Welcome BHS students!

Today was the first informational meeting about the BHS after-school filmmaking club. 6 or 7 students showed up in the cafeteria who were interested in the program. Hopefully more will join us as we get going this fall. We'll be meeting at VCAM on Friday afternoons after school.

Any BHS students coming here for the first time, this blog is also a resource for the intro to filmmaking class I'm teaching at CCV this semester. BHS students, meet the CCV students -- CCV students, meet the BHS students! Feel free to introduce yourselves in the comments.

-Bill

DIY filmmaking tutorials: rule of thirds

Jemma from the CCV class was kind enough to pass along a link to indymogul.com. It looks like a great resource for all sorts of fun filmmaking tips and projects. I was pleased to find a short video tutorial about the rule of thirds there. You'll hear me go on about picture composition later in the semester, but this is a great starting point. Check it out...


Framing and Composition from Videopia on Vimeo.

inspiration.

You can learn camera techniques and you can get your hands on all the coolest hi-def gear and you can apply nifty visual effects in post-production, but whether you're shooting your films with a Red One Digital Imaging System or with a Fisher-Price PixelVision Camera, the basis for your project is still the story you're telling. Without that fundamental piece being worth something, all the bells and whistles in the world won't make your film any good.

So how do we come up with good ideas that are worth telling? How does one even begin to think of a story? Sometimes we just need a little push. Below I'm posting some images I found online. I'm posting them without comment. Maybe they'll spark some creative ideas for you. Maybe they will give you ideas for shots.

What's your idea?

September!

Fall has fallen. Students are back in school and the weather is getting pleasantly cool. This time of year makes me feel all industrious and creative. It's time to start telling some stories using pictures and sound.

To get us all in the right mood, here is a video featuring This American Life producer, Ira Glass, discussing storytelling in media. Whether you're a veteran movie maker or just starting out, this is inspiring stuff. Check it out...