Tips for young filmmakers: Five videos on filmmaking

Watching movies or going to the cinema is a favourite pastime for many. However, while we all enjoy a good film, not everyone is familiar with the world of professional filmmaking and what it takes to create a successful film that will resonate with an audience.

When you start to think about making a film, there are suddenly a lot of new questions:

• Who should star in the film?
• How do you find the right location for making a film?
• Why do filmmakers use clapperboards?
• How do you achieve the best sound and lighting?
• How does an idea turn into a winning storyline?

If you’re in need of tips to help with your next film project or the mysteries of film production make you tick, we have some great expert advice for you from our team of experienced filmmakers at ClickView. The team have put together a series of five short videos below to address the above questions and more.

As a young filmmaker there isn’t a better time for you to put these expert tips into practice. The 1-Minute Film Competition is on again this year and there is still over a week for Primary and Secondary students across Australia and New Zealand to submit their short film. Students could win fantastic prizes, including $1,000 cash for the two first-place winners. The entrants whose submissions best capture the theme of this year’s contest ‘Diversity’, and are considered the most engaging, imaginative and innovative in content and delivery, will be deemed the winners.

Students are invited to enter on the 1-Minute Film Competition website – Entries close 5th August 2016.

To help students with their competition entries, the following expert videos even include advice on how to make a successful 1-minute film.

Filmmaking Tips on Writing

You can’t have a film without a story, but what does it take to write a story that will engage your audience? ClickView Script Writer, Cameron, explains how to start with an idea – however wild it may be – and turn it into the storyline of your next film.

Key Takeaways:

• The key to a good story is conflict.
• When you’re brainstorming, the best way for ideas to come to you is to just let it all go. Don’t worry about being right or wrong.
• Once you know your characters, build the story up and create dramatic tension on conflict between the characters.

Filmmaking Tips on Camera and Lighting

When you think of filmmaking, “Lights, camera, action!” are likely to be the first words that come to mind. ClickView Director and Producer, Sascha, shares his trade secrets for successful camera and lighting techniques.

Key Takeaways:

• Consider the framing, which refers to what your camera sees and the position of the subject inside the frame.
• The angle plays an important part in communicating the status of a character.
• Lighting can be used to create mood, an atmosphere, and direct your attention to a specific subject.

Filmmaking Tips on Pre-Production:

So what work needs to go into a film before a big day of shooting? As ClickView’s Production Coordinator, here are my own pre-production tips.

Key Takeaways:

• Take the time to think about what your set is going to look like.
• Casting the right person for the right role is so important in making your story believable.
• Hold auditions to see who actually plays a character the best. In order for them to really become that character when on set, they must understand the story and the character.

Filmmaking Tips on Sound:

Learn how you can improve the sound quality in your next video with these expert sound recording tips from ClickView Sound Technician, Elliott.

Key Takeaways:

• Never use the onboard camera microphone. Use a boom pole to hold the microphone out of frame, or a wireless microphone hidden under clothing.
• When using a separate audio recording device, use a clapperboard for audio reference points.
• Check the locations you’re going to film in? Is it under a flight path or near a busy road?

Filmmaking Tips on Animation:

Animation is the art of bringing visuals to life on the screen. ClickView Productions Animator, Luke, explains how to make your animations most effective.

Key Takeaways:

• Animation can be effective because it often simplifies life and concepts allowing you to demonstrate abstract ideas quickly.
• There are a number of animation styles. Claymation is very accessible, fun to create, and easy for those first trying animation.
• Lip syncing lets you get away with a lot, because you don’t have to break down every letter spoken by the character.

Enter the 1-Minute Film Competition

The 1-Minute Film Competition is an initiative of Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) and ClickView. It provides Australian and New Zealand Primary and Secondary school students with the opportunity to make their own 60-second short film or animation. It’s free to enter and your students could win $1,000 cash.

There’s still time to get out there this weekend and create a winning 1-minute film. Students are invited to submit their entries on the 1-Minute Film Competition website.

Don’t forget to submit your entries by midday AEST, Friday 5 August – and good luck!