Digital SLR Video and Filmmaking For Dummies

21

Ten Ways to Improve Your Filmmaking Skills

In This Chapter

Remembering the fundamentals

Making better movies: some pointers

As Jean Renoir once said, “A director makes only one movie in his life, then he breaks it into pieces and makes it again.”

I suppose being a great filmmaker and descendant of the great impressionist artist doesn’t mean you always speak with a gender-sensitive tongue, but the director of The Grand Illusion does make a valid point. Although his quote is subject to interpretation, it’s not off the mark to say it means that filmmakers learn how to make movies by making movies: sort of like finding that thing you do and doing it better and better. But in order to make the next movie better, you have to continually find way to improve your skills.

In this chapter, I break down the top ten things you should consider to make the best possible movie. Unlike the one from The Late Show with David Letterman, this top ten list doesn’t come in any specific order. It’s just about making a good movie.

Plan Your Shoot

You wouldn’t build a house without plans, so why would you try that with your movie? Whether you’re making a feature film, shooting a music ...