There is a lot to learn when it comes to film-making. Here is my list of the biggest mistakes filmmakers make.
Bad Story
Too many times, film-makers worry about the technical ways of making a film and abandon developing the story. Why focus so much on making a film without focusing on make sure the story is something that will captivate and audience. Does your story have a beginning, middle, and end. Is there conflict and resolution of some sort. Is your story predictable? Are your characters developed. These are just a few things that you want to think about when your thinking about story.
Bad Audio
Bad audio is a clear sign that the filmmaker is an amateur. You could have sub par visuals and great audio and people will still be able to make it through your film. It doesn’t work the other way around. This includes voices, music, and natural sounds. Whether is capturing great audio on the day or doing ADR (audio dialogue replacement), you need to make sure that audio isn’t the thing you skimp on.
Production Design
Production Design consist of a lot of things. From the locations you pick to the wardrobe and makeup, production design can give your project a big budget look. Most film students over look production design and their projects consist of stories taking place in small apartments with white walls. I was totally there when I was in film school.
Bad Casting
Your twenty year old best friend won’t ever be the police chief. 90% of directing is casting. Picking the right actor or actress for the job is one of the most important things you can do. You are trusting them to bring your story to life. Great actors develop characters in a way that adds depth and dimension. Sometimes these additions may not be written in a script, but help give the character motivation.
Editing
Editing can help tell your story and ultimately improve the quality of your film. Editing can also take away from your story and it’s very important to know what decisions to make on the cutting room floor to ensure that you are maintaining the integrity of the project. This is when having a clear vision and making sure that vision carries through to the end of production is important.
Cinematography
The way your film looks has a lot to do with the cinematography. Finding the right cinematographer to visualize your story may seem like a daunting task. Cinematography takes time to master. Knowing what to look for in a cinematographer is very important.