Everything starts with an idea, which you believe is extraordinary.

Write a script, define your characters and their goals clearly, let the characters push their limits to achieve their goals. A good opening, intermission and a good climax will always be remembered and cherished. Embed contrast in all aspects.

Remember your movie is not just a video. Audio / sound is an equal 50% of your movie. Rope in your sound designer in the script stage to guide you on a sound consultation. Find an editor you can trust and trust his decisions always as long as your vision is being worked on. 

Title your script and make a script that justifies the title. A right casting for the characters solve most of your issues. A good casting makes a movie watchable. Seriously. Try to avoid casting your friends and neighbours unless you find them perfect for the role. While doing the above it is a must to keep a candid check on the budget you might require.

Find ways to fund your project. Know your market before you invest. Make sure you rope in a producer who believes your vision, encourages your efforts, stand with you no matter what, respects artists, pay them promptly, commit to release the project on time and be a friend with you forever. Flip side, you must be true and committed to your producer.

‘Honesty’ ! All the members must have equal Team Spirit & co-operate to make the project a success and a memory to cherish. Recruit such members only. A good team lives long !

Get the right crew and technicians who understand your vision. Design your own workflows. Be Original. Quit Cliches.

Scout locations that are unique as much as your script is unique. Plan shoot dates well. A quality make-up artist should be your best buddy. Just trust me blindly on this.

Go ahead and do all you can to shoot the script with clear sound, get the best performances out of your cast and unleash the creativity of all technicians. Have a blast ! Shoot like an editor. Shoot what you only need, maybe a little bit more. Allow your cinematographer to shoot some montages that you may or may not require. Life Saver !

Don’t forget to enjoy your work every single day and cherish your moments. Never forget to capture the “making of your movie”. Backup and secure the footage. Life saver again.

Once your production is over, take a break and then get into the post production mode. Forget the shooting episode. Now the screen and your ear is what shapes your movie.

Edit your footage. Editing is storytelling. Edit while keeping the sound in mind. Now the editor is your hero. Let him be the hero. You did your best. Let him do his best. Make a single cut the final cut. Do not hesitate to cut something that hinders your storytelling. Take bold decisions and believe it. Once you are happy. Lock it. Of course, be ready to unlock it if the need arises. Your Mind keeps swinging around !

An Article by Arunkanth, Independent Filmmaker.

Follow Arunkanth V, on LinkedIn Instagram