Nowadays, the question of “How do I make a movie?” is a lot easier than ever before. Who would have though, say 20 years ago, that you could make your own short film on a phone? Of course, a 10 minute “movie” shot on your iPhone may not get nominated for an Academy Award, but it’s closer to the real thing than you might think. Anything that gets you in the habit of pointing a camera and shooting at something is a step closer to making you a filmmaker!
This video talks a little about the basic equipment you need to make an independent film. I’m not sure when this video was uploaded, but when he says that you have to spend at least $500 for a camera, that’s no longer true. Of course, you should get as good a camcorder as you can afford, but if you can only afford one that costs $100, start with that!
If you’re wondering how to make an indie film, it’s not that hard nowadays. The best strategy is to start practicing making very short films, even if you have to use your smart phone. Then get a decent but not very expensive camcorder and start making ones that are a bit longer. You shouldn’t have trouble finding at least amateur talent, as everybody wants to be a star.
If you want to learn from experts, you may want to consider going to film school. The Hollywood reporter recently published the 2011 Film School Rankings. At the top of the list is the American Film Institute, followed by the University of Southern California.
There are now many resources for indie filmmakers, whether you want to do it yourself from scratch, take a weekend workshop or go to a bona fide film school.
Of course, once you’ve made your indie film you want to have it seen. There are all kinds of guerilla marketing tactics you can use to get publicity for your own film. In the following video, Lloyd Kaufman discusses his book, “Sell Your Own Damn Movie!” in a four part video of a talk he gave at Strand Books in New York City.
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