#SoloFilmmaking

[blknewsblogs]

The Ultimate Guide to Solo Filmmaking: Create Your Movie, Start to Finish

No crew? No problem. This step-by-step blog walks you through how to write, shoot, edit, and release a film on your own. Whether you’re working with a tight budget or just want full creative control, discover what it really takes to make a one-person movie happen.

Read our full blog here

[uncwfst]

Wendy interning at The Harrelson Center

I’ve been working at the Harrelson Center for well over 7 weeks now, and I have to admit that I am enjoying my days working at the Harrelson Center more than the times I spend in my film classes. This might sound like it does not need to be said, but I am one of those people that enjoy school. I love college, absolutely love every type of film class I’ve taken, both in film studies and film production, because I’m that type of person that loves to learn. However, I am also an artist at heart and although I am under the direction of the public relations director, I have found the slight freedom, of how I can record and being able to use what I’ve learned and use my discretion as to what I should record to best meet the assignments required, is very fulfilling. 

An important thing that I believe I will have to address in the future with potential employees, one that has come up in the past month despite my best efforts, is my chronic condition and how it can/will affect my working hours but does not affect my personal passion and drive. Despite my best efforts to eat well, make sure I sleep enough at night and try, and have time to just rest, even if it’s one or two hours a week, I have no cure for my chronic migraines and all the medicines I take only help me out to a certain point. Last week I had a conversation with the PR director, the person I respond to directly at The Harrelson Center office, about the days I’ve missed, but consequently the other days I went to events, came in early, ect; to make up for the hours of my regular schedule. She understood my health situation, as I was (and always am) nervous about being completely honest regarding my chronic condition. She liked to hear that whenever possible I come in earlier than I’m supposed to, and if I ever have to stay home and miss a day at the office, I attend after-hour or weekend events, of which there are many, and I have no issue making the time to attend those events. 

One of my goals working within this internship is to gain experience as a producer, and one major aspect of gaining production experience is financial management and attaining equipment. Aside from being a full time college student, and having a chronic condition, I am also a single mom, so my financial ability to buy filming equipment is rather difficult, but not impossible. I have been able to use the companies that offer pay-in-four options to be able to afford more expensive equipment. I’m excited to have attained a super cardioid directional on camera shotgun microphone and a smartphone axis gimbal stabilizer. I am hopeful that my videos will come out looking more professional with the usage of these equipment. Time will tell and I hope to have better videos for next month.

For now I would like to show a short video I made to showcase the Plaza at The Harrelson Center that is available for rent for special occasions. I was only able to capture a few shots of the gala being put together and I wish I had been able to go back and get footage of the area finished for the gala, but I was unable to.

[mobilemoviemaking]

Dancing Fingers There are several ways that a solo filmmaker can increase cast size, for example, interacting with mirror images, dolls, and stock footage. In “Words,” Russian filmmaker Vasiliy Zhitlov (@polareyesvideo) employs his fingers in a dance sequence. You can see this imaginative, 2-minute dance video—about the quest for freedom—at MobileMovieMaking (link in profile) where it’s the Mobile Movie of the Week. #solofilmmaking #shotoniPhone #dancemovie #fingers https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYGh3Urrly/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[spaycevann57]

this is Reginald. 🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥#stopmotionvideo #stopmotionanimation #solofilmmaking #solofilmmaker #evangelofilm #evangelo (at 57) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDWhQM2p8tW/?igshid=at1vwmh3aujq

[mobilemoviemaking]

Visual Variety in a Solo-filmmaker Movie Most solo videos take the form of selfies or vlogs—the talent looking into the camera. But as we see in Benjamin Lapierre’s prize-winning short horror pic “9hr 17”—the one-person production can be visually rich. “9hr 17” has close-ups, long shots, low-angle shots, and just about every other kind of shot you can imagine. Of course, when the subject is also the director of photography, framing does take a lot of effort and time. You can see this wonderfully inventive movie at MobileMovieMaking (link in profile), where you’ll also find an informative “making of” video. #shotoniPhone #cinematography #solofilmmaking https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-bBlVP7Sr/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mobilemoviemaking]

Going Beyond Trickery Multiple exposures can be gimmicky. But in “9hr 17” French filmmaker Benjamin Lapierre uses the technique to capture the terror felt by his protagonist. Winner of the LumaFusion (@lumatouch) prize at this years @SF3, “9hr 17” is the current Mobile Movie of the Week. You can see this dazzling two-minute film at MobileMovieMaking along with a detail-rich “making of video.” #shotoniPhone #visualeffects #multipleexposure #solofilmmaking https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7qx4SuT48/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mobilemoviemaking]

Framed by an Hourglass More evidence that—thanks to inventive filmmakers—we’ll never run out of onscreen frames. This example is from “9hr 17” directed by Benjamin Lapierre (@littlewalkoffame). The visually inventive 2-minute movie won the LumaFusion (@lumatouch) award at this year’s @Sf3fest. You can see “9hr 17” at MobileMovieMaking (link in profile), where you’ll also find a “making of” video that covers lighting, editing, cinematography, visual effects, and the challenges of shooting a complex production with a cast and crew of just one person. #mobilemovieoftheweek #shotoniPhone #lumafusion #visualeffects #solofilmmaking #framewithinaframe #filmcomposition https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5i-tJP6kS/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mobilemoviemaking]

Tricky Three Shot The three shot (three characters in the same frame) is used less frequently than the two shot. That said, it has been put to great effect in films such as “Harry Potter”—Harry, Hermione, Ron; and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”—Ferris, Cameron, and Sloan. (Examples courtesy of Nashville Film Institute @thenfi.) The example here—from the prizewinning short film “9hr 17”—is noteworthy because the three subjects are played by one actor. This tricky three shot is the work of the amazing French filmmaker Benjamin Lapierre (@littlewalkoffame). You can see the movie along with a very informative making-of video at MobileMovieMaking (link in profile). #shotoniPhone #threeshot #visualeffects #framing #solofilmmaking https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2wFdmvQj6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mobilemoviemaking]

Mobile Movie of the Week: “Black Man Soul” Topeka-based Bryan Daugharthy (@bryan_daugharthy_photo) is a master of solo filmmaking. For his latest project “Black Man Soul,” Daugharthy did all the key tasks such as location scouting, cinematography, and editing. The result is the current Mobile Movie of the Week, a riveting music video featuring rapper JQ. You can see “Black Man Soul” and read a behind-the-scenes interview with the director at MobileMovieMaking (link in profile). #mobilemovieoftheweek #musicvideo #rapmusic #solofilmmaking #shotoniPhone https://www.instagram.com/p/CCzW_lUJB8a/?igshid=19pexjknskajo

[mobilemoviemaking]

Tip #223: TRY A COMPLEX CLOSE-UP. Most close-ups focus on a single subject—for example, a fist, a flower, or a playing card. But as this face-plus-guitar image demonstrates, with care you can create a dramatic close-up containing more than one element. The frame is from “Homebody” directed by Jeffrey_Turboff (@filmkicks). “Homebody,” which is the current Mobile Movie of the Week, may seem relevant to people living under a stay-at-home edict. Starring the director, the six-minute short is a remarkable example of solo filmmaking. You can see it—and read an interview with the director—at MobileMovieMaking (link in profile). #mobilemoviemakingtips #close-ups #cinematography #shotoniphone #solofilmmaking #coronavirus #covid-19 https://www.instagram.com/p/B-X5j3-pknH/?igshid=11wkirbzsxd93

[mobilemoviemaking]

Tutorial Review: “How to Film Yourself” Why does @PeterMcKinnon have more than four million YouTube subscribers? It’s probably because he brings an outrageous amount of energy and humor to the screen. More important, his advice is rock solid. In “How to Film Yourself” McKinnon presents three big tips for filming a project when you don’t have a crew. In other words, this is about solo filmmaking that achieves high production values. After you view this 6.5-minute video, you’ll be able to star in your own short movie without any help and with very little gear (mainly a tripod). You can see McKinnon’s tutorial at https://youtu.be/dEfwjZZeBC4 If you want examples of solo moviemaking, check out the work of Oliver Richards (@olsburger) whose work we’ve featured here. #mobilemoviemaking #tutorialreview #cinematography #solofilmmaking https://www.instagram.com/p/B9KyrFnpPYX/?igshid=1cinn2ejf0sw4