Filmmaking 101: 5 things to know before venturing into filmmaking

A few years after getting into the mix, I realised that there were a number of things that may not necessarily be taught in classes and would be learnt on the field, but sometimes these things mess up production.

Here is why I’ve created a list of things I think every budding filmmaker should know as they decide to wear the hat…Or the jacket. So, If you’re new to filmmaking and want to avoid some common beginner mistakes, here you go:

1) Things never go as planned

No matter how much you plan ahead, things will definitely derail and fluctuate the plan – This is concrete. One of your best assets as a filmmaker is going to be flexibility and resiliency as you put up with the unexpected.

2) Filmmaking is a collaborative process

Don’t ever try to stand out from the rest. Rather, trying to ensure that there’s a synergy between all the departments.

It might be difficult to work with people at first, but as a filmmaker, it is imperative that you learn how to work with a different make-up of people. Filmmaking is never a ME thing. Every department is important

3) Don’t push what you can fix on set to Post-production

“We’ll fix it in post” – This has to be one of the biggest mistakes filmmakers make. Editors are not magicians, there’s a limit to what they can “fix” while editing. If you can shoot it on set, NEVER push it to post-production.

Remember what I said about every department being important to the delivery of a good film? Sound is super important. Many up-and-coming filmmakers tend to overlook this aspect and it always ends up ruining the production.

Except it’s a Charlie Chaplin type of production, sound is important. Having good sound is more important than having good visuals.

Many newbies romanticise the idea of filmmaking and they get so caught in the web of visual aesthetics that they forget that their primary aim is to tell a story.

NEVER let this be you. The story should be your focus at every point in time.