That’s a wrap! A few thoughts…

So the second film has been shot and I am in the process of editing. Once again it has been an enjoyable venture and the actors and crew were first class! As ever, a few lessons have been learned on this shoot. The first of which is; you need a few people to shoot a film! Trying to do it all myself, as I am finding out in editing, leaves to much to chance and possible error. The next shoot I do I will definitely have someone for continuity and shot count, because I am a few shots short of the perfect edit. You just cannot watch performances, check the set is right, lighting, marking, script and all the other little details that go into making a film. Not easy. So, first rule; assume you need assistance.
Luckily, I enlisted an experienced cameraman, who also happens to care about the work and, as before, he was a great help. It was good to have someone on hand who had seen it all before. Rule number two; do not be afraid to enlist the help of someone who knows more than you do! Nobody ever learned a massive amount from people as green as themselves. Want to learn something? Surround yourself with people smarter than you.
Review the work as you go along. It is not always as it looks in your mind’s eye, so checking the footage – which would also probably help avoid editing mishaps – is possibly a good idea. If for no other reason than to check you are on the right track.
Learn by doing. More a rule for life as opposed to film. You can be told how to do most things – check YouTube! – but there is not substitute for experience. My “DIY director” schooling is proving to be quiet fruitful and I get to hear my work.
At the moment I am experiencing a minor editing issue, hopefully it will not hamper the great work done by everyone else involved. Fingers crossed!