The 5 Mistakes You'll Make On Your First Film

[@MelaninMonarchy]

I'm in Post now and I've definitely made some of these mistakes. I knew going in that #5 would be the most important for me, but I also know that I bombed Tip #3 and a little of tip #4 - that's because I'm a Writer and been a Writer most of my life. Thank you for the video.

[@dallasdandigitalproduction393]

Good tips here. I just started to cast for a short im working on. Backstage has a nice selection of local talent. Better than Craigslist, but still gotta be aware if the actor has talent. Its important for sure. Looks arent everything.

[@frankcunha6215]

Very true. I’m always amazed at how filmmakers I see online get so focused on equipment.

[@OneSevenThree]

I had a big problem with sprinting through, but not neglecting the post side. I realized I needed to breathe take a moment and get additional takes or alternate takes of scenes, I always made sure I got tight, medium, and wide shots but not enough of each until days in of filming my first film.

[@raymondparsons589]

Excellent video - love the concise format - 5 minutes was perfect. Agreed with others on your lighting/framing/etc. - looks great.

[@Crimsonengine]

Cheers Raymond. I try and keep these short and fun to watch. I’m thinking about doing longer videos that are more in depth training as well. Thanks for watching.

[@christianbasehart4767]

The colour grading in these videos seems to change a tiny bit each time. This one is one of the best looking ones yet. Have you made updates to your LUTs that you sell? I remember how in the beginning there was a yellow cast and details were washed out. By now you've mastered the look perfectly. I do wonder however if a 35mm would be better here than a 50mm.

[@Crimsonengine]

Thank you, Christian. I use the Crimson Engine Luts for sure. I'm always refining the small details and workflow so I'm glad you can see a difference.

[@nandoblondemobydick5438]

me too that´s another thing that bothered me a lot of this channel, but Christian help me :-) i comment cause the channel is interesting to me, so it is helpful critizism

[@JasonToyDogTrainer]

YES, this looks amazing. Newbie question but can I use those luts in fcpx?

[@Crimsonengine]

I'm pretty sure you can. I've tested them in resolve and premiere and they work great. I've heard others have had success with FCPX

[@Carlito_MD]

Hey Rubidium (unsure about the spelling but as a biochemist, Rubidium it is)! I'm about to start filming my first documentary and I will be using the XC10 that you use for a C-cam (and use those takes in some of your videos). That's encouraging given the somewhat bad rap that the camera got when it was initially released. I'm a new subscriber and have been binging on your videos! THanks!

[@Crimsonengine]

Yes, I am indeed named after the 37th element :) XC10 is an awesome camera and a good option for shooting gradable. 422 4k with autofocus in a really small package. Good luck

[@nandoblondemobydick5438]

Robert Rodriguez began his career as a guinea pig, so in the laboratories of the clinic that paid him for this job, he wrote El Mariachi that later became a $ 7000 production and was a big award winner, I do not know what they experienced with Robert in those laboratories. The truth is that he became a genius. for the cinema as well for music, almost all the music or a large part of his films is his music or performed by himself

[@acquit]

That's a great list!!!

[@Crimsonengine]

Thanks. If only I didn't still make most of them :)

[@angelgcastro1]

Great vid!

[@EugenioCarmo]

If I follow your advice and end up creating a good short film. How do I make money? Should I search for sponsors first? Try to sell the documentary to Netflix? BBC? I can only see people doing documentaries and short films for the sake of experience. How do you survive in this field? Please help.

[@Crimsonengine]

Thats a great question and the subject of a future video for sure. You can make money lots of ways, but none are that easy. You monetise your connections with crowdfunding, get sponsors, or reach out to financiers for funding. Most people have jobs in other parts of the industry (as crew, for example, or shooting weddings) before the are able to support themselves from their own projects.

[@warGjee]

Your videos are amazingly great! And the image is also amazingly sharp!!! How do get things so sharp?

[@christianbasehart4767]

With a $6000 camera.

[@Crimsonengine]

Thanks! Shooting Raw and having autofocus on the c200 really helps. It tracks me as I move around and keeps the image sharp. This is shot with the Canon 50mm 1.4, so not a super expensive lens.

[@warGjee]

Thank you! I've noticed something special since I first saw one of your videos I noticed that you really know a lot and have a lot of experience on set. I give a lot of value to your videos because the content is different and WAY better from the regular circle of filmmakers here on youtube. Thank you for sharing your expertise. All the best for you :)

[@MrHoneyloops]

I enjoy your videos, I think you have an enormous amount of knowledge to share, so thank you for sharing. One thing i would say is the focus is not spot on, its particularly noticeable on your eyes (which is incidentally where I look while you talk) it has soft focus for a some of the video, and it seems to change throughout the vid, not sure if you're using autofocus? When the shot is so pristine in all other aspects that stands out to me!

[@Crimsonengine]

Thanks Mr. I actually made a video about this as well. Its the autofocus not being able to keep up when the depth of feild is too shallow, i.e. under 2.0.

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Good stuff here. Get your editor involved with the DP.

[@nickharris5231]

Regarding saving your budget for post, this is good advice. However even better advice is to learn the craft front to back. I work as a cinematograoher, but I direct and I damn well know how to edit. Learn the software, and more importantly study how films you admire are put together. It boggles my mind when I meet directors who are crying about their film being stuck in limbo because they can't afford to hire an editor. Yeah, of course it's expensive, editing is very time consuming. Moreso, even, than the production itself! When you understand great editing in more than simply a technical standpoint your post budget will come down considerably because you can do it on your own. Then you can spend money on graphics, sound mixing, and color grading. Although even still, those are all skills you can cultivate by just getting out and finding out what works towards your goals and what doesn't.

[@maxsdad538]

Only a fool believes that they can do it all, Harris. Just because you know "how to edit", doesn't make you an editor.

[@nickharris5231]

@@maxsdad538 haha, ok sure thing. Tell that to my successful 15 year career.

[@lightpointfilms3798]

Yes sir, these are a lot of things we should consider. There are a lot of people who are attractive but can not act at all. The movie is all about who you cast.

[@nandoblondemobydick5438]

No problem look at Hollywood and the most of such big star then only do over acting and exagerate the most of their expressions. i.e. best film by, lets said Nicole Kidman is The Hours i even don´t recognize her and she was so smooth, so unatractive. Anyway i hate the most of spanish actors as well they over act a real people in same situations will not exagerate this way

[@AdamBrianDada]

Would love a BTS photo on your setup (lighting and mic placement) for these. These are easily my favorite videos and they just get better and better and better. Also wish I had a t-shirt that just say "You're a new director, you do not need to own a camera to do your job."

[@Crimsonengine]

Thanks A.B. :) Maybe I'll make that T-shirt and sell them here :)

[@nandoblondemobydick5438]

Sell T.shirt best idea of this thread for sure :-) repair your background, a dot on image is the most attractive things to look for the eyes and the first thing we look at, that´s why your bubbles (they are non grouped dots) beind you are so distracting, again just to help with my humble composition knowledge, but do what you want it´s your channel

[@bearlemley]

1,2 & 5 over here. Please time travel and make this video years in the past

[@ahmadaliraja7426]

👍

[@jphickey26]

Well...I’m only 5 for 5 on rookie mistakes.