Jodom in the News
So Ya Wanna Make A Feature
By Mike Amato - Dec 20, 2001
Let me start by saying that I am currently working on what
is only my third feature-length film. This means you should take pretty much
everything I say below with a grain of salt. I'm not an expert, and I
have never been to film school or worked for a production company. I'm
not famous and haven't had any of my films picked up by a major studio.
Yet.
My "extensive" qualifications aside, I have completed a couple of features. And if you aspire to make one yourself someday, then I'd like to pass on some of the lessons I learned by jumping in with both feet. I can't tell you how to make a good feature, because frankly, you either have talent or you don't. But I can provide some real-world advice on how to ensure that your project gets completed. And that's half the battle.
Rule #1: Understand the Difference Between a Short and a Feature. As near as I can tell, it's about 90 minutes.
Seriously, the only real difference between the two is that pulling off a feature (even a bad one) takes far more organization, drive and commitment than making a short subject film. You're not just getting together with a couple of buddies, a camera and a half-baked idea for a story. Generally speaking, a feature will take months to complete, and that's just for the actual filming. So you'd better have your shit together if you want your actors and crew to keep coming back week after week.
Rule #2: Be Organized. If you don't already have an award-winning script in hand, you'll want to write an outline of what is going to happen in your story and when, before writing the screenplay. This is a great idea when writing any script, but it is invaluable when doing a feature, because you have to maintain your audience's interest for 90 to 120 minutes. So your story had better make sense.
In addition, take the time to develop a detailed production plan. Yeah, I know, they are cumbersome to do, but believe me, you will save time and avoid reshoots later by putting in some hours during pre-production. Know which actors are needed in each scene, what they will be wearing, what props and effects you will need, and what your location will be. If possible, try to group scenes to minimize the number of days each actor is needed, and to limit the number of locations required on any given shooting day.
Come up with a detailed shot list, too, because there is nothing more frustrating to an actor than a director who is figuring out his shot list while the actor sits around waiting. Remember, you want them to come back next week. So respect their time, and make the most of it.
I'm not a big fan of storyboards, mostly because I can't draw to save my life. But it's a great way to visualize each scene before you spend a lot of time shooting the wrong footage. If you have someone who can draw, or have storyboard software, it may be worth your while to use them, especially for complex scenes.
In short, there is a reason most Hollywood films spend so much time in pre-production. Careful planning will save you a lot of trouble (and cost) down the road. So don't skimp on preparation.
Rule #3: Pick a story you love. Whatever you decide to film, it is going to be all you think about for the next six months to a year. So pick a subject and plot that you aren't going to get tired of easily. Find a compelling story (even if it's only compelling to you). That way, you'll still be committed to your project, even after seeing the same line delivered for the thousandth time during post-production. A great story and script will keep you motivated to finish the thing.
Rule #4. Pick Good People. "Good" has multiple aspects here. First of all, pick people you can count on. This is true for a short as well, but having an undependable resource on a feature can kill your entire project. And don't just pick people who think it would be "fun" to do a movie (or if you do, start them off as extras). Pick zealots who will eat, sleep and drink your movie until it is done. I'm only half-kidding here. For this to work, you will need people who will stay up late, show up early, help pack and unpack equipment, call in favors from friends to help out, and who will take the same pride in the film as you do. I'll take an inexperienced monomaniac over an experienced no-show any day. Look for people who have that fire in the belly!
"Good" also means that you need people with talent. They don't need to be steeped in experience - raw talent will do just fine. But your audience will be sitting with your leads for two hours, so they'd better be able to carry the day. And pay as much attention to your supporting actors as your leads. In a short, a supporting actor is on the screen for a nanosecond. In a feature, they are on the screen long enough to make or break your film.
On "Limelight", our current film, we held formal auditions for some of the supporting parts. We are already seeing the benefits of doing this. One person who came to read for a minor part was so good that he walked off with a plum supporting role. Even the actors with only a couple of lines in the movie are highly believable characters. And yes, we avoided some potentially disastrous casting decisions by weeding out some folks, too. I would recommend doing auditions for any film.
Equally critical is finding a dependable and skilled crew. You don't want Billy Bob Kowalski's little brother holding your boom mike, you want someone who knows what they are doing. The same goes for lighting, filming, soundtrack, set design, and so on.
Perhaps the most important component of picking "Good People" is to work with people you genuinely like. Why? Because life is too short to work with egos, arrogance, petty jealousy and attitudes. And you are going to be with these folks for the next 6 months or more. So you'd better like them.
Having good people on your project will undoubtedly improve the quality of your film. More importantly, it will allow you to stay on track to completion by not having to spend hours in the editing bay fixing the mistakes of others. You'll have enough of your own mistakes to worry about!
Rule #5. Audio is as important as video. I learned this lesson the hard way. Kill people who tell you that "you can always fix it in post". You know what? You can't. All the audio filters in the world can't help you if you don't make sure that you get the audio right the first time. You may get frustrated as hell when your sound man tells you that you need to do another take because a plane was flying overhead. But you will gladly kiss his feet later during editing when you don't have to deal with fixing the problem.
Unfortunately, good sound is something you really don't appreciate until you don't have it. And while it really impacts the quality of a film, it can also save you weeks and even months in post-production. So shut off that fridge, shut off the AC, and put duct tape on the mouth of your neighbor's cat. Get it right the first time.
Rule #6. Keep your eye on the prize. If you are writing, directing, producing, and/or editing a feature-length movie, be prepared for some very late nights. Now, you may argue that this goes without saying, but when I say "some very late nights", I mean that they are all going to be that way, if you ever want to get this thing finished. There will always be reasons not to finish your film. Don't be swayed. The difference between finishing and not finishing a feature-length movie is sometimes nothing more than sheer force of will.
One motivator that worked for me on "Kilroy Was Here" was that I publicized the fact that I was doing a feature-length movie. I told everyone who would listen what I was doing (made some great network contacts that way, too). It made it much harder not to finish it. Granted this motivational tool is not for the squeamish, so be sure you are committed if you are going to take this approach.
Rule #7. Set a Release Date and Publicize it. Trust me on this one. If you never set a timeframe for completion of your film, you will never finish it. Put a stake in the ground and then get moving!
Rule #8. Ignore the naysayers. I will never forget a conversation I had once with a filmmaker when I was first introduced to him. I was about to make my first feature. He said he had read and liked my script, and then turned and walked away, adding "feel free to write a short film next time" with just the right touch of arrogance. Gee, thanks for the motivational talk, Sparky.
Let's face it, there are a lot of filmmakers out there. But there aren't a lot at our level who have completed a feature. Which is why so many people will try to talk you out of it.
Start small. Cut your teeth on a less ambitious project. Wait to pursue your dream. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Baby steps.
Excrement.
Look, I'm not saying everyone should try to take on a feature as a first project, because it's clearly not for the faint of heart. But if your goal is to make a feature, then make one. So what if it sucks. At least you will prove to yourself that you can complete it. THEN you can go make a good one. Hell, I learned more making one feature than I ever could have learned making 30 short films. Was it the greatest film ever directed? Of course not. But I didn't explode or grow hair on my palms either. At least not from that.
You need to ask yourself, do you want to get good at making shorts or do you want to get good at making features? If the answer is short films, then have at it. Short films are wonderful. They're fun, and they take less time, effort and patience to do. And I've seen some great ones over the past couple years. But if your goal is to make features, then why wait to pursue your dream? Just do it. Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.
In his inaugural address in 1961, John F. Kennedy boldy stated that by the end of the decade, America would go to the moon. At the time, we were far behind the USSR in the space race, and no one knew how we were going to get to there. We certainly had no experience or expertise. But in 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, and the rest is history. All because someone stood up and said "I don't know how we're going to get there, but that's where we're going. So let's get started and we'll figure it out along the way."
The world is full of wouldas, couldas, and shouldas who will try to tear you down and keep you from achieving your dream with their negativism. Don't listen to them.
Shoot for the moon!
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