All posts filed under: filmmaking & writing

Creative Distribution Case Study for a Film “Ringside”

Published by Magda Olchawska

My recommendations and suggestions are based on a “Ringside” trailer I watched and the EPK I read. £1000 Budget – it’s a fantastic achievement, James; let me congratulate you on that. With such a small budget, you should be bragging about this every time you give an interview, write a guest blog post or mention your film. When creating blog posts, interviews with cast and crew, or any other promotional materials, always, always mention your budget. It’s awe-inspiring that with sheer willpower, talent and determination, you pulled it together. In your promotional videos, which you will use as a part of your marketing and promotion, you can talk about the challenges of working with little money and how you managed to overcome them. People always admire others who are passionate about their craft. Social Media – as much as you might not like social media, there is no denying you need those to find your audience today. FB ads (you might not agree with FB’s social conduct, but they’re still the best in business) will allow you …

What Are Film Director’s Responsibilities?

Published by Magda Olchawska

As a film student I read many books written by other film directors but I never fully understood what my responsibilities were going to be until I started making my own films. Below you will find my own list of director’s responsibilities. 1. I believe that director’s first responsibility is to the story, which means that the story you are translating from the script to the screen comes first, must be coherent, watchable and make logical sense to the audience. 2. I like being ready and prepared before I start production. I analyse the script from top to bottom. Often, I forget everything the moment I walk onto the set but I know I’m allowed to do it since I have already prepared for the production and my hippocampus remembers everything that I have to remember. 3. During the pre-production, I analyse the script my way, which works for me and my productions. I go through every scene looking for objectives, beats, action verbs, and images. I make all those notes for myself. I don’t share my …

How One Pager Can Help During Film Production?

Published by Magda Olchawska

One Pager is for the director’s eyes only to remind the director of the most important things that need to take place in the scene. It’s like a cheat sheet for directors during the production. One Pager consists of: 1. The scene in a nutshell (one line, what the scene is about) 2. How did the previous scene end? (precise ending of the last scene and how that will impact the current scene). 3. What are the beats in the scene and where are they (on which line, movement, gesture)? 4. What is each characters’ objective/s in the scene? 5. Are the characters going to reach their scene objectives or not? 6. What is the stage direction for each character (what I have imagined and would like to try out with the actors)? 7. How is the scene going to end (what frame, movement, or gesture)? 8. What are the characters wearing (I know that this is the costume department, but I like making a note or two about the costumes, especially when/if the character …

What Is The Director’s Relationship With the Camera?

Published by Magda Olchawska

One of those responsibilities as a director is to figure out, either on your own or with your Director of Photography, how you want to use the camera positioning, framing and movement to tell your story. Some directors work with a storyboard; others prefer working with a shot list. But the majority tell a story visually on paper before they start shooting. I feel that apart from making a storyboard or creating the shooting list, you need to figure out your personal relationship with the camera for the project you are working on. Each project requires a different approach from the director and redefining your relationship with the camera for every project is worth the effort and time. When I try to work out what I want from my visuals, I usually go through the following questions/suggestions/wonderings before I sit down and work out my shooting list or work with the Director of Photography (DP) to come up with one: 1. What matters to me, the director, in the scene the most? 2. I treat …

How to Decode Screenwriting for Writers?

Published by Magda Olchawska

Screenwriting, just like writing a book, requires time and focus to find the right balance between the source material, and what should make into the screenplay. For instance, it will be impossible and unrealistic to adapt the whole book word by word and page by page into a script and expect that volume to make into production. To get set up on the screenwriting journey, check out the list of tips below, which will help you make sense of the new screenwriting landscape. 1. Some elements of your story won’t work in the script. You will need to be very selective while choosing what works for the characters, helps them grow, change and move on while moving the action forward. Don’t overcomplicate your storyline by adding too many layers. You can do it in a book, but it won’t work in the script, where you only have 90–120 minutes to tell your story. 2. Be very clear who (which character) you need in your story. Do you have too many or too few characters? If someone isn’t …