Know the Real Secret of Filmmaking Secrets
ByIn the making of a good film, there are no hard and fast rules. Each filmmaker has his own technique. These they have learned through years of practice. When studying these classics that were made by artists through the years, one becomes aware of the moviemaking style of each one. The techniques that each one follows are their filmmaking secrets. Such tips and tricks and other nuggets of wisdom are hard to come by straight from the mouths of the filmmakers themselves. One has to study the examples they have made. This in itself is not a magic formula for success; copying the styles of the masters makes for a derivative movie. What one has to do is to study these styles, learn the techniques and the rules of the game, and then build from what they have accomplished to develop your own original style.
This in effect is item #1 in the rule book of filmmaking secrets, if such a one exists. This is the most important secret you will ever learn. All things will follow from here. The rest of the advice you will hope to get will then pertain to the use of equipment, an angle or a viewpoint on filmmaking, opinions and counter opinions, how to handle certain projects, and the like. If you are lucky, a nugget of wisdom will inadvertently fall from one of your instructor’s lectures, a gem will be unearthed from a filmmaking book you are reading; or a mentor, friend, or colleague will truly open up his secret filmmaking styles to you. These are real treasures and should be treated as such. One can then choose to be a follower, or innovate from what he has learned and grow from there. There is no shame to being a follower. There is no shame to innovate as well. As was pointed out earlier, there are no hard and fast rules.
Recently, the filmmaking industry has seen a new trend in moviemaking. It is a technological change that cannot be ignored or bypassed. It is the use of digital media in moviemaking. There is the video DV, editing software, and the like. Most of the purported film secrets revealed are actually a number of tutorials and guidelines on effectively using the new medium. These are then advertised as a cheaper and easier-to-work-on alternative to authentic film such as 35mm, 16mm or 8mm. These tips and tricks are also good secrets to know, especially for the young and upcoming or struggling artists. It is the cornerstone of the indie phenomenon in moviemaking. It has, in fact, taken everyone by storm. Even veteran filmmakers are not averse to learning the new tricks such as these.
Filmmaking secrets aside, one must remember that the artistry and creativity that one brings into a film will come from within one’s soul and not from what one has learned in books, pamphlets, in the classroom, or at a workshop. This is the true essence of a filmmaker. This is what makes a film unique and truly successful.
Do YOU have any ideas on this? Please comment.
I concur that the success or failure of a film begins within the soul of the filmmaker. Is the filmmaker a person of substance or a person of superficiality?
Have you noticed that the most successful films are usually the films that have substance? That is to say that a large amount of intense thinking, care, and respect for the subject-matter and for the audience went into the production. Substantial films often contain:
1. DEFINITE BELIEFS AND IDEAS ABOUT TOPICS THAT PROFOUNDLY AFFECT HUMAN EXISTENCE.
2. FULLY-DEVELOPED STORIES; THEY HAVE INTRODUCTIONS, CONFLICTS, CLIMAXES, AND RESOLUTIONS.
3. character-progression; the characters have certain dispositions when the film begins, and then, because of the course of events of the story, they have different dispositions by the end of the film.
4. choreographed music; the music helps to describe the characters and to convey the mood(s) of each scene.
5. bespoke fashion; the costumes, hairstyles, and cosmetics help to illustrate the personalities of the characters.
6. carefully selected or constructed locations and props in order to generate verisimilitude.
7. A LOVE FOR THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN GENERAL, AND OF FILMMAKING IN PARTICULAR.
Some examples of substantial films are:
1. The King Of Comedy (1982)
2. Superman: The Movie (1978)
3. Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope (1977)
4. The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974)
5. It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
6. The Robe / Demetrius And The Gladiators (1953, 1954)
Have you noticed that the least successful films are usually the films that are superficial? By design, many superficial films are nothing more than rushed, poor copies of substantial films. They attempt to financially capitalize on the popularity of the substantial films, without putting forth any of the mental-effort that made the substantial films successful.
Case-in-point: after the success of Star Wars (Q2, 1977), along came Quark (Q3, 1977), Star Crash (1978), Laser Blast (1978), BattleStar Galactica (1978), Buck Rogers In The 25th Century (1979), and Flash Gordon (1980). These films copied the imagery and the action of Star Wars, but they imitated very little of the substance. Thus, more than three decades later, Star Wars continues to positively affect the world and earn billions of dollars, whilst the other films have enjoyed only minimal success at best, and are largely forgotten.
In a 1960s interview, with respect to the topic of non-successful people imitating successful people, Bruce Lee stated: “They always copy mannerisms, but they never start from the root of his being.” (Enter The Dragon DVD, Special Features).
Here are some questions for consideration:
1. Why do I make films?
2. Are there stories which are burning inside me that I must tell?
3. Are there philosophies, concepts, or emotions that I am compelled to communicate?
4. Do I love the art of filmmaking, and all of the creative and scientific disciplines that it encompasses?
5. Do I make films only because I crave the glamour, fame, and fortune that can be attained by the people who work on films?
6. Am I a filmmaker of substance, or a filmmaker of superficiality?