What I Wish I'd Been Told in Film School

As a service to the young filmmakers who submit films to the YoungCuts Film Festival, we will be featuring weekly filmmaking tips from YoungCuts Alumni, Partners and Friends. 

#12. Treat your cast and crew well and they will do the same to you

• Always have a variety of healthy food on set and have crew take breaks together
• Always give your cast and crew 12 hours between shooting days
• Always make shoots short enough that payment by working on their films seems like reasonable compensation

#11. Treat your film like a small business - just in case you make a profit!

• Always ensure all release forms, permits, and contracts have been signed before production begins
• Always use the cheapest option to achieve the best results
• Never let one person assume all the risk
• Always ensure financial and creative decisions are made by different people

#10. The shortest, simplest scripts make the best short films

• Always make your script as short as possible
• Always keep your locations to as few as possible
• Always keep your film’s focus on as few characters and themes as possible

#9. Become friends with actors and production crew

• Always know that every social interaction is a potential networking opportunity
• Always keep in touch with actors and crew between productions
• Always begin your cast, crew, and equipment search with your closest friends and colleagues

#8. Not everyone who wants to work on your film should work on your film

• Always interview people rigourously before hiring them as cast or crew
• Always hire people you already trust
• It’s always easier to fire people in pre-production than to cheat their mistakes in post-production

#7. Produce your film backwards

• Always decide on your final presentation method before deciding anything else
• Always hire your editor, composer, colourist, audio mixer, and promotional artist during pre-production
• Never begin production before every related aspect has been organized, funded, and decided

#6. If you hear “It’ll be tight, but it’ll work”, run!

• Always keep a large contingency fund
• Always plan ahead to avoid costly mistakes
• Always allow for plenty of time to film each scene (and then more time!)

#5. The film you want to make and the film you can make are the same film

• Always embrace the idea that working with less leads to better ideas
• Never get married to an idea, but also never give up too easily
• Never lose sight of the essential theme of your film

#4. Not everyone wants to see your film; but there’s always someone – and they will love it

• Always target your films to specific audiences (and know them ahead of time)
• Always seek support from existing fans before looking for new fans
• Your parents are the only people who will always want to see your films

#3. Your first, second, or even third film will never be your best film

• Always understand that filmmaking is a difficult, complex, and costly process that requires a great deal of stamina and experience
• Always understand that your film can only be as good as the experience you have and the only way to make better films is to get more experience
• Never believe that THIS film will be THE film that will make you a famous director/producer/actor

#2. You are a professional artist; start acting like one

• Never spend your own money on a film, unless you believe you will make a profit
• Always find new ways to earn an income from your artistic talents
• If someone asks you what you do for a living, always tell them you are a professional artist

#1. Learn to love all aspects of making films (or don’t make films at all)

• Always make productions with as little stress as possible
• Always work with people who agree with the above statement
• Never believe that making films is more important than your friends and family

Adam Bentley is a filmmaker from Edmonton. His film Call of the City was in our Top 150 International Short Films for 2012. Follow Adam on Twitter: @adambentley_fpu

This post is based on one originally presented on the #yegfilm Blog. 

Agree with Adam? Disagree? Have your own filmmaker tips, best practices or mistakes to avoid that you would like to share? Get in touch! E-Mail the YoungCuts Film Festival Director, Michael Ryan: Mike@YoungCuts.com