So you're done casting your indie film, now what?

So, you've got a great independent short film you're trying to produce. You've sorted through the emails, made the necessary phone calls, and shuffled all the actors through the audition. Now that the tedious task of casting is behind you, its time to continue with the rest of your movie.
What do you do next?

Schedule your Shooting Days
Given enough notice, actors and locations should be available. Ultimately, I like to have a shoot date set before casting so I know for sure if the actors I cast are available. If you don't have a date set, GET A DATE SET! This will help hold you and everyone else in the production accountable to properly prepare for the movie. Without a shoot date, the project will continuously be in preproduction because no one is ever actually "ready" to shoot.
Work with your actors and locations to schedule the right date to shoot. These are the two most important factors to consider when scheduling your movie. Ultimately, you may have to choose between and actor or a location. You won't be able to please everyone, so stop trying to. Set your date and push forward!

Keep your Actors in the Loop
This sounds like a no brainer, but it happens all the time. Actors know filmmakers are flaky, productions fall through, and things change all the time. If an actor doesn't hear from you for a few weeks, they may assume you got busted for illegally filming on someones' property.
Remember, they're not seeing all the logistical preproduction work that's going on behind the scenes. Send them an email at least once every two weeks to go over a few aspects of their character and share with them some updates on the film production. Besides, some actors stay extremely busy, so emailing them constantly keeps your production at the forefront of their thoughts. Just don't annoyingly bug them.

Prepare to Shoot your Movie
This isn't always the most enjoyable part of a production, but it's one of the most crucial. Make sure you have everything you need to be successful on the day of the shoot. Depending upon the complexity of your production will depend upon the amount of preproduction you and your team will need to do. Here is a list of a few things to do before walking on set.

Create a shot list. This is a no brainer, but somebody will skip it...
Break down the script. This includes creating a breakdown for each scene in your movie. A scene breakdown will include everything that's needed for each scene, including cast, props, set dressing, wardrobe, hair/makeup, special effects, special camera/grip/lighting equipment, and any notes related to the scene.
Make sure you have all the necessary items listed in your Scene Breakdown. Again, a no brainer.
Double check and make sure you have all the necessary items listed in your Scene Breakdown. Do you see a pattern here people?!
Find your Crew and cast any additional characters or background talent. It's the little details that make the movie.
Test your equipment. This includes any cameras and/or lights.
Create your Call Sheet. You'll send this out to the cast and crew the day before the shoot along with any other pertinent information.
Get a good nights rest before the big day. And make sure you dream of something sweet.

Remember, there is no substitute for proper planning and preparation. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Being a former military soldier, I can attest to this first hand. Take your time and don't overlook the details because those are what's going to make your movie great!

For more tips, visit my blog at http://www.onlinefilmschoolbootcamp.com/blog.html
As always, check out the Online Film School Boot Camp for your complete comprehensive online educational resource to learning the fundamentals of filmmaking and begin your filmmaking career.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about anything.

Good Filming,
Trent Duncan
www.TrentDuncan.com

Rule of Thirds defined for Composition in Filmmaking and Photography

Some people say that having an eye for cinematography is something that a person is born with. Others will argue it can be learned. Personally, I think people are born with an eye for cinematography, and just like any other skill, it can be nurtured or deprived. That doesn't mean the skill can't be learned, but it's hard to argue that there are those gifted individuals who have a certain eye for making an image look amazing.
Regardless of the gifts you may or may not have, there are certain rules and guidelines to help anyone get started creating effective imagery. Below are a list of the most common filmmaking rules, via the Online Film School Boot Camp.

Rule of Thirds or Composition
The Rule of Thirds applies when you are composing any and all visual images. From taking pictures with your smartphone to creating a cinematic movie, the rule states that an image should be divided into three equal thirds, horizontally and vertically. See Image Below

More so, the important composition elements should be placed along the lines or at their intersections. Aligning the subject or elements along these lines or at their intersections helps to create more interest, tension, and energy within your frame that will draw the attention of the viewer. This helps to align people or elements on screen along with landscapes or locations to allow features from the image to flow from one section to another.
The main purpose of the Rule of Thirds is to discourage the placement of a subject or element at the center of screen or to prevent an horizon from appearing to divide your picture. Of course, once you know the rules, you can start to bend or manipulate them.

After framing hundreds of shots over the course of my filmmaking career, I've decided there are two basic categories that can help to further define the Rule of Thirds. Point of Interest and Symmetrical.

Point of Interest refers to the arrangement of elements or objects on screen to place an emphasis on a specific object or area by aligning it with the intersecting lines. See Image Below. The human eye is naturally drawn to these intersecting lines. By placing images or objects at their intersections, you will create a more natural composition that is pleasing to the viewer.

Symmetrical refers to the arrangement of elements on screen to create symmetry along the lines and throughout the shot. See Image Below. Often times you may find yourself in a situation where all the elements on screen are equal or balanced. If this is the case, aligning those elements on screen in a way that creates symmetrical composition, will also be pleasing to the viewer. This is what I mean by bending the rules once you've learned them. A symmetrical shot can look great without any images or elements arranged along the lines or at their intersections.

The mood of a scene or the characters in the scene will also help you determine the proper composition. A good way to begin is by determining if you want a balanced scene or an unbalanced scene. As you begin to create your scene or frame your shot, consider these questions.

- How much foreground or background do you want in your shot?

- How much spacing do you want in or around your objects?

- What kind of symmetry are you looking to accomplish?

Here's another helpful cheat sheet that combines both elements of composition I previously discussed.

By practicing and utilizing these simple composition techniques in your filmmaking or photography projects, you will begin to see a dramatic difference in the quality of your work. Below is a video that also helps to describe composition. 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or check out my blog at the Online Film School Boot Camp or on Facebook and Twitter for more helpful filmmaking tips.

Trent Duncan
www.TrentDuncan.com

Choosing the Framing of your Shot in Filmmaking

Framing is a very important aspect of filmmaking. It helps a filmmaker relay the ideas and images of his or her story story to their audience. Without proper framing, a story can become unclear and distract or mislead the audience. Framing refers to the edges of the image that are composed in a shot. This image is referenced through a camera's viewfinder, LCD display, monitor, and event the final product shown on the Internet or Television. 
In this article, I wil discuss the general types of framing used in film, the role framing plays in pre-production, and how framing is utilized on set.

TYPES OF FRAMING IN FILM
Although there are dozens of creative and unique was to frame a shot, the film industry has a general list of framing types. These standard frames, or shots, help a director communicate his or her vision to their cast and crew. The figures below indicate the general standard of framing used in the film industry and a brief description of their use in filmmaking.

Wide / Long Shot (WIDE / LONG)
A wide shot is generally used as an establishing shot at the beginning of a scene. It brings the audience into the scene and helps them establish where the characters are in relation to one another and the surrounding environment.

Medium Wide Shot (MEDWide)

Also referred to as a 'Cowboy shot', a medium wide shot allows the audience to see any movements by the characters, important background subjects, and other characters that might enter into the scene.

Medium Shot (Med)

Medium shots are most popular in comedy films because it allows the audience a good perspective of the scene, including surrounding characters, body movements, and facial expressions.

Medium Close-Up (MedCU)

A medium close-up provides a view of the character's expressions without getting too intimate. This shot also allows for shooting over the shoulder of another character when engaged in dialogue.

Close-Up (CU)

A close-up shot is a dramatic shot that is used to focus the audiences attention on a character's expression(s). The framing can be very intimate and is also used to help the audience focus on what the character is saying, rather than what's going on around them.

Extreme Close-Up (ECU)

An extreme close-up shows extreme details and is generally used as an artistic shot. ECU's are rarely used for coverage in dialogue situations, but can often be used when framing an insert shot.

For more information on how to become the complete filmmaker, visit the Online Film School Boot Camp for an affordable Film School educational experience.