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For the last two months I’ve been living off a tiny, tiny amount of money. I decided to pack in my weekend job at Woolies and live this life. I can’t really complain about not being able to go out as much or buy any DVD’s anymore, as it was my choice. I decided to become a filmmaker.
After leaving college I was on a desperate search to find work in the harsh world that is the Media industry. I wrote off to loads and loads of companies asking for work or even just a short experience placement. Sadly I didn’t hear anything apart from a request for my show reel, which didn’t go anywhere. One of these companies was Creative Gold, a local video production business. While looking on their website, I noticed they were going into production of their first feature film ‘The Jigsaw of Life’. I hoped this would mean they’d need more staff, but they never contacted me.
Then one day while reading through a Shooting People (an online community for filmmakers) newsletter I noticed an advert for unpaid crew on a film…The Jigsaw of Life. I answered the ad and the next day was in the local Café Bonjour discussing the film. I didn’t want to take on too much responsibility and as of yet, I don’t have an area of expertise. So I was taken on as a Production Assistant. Here I am, eighteen years old and I’ve already achieved my dream…kinda.
The film was still very much in the early stages of pre-production so it would be a couple of months before my services would be needed. Around the middle of July I was called up and asked to come and help out with the auditions. This was a great experience in itself. Not only was I sat on the judges panel watching these actors, I was also filming them and read lines for a few scenes. I’m not an actor, I can’t act at all and I had to stand there, maintaining eye contact with these professional actors and having to give them enough to work off. Some of these scenes involved shouting and violence, so I had to also stand there and be shouted at and pushed around while still looking them in the eye. I also spent some time working the reception area, which was cool as I got to really talk to the actors.
Filming began on the 27th August but I was away getting drunk in a muddy field, sleeping in a tent, and watching some great bands at Reading that weekend. So I didn’t join the production until the following weekend. That Saturday my day started at 4am. Up before the sun, to be at the directors house by 5:30am. It was so early as we were filming at a pub and had to be out by opening time at 11am. After meeting a lot of new people and shaking more hands than I ever have in my life, we set off to start filming. My job as PA meant I’m the guy who does the stuff no one else can/wants to do. So the day consisted of me and my fellow PA, Pete, holding the boom (the long stick that holds the microphone), carrying and setting up equipment, and I took the role of an extra in one scene. It was a long shoot as we had a lot of scenes to cover, some of which took some working out including a fight where the bad guy ends up in a river. After filming, it was to the director’s fiancée’s house for a BBQ. My Dad came and picked me up and I got home just before twelve. It was the longest and hardest days work I’ve ever done and I wasn’t even being paid to do it! It sure was fun though and I now know it’s defiantly what I want to do with my life.
Over the next few weekends we filmed at Oxford University (just after Harry Potter was done with it), various fields, houses, and last week at a Polo club. Here we filmed a party scene where I was again an extra, but this time in the main shot standing behind the lead actor. Not too shabby. I even got the girlfriend in the shot too. The actors are all very cool and I’m sure I’ll call some of them up when I get the money together to make my own film. I’ve always seen actors as those annoying performing arts students who sing, shout, and constantly call attention to themselves. But turns out, they’re people too. It such a good atmosphere on set and most of the time we find ourselves sitting around talking about films and all kinds of stuff like you do with your best friends. We spend around twelve or so hours together a day, so we’ve all grown pretty close. Everyone’s there for the right reason. No one’s being paid, we’re all just there to make a film. It’s about the art, not the money. If it does ever make and money then we get a share of the profits, but that’s a long time away from possibly happening.
My job has also been to film behind the scenes footage and take still photos. I’ve filmed about three hours worth of footage and two hundred pictures. Pete (the other PA) was going to edit it all together and make a documentary for the bonus features of the DVD. But he had a fall out with the director (we haven’t been told why) and is no longer involved with the production, leaving me to do the editing. Kick ass. So now when the filming finishes on Wednesday, I’ll still be able to do something constructive.
I now need to get back to working a ‘real’ job which looks set to be my local Blockbuster store. I’ve been living off the bare minimum and have accumulated a £200 debt but it’s all been worth it. If I’d stayed in Woolworths, what would I have to show for it besides a discount card and a bit of spending money? From this film, I’ll have a finished piece that I can keep forever, show people, and be proud of. So many people want to do this kind of work and never will, so I couldn’t have turned down my chance. What better time to chase your dreams than when your young and have no responsibilities? I’ve followed my dreams and this is only the beginning.
So to all you people who would love to get involved with this kind of work, it is possible. It's going on everywhere, all the time. You just have to get yourself out there and find it. I now also have a book of contacts, which I'm sure we'll make it easier to find work in the future.
I’ll keep you posted on the film. We’re obviously hoping for a theatrical release but I think a straight to DVD is more likely. I also hear that if there’s no distribution deal, it’s almost defiantly going on the BBC. I hope for the best as the better it does, the better it is for me and all the others who have worked so hard.
After leaving college I was on a desperate search to find work in the harsh world that is the Media industry. I wrote off to loads and loads of companies asking for work or even just a short experience placement. Sadly I didn’t hear anything apart from a request for my show reel, which didn’t go anywhere. One of these companies was Creative Gold, a local video production business. While looking on their website, I noticed they were going into production of their first feature film ‘The Jigsaw of Life’. I hoped this would mean they’d need more staff, but they never contacted me.
Then one day while reading through a Shooting People (an online community for filmmakers) newsletter I noticed an advert for unpaid crew on a film…The Jigsaw of Life. I answered the ad and the next day was in the local Café Bonjour discussing the film. I didn’t want to take on too much responsibility and as of yet, I don’t have an area of expertise. So I was taken on as a Production Assistant. Here I am, eighteen years old and I’ve already achieved my dream…kinda.
The film was still very much in the early stages of pre-production so it would be a couple of months before my services would be needed. Around the middle of July I was called up and asked to come and help out with the auditions. This was a great experience in itself. Not only was I sat on the judges panel watching these actors, I was also filming them and read lines for a few scenes. I’m not an actor, I can’t act at all and I had to stand there, maintaining eye contact with these professional actors and having to give them enough to work off. Some of these scenes involved shouting and violence, so I had to also stand there and be shouted at and pushed around while still looking them in the eye. I also spent some time working the reception area, which was cool as I got to really talk to the actors.
Filming began on the 27th August but I was away getting drunk in a muddy field, sleeping in a tent, and watching some great bands at Reading that weekend. So I didn’t join the production until the following weekend. That Saturday my day started at 4am. Up before the sun, to be at the directors house by 5:30am. It was so early as we were filming at a pub and had to be out by opening time at 11am. After meeting a lot of new people and shaking more hands than I ever have in my life, we set off to start filming. My job as PA meant I’m the guy who does the stuff no one else can/wants to do. So the day consisted of me and my fellow PA, Pete, holding the boom (the long stick that holds the microphone), carrying and setting up equipment, and I took the role of an extra in one scene. It was a long shoot as we had a lot of scenes to cover, some of which took some working out including a fight where the bad guy ends up in a river. After filming, it was to the director’s fiancée’s house for a BBQ. My Dad came and picked me up and I got home just before twelve. It was the longest and hardest days work I’ve ever done and I wasn’t even being paid to do it! It sure was fun though and I now know it’s defiantly what I want to do with my life.
Over the next few weekends we filmed at Oxford University (just after Harry Potter was done with it), various fields, houses, and last week at a Polo club. Here we filmed a party scene where I was again an extra, but this time in the main shot standing behind the lead actor. Not too shabby. I even got the girlfriend in the shot too. The actors are all very cool and I’m sure I’ll call some of them up when I get the money together to make my own film. I’ve always seen actors as those annoying performing arts students who sing, shout, and constantly call attention to themselves. But turns out, they’re people too. It such a good atmosphere on set and most of the time we find ourselves sitting around talking about films and all kinds of stuff like you do with your best friends. We spend around twelve or so hours together a day, so we’ve all grown pretty close. Everyone’s there for the right reason. No one’s being paid, we’re all just there to make a film. It’s about the art, not the money. If it does ever make and money then we get a share of the profits, but that’s a long time away from possibly happening.
My job has also been to film behind the scenes footage and take still photos. I’ve filmed about three hours worth of footage and two hundred pictures. Pete (the other PA) was going to edit it all together and make a documentary for the bonus features of the DVD. But he had a fall out with the director (we haven’t been told why) and is no longer involved with the production, leaving me to do the editing. Kick ass. So now when the filming finishes on Wednesday, I’ll still be able to do something constructive.
I now need to get back to working a ‘real’ job which looks set to be my local Blockbuster store. I’ve been living off the bare minimum and have accumulated a £200 debt but it’s all been worth it. If I’d stayed in Woolworths, what would I have to show for it besides a discount card and a bit of spending money? From this film, I’ll have a finished piece that I can keep forever, show people, and be proud of. So many people want to do this kind of work and never will, so I couldn’t have turned down my chance. What better time to chase your dreams than when your young and have no responsibilities? I’ve followed my dreams and this is only the beginning.
So to all you people who would love to get involved with this kind of work, it is possible. It's going on everywhere, all the time. You just have to get yourself out there and find it. I now also have a book of contacts, which I'm sure we'll make it easier to find work in the future.
I’ll keep you posted on the film. We’re obviously hoping for a theatrical release but I think a straight to DVD is more likely. I also hear that if there’s no distribution deal, it’s almost defiantly going on the BBC. I hope for the best as the better it does, the better it is for me and all the others who have worked so hard.
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Whitestripes DX wrote:
> I'm writing a film.
>
> I've scripted the first 10 minutes and now I'm going back to do them
> as storyboards before moving to the next scene.
What's it about?
> I'm writing a film.
>
> I've scripted the first 10 minutes and now I'm going back to do them
> as storyboards before moving to the next scene.
What's it about?
Paradox: wrote:
> Oh and gamesfreak - so am I.
Heh.
Media at A2 is cool, I'm really looking forward to filming this trailer, it should be fun.
> Oh and gamesfreak - so am I.
Heh.
Media at A2 is cool, I'm really looking forward to filming this trailer, it should be fun.
Mav wrote:
> What's it about?
I'll let him say, but i dont think it's what you will be expecting.
> What's it about?
I'll let him say, but i dont think it's what you will be expecting.
It involves the most fantastic groups of people ever.
Just think of the types of person you idolise, and your there.
Just think of the types of person you idolise, and your there.
It's umm..about World War II. It's of a genre I like to call 'Fact Fiction'. I'm not prepared to say more about it for a while, I need to write some more as although I've planned what happens, I don't know how it's going to happen yet.
I've got two other films ready to start writing as well.
I just type it in Word, I have no idea what Final Draft is. Actually, I know nothing of the film industry at all, I just sat down at 1am last Tuesday and started writing a film I thought would be cool.
It's spreading through my Sixth Form though..
I've got two other films ready to start writing as well.
I just type it in Word, I have no idea what Final Draft is. Actually, I know nothing of the film industry at all, I just sat down at 1am last Tuesday and started writing a film I thought would be cool.
It's spreading through my Sixth Form though..
Good on you.
I did music at college, but as one of the modules was writing for film we had to make a short film (which I wrote and directed.)
It was godawful, but making it was a huge laff.
I did music at college, but as one of the modules was writing for film we had to make a short film (which I wrote and directed.)
It was godawful, but making it was a huge laff.
Well the film finished a week or so ago and I thought it would be back to my normal life of searching for work. And his has been, but I also got a phone call from my old Film Studies tutor. His friend is directing his next short film, and my tutor suggested he got me to help out. Shooting starts next Sunday. It's truly amazing how things just happen with this filmmaking lark.
It sounds like a much more solid production with a crew who do this stuff for a living (instead of students and amatuers like with the last film) and the focus puller even worked on Eyes Wide Shut. I'll be sure to bring my contact book along for this one. Apparently the director has made four shorts before, all of which (I think) have won awards and have been loved by critics. So hopefully this one will get a good response too. I'm worried I may have forgotton his name though. I've written it down as Simon Pegg, but am now starting to wonder if I got that confused with someone a bit more famous. Maybe they share a name and I'll be okay.
It's only until the Thursday but hopefully something will follow soon after again. I've also got the behind the scenes documentary to edit for the last film when the director lends me his DV camera so I can load the footage onto my computer.
It sounds like a much more solid production with a crew who do this stuff for a living (instead of students and amatuers like with the last film) and the focus puller even worked on Eyes Wide Shut. I'll be sure to bring my contact book along for this one. Apparently the director has made four shorts before, all of which (I think) have won awards and have been loved by critics. So hopefully this one will get a good response too. I'm worried I may have forgotton his name though. I've written it down as Simon Pegg, but am now starting to wonder if I got that confused with someone a bit more famous. Maybe they share a name and I'll be okay.
It's only until the Thursday but hopefully something will follow soon after again. I've also got the behind the scenes documentary to edit for the last film when the director lends me his DV camera so I can load the footage onto my computer.
I've uh..aquired Final Draft 6. Yay.
Now I can start using it to write my proper film, it's about a guy with DID and loads of stuff happens.
Now I can start using it to write my proper film, it's about a guy with DID and loads of stuff happens.
Final Draft 6 is the way to go. I use the same as I hear 7 is full of bugs and I couldn't be bothered to deal with it's problems.
Have you played about with the script reading feature yet? Very amusing.
Have you played about with the script reading feature yet? Very amusing.
Not yet, only got a working version yesterday thanks to Azul. It looks pretty complicated actually so it might take the next few days to get it figured out.
What are you writing about at the moment?
What are you writing about at the moment?
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