lonesome filmmakers?

[destruct007]

I'm trying to figure out a story that I can shoot in a day, involves just me, and in interesting and completes the contest requirements. I can do any special effect I want to spend the time to do, since I'm and FX artist by trade, but still. It takes some real creativity. I wanted to post to see how many other guys are trying to do the same thing? 1 filmmaker, 1 camera, this short film contest. What I really need is a tripod... hah! :hv20-smilie15: :hv20-smilie81:

[orchidsofwrath]

wow man thats gonna be a tough one to do all alone i think haha. I'm in the same boat in terms of I really am looking for a good creative pitch for my movie. This heat theme is whoopin' my ass!
I am also in the same boat that I'm into VFX/3d (aspiring). Unfortunetally lol. As there are way to many or us aspiring CG artists it seems. I'm just another naive starry eyed kid.
All the cool jobs are low demand and low pay it seems (naturally since everyone wants to do them its an employers market), despite the fact its high skill. Happy to see a successful one like you.

[sillyman]

Lol! Count another one in here. One actor, one camera, same director, and a bunch of mounts. Got a concept and some footage. But not limited to a day. Started shooting as soon as the topic was announced. Hopefully it will work out. :hv20-smilie58:

[madmaxmedia]

So are you guys shooting completely by yourselves, or you are shooting with another actor?

If it's completely by yourself, that's tough. But you know what they say about creativity and limitations...


Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem. (Rollo May)

I'm sure you will come up with something interesting- have fun!

[tcindie]

wow man thats gonna be a tough one to do all alone i think haha. I'm in the same boat in terms of I really am looking for a good creative pitch for my movie. This heat theme is whoopin' my ass!
I am also in the same boat that I'm into VFX/3d (aspiring). Unfortunetally lol. As there are way to many or us aspiring CG artists it seems. I'm just another naive starry eyed kid.
All the cool jobs are low demand and low pay it seems (naturally since everyone wants to do them its an employers market), despite the fact its high skill. Happy to see a successful one like you.

There is a significant difference though between the number of people who WANT to work in VFX, and the number who could actually DO the job. ;) Personally I'm much more of a practical effects guy, though I think a healthy dose of both is good. :)

[ZetKey]

I wanted to post to see how many other guys are trying to do the same thing? 1 filmmaker, 1 camera

Check this http://www.youtube.com/user/thelonefilmmaker

[Erik Bien]

Apologies if this sounds harsh, but successful narrative filmmaking is a team sport. If you want to toil away in your artist's garret in solitude, you should try painting or poetry.

[Ivan Fuentes]

Apologies if this sounds harsh, but successful narrative filmmaking is a team sport.

That's exactly what teachers taught me at film school. I think they're wrong. Most film must be made by teams... but not all of them. Not having a whole bunch of people to wirk with shouldn't stop anyone. For film, you just need acamera and something you need to say with it. Hell... for video, you just need a camera.

To all those DFX people... I've got a pretty simple story out there. It doesn't even need any FX... and if it did, I still trust much more in-camera effects, rather than digital. But if any of you really want to do something, and feel their FXs beat the ones made on stage, feel free to send me some samples... ask for my messenger info via PM, and if it really does work, I'm sure we can do something to get it into the script.

[destruct007]

well my point was more in agreement with "Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations..." I think you can come up witha story that you can do everything yourself. Yeah there are a lot of team parts to it, and when I say shoot it in a day I don't mean finish it in a day.
Basically I'm thinking one character, one location, possibly interview type setting. We'll see. My idea does involve effects so... :) we'll see if I can do it along with my other side projects.

[madmaxmedia]

Apologies if this sounds harsh, but successful narrative filmmaking is a team sport. If you want to toil away in your artist's garret in solitude, you should try painting or poetry.

I don't think the point was that OP chose to go it alone. Sometimes you don't have a cast and crew to work with, but still want to work.

Maybe you end up with nothing other than greater familiarity with the equipment, and a better understanding of what to do (or not do) next time. If so, then it was well worth the time.

That whole thing about lemonade and all...

[lealar]

well my point was more in agreement with "Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations..." I think you can come up witha story that you can do everything yourself. Yeah there are a lot of team parts to it, and when I say shoot it in a day I don't mean finish it in a day.
Basically I'm thinking one character, one location, possibly interview type setting. We'll see. My idea does involve effects so... :) we'll see if I can do it along with my other side projects.

This is exactly where I was May of last year. Made a short trip to PA to visit relatives. I bought my gear to capture family stuff. I woke one morning with the itch and shot this in one day starting at 10 am and ending at 7pm. Shot all the scenes myself...except for my mom, who helped with worked the camera crane for one scene.

http://www.vimeo.com/1219685

[gmaier]

I always work alone :) Theres no one who can help me because i dont know anyone who is intresting in filming or acting.

[Sagefox]

I always work alone :) Theres no one who can help me because i dont know anyone who is intresting in filming or acting.

Right there with you. I work with actors and no one else. I like to create everything, and still make a movie with no subject limitation. Everyone should read Rebel Without a Crew. Vive El Mariachi!

[Ian-T]

This is exactly where I was May of last year. Made a short trip to PA to visit relatives. I bought my gear to capture family stuff. I woke one morning with the itch and shot this in one day starting at 10 am and ending at 7pm. Shot all the scenes myself...except for my mom, who helped with worked the camera crane for one scene.

http://www.vimeo.com/1219685That was great stuff. I really liked the camera placement on each scene. The music helped carry it along. It would have been perfect if you were to add some dialouge (maybe speaking some of the character's thoughts)...but this is a good example of what one can do without a crew. It actually looked like a opening to something bigger...meaning you could expand on this if you wanted to.:hv20-smilie77:

What camera was that you used? It was oversharp...but did not distract from the story.

[koolpenguin89]

What camera was that you used? It was oversharp...but did not distract from the story.

In the comments on his video page he said he used the JVC GR-HD1U, the first "consumer" HDV camcorder.

Dylan

[Kyleman]

I'm usually not alone, but it's usually just me and another friend. Which still sucks. I'm glad for my WWII film there will be at least 6 people around the whole time. :hv20-smilie45:


-Kyle

[sheepfilms]

I think working alone is like many things - a compromise. i enjoy not having to explain myself or even the hassle of having to organise other people to turn up, I can just grab my camera and go and shoot

The downsides are obvious. No camera movement, no chance of bouncing ideas of other people and even simple things like having some companionship are missed.

Thankfully most of time now my girlfriend helps me out, usually holding things (!) and also being my sound person. But I'd love to be behind the camera and actually be able to move the camera and be more of a director. This is something that is more reserved for my 'bigger' projects

If you're interested in seeing what you can do as a lone director, check out my YouTube vids. The newer ones were even shot with an HV20!

http://uk.youtube.com/user/sheepfilms

[destruct007]

hey your videos are pretty good! I know what you mean. For me it's more a matter of finding the time. I'm too good at letting other things distract me from what I originally wanted to do, or making excuses like, Oh the lightings no good now, I should just wait until next weekend.

[Dodgy Nick]

If you're interested in seeing what you can do as a lone director, check out my YouTube vids. http://uk.youtube.com/user/sheepfilms

Hey, I saw "Orange" a couple of months ago when it was feautured and on the most discussed or most viewed list or something. Ha ha, nice to "meet" you! :hv20-smilie24:

[tiny]

I'm in the same boat. By the time I get serious about doing these/have the time to do them, I only have a week or two left and none of my friends are around.

[sheepfilms]

Many thanks for your kind words, it's great to meet you all and be part of the HV20 community

In addition to the the points I mentioned earlier, I simply try and concentrate on the writing. I think good writing is above all the most important, and can really help to recruit extra help when it's needed, i.e. people like the script so want to be part of it

Then again, writing can be a pretty solitary job too!

[Hirohito]

I have a similar problem. with even one other willing participant filming is easy and fun and although I've developed two concepts for one man shows they really are just trippy and odd and it's difficult to throw the ark if you know what I mean. perhaps talking about it here would help.

one of them involves hearing voices and the struggle to Identify the voice and the intent behind it as it spins revalation and advice mainly on the subject of solitude and the reasons for it.

the other is the story of a planetary/dimensional traveler on a journey to earth that transits between the character speaking with a trippy split screen aparition in space and doing mundane tasks in his life on earth. this could be pretty cool and I'm trying to bring religeon into it in a weird way. but again trying to give it a clearly defined ark is proving to be a challenge.

oh and Gmaier.... can I see some of your movies?

[lealar]

[QUOTE=
What camera was that you used? It was oversharp...but did not distract from the story.[/QUOTE]

Hey thanks for the comments! Yes most notice the overrsharpeening of this cam. JVC made it awhile ago and they preset it to a fixed sharpness. I think they intended it to sorta fool the "consumer" to think that the extra sharpness makes it look more "Hi-Def"...oh well. I rarely use it now because of that and the fact that it doesn't have a true manual exposure control.

I avoided the dialogue to save me some shame since I'm horrible at acting..LOL

[ThreeDogMoon]

...and I'm definitely happy to know that I can get into a decent setup for about $1k with an HV30 and 35mm adapter...

Now on to your original question -- Check out this kid from Norway on YouTube.

What he does with so little id pretty inspiring to me, if he had cash and some backup, I think he could do some really cool stuff.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/lassegg

Hope this helps with some ideas.

[SenorKaffee]

I just love the little puppy with the gun. :D

[lotrfan]

I guess I would consider myself as a lonesome aspiring filmmaker as well. There's no film classes at my school, which wouldn't be that bad if I actually knew some other people with the same interests as I do. Here's a link to my Youtube page if you guys want to see some of the stuff I've done with my friends (there used to be more stuff, but I removed some of it; I need a Vimeo account!):

http://www.youtube.com/user/thelordoftheringsfan

Mind you, the people that helped me with these are just normal people; they really have no other interest in film other for the fact that I coerced them with a Guitar Hero and pizza "party" after the shoot :hv20-smilie77: (and that was only for the "Lost and Found" and "Zapped" videos. I had 5 people hanging out at my house that day; usually, I'm lucky to have one other person).

Gimme your comments please!