What do you consider to be the most important aspe

[eddie]

this is interesting. These things are all important.
You need to keep morale up (by feeding people and showing them the rushes as soon as you can)
You need to be incontrol (by being creative on set)
and you need to FINISH IT (even though everything is conspiring against you to stop this happening.)
Personally I think that sticking to the script is vital, although there is a fine line when you should forget it, that only tou know.
In my experience though making a film can be a nightmare if you dont have a script, or you allow too many people to input ideas. It just drags on and on and on.
At least arrange each shoot with a shooting script and stick to that. If the script itself changes let it change between shoots, otherwise the actual shoot goes straight down the bog.

[mattias]

the schedule. you will need a shot list and stuff like that several times per day, just to keep you going or you will never make a movie. being able to say "i need you and you and you and that blue thing and we're going to rehearse scene number fourteen now" instead of "somebody please get me out of here" is actually a very good feeling. ;-) improvise as much as you want within each scene/shot/setup/whatever, but don't change the schedule during the day.

[ThomYorke]

How about organisation? The process of having EVERY prop, location, cast member, call sheet, shot list, storyboard, camera, mike, clapper etc ready for that day.................AND then knowing where you put everything!!!!

[Jon Taylor]

Organisation, budgets, equipment, principle photography, sound, etc. are all important, but that's what Head of Departments are for.

Professionalism and treating your crew (at all levels, not just the H.o.D's useful to you) with respect is always remembered and can usually lead to offers of further work. Nobody likes a Prima Dona.

Jon.

[Jon Taylor]

Further to Thom's comments on reviewing rushes with actors - from past experience on shoots, only the D.o.P, Director, producer, and sometimes the Production Designer and editor (if available) get to view rushes.

As rushes include all the warts and mistakes, actors can become too self conscious, and can become too aware of the camera.

[AnnaCarrington]

The problem with filmmaking is that everything is so important - and I mean everything. From my experience bad organisation has often led to set backs plus weather so be flexible when it comes to outdoor shoots and always go onto the internet and get the met office weather report. Believe it or not in my experience it is usually accurate!! (go figure) for shot term weather predictions get to know the sky and atmospheres for rain etc yourself. Catering is often something that gets over looked. And is something I think is highly important. You don't have to present gormet stuff - just a couple of sandwiches etc so people aren't distracted by hunger. Something else I always see student/ametueer film-makers overlook is continuity. Get somebody who knows what they are doing to log the continuity - it is so important. A friend of mine had a good idea and got his editor to do coninuity. Unfortunately the editor was the most scattyist bloke I know (the amount of times I've found his house keys sitting on our garden wall/down the back of our sofa you would not believe!!) Plus his girlfiend was around (and other friends) distracting him!! So be carefull!! We ended up with a whole lot of could-of-been-avoided problems. Another thing that is always useful is friends with cars -especially if they are a phonecall away in an emergency. Runners with cars are also useful coz they are not necessarily needed on set. From my own experience of watching student/ametur productions is that the two main things that let them down is sound and lighting. Sound is 1/2 of a film. I don't care what anybody else says but half of the time and effort should be spent on sound. Get good equipment - preferably a format that you or somebody you know has used before. (Another shoot I was on we used minidisc and radio mics of which none of the crew had ever used before. 60% of the sound was fucked and we had to post dub - lots of time, money and hassle!!
Lighting is what normally lets down bad productions. The golden rule when shooting on video or digital video is that you need more - yes, more lighting equipment than with film. If you don't believe me read up on it - its all to do with contrast ratios. So get your HMI's ya blonds and red heads and kinoflows etc - any lighting equipment you would need for using film stock and use it for video. Be carefull of lighting not designed for film as it may not be the correct colour temperature 3200 degrees Kelvin if I remember rightly (please correct me if I'm wrong) Remember that video monitors do not necessarily give you an accurate picture of how the image is gonna turn out. It depends how the monitor is set up (whether on camera or not!!) best way to cheak video cinematography is with the eye, through the lense, with a wave monitor and a light meter.

[ThomYorke]

Hey,

You people are all damn amazing. This is a phenomenal pool of resources here, you know. The ideas, knowledge, that flows out of the people on this list could get any filmmaker onto their feet.

I agree with the idea that almost everything is important (and now everyone wonders "what's with this guy? he keeps agreeing to new stuff") in a film, be it a short, doco or a feature.

In my experience, I have found that reviewing rushes has helped actors pin-point their faults - inspire them to do better. I have found that sound DOES make a difference, no matter how much people think it doesn't. It adds a sort of subconcious continuity. Organisation - knowing EVERYTHING you need to do, and doing it before it needs to be done.

Any other ideas?

[quinnpohl]

For me the first most important thing when making a film is to start with a good idea, and develop a script which is gonna be worth filming. I have worked on several productions where the final product was never going to be great because the idea was so atrocious. However, even if you end up with a bad idea it is still important to keep concentration on what you are doing and focus on making it the best you can. At times this can seem like trying to put christmas decorations on a pile of dog shit, but nevertheless you should try to never lose heart.

[Littlerich]

Keeping focused on your film.
I have written a script from an old english essay. (I think) it's rather good, even though it's only a short.
I have even spoke to potential actors and actresses about starring in the film, but then...

I GAVE UP.

I know I WANT to finish the film, I can get help from the local TV station (I worked there for a year) re. equipment, but I'm just too busy.

I keep saying I WILL make the film, but I don't have the time at the moment. (Or money. Or help. Or Policecars. Or... well, you get the idea.)

So, in MY opinion (and it's only an opinion, you can take heed or ignore it), Keeping FOCUSED on the film is the MOST inportant thing you need.



------------------
Little Rich.
http://go.to/littlerich
www.rmsgraffix.freeserve.co.uk
[email protected]

[piratze]

How about just REALLY wanting to do it?

I've found the worst thing of all is when you are trying to do something creative and there are people who just don't care - they have that "whatever" attitude.

So maybe keeping that deleriously motivated, excited, interested (both of crew and 4 yourself) feeling alive.