3 Things I’ve learnt so far in my filmmaking journey - Filmmaking Without Film School
Cinema is a kind of madness, something not everyone is able to comprehend. It’s a world where the artists have immense power, the power to craft entire worlds out of thin air, the power to change world history, and also the power to change the past and design new lives through limitless imagination.
That being said, not everyone has the luxury to afford film schools. Most of us are dreamers without direction. So what is the guiding force for us ? What is our north star? Except for the fact that some of us desperately love the cinema and hope to contribute a scene someday, there isn’t anything else other than this madness that makes you go insane from time to time.
My friend and I shared with each other our dream of making films someday, about 14 years ago. We were pursuing Aeronautical engineering at the time, and over the years we kept the dream alive by making short films, videos on random topics, shooting anything and everything we could, all this while holding on to our profession as engineers. Today, 14 years later, we’re still dreamers and pursuing this dream but we’re all in. No more of a day job as engineers, but we’re finding our way through this madness by pursuing filmmaking full-time. We take up a wide range of projects (Advertisements, Corporate interviews, Documentaries, Short Films, Underwater shoots, etc), and are constantly learning and evolving in this journey as filmmakers.
Our knowledge has been acquired mostly from the vastly available resources online, and also a couple of mentors whom we’ve been fortunate to meet along the way. I’m no expert in the world of cinema, but I wanted to talk about three things that helped us when we were starting out, perhaps it might help you in your journey too. If you’re someone starting out or are in the early stages of your journey in the world of cinema, I hope I can give you some direction and contribute towards your journey in some way.
Films are your first film school
Films are your first film school
Watch as many films as you can.
I can’t stress this enough. If you want to make films, you need to watch films!
Watch as many films as you can, not as a leisure activity. But you need to change the approach towards watching films. Say you watch a great film, and love it. Watch it again after a while, and again after some more time passes. Try to understand why it was a great film, try to understand why the screenplay was a certain way, or why the camera moves a certain way at times but doesn’t move at all sometimes; depending on your area of interest (Direction, cinematography, editing, etc) try to understand what makes a certain aspect of the film great, and also try to imagine if you were to do it differently why it might or might not be as good as the original. Try to really get into the mind of the filmmakers who created the masterpiece.
As you repeat this process for multiple films, you develop a good set of basics that you are bound to apply in your own journey as a filmmaker. Maybe you like one particular Director, or a particular Cinematographer. This process of studying their films and understanding their creative process, their creative choices, will eventually be your film school and help you grow as a filmmaker.
Work with what you have and who you know
Work with what you have and who you know
Don’t shy away from reaching out to anyone and everyone you think might be willing to contribute their time and resources and be a part of your project.
I heard this once on the “Team Deakins” podcast, and it has stuck with me since. [ It’s a beautiful podcast by Roger and James Deakins, where they interview film professionals from different departments, and it has been my filmmaking masterclass for many years now.]
When you’re starting out to make your first short film, you might not have the luxury of hiring actors, make-up artists, production designers, etc. So try finding like minded people in your circle who would like to come together and create something meaningful. Even if you don’t have anyone in your immediate circle, there are always plenty of meet-up groups to find your first crew. Social media has definitely made it a lot easier for people starting out. All you have to do is get out there and reach out to people, and believe me when I say this that there are a lot of people out there with similar dreams, hoping to gather their crew for their first ever short film.
Another important aspect to keep in mind is that you don’t need fancy equipment or grand set designs to make your first film. Is it better if you have all of this? Maybe or maybe not. But lack of access to any top notch equipment or resources shouldn’t discourage you from making your film! Remember that filmmaking is visual storytelling and as long as you pay attention to the storytelling aspects of it, and make your film with the utmost dedication and passion, there is always room to grow as a filmmaker. It doesn’t matter if your film doesn’t get the reception you expected it would, this only means that there’s a learning opportunity here and you figure out the why aspect of it. Then you work on fixing these things so that you can make a better film next time. The process just goes on. You make a film, you learn, you grow as a filmmaker, you make your next film. There isn’t a second option.
Be humble and don’t get hung up on titles
Be Humble
Always remember that filmmaking is a collaborative process.
Say you have your crew in place for your first ever short film. Remember that most of these people might have got on board because they’re on the same journey as you. Trying to get started in the world of filmmaking. It’s also common that a few people might have to wear multiple hats during the production of this film. You might be directing, editing, and also mixing sound during post production. Humility is the key to embracing the learning curve that comes with filmmaking.
Accept that you are a novice and be open to learning from everyone and from every experience, whether it’s a success or a failure. By acknowledging your inexperience and being willing to learn, you can only move forward i.e. grow and improve continuously.
Filmmaking is a collaborative journey. It takes the combined effort of numerous talented individuals to bring your imagination to life. When you place too much emphasis on titles, you might risk cultivating an environment where ego takes precedence over collaboration. Instead, approach your project with the mindset that every member of your team, irrespective of their title, plays an essential role in the film’s success. Know that the film is bigger than any individual working on the film. The entire crew is working towards the success of the film. If the film wins, the whole team wins!
Always remember why you started this journey - a passion for storytelling and the desire to create something meaningful. Let this passion be your driving force as you move forward.
Walt Disney once said,
We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more moveis.
Making a film is an incredible feat. The process where tens of hundreds of people come together and create a visual canvas that was envisioned by someone. It’s nothing short of a circus. Despite being from different walks of life, different levels of expertise, a big group of people coming together by putting aside their differences, and creating something beautiful, it’s the perfect example for outstanding teamwork.
My friend and I have been on this journey for several years now, and have had the opportunity to make several short films, documentaries, and advertisements. We’re still learning, still growing, and will continue to do so, and hopefully we are fortunate enough to contribute a feature film to this beautiful world of cinema someday soon.
