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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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Yeah, that was it :-)
I've had a response from another company. It sounded good at first and now I'm finding it hard to follow. They asked for a CV and have replied saying they'll check it othe when they get back from a trade show the week after next. Simple enough, but each of their emails has included at lease one '!'. I'm not sure how to read it. I get the feeling their annoyed but maybe they're just really enthusiastic.
Anyway, haven't heard from the others yet so I don't know if it's their way of saying 'Nah, we don't like your work' or if they just haven't read it or need to show it to others etc. I also haven't heard back from that science video, which is disappointing.
EDIT: I looked into the trade show and turns out it's in Cannes for the duration of next week and everyone from the industry will be there. Which hopefully explains some of my lack of replies.
Anyway, haven't heard from the others yet so I don't know if it's their way of saying 'Nah, we don't like your work' or if they just haven't read it or need to show it to others etc. I also haven't heard back from that science video, which is disappointing.
EDIT: I looked into the trade show and turns out it's in Cannes for the duration of next week and everyone from the industry will be there. Which hopefully explains some of my lack of replies.
Communist Jim wrote:
> CDouch where do you get these E-Mail addresses from?
Various places. Here's one of the best:
[URL]http://www.4rfv.co.uk/fulllisting.asp?scategory=26[/URL]
Are you looking to get into writing or animating? There's a lot more animation places than those who need episode writers. AS in a lot just to TV idents etc.
> CDouch where do you get these E-Mail addresses from?
Various places. Here's one of the best:
[URL]http://www.4rfv.co.uk/fulllisting.asp?scategory=26[/URL]
Are you looking to get into writing or animating? There's a lot more animation places than those who need episode writers. AS in a lot just to TV idents etc.
Strafio wrote:
> I didn't find the Narrator very clear.
> A bit muffled and low in the mix.
> Apart from that it was alright...
That was recorded using the camcorder's inbuilt microphone, and dubbed in over the top using the editing software. Unfortunately the camcorder wasn't particularly good, so it didn't come out very clear.
In fact, by far the best equipment we had was the editing software - Adobe Premier 6, and also a good version of Photoshop. Having not used any editing software before, we were learning how to use this as we went along and so ended up, as CDouch pointed out, experimenting with various transitions, speeds, etc. Some worked quite well, others not so well.
As for license free music - I've no idea. We just used whatever songs were on our computers and were roughly appropriate. It was all a bit rough and really more of a learning process. I personally find it hard to watch now - it makes me cringe.
> I didn't find the Narrator very clear.
> A bit muffled and low in the mix.
> Apart from that it was alright...
That was recorded using the camcorder's inbuilt microphone, and dubbed in over the top using the editing software. Unfortunately the camcorder wasn't particularly good, so it didn't come out very clear.
In fact, by far the best equipment we had was the editing software - Adobe Premier 6, and also a good version of Photoshop. Having not used any editing software before, we were learning how to use this as we went along and so ended up, as CDouch pointed out, experimenting with various transitions, speeds, etc. Some worked quite well, others not so well.
As for license free music - I've no idea. We just used whatever songs were on our computers and were roughly appropriate. It was all a bit rough and really more of a learning process. I personally find it hard to watch now - it makes me cringe.
CDouch where do you get these E-Mail addresses from?
I didn't find the Narrator very clear.
A bit muffled and low in the mix.
Apart from that it was alright...
A bit muffled and low in the mix.
Apart from that it was alright...
For what it is and the the time/resources you had, it's not too bad. I've seen much worse.
Could have done with the ladies name on screen or said in the voice over but I don't want to sound like a tutor. Nice to see the usual student techniques of playing around with speed and transitions. Plus was that some of the glorious licence free music (I forget it's real name. The songs you don't need copyright clearence for) I heard?
To add to my earlier post - I've now heard from a third company. They've sent me the bible for one of their shows in development and have asked for episode ideas while they wait to see if it gets picked up by a channel. I'll give them one or two, then I'm asking for pay if they want more. I don't want to get screwed by them.
Could have done with the ladies name on screen or said in the voice over but I don't want to sound like a tutor. Nice to see the usual student techniques of playing around with speed and transitions. Plus was that some of the glorious licence free music (I forget it's real name. The songs you don't need copyright clearence for) I heard?
To add to my earlier post - I've now heard from a third company. They've sent me the bible for one of their shows in development and have asked for episode ideas while they wait to see if it gets picked up by a channel. I'll give them one or two, then I'm asking for pay if they want more. I don't want to get screwed by them.
Ah, a thread about film-making, eh?
[URL]http://www.youngheritage.org.uk/budleighsalterton/images/Raliegh3.wmv[/URL]
I made this about a year ago with a couple of friends for the local museam.
It's not great, given that we only had four days to write, storyboard, film and edit it before the equipment was packed up and sent off, but it was good fun and there are some good (as well as bad) ideas in there. Also bear in mind that some parts (such as the ridiculously epic credits), are obviously a joke, and the sound on this version is unfortunately out-of-sync.
Recently got myself a Canon 730i digital camcorder which takes DV tapes, and I'm doing some on and off filming of me and some mates free running around our local area.
It's all good fun, and directing/screenplay writing is something I'm definitely considering pursuing for HE. I have a friend who's doing a National Diploma in film-making for post-16, but I decided I'd like to do more general A Levels due to uncertainty.
[URL]http://www.youngheritage.org.uk/budleighsalterton/images/Raliegh3.wmv[/URL]
I made this about a year ago with a couple of friends for the local museam.
It's not great, given that we only had four days to write, storyboard, film and edit it before the equipment was packed up and sent off, but it was good fun and there are some good (as well as bad) ideas in there. Also bear in mind that some parts (such as the ridiculously epic credits), are obviously a joke, and the sound on this version is unfortunately out-of-sync.
Recently got myself a Canon 730i digital camcorder which takes DV tapes, and I'm doing some on and off filming of me and some mates free running around our local area.
It's all good fun, and directing/screenplay writing is something I'm definitely considering pursuing for HE. I have a friend who's doing a National Diploma in film-making for post-16, but I decided I'd like to do more general A Levels due to uncertainty.
I sent out an email to various animation production companies accross the UK today and have already received two replies, both asking to read examples of my work.
Now it's the hard part, waiting for the response. I'm expecting two rejection letters but still, at least I know people are interested in what I can do.
Now it's the hard part, waiting for the response. I'm expecting two rejection letters but still, at least I know people are interested in what I can do.
Paradox: wrote:
> I'm working a little in another media with my band
> [URL]http://www.purevolume.com/highdecline[/URL] trying to get gigs
> and stuff recorded. It's all fun :-)
Just checked it out. Not bad, the quality of the recordings not too great so I couldn't hear its full potential. Not really my taste in music but well done for actually seeing it through.
Have you played many gigs?
> I'm working a little in another media with my band
> [URL]http://www.purevolume.com/highdecline[/URL] trying to get gigs
> and stuff recorded. It's all fun :-)
Just checked it out. Not bad, the quality of the recordings not too great so I couldn't hear its full potential. Not really my taste in music but well done for actually seeing it through.
Have you played many gigs?
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