TwoCents | An Indie Filmmaker Guide To Making Your First Film

I’ve had quite a journey in the world of filmmaking; making a ton of mistakes and learning along the way. One thing I realized is, I never quite got proper guidance on how to go about shooting a film, and just dived into it like the weyrey that I am! *chuckles*Honestly, if I had more guidance, I would have made fewer errors with my first attempt.Therefore, this is a mini “Nollywood Indie Filmmaker Guide To Shooting That First Film” that nobody asked for, but I will share anyway. The nuggets of filmmaking wisdom I’m sharing here, are not set in stone, as different movie makers have their own unique styles, but these are the general principles, and you simply add your own touch when you’re making your own film.  A brief history:About 3-4 years ago, I transitioned from acting to filmmaking, teaming up with a former friend to produce as well as star in a short film. Sadly, we encountered numerous challenges, from lack of proper preparation to a vision-less, unreliable DP. Despite our efforts, the film was never released. Fast forward to four years later, I tried my hand at filmmaking again. And this time, directed and produced it, learning from past mishaps. It turned out great. Experience was the best teacher in my case, and if you’re embarking on your own journey, here are some of the steps to take… you’re welcome!Get a good script: start by crafting a strong script that fits your budget, keeping characters, locations, and effects manageable. My short film had only three characters and we literally used one location, but because the plot was unique and interesting, it worked. So keep it simple here, where you can. Don’t go and be forming Kemi Adetiba when your budget is only #500,000. Plan meticulously before shooting: pre-production is very important. Infact it’s just as important as the actual production. Draw up a budget and schedule your production well. You’ll probably not be able to afford an AD, and a few other crew members for that matter. I couldn’t even get a continuity person on my budget, and that is one mistake I’ll never make again. But it is almost impossible as a producer with little money, to afford all the crew you need. I didn’t have an Ad as aforementioned, a continuity person and a host of other key crew members, so my partner and I had to do the budgeting and scheduling ourselves, and a bazillion other things. You will wear many hats on your set, know this and know peace! Make you sha no faint, cos it’s a lot of work!  Get an efficient crew:Surround yourself with skilled individuals who can work within your budget, especially a cameraman/woman who knows his or her onions. If you’re a church mouse like me, and nor get money to pay crew, sha get the ones that you can’t do without. Let them be more experienced than you. It’s your first time, so surround yourself with people with more expertise and don’t be an ITK when you’re just starting out. Make you nor go shoot nonsense. Also focus on using simple equipment like basic cameras, lights, and sound tools, and consider creating your own sets on a budget. Time is precious, so rehearse thoroughly and have contingency plans in place.  Learn as many filmmaking skills: knowing how to do many things on set will save you the trouble of getting people you have to pay to do these things. Knowing how to edit, for instance means you can edit your film yourself. Remember, when you’re just starting, the key is to literally make a movie on a shoe string budget. So develop your gaffer, sound mixing and editing skills if you can find the time, although It will mean more work for you, but if you’re an obsessive DIYer you go dey alright! For reference, read Robert Rodriguez’s “Rebel Without A Crew” book on solo filmmaking and you’ll see just how daring filmmakers can be. Maximize the people you know and places you have access to:While making my second short film, I cast a family member so I didn’t have to pay them. The good thing was, they could act and as a matter of fact have acted before, so that definitely helped! I also got favors, which meant spending less money on certain things that would have cost me goodness knows how much. Seek out inexpensive or free shooting locations as well. Example: with my first and second films, we got free places to shoot. With my second film, I used my living room, so you can find ways to be creative with your locations as well, and if you have a close friend or family who owns an air b&b, getting a good rate for it or even for free, will save you cost. Get creative and find ways to get as many things for free or next-to-nothing, but without compromising on quality.Raising funds:To raise money, tap into your network. Church, school, work, family, friends and acquaintances. If this is your passion, sell yourself. If you’re lucky enough to have people in your corner, you can raise money by approaching and appealing to them. If your papa na Otedola, better for you! For post-production, utilize affordable editing software and seek out inexpensive or royalty-free music. Pixabay and YouTube are my best-friends for this, though with YouTube you may sometimes need to credit the producer of the sound and that can be tricky. Once your film is ready, submit it to as many festivals and share it online via social media. Remember, a compelling story, thinking on your feet and an experienced team who share your passion and vision, can make your film shine regardless of budget constraints. Lastly, prepare for it to suck. Expect to make mistakes and not be satisfied with your work. E dey happen! Like me, you’ll learn the hard way sometimes, and you’ll do better as you keep going, but make sure to keep going regardless because nothing beats experience! Now, go shoot your first film! And best believe I’m rooting for you!

More insights from Belinda Chiazor