GETTING INTO GEAR...

I wanted to start this year from the top trying to cover the basics from the beginning and hand out a little advice or at least insight into the process that I follow when it comes to filmmaking.  Like I always say, my way is not the right way of doing things, probably the absolute opposite infact, but it is a way and all you can ever do from these things is take what you want to learn and disregard the rest if you so choose, but just remember I make a lot of mistakes, and you can learn from them without having to go through them first hand. So With that in mind lets talk gear.

Obviously this entry is called 'Getting Into Gear' which is sound advice, and that is a great first step, get into cameras know your s**t about them, believe me once you start people will wanna kill you for reeling off camera models like they 'ain't no thang', but understanding your tools is the first battle and it can be fun if you let it be. I gotta tell you I don't know everything about everything, you stick a RED in my hand, I'd probably wonder why its black ;) But I know how to use the camera that I use and thats all I really need to know. But fuck me do I know it well and so I can use that to my advantage when the inevitable shit hits the inevitable fan.

If your making your first film, and I mean like first ever film, I imagine you are probably camera operator too (and sound man if you have no friends). If you have someone else doing your camera for you, then good for you, but believe me you'll learn a lot more knowing the process inside and out, In this day and age its not enough to be a director, you have to be a filmmaker and getting stuck in to every aspect of the process is the best thing you can do.

I hear a lot of people say "We're gonna wait till we can shoot on Red" or "I need one of them canon 5d's before I'll even think about making a movie", I even hear some idiots arguing that "Film is the only look they will ever consider going for" these people will never make it in the industry and here is why. Because they are thinking about the metaphorical cart before the metaphorical horse.

See what should be driving you is 'Story' (Your horse) or at very least your idea, everything after that (Your cart) doesn't matter (to some degree) if you haven't got a f**king shit hot horse to pull it. Now I'm not saying I'm the golden child of writing or original thought here, I'm the first to admit that as a young(ish) man I have a lot to learn about writing, Bit I understand it's importance and the need to get it right before you shoot.

So before you start 'Getting Into Gear' make sure your Cart has a horse and that your horse, is a Stallion.