72 Essential Filmmaker Resources

Here are a ton of links to help you on your next movie.

The New Cinema Advanced

Those of you who have been followers of the site for some time will notice that I’ve just implemented a huge design change.  This is in addition to alot of back end updates and fixes.

You’ll probably notice one huge change in particular.  The front page has that big video  section right up top.  Can you guess what that means?  If you guessed that I’m entering a thumb war tournament, then you should contact your elementary school teacher and ask them to go back over the concept of context clues again.   But if you guessed Video Tutorials then you win.  That’s right, within the next few weeks I’ll begin presenting filmmaking tips in the form of comprehensive video tutorials.

These videos are going to be unlike anything you’ve already seen.  These aren’t going to be cheesy effects tutorials that teach you how to do a campy stunt or effect.  Instead these are going to be about core concepts that will allow you to make professional looking films on a low budget.  These videos will cover everything from gear, production, directing, audio, acting…and ok I might even do a few things on effects.

Now that doesn’t mean I won’t also still do written articles.  There will still be plenty of written articles, news blurbs, or any just random stuff about my life that I feel like discussing.  In short, expect a ton more content of all types in the near future.

I want your questions

Finally, I want your questions.  If you have a question involving filmmaking be sure to Contact me.  I’ll try and answer all questions either personally or in a video tutorial.

Moving, upcoming features, film finance, and other such nonsense

No film tips here. Just a little note to say I’m going to be moving over the next few weeks. Not far…down the road actually. But needless to say updates may be a little sporadic. However, I can tell you about what I’m currently working on:

• Video tutorials - I’ve been really lazy on this one. I have three video tutorials about 2/3rds finished. They are pretty unique, and hopefully they will knock your socks off. So make sure to have socks on while watching them to avoid any serious injury.
• Film Finance - I honestly may have stumbled across the most brilliant film finance method ever conceived. How’s that for hyperbole? Seriously though, I have a pretty interesting idea on how I can help you finance your own short films, or equipment purchases of up to $25,000, while at the same time helping to finance my own projects. I’ll keep you posted.
• The Way To You - My friend Donny at Big Foot Productions just gave me a call. The Way To You is officially green lit, though not as originally planned. Instead of being a 90 minute feature comedy, it will now be an online web series of 12, ten minute episodes. Haven’t signed any contracts yet, but I’ll probably be production manager, technical adviser, and possibly second camera on this one. It’s a pretty exciting project, and as it progresses I’ll try and throw some behind the scenes footage up here.
• My Job - There is a strong possibility I may be changing occupations soon. Shhh….don’t tell anyone. Honestly though, I’d highly doubt anyone where I work now even knows or cares my blog exists. And if by some bizarre chance someone does find this post, then I’ll just turn it into a big press release “Blogger gets fired over blog post”…the media loves that crap. But anyways, I’ve got two offers going right now…one as a full time media integration specialist for an extremely technologically advanced super computer 3d visualization center, the other as a media specialist for a public access TV station. Both of them should free my time substantially to produce more films, and write more for this website….so pretty exciting either way.

So stay tuned…

New Feature: Subscribe by email

I’ve added a new feature to the site. You can now subscribe via email, using the text box at the far right of this page. Subscribe now to get all my latest tips and advice straight to your inbox.

Back in action.

After a long hiatus I’ve finally decided to come out with a blog post. Here is what I’ve been working on all this time:

• KillerFilm - We’ve been really working hard to try and get Killer Film up and running properly. Most of my work has been on the programming (so yes IE7 users who see a messed up gob of junk can blame me for that). We will probably also be covering the next upcoming Texas Frightmare. We covered the last one and it was a blast, and this time we hope to have a bit more video equipment at our disposal so we can do live video updates.
• Trance - Written and staring John Fallon, and directed by Donny Broussard is a feature film about ravers who take a drug which turns them into crazed zombie-like monsters. Donny, John, myself, and others have been working on this for most of the summer, but it looks like a local studio wants to buy the script. So, in the end we may not actually end up producing it. For the sake of potential future business relationships, I’m being a bit vague, but lets just say some of us may have gotten burned on this one…so we are all just trying to get out of it. I may be wrong, and things will fall in place…but right now it looks like I may have made some bad decisions, and vouched for people who couldn’t deliver what they said they could deliver
• The Red Hours - Another John Fallon script, which this time Fallon will direct. Probably Donny and I will coproduce along with Canadian filmmaker, Christian Viel. I’m really excited to be working on this one as it will involve working with Christian, a very experienced producer, as well as being a fun action script. I tend to like action movies because they present the most unique chances for creative filmmaking for effects and stunts.
• The way to You - Donny Broussard is considering creating a full length version of a short he made in college called, “The way to you”…sans rotoscoping. The script is pretty funny, and with the right cast this one could be a pretty good flick. It’s one that is a little scarier for me though, since is a festival type flick. If you know anything about selling movies, then you know its way easy to sell even bad action and horror movies, than it is to sell a good comedy. Donny has a bit of experience on the festival circuit, but I don’t. Fortunately, though its almost entirely a dialogue based film, so we can keep the budget pretty low.
• This website - I’m hoping to get back into writing for this website much more regularly. I have so many more articles that brewing. Unfortunately, some of the really good articles are going to take me days to write and require me to actually go out and film and edit some video tutorials…and these days I’m having trouble finding the time to do that. So for now I’m going to focus on articles that can be covered without me having to break out the cameras. Immediately following this article I’m going to post an article about sound design for fight scenes.

And on that note, if you have any question regarding film production…or hell just about anything feel free to Contact me. Just know that if your question is good enough I’ll want to post my answer online (and I’ll link back to you if you have a website).

Memorial Day Teaser

Updates were a little slow this Memorial Day weekend, and for that I apologize. But it was far from a vacation for me. I went through a few big meetings, and having some pretty exciting projects coming up very soon. Nothing solid yet, but as soon as the details are worked out I’ll be posting them. All I can say is this…network network network…you really never know who you might meet that you can collaborate with in the future.

Cinema Advanced featured in Carnival Of Cinema

A blog carnival is like an ezine built up by articles posted on different blogs. My article on Louisiana Film Tax Credits was featured in Carnival of Cinemea

Why I started this website

For the past two years I’ve been working on various film and video projects. I’ve worked on everything from short films, to commercials, to filming a symphony orchestra. Through the connections I’ve built up, and the friends I’ve made, it looks like I’ll be able to begin producing feature films very soon.

I started this blog for many reasons:

• I needed a website - After all…nowadays every production company needs a website. But lets be realistic…I’m going to make one, maybe two movies over the period of the next two years. Certainly not alot of content for a website. So I needed to make something that people would actually want to visit so…
• I want to share my knowledge - Don’t laugh…but I often find myself on message boards, answering people’s questions about filmmaking. I really enjoy it. There is a ton to know, and I’m still learning every day. Building this blog both helps me share what I know, and to keep it all organized.
• I’m a little lazy sometimes - Ok maybe more than a little…but answering questions on myspace, after a while, I started to notice that I was answering the same questions over and over again. I began to think that I could help many more people, and give alot more detailed advice if I put it into a format that could both grow and change, but at the same time be lasting.
• To Make Money - I’ll be honest, I’m not making a ton of money as a filmmaker. Here and there I might pick up a couple hundred bucks shooting something. I’m by no means a guru…I’m right where most of you are, working hard to get my first feature made. In my day job I’m an engineer. My job is ok…but pretty boring. Worse than that though is that my day job really interferes with my ability to produce films. So I’m hoping to generate a little bit of revenue through this site, and who knows…maybe make enough to cover my expenses. If that happens then I’ll commit totally to filmmaking (and this website of course).
• So people watch my movies - I mean …if I’m handing out all this advice, you’ll watch my movies right….please?