Q: Where do you gets sets that arnt avilible like the firehouse do you make your own?

Q: How do you deal with lighting?

Q: Whats the best quality you can get out of a camcorder?

Q: How long do shoots last, or how long does it take to shoot 1 hour of the actual film.

Q: How do you get it all together.

Q: Where do you gets sets that arnt avilible like the firehouse do you make your own?

Sure, if you want, or make up some sort of other place that you coud use as an HQ.

Q: How do you deal with lighting?

Get some lights. I'm not talking about lamps and what not, I'm talking about lights that are meant for the sort of thing you're talking about. then experiment with different angles for the screen and see what happens.

Q: Whats the best quality you can get out of a camcorder?

VHS? VHS-C? Digital Hi-8? What kind are you talking about?

I would say that quality would be rough, but unless you can shell out the megabucks to get a film camera meant for movies, and then shell out more mega bucks to buy the very expensive film to use, I say that camcorders is your only option.

But go digital.

Q: How long do shoots last, or how long does it take to shoot 1 hour of the actual film.

Depends on how efficient you are. I'm working on a film right now, and it took about 2 or 3 hours to get just 28 minutes of film, only 5 of which were usable.

I also shot a music video, and that took about four hours, with about 35 minutes of actual film used and only 3 minutes usable.

It all depends on how efficient you are as a filmmaker, on how much planning goes into it, on how prepared your actors are, and how long your setup takes.

Q: How do you get it all together.

What do you mean, get it to the final finished product?

You have to edit the film. Using a camcorder, you can upload what you've filmed onto a computer with a video editing program, like the very simple iMovie for Macs on up to Adobe Premiere, a program that costs hundreds of dollars.

Of course, you can also do some linear editing by using your VCR and camcorder, recording your good scenes onto the VCR in the order of which you need your scenes. But then it'll be a trick trying to do those special fx.

Since this is a Ghostbusters film, though, you'll want to add effects. If you were using adobe premiere, you could transfer frames from the movie to adobe photoshop (I think the name is correct), add effects, then transfer the updated frames back to the movie. Of course, this is a painstakingly long process.

If you're creative, you may be able to figure out ways of getting around budget and editing problems.

I suggest that you go to a search engine and look up how to make an independent film, and things like that. It may help you.

Also, if you don't have good computer RAM, try using an editing machine, such as Casablanca. That thing works wonders.

I am using a VHS-C camera.

Okay then, that clears up that.

There are still many elements to look at.

1- Who else is involved? Ask around, see if anyone has a new digital camera, or something better. Not that the VHS-C won't work fine, it's just always worth the check.

2- Do you have a script? This is one of your first steps.

3- Are you making a short or a full-length feature?

These among others.

script is good..

Zack

Q: Where do you gets sets that arnt avilible like the firehouse do you make your own?

A: It all depends on what your fan film is Comedy or Serious. If it comedy you can have fun with legos. If not I suggest you film the outside of you local fire department and do the inside somewhere else. I hope that helps.

Q: How do you deal with lighting?

A: For the lighting there is an old film techique for that. You put black tape on the bottom half of the lens, make sure this tape does not touch the LENS THOUGH just the outside!(I STRONGLY TELL YOU THIS CUZ YOU DO NOT WANT DAMAGE THEN LENS) You then film a lighting storm. Making sure it in the foreground(I hope that this is right term), you then rewind back and take the black tape of the bottom half and put black tape on the top half of the len's same thing as b4. You then film the actors, if you do the right camera angles it will look right I suggest doing it on hill so you can do this making look right. I will discuss camera angles next.

Q: Whats the best quality you can get out of a camcorder?

A. I'm not a camcorder expert but in my limit experience look at your home videos that how you can tell. Don't worry, if the film good it will shine. If you still feel that quality matters, you can with certian computer editers make the whole movies in black and white or serpia tone(yellowish). Black and White always a good idea. USe it to your advantage. Watch the movie clerk the video quality sucks but yet is on the best 250 movies of all time?

Q: How long do shoots last, or how long does it take to shoot 1 hour of the actual film.

A. I suggest if your doing a comedy then do a short liek 30 min tops it a lot funny. Another thing you really don't want do a long movie because 1. If this is your first movie, you might end up boring the audience and also it going take a long time to make as you've heard. Remember each scene should be shot at least 8-10 times(Well director discression) so when your editing if one part looks good one place and bad in another place just edit it out and put new footage in.

Q: How do you get it all together.
First start with making a script. Then now you decide on locations next. I mean like where your going shoot each shot. You then after that compose stortboards. Storyboards are pictures of each scenes to help camera men know how to shoot it and figure out how to shoot each scene. You then have to cast each part and then get props. Then Shoot. After shooting you have to edit it. Then your done. Now if your doing Special Effects. Need more info on any of those topics just post in the topic.

I am working on the script now.

It is as serious as the GB movies.

As for the leanght I am hoping for a 6 part mini series so 6 hours.

Also what was that thing with the black tape and light in the foreground about?

Look you see if you put black tape over the top half and you record. Nothing is recorded on the top. So when you rewind it and tape the bottom and you record something is recorded on the top but not the bottom get it. Now it is easier if you film the actors at the bottom of hill and then the lighting on the top it look lot better becuz it matches better. Well GB movies aer Comedy Actions. As for the script make a story line first it make your ideas comes out better. Then just write the script first with actions it an old hollywood trick so there less dialoge. As for 6 part mini-series GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for the lighting tip.

Dialoge is the one thing I have ben haveing trouble with, I have been resorting to taking lines from RGB so expect to see Peter saying “I am not having fun, i've had fun this isn't it.”