It is one filmmaker on her or his own plus some actors in the new methodology.
It Just Takes One
It was just a few years ago that the methodology was proven. The idea was to show that it was possible for one person to write, direct, film, act in, edit and more, their own motion picture. As we’ve mentioned in the past, we only got to the point of editing on the project, but all along the way to that point was done by a single individual.
A Part of the Evolution
What does this mean to USA filmmaking? It shows a foreshadowing of what it to come. There may always be blockbusters that employ hundreds of artisans, but the single person filmmaker will likely evolve as a method of making movies.
Become an ArtisticPreneur
Even the business end can be done by the same person filming, thanks to the introduction of the ArtisticPreneur in the domain of Entertainment Entrepreneurship. And now USA How To, the experts of “How To” have stepped in to document the technique.
Many thanks to DigRefer and Entertainment Entrepreneurship. I was one of those artists selected for the think tank that was done in conjunction with Thrillumentary. We had a great time deconstructing the way films are being made in the digital age but then took it one step further and developed a process for those who are solopreneurs, usually introverts, who want to make motion pictures but without having the hassle of coordinating a large group. In the case of what we developed it was only dependent on having actors, but surely soon this will be a time of digital actors, with animation of realistic looking figures.
Avoid Pain
I love the way that the discussion of what we did was based in the concept of emerging artist being and info seller. The key being that the information was solving some problem of some audience who really needed the solution. And of course since in this day and age there are many possible solutions involving media, the recommended technique is to try to solve a problem that hurts. Avoiding pain as a solution always trumps a solution that just solves a problem.
Gradually Your Art Becomes the Star
People want to avoid pain, and if there is a way for them to do so, you will have a valuable info product. And remember dear artists of all kinds, you can initially show your art alongside the info, then as time progresses because many will have been exposed to your art through your info projects, many of them will become fans of your art. That’s where you can start inching closer and closer to not having to be so much info-solving-problem-oriented. Your art can become the star instead of your info.
Find the Solution
And I loved how Entertainment Entrepreneurship recognized the importance of having an info product that appealed a great deal to your audience. One way of finding the right solution to a problem is through doing research. It can be somewhat informal, with the goal being to find out first hand how your solution resonates or maybe does not. Simply go on to another idea or even get the research subject actively involved potentially giving you the solution to the problem you need!
Are You the One?
Funny how DigiRefer felt that solopreneur’s are an often ignored demographic. I quite agree but had never really thought about as such with such focus. They are an underserved demographic ripe for bringing solutions to! Are YOU the one to do so?
You probably already have a mobile phone and a computer. And that’s all you need to make a no budget film. In fact, if need be, you could not only shoot your movie on your phone but even edit your movie with it!
Want to Make a Documystery but don’t have a Budget? Not a Problem. This Blog post Will Show You How.
First off. Recognize the resources that you have available to you. Or as the folks at NoFilmSchool.com put it:
“Take stock of what you have and make a movie about it: Just looking around my office I’ve got handcuffs, an old Kodak Duaflex II, and an interesting crawl space inside a closet. Boom! Movie about a serial killer who handcuffs his victims inside a crawl space and takes photos of them right before he kills them.”
Two in One?
The next step is really two in one. The writing of the screenplay and the possible use of improvisation per WikiHow.com:
“If you have a plan, write a screenplay. It doesn’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to follow it 100%. It just gives you a great outline to start with. If you want, you can just write the scenes and have the actors improvise their lines.”
Shooting Your Masterpiece
Now that you’re officially in production here are some tips from FilmConnection.com:
“Don’t worry about filming in sequence. You might have to work around people’s schedules, so shoot out of order if necessary. This can be fixed in editing. Remember to be careful not to “cut” the scene pre-maturely. Some of the best films were created during the “unscripted” moments. Also, don’t forget to take close-ups and different angles of the same scene to have plenty of footage to use when editing.”
Editing and Promoting Your Film
We’ve lumped these two steps together because you really should be promoting your film all along.
Meanwhile, there are tons of really inexpensive or even free types of editing software out there. Pick one and learn how to use it as you are editing your movie.
What about promotion and marketing? A lot of people use social media to do so which is fine. But if you do, make sure you are willing to stay the course. By this we mean start documenting the behind-the-scenes of your movie from the very beginning if possible, followed by presenting every stage of your filmmaking process.
A Behind-the-Scenes Blog?
Don’t under estimate the power of doing a free blog. If you can update your blog as much as possible. And also be sure to link all your social posts to your blog.
What About Distribution?
Try to do this without spending anything on it. Check on Vimeo’s latest options as well as consider using YouTube’s “unlisted” option which means only those with the link can actually find your finished motion picture.
