Lean Filmmaking: Turn Your Vision into a Short Film

Lean Filmmaking: Turn Your Vision into a Short Film

“Here we are at the end of the course – but this is just the beginning of your filmmaking journey! My goal with this course was to demystify filmmaking and help you acquire the tools and confidence you need to tell a meaningful story with as little as possible. Don’t stop here, though: keep working and experimenting, and you’ll get better and better with every project. Let me remind you the most important steps you have to take in order to complete this and any other project you might have. Find a story idea and write a script Build the habit of collecting every bit of inspiration from the best source material at your disposal: your life. Many short stories are simple life’s observations, or anecdotes. Of course, you can also read and use research as a way to generate ideas.

Create your concept book The more realistic your concept book is, the better, as it shows that you have thought your story through and that your vision is actually something you could achieve. That creates a sense of trust and it's the base for getting people on board. So, use it to build your squad, including the actor(s). Find your location It's really helpful to look for locations together with your squad and to take as many pictures as possible. Visit your potential filming sets several times, to anticipate possible issues, and think in terms of composition while observing them, as if your location was a theater stage. Create a storyboard and a shot list Break down your script into scenes and shots, and create a list of all the shots you need for cutaways to place emphasis on a line or reaction. A storyboard helps win time on set, and it's also a powerful communication tool between the crew members. Go out and shoot Before you start filming, there are some basics you need to cover. Check if everything is fine: weather, production design, street blocking, catering, water, snacks, and security. Review the equipment and camera setup. Then you can start shooting! All the tools and materials you have prepared previously will come in very handy. Remember to use your concept book! But also be ready to improvise if needed. Edit your short film Edit quickly, preferably the next day of your shoot. This helps understand the mistakes and the strength of your film project as well as correct some inconsistencies. I strongly advise you to learn the basics of editing – it's a tremendous skill set for every filmmaker, as it informs many of your decisions during production. Don't forget to create the sound for your short! Keep track of your progress with different pictures of each step. Once your project is ready, share your short as well as the pictures of your project's evolution in the forum. You can do so by clicking on "Create your project". Use the forum to tell me about your experience and share your questions, doubts, and ideas. I also encourage you to help and give advice to other students in this course. I look forward to seeing your work! Thank you once again for coming on this journey with me. See you soon! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“This is the end of this course. Thank you for joining. My goal was to demystify filmmaking and help you understand the tools of telling a meaningful story. Remember, Filmmaking is a collaborative art form, and your role as a filmmaker is not to shout on set, but to consolidate. and convey vision and spy routine. Build your squad, a team you trust, that will help you carry on your vision into the world. It will help you identify loopholes in your story and refine your project. And with a multidisciplinary crew. you will be able to count on them. On every stage of the filmmaking process. As a...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Lean Filmmaking: Turn Your Vision into a Short Film

• Level: Beginner
• 91% positive reviews (34)
• 2545 students
• 5 units
• 18 lessons (2h 21m)
• 9 downloads

• Category

  Photography & Video

• Software

  DaVinci Resolve

• Areas

  Audiovisual Production, Film, Filmmaking, Script, Video