Throughout my research on how to become a filmmaker I've struggled, but have learned some very valuable information. I barely knew anything when I started this research and thought it would be nice to jot down the stuff I've learned and offer it to anyone who wants it.

I must say that the guide I wrote up is a very basic overview of filmmaking and is geared towards the beginner. There might be some valuable stuff in there for the veterans too if you want to check it out as well.

Well, if anyone wants to check it out, I'm offering it for free at my site. www.bohoc.org

Thanks!

Adam, I've moved your thread to the "Techniques for Indepedent Production"
forum. I think it it more at home there since it share's knowledge about what
is out there and what it all means.

Sounds good. Wasn't sure on where to put it. :)

Thanks!

Hey Adam,

I just got around to checking out your guide and wanted to say thanks for putting it together. I'm somewhat experienced and still learned a couple new things from going through it. It was also nice to see many of the tricks and tools that I use validated by another.

Anyways, you're right - it's definately geared towards the beginner, but when I was starting out I don't remember such things being easily available!

Hey Adam,

I just got around to checking out your guide and wanted to say thanks for putting it together. I'm somewhat experienced and still learned a couple new things from going through it. It was also nice to see many of the tricks and tools that I use validated by another.

Anyways, you're right - it's definately geared towards the beginner, but when I was starting out I don't remember such things being easily available!

Hey thanks Stevan! You are very correct that it's really hard for beginners to find this stuff without just digging around in countless places. That's exactly why I put it together. Thanks again. Glad you were able to get even a few new things. :)

Just updated the guide - I wanted to track how many times the guide was downloaded so I put it as an attachment on my message board. So if you want to download it you have to register on my board - but don't worry I won't use your contact info AT ALL!! I just wanted to know how many times the guide was being downloaded. :)

You can get version 1.5 at http://www.bohoc.org/guide.htm

How do you register?

Hey Alex,

Just click on the register button on the menu to register. Shoot me an email if you are having any trouble.

I'm not seeing a register button, and...in fact, not even sure if I'm seeing a menu.

Are you clicking on the hyperlink beneath the download section of the link I provided above? And if so, that should take you to my forum, which has a register button along the top 3rd of the page.

Adam,

I've got to tell you, your weblink and website and webforum is the single most confusing experience I've had on the web in a long while.

I'm interested in reading your guide because you've contributed some good comments in the DVinfo forum here, but I cannot find the actual download link in your web presence.

I registered (which is not very intuitive) and then received my "Activation Email" and then activated my new account on your forum and then... where is the download link???

Hey Patrick,

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. My forum is actually just a typical message board so if it is confusing, there's not much I can do to change it. I chose SMF forum because of all the functionality it has. It really is a great message board, and it's 100% free no less! The guide is simply an attachment within the "Indie Filmmaking Guide" thread. Just click into that thread (after logging in of course) and there is a hyperlink to download the guide. If you are still having difficulty finding the guide, shoot me an email, and I can just send you a copy by email. However, I update this guide pretty much every couple of weeks, so you may want to become familiar with my forum's interface in case you want to download updated versions.

I have to agree, this is pretty frustrating experience. I have registered but
have yet to receive an e-mail (no spam filtering going on, so it didn't get
"stuck" in one).

I've registered with my full name and my e-mail address in my signature below.

Hey all, OK, I apologize about the confusion. I just wanted to be able to track the downloads.

I've changed the site so now all you need to do is to click on the link to download it. Sorry about that again. Feel free to drop me a line at any time if you have any comments about the guide.

Go ahead and click on this link to "Indie Filmmaking Guide" and then click on the current revision.

Thanks again all for your comments!!

Adam,

I did finally locate the link to download. It was in a barely visible green color in very small type underneath your description of the latest version. I downloaded and reviewed and I think you are creating a very useful document to fledgling video filmakers. You should not be deterred from updating this, but somehow you have to make the link to download the guide more noticable (larger font, or the standard blue underlined text indicatitng a link, or something). Good job. Thanks for the peek.

Hey Patrick! I am VERY happy you were able to get the guide! Finally ;o)

I'm going to look at a button that I can put on the site so the link is more prevalent. Thanks again, and I will surely be always be updating the guide. I learn so much in so little time that I'm updating the guide pretty much every few weeks.

Keep checking back for updates. :)

I downloaded the guide, reading it now, very useful, thanks for putting this up!!

Hey thanks. I'm very happy that it is useful!

Just uploaded a new version 1.7. I just added a few things on lighting that I found interesting.

Hi Adam,

after downloading and reading version 1.6 with pleasure a while ago, I thought of it again, and downloaded the new 1.8 revised version, another thank you from me.
Question: do you still revise your guide from time to time, or are you more busy with other projects?
Another question: maybe if enough people are interested and agree, they could make a sticky of your guide in this board, because it holds much information for beginners.

Best regards,

Hi Mathieu,

Thank you for the compliment about the guide. I do update the guide but have not had the time recently to do so. I'm working on a new short film and that is taking up most of my time these days. After learning a few more good things from doing this film, I will definately be putting up a new version.

My short is slated to be completed by March 2007 so I hope to update it at the very latest at that time.

Thanks again for the compliments.

Adam

Adam thank you very much for this. When I become famous I will be sure to mention you in my special thanks credits.

This post should be a Sticky. I just downloaded the guide and it is a nice refresher/reminder and I learned some things from it!

Just found an inconsistency in the guide:

Under "Considerations when choosing a camera", page 19

You see – the savings for shooting on digital come from not purchasing film
stock, renting the camera, and lab costs. However the costs start to pile up afterwards when shooting digital – there are transfers, telecine costs, etc…


Then on page 20:


And again, like I said above, when thinking of shooting on film, you MUST keep in mind the costs of
transferring your footage from film and into digital format – this process is called telecine – and this
process costs roughly $250 to $500 per hour (not per hour of footage but per hour that the tech works on
your footage!). Also after editing and going through the telecine process you might also want to transfer
your footage back to film so you can project it in a theater. This also costs more $$ so even though the
camera cost is less than the equipment to upgrade to HD you have other costs that come into play.

--------------------

So, which is it? Does HD cost more to produce a movie on (that will be projected on film) or does film? Because it looks like HD is cheaper (start in HD, edit in HD (no transfer costs) and then transfer to film. With film you need to pay for film stock + lab fees (which is more expensive than tapes/reusable flash cards like P2 or SxS) as well as audio tape stock (although you could use a digital Nagra or cheaper digital solution for audio recording) then pay for a transfer to digital for editing and then pay for the digital to film transfer.



Page 26:

Now, what you would normally do is use your 85mm lens for your
master shots, you would use your 50mm lens for your medium shots, and the 35mm lens for your close up
shots.

----------------------

I think it should be the reverse order. 35 for master shots and 85mm for closeups.


Thanks again for this great guide, Adam!

So, which is it? Does HD cost more to produce a movie on



Hey Adam - It really all depends. If you are going to project theatrically on HD, and you are shooting on digital then it is very economical. You will still need to edit (costs money unless doing it yourself), color correct (costs money unless doing it yourself), and then you don't need to telecine it to get your footage onto film since you are projecting digitally.

If you are going to project on film and you start on HD, then you will need to pay 50 to 100k to get your footage transfered to film and you don't get the best of the best in color correction either this way.

Also, you do have to keep in mind that if you shoot on film, you now look like you are more serious. When you shoot on HD, then people may think that you are taking your parents HDV camera and filming in your back yard. When you say "I'm shooting on 35mm" people know you are investing a lot into this film and that you have confidence in the project.

If you start with film, you get dailies, processing, color correction, and an HD master for around 85k but then you also need to purchase the film in the first place which adds another 50 to 100k. Yeah, it gets expensive! BUT, you are showing your film at festivals on HD, but you've got a full copy on film in your back pocket. And you have a prospective buyer asking about your film and the person's film that is sitting next to you. You have your movie on film and the person next to you has it on HD. The buyer sees a savings if he buys from you because they don't need to pay for the transfer to film! You now have a step above the person next to you.





I think it should be the reverse order. 35 for master shots and 85mm for closeups.



Personally, I use a long lens for my masters and shoot from far away and zoom in, but you can always choose your own style. :)