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You’ve seen the films, you’ve come up with an idea and you know what makes a good short film.
Now you are ready to begin.
Dan’s Top Ten Tips for short film makers1 is a list of some of the most important elements to keep in mind when making a short film. These are practical and commonsense suggestions to help and improve your film making.
There are three phases in the production of a film whether it’s a Hollywood Blockbuster or a mobile phone video about your latest project.
This is the planning phase.
Look at the BBC VIDEONation network2 for practical hints and tips about making your video. Watch the videos about the ways to create a short film.
The Tools4U Adobe Premiere Elements 73 resource has information, tutorials and activities about video projects in the classroom. Check out the easy-to-follow instructions about creating, editing and exporting your video projects. It also has information about the jobs and roles of a film crew. Get a team together to share the vision and the work.
This is the shooting phase
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You have your camera, a schedule, a script and storyboard, location and the ‘actors’. |
Haven’t got a digital video camera? You can use the camera in a mobile phone or the new compact camcorders.
Check out mobile phone films from the Tropfest Mobile phone masterpieces competition9. Watch the 2010 winner and runners up.
Information, hints and tips about using a mobile phone go to: Mobile Cameras10.
You’ve shot the footage, now it’s time to edit your masterpiece.
This involves the editing of the visuals, sound, adding special effects and titles.
Check out Tools4U Adobe Premiere Elements 73 for advice and technical help with editing the visuals and the soundtrack.
Links
- http://www.cvisual.com/film-techniques/film-top-ten-tips-short-film.asp
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/index.shtml
- http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Cli/Download.aspx?resID=9227&v=1&preview=true&target=PUBLIC
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/subject_and_story/your_story/index.shtml
- http://www.bbctraining.com/modules/5915/index.asp
- http://www.simplyscripts.com/
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/filmmaking/guide/before-you-start/writing-a-script
- http://www.adobe.com/education/instruction/adsc/
- http://www.tropfest.com/au/tmm.aspx
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/mobile/index.shtml
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/what_you_film/index.shtml
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/what_you_film/creative_filming/index.shtml
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/what_you_film/interesting_shots/index.shtml
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/what_you_film/filming_checklist/index.shtml
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/contribute/tips/sound/index.shtml