Now, I know that I am making a short film for our learning project, but that’s about all I know. There are so many things that I need to learn in order for me to create something that I am happy with. My knowledge of editing skills stop at iMovie and TikTok productions. Some things I need to start worrying about at this point would include first of all, what is my plan?
At this point in time, these are the following questions I am faced with before even beginning this project:
- Where do I start?
- What is my end goal?
- What are the steps I need to follow to get there?
Right now, the only advantages that I have in the film department are my love of movies and a 60 average in Film 100. So I have got a lot of work to do if I want to create even half of what I have envisioned in my mind. I turned to tiktok immediately when it came to these questions. And as always, it delivered.
@dannijuhl How i made my last micromovie 🎬 #filmlife #filmtok #behindthescenes #filmmakersoftiktok
Determine idea and location (TRIGGER WARNING)
For this film I would like to put a spotlight on mental illness. It is my goal to portray the life of a student who is struggling with suicidal thoughts and is choosing between life and death. It will display feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, depression, and anxiety. I don’t want it to be a sad story, but a story of hope and resilience and that is what I aim to show. However, I do want to portray a real experience of what it is like to be drowning in that mental turmoil. Suicide accounts for 25% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds (Statistics Canada, 2019). What I display in the film will be my take on the illness through my eyes. I understand that this is a very difficult topic, and I would just like to put out a trigger warning right away. It is important that if and before you do watch the final result, that the content of the production may be emotionally challenging.
Write a Script
First and foremost, I know now that I need to get on writing a script. Originally I had plan to go with the flow, but that might come back to bite me later on when I’m unorganized and scrambling. She mentions the site Highland to be helpful while scriptwriting.
Who is involved
I am going to have to soon get in touch with someone who may be interested in being the star of this production. Some things that are important to discuss will be organizing a schedule that works around the both of us. I have a friend in mind, however if they aren’t on board than you guys are stuck with me as an actress and trust me no one wants to see that.
Plan Ahead
Something she mentions in her TikTok is creating a mood board. This will be an important part of the entire movie. As this will be the ‘dream board’ or goal that I am teaching for. This will set the mood and theme for the entire film. It will determine the look, the vibe, and what materials I will need.
@kind_of_a_filmmaker HOW TO MAKE A SHORT FILM, Pt. 2. “Get ready to write”. #filmmaking101 #filmmakingtips #filmtok #indiefilmmakers #screenwriting #celtx #finaldraft #shortfilm #writingtips #writing #sundance #howtowriteascript #trello
TAKEAWAYS
Soundtrack is huge! I can’t believe I almost forgot about this one. The soundtrack alone is crucial in setting the vibe of the film.
This Screen writing software is another great and free resource.
Trello will come in handy when it comes to my disorganization and struggles with planning ahead!