Would using a star filter for cinematography be too weird?

[Brian Drysdale]

It's up to you to test any filter options, there are a number of filter manufacturers. Here's one streak filter.

Schneider Clear True Streak Filter Test on Vimeo

[John Nantz]

In spooky movies, one typically sees a start filter used when videoing someone with a flashlight walking down the stairs into the basement with cobwebs around, or peering into the attic.

[Paul R Johnson]

Yep - torches never do what they do in real life!

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by John Nantz

In spooky movies, one typically sees a start filter used when videoing someone with a flashlight walking down the stairs into the basement with cobwebs around, or peering into the attic.

Yeah that will work for mine. I thought I could also use it for streetlights at night as well.

[Brian Drysdale]

Star filters on street lights aren't that spooky.

[Josh Bass]

what if, inside the star, you saw THE FACE OF YOUR DEAD GRANDFATHER??????

[Brian Drysdale]

Might if he was a 1970s glam rocker!!

[Ryan Elder]

When it comes to how I handle approaching filmmaking, another fellow filmmaker I worked with before, told me that I keep trying to do everything and be a jack of all trades, instead of mastering any.

He said that if I want to become a director, than I should stick to directing. Leave, the camera duties to a DP, sound to sound, let set designers, design the set, etc, and just direct, and have departments do everything else. Then my skills have a better chance of shining if I try to master one skill, and job, rather than want try to master everything.

Do you think he has a point?

[Josh Bass]

Hasnt every single person here been telling you that in every single thread?

[Ryan Elder]

Oh well I was told before that I should take on videography jobs and be a one man band though, which I find difficult to be a one man band though. Unless I should just do directing only and forget about one man band jobs.

[Josh Bass]

I think we're talking about two different things.

If you're trying to do whatever you can to make a living in a film-related industry, i.e. video production, then the one-man band jobs are about the lowest place you can start other than interning or getting an entry level job at a video production company. This in no way guarantees (and it is pretty unlikely) you will ever get close to feature filmmaking...you could be doing weddings, corporate videos, training videos, commercials, etc. forever. But at least you would (theoretically) be making money/a living doing something vaguely related to your field of interest.

If you're trying to make your own films, then probably not focusing on mastering booming techniques and whatever else and focusing solely at getting better at directing, and everything that entails, would be the way to go. This may mean you make zero money and never get anywhere but at least you'd be focusing on what you want and not hacking away at the outermost edges of that world the way you'd be in videography.

[Brian Drysdale]

If you wish to get into drama directing and you don't have a range of skills in other areas, assuming you're not doing this as a hobby, you need to be in a location that will get you entry directing jobs. These days that's TV or productions intended for streaming services, this probably involves initially getting work in a job somewhere in the production side of things, location management or 3rd assistant director is not that unusual.

This is because you're an unknown quantity as a director and currently have the skill levels of a trainee. If you wish to process to that level you either go to the Canadian equivalent of the National Film & TV School in the UK or work your way up getting experience and building up contacts on various productions. You can direct your own drama films in the mean time, but best regard them as practice pieces, rather than productions you'll make a profit from.

You can also keep writing scripts, but you need to have your own voice in them and not writing by numbers.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

From everything you tell us you don't sound like you have the aptitude to be a director. Every time you take these small jobs you're never in charge and you avoid directing duties. And when it comes to feature film projects you want to co-direct because again you're not comfortable with the primary duty of a director (working with the actors). Whether it's a feature film or small commercial work require you to think on your feet which you don't do well. You seem to have the desire to do things you don't have the aptitude to do. It make more sense to get a job for an organization doing a simpler specific task and do the film stuff on the weekends with your friends for fun.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay is it just the martial arts small job, or other small jobs as well? I never thought I was uncomfortable working with actors. I am always happy to work with actors. It's just I was told the performances were not good so I am wanting to improve in that area, but I never thought I was uncomfortable doing it. If I don't have the aptitude, then perhaps I can try developing my aptitude.

[Brian Drysdale]

If you want to improve performances, short films are the place to that, not a feature film, which brings it's own pressures. You can go for a longer short, however, greater length reduces the chances of being selected for festivals, although you could aim at the commercial half hour TV slot length that a number of successful shorts have used,