What I have Learned about Film Production

So it has been a while since I updated, but that is how it goes.
Let us jump right in.

Thing's I've learned so far from film production.
1- Never let anyone who says "it's just a student film" or "who's going to see it?" or any other such excuses, make creative decisions regarding the film.
Yes, it is a student film. If we make it as amazing as possible, then people will be blown away and love it. If we cut corners, it'll be not as great, and possibly even shitty, all because someone didn't care to do things RIGHT or do something cool.

2- Make sure everyone is on the same page for what is happening.
So is the shoot time at 12.30 or 1.30? You told me 12.30, then texted me 1.30...which brings me to my next one.

3-Stay on schedule!
First day or 2 is going to be rough. Once everyone gets in the groove and knows how everyone works, it goes MUCH smoother. Also, part of this, means not re-shooting footage you already have.

4- Never let the director do the rough cut.
Yes, they will have to check off on the final version, however, if you let them do the rough cut, they are more likely to hold on to bad editing decisions.

5- Trust the other departments.
Share your ideas, but trust them to make the right choose. this goes for everyone, ESPECIALLY the director.

6- Don't waste time explaining things that don't need to be explained.
This happened a lot on a project I was working on..

7- Bury your bad films. Deep.
And thank god your director kind of hates you, when he doesn't put your credits on IMDB. ;)


In all seriousness, I really enjoy Film Production. My last project, Fanboy Apocalypse, had a lot of potential, but it suffered from a director who just wanted a grade from the class. The screenplay was ok, but it needed more variety. I shared my ideas, and they ignored me.

But I can laugh about it. I did my job. I recorded the best audio I could, and I converted and synced the footage. In the end, I did my job.