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Want to be a film maker?
I am Mol Smith. I wish to inspire all budding film makers, script writers and people who wish to make films or be in them.
Let's get a few things out of the way first...
Do I need to go to film school to learn how to make a movie?
No. Not at all. In fact, why pay £27,000 to £45,000 to learn what you learn to know for free. Instead, buy a £1500 or less camera, a light, a sound recorder like a cheap Zoom recorder, and start filming. You'll need a story. Write one. You'll need to edit your film. Learn how to edit by doing it on your first film. Buy a PC or a Mac. Install editing software and start putting your footage together. Make a 10 minute short first.
Can't afford a camera? Then use your mobile phone. One thing not to do is waste money or get into debt paying to go to film school.
What do I need to have as a trait to become a film maker?
You should be obsessed with an inner mad compulsion to create stories and/or escape the reality you find yourself in. Making a fictional film is about taking other people out of their harsh reality and entertaining them. We all need it like food, sleep, and water, and dare I say... sex. You need to decide whether you wish to be in front of the camera (an actor) or behind the camera as a writer, director, producer, camera operator or sound operator or film editor.
If your main compulsion is story telling, stay this side of the camera and go create a film.
Will I get rich being a film maker?
No. Highly unlikely! A few people do. Most film-makers barely get a living wage. But rich in momey is not the only richness. The best form of wealth in life is being able to do what you either love to do or are compelled to do by an inner self.
What is the best path for me to succeed in making a film?
1) Sit down and write a 10 to 15 minute story involving no more than two to three actors and just a single location.
2) Find three people who you think can play the parts and who look the parts and won't let you down.
3) Light it, film it and sound it yourself. It's not hard and you will be able to do it.
4) Save your work onto a reliable computer where you have already installed the film editing software you can afford.
5) Edit your film into a completed piece of work.
6) Put it onto vimeo.com using a free account and ask others to provide critique and feedback.
Throughout the whole process, make notes about each process and what you think went right and what went wrong.
You can do the whole process inside 3 months even when working full time in a day job.
And Hey-Presto: you just made your first real film, and you will have already learnt all the basics that you can now work on to improve as you grow more able to master the process.