Will not having 'behind the scenes' sink me? at DVinfo.net

Nathan Quattrini · November 20th, 2007, 02:18 PM

I have been working hard for months on my first short films, and I'm wondering if not having behind the scenes footage etc on the DVD will make it hard to get anyone to care. Seems people pay more attention to how a film is made rather than the film itself. We have fight choreography progression videos and such, but no behind the scenes, don`t have anyone to run a camera for it since the crews are tiny. Have I shot myself in the foot?

Brian Drysdale · November 20th, 2007, 02:50 PM

If you're talking about short films, the usual place you're trying get attention is the festival circuit and there the selectors don't watch the behind the scenes videos, only the films.

If you've made a good short, no one cares about the behind the scenes. It only really works on a feature film that has enough substance to make a behind the scenes film worthwhile.

I know a series of short films made each year by a group and they also put together a behind the scenes film. But it's really only of interest to the filmmakers and their friends and they had a good laugh at the screening.

However, having good publicity stills is important. It's surprising how these are forgotten and producers have to grab frames from the film.

Richard Alvarez · November 20th, 2007, 02:59 PM

Brian is right. It's the publicity stills that will bite you if you've forgotten them. Most festivals will want some high quality stills. Frame grabs might work, but it's always better to grab some stuff on the set.

Don't worry about BTS footage on shorts. It's of interest only to other filmmakers and friends and family, for the most part.

Nathan Quattrini · November 20th, 2007, 03:11 PM

whew good to hear. Yea I had an SLR toting guy on the first film around set, the second short just using my old sony digital camera, hoping to get my friend with the slr back for the third. And hoping to get in some separate green screened 'character portrait' pics with him as well. Thanks for easing my mind guys. While ideally I`d like to do BTS its just not going to happen with my skeleton crew

Peter Wiley · November 20th, 2007, 03:29 PM

The behind the scenes thing was something that got started in the early days of DVDs as a marketing gimmick to help sell DVDs when they seemed kind of expensive . . . and it's still a selling point for more expensive DVDs or sets of DVDs . . . the lack of such a video on a short film is not likely to hurt you

November 20th, 2007, 02:18 PM	#1
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	Will not having 'behind the scenes' sink me? I have been working hard for months on my first short films, and I'm wondering if not having behind the scenes footage etc on the DVD will make it hard to get anyone to care. Seems people pay more attention to how a film is made rather than the film itself. We have fight choreography progression videos and such, but no behind the scenes, don`t have anyone to run a camera for it since the crews are tiny. Have I shot myself in the foot? __________________ Cinematography Site

November 20th, 2007, 03:11 PM	#4
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	whew good to hear. Yea I had an SLR toting guy on the first film around set, the second short just using my old sony digital camera, hoping to get my friend with the slr back for the third. And hoping to get in some separate green screened 'character portrait' pics with him as well. Thanks for easing my mind guys. While ideally I`d like to do BTS its just not going to happen with my skeleton crew __________________ Cinematography Site

November 20th, 2007, 02:50 PM	#2
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	If you're talking about short films, the usual place you're trying get attention is the festival circuit and there the selectors don't watch the behind the scenes videos, only the films. If you've made a good short, no one cares about the behind the scenes. It only really works on a feature film that has enough substance to make a behind the scenes film worthwhile. I know a series of short films made each year by a group and they also put together a behind the scenes film. But it's really only of interest to the filmmakers and their friends and they had a good laugh at the screening. However, having good publicity stills is important. It's surprising how these are forgotten and producers have to grab frames from the film.

November 20th, 2007, 02:59 PM	#3
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Brian is right. It's the publicity stills that will bite you if you've forgotten them. Most festivals will want some high quality stills. Frame grabs might work, but it's always better to grab some stuff on the set. Don't worry about BTS footage on shorts. It's of interest only to other filmmakers and friends and family, for the most part.

November 20th, 2007, 03:29 PM	#5
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	The behind the scenes thing was something that got started in the early days of DVDs as a marketing gimmick to help sell DVDs when they seemed kind of expensive . . . and it's still a selling point for more expensive DVDs or sets of DVDs . . . the lack of such a video on a short film is not likely to hurt you