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FILM EDUCATION

Directing Fundamentals. Without a strong vision behind a story, a film will lose its focus. A film director needs to have an understanding of how each department contributes to the making of a film and how to best utilize the talents of all team members. The following 100 LEVEL blogs cover the role and responsibilities of a director in script development, pre-production, production, and post production. Read along to learn how to tell a story cinematically, use the camera as a tool, prepare a script analysis and engage in the casting and rehearsal process with actors.

December 11, 2020

ARRIVE PREPARED

December 11, 2020/ john pozer

“Arrive Prepared” is the number one comment from student filmmakers who have gone on to win awards for their school productions and carve a path into the industry after graduation.

Making a film requires passion and commitment. This can be a balancing act in film school because of time constraints and the academic requirements of other courses. Yet the goal for any serious film student is getting a good film completed during the program. Easier said than done!

From the first keystroke of your screenplay to your big-screen premiere, the shaping of the story and characters can take more time than a one-year film production program affords - especially if you rush in without ideas in hand.

Coming up with a good story for a short film that is feasible for production at the student level is the common challenge for every student filmmaker. Read that sentence again.

Solving this challenge - before you go to film school - will help you unlock your best film school experience.

If you want to get the best bang for your education buck, gather a handful of short film ideas and write them in script form before you write the cheque for your film school tuition fees.

Get feedback on your stories. Re-write them and show them to different readers. It doesn’t cost a lot. And it’s not necessary that everyone likes your stories. It’s important that you like them, and that you’ve taken the time to acknowledge your audience.

A good, do-able story is key. This can be a major stumbling block and the cause of endless frustration and sleepless nights - and it can be solved before Day One of film school. It takes a lot of time and effort to make a film, so you want to make it the best it can be. Planning ahead will help you produce work of merit.

Film schools offer you an opportunity to launch your creative career. The experience of directing, shooting, designing, or editing a good short film can wedge your foot in the door of a paying gig - which is helpful when you need to start covering your student loan payments.

The most important thing to learn from the student filmmakers who have gone before you is this: preparation is key.

The more prepared you are at every stage of the filmmaking event, the better.

Arrive prepared!

Especially for Day One of film school.

@21centuryfilm #21stcenturyfilmstudent