is to just get two characters who happen to want two opposite things and put them together in a situation where there's going to be conflict. I think you'll be able to grab a really good story out of that. Your first script can even be a page or two. You're shooting this for you and shooting this for a learning experience. Again, start super simple and I would not go any more than two characters, because the minute you bring a third in, you're going to realize how that complicates things. One of the reasons I make the suggestion about creating some sort of 10
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conflict is: that's going to inform the pace of your edit.”
Step One
“I think the first thing that you want is to be able to write the screenplay. Let's assume that if you don't have a computer you have access to one. There is a bunch of free screenwriting software online. No, the free stuff usually does not have all the bells and whistles and you can't do a lot of elaborate plotting with it, but you're not going to be doing a lot of that for this anyway. Right now if you were to search 'free screenwriting software' online, you'd find a bunch of really good options that could totally help you write and format the screenplay automatically in industry standard so that you can learn what a screenplay looks like.”
If I Don't Have A Camera Can I Shoot On My Phone?
“Absolutely. As long as it has a video camera function, you'd be absolutely fine. What you want to think about is to get yourself out of the mindset that the phone has to shoot in 4K, because they can be very expensive. If you have access to one, great, go for it. If you don't and you're just starting out, use whatever you want,
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because what you're trying to do early on is not to get something out into the world, but to experience all the steps. One mistake a lot of people make, however, is using the audio on your phone. They're never really as good as some of the free standing pieces of audio equipment that you can get. There are a lot of portable audio recorders out there even in the $100 range that record excellent audio. The audio on your phone will come in handy when you go to sync the external audio with the phone audio on an editing software. If I was just starting, I would just get a portable audio device that has a microphone, point it up off camera at the actors who are speaking and you will have your audio right there.” “If you're shooting outdoors and there's some natural light - you don't want direct sunlight - you could be fine without [lighting equipment]. But, if you're shooting indoors then yes, you absolutely will. What I would recommend there is getting a small little rectangular light or even a light ring that can go around your smartphone. You can also pick up a tripod for like $30 or pick up what's called a gimbal to hold the phone steady (but those are more expensive - the entry point there is like $90-100).”
Fall Back on the Movie Watching Experiences
“If you feel like you're drawn to this world at all, chances are, you've probably seen a lot of movies in your life, even if you're not an old dude like me. It kind of gives a feeling inside that you know what needs to be done. And then when you read books or watch YouTube videos about the different types of shots and all of that, it all gets reinforced. No one ever said to me that the way shots are set up can often be symbolic of what's going on in the character's head and that type of thing, but I felt that in so many movies I've seen in my life.” For more local stories and perspectives on Main Line Network, search MLTV21 on YouTube.
