"Wind reel and print"

Well, it has come to that time of the semester here at Ithaca College when things start to get a little hectic with finals, finding a ride home, re-shoots, laundry, Kendall day, figuring out textbook rental return dates etc. Living in the college world, these stressors are supposed to be taking over my life, However, while working on my Fiction Field Production class short movie assignment, I quickly found out that "Manage Your Time 101" should be offered and be a requirement for all Parkies, if not every student in college.My experience working with my crew was one I will never forget. It was my first time writing for this type of assignment, and also taking on the job of Script Supervisor, never did I ever think that I would be in the local supermarket passed midnight on a school night. I wasn't expecting the amount of time I was about to spend with my classmates outside of out normal classroom setting. I wasn't sure how well we would all get along, if our ideas would even work well together, or if I even felt comfortable sharing my ideas aloud.

 I quickly had a reality check at our first shoot when it was 2:30am on a Monday night, cigarette smoke clouded the living room from our countless takes of cigarette puffs, and I realized that at that moment, this was what I came to college for. This is what I am meant to be doing. I then didn't even want to imagine where else I would be if i weren't in that clogged up smoky living room.

It always amazes me when its the end of the semester and in some of my classes, I maybe know the persons name who is is sitting next to me, the professors name, and thats about it. In others, I know everyone, everyone knows me, I am invested, and overall enjoy my time spent in the classroom. In this class, on the first day I knew about half of everyones names solely from being in classes with them in a previous semester. Once our "teams" were made for our movies, I had two ways of approaching the situation. One, I let my position be assigned to me, don't put too much opinion, and just flow. Or two, speak my mind, let my personality make its way out, and genuinely enjoy my time working with these 7 other people until the semesters over. Im happy that I chose the second route, because what came out of working with those 7 other people, was so freaking cool. I had no idea the amount of talent I was surrounded by, and if I was just open to it, I could learn a lot from these kids. Not only were we able to work together, share our ideas, and produce an amazing short film. We were able to have fun, and work as friends We created awesome memories together, and some pretty amazing friendships that I will forever be grateful for.

THE 4 RULES OF STUDENT FILMMAKING

As our projects come to end, I thought it would be a good time to reflect upon my experience as a student filmmaker. These rules are essential for anyone starting their career as a filmmaker, but I hope they can also be helpful for those who have already established themselves in the industry. These rules, if followed perfectly, can result in a very high quality film. 

1. Know your job

        It's one of the basics but it's also one of the most important. There are many different positions on a film set and it's essential that everyone knows what their responsibility is. Filmmaking is not the combination of one or two elements but the cumulation of several people's knowledge and skill. Dialogue, performance, lighting, audio, continuity– these are just a few of the many components controlled by one or more people on a film set. If even one of these components is lacking, it can ruin a film. The given number of people on a set can range anywhere from 4 to 400, but it's essential that everyone knows how to do their job perfectly as well as where they lie in the hierarchy of decision making.

2. Prepare for everything to go wrong

        It's a natural law of filmmaking– what can go wrong will go wrong. Seriously. Some of my first times shooting in the field were a complete disaster. Camera batteries were MIA, the talent wouldn't show up, SD card's couldn't format correctly, we had no AA batteries for the Zoom mic... the number of things that can go wrong on a film set are infinite, a fact that is reinforced every time I go on to a film set. There's no way to completely cover yourself, but there are ways to prepare yourself for the future when things go array.

Double check everything. Make sure you have the most important things you need to bring to the set and then bring everything else you might not need. These things can vary depending on what your job is, but even having the most basic household items like tape, markers, and jar openers can save a film. 

Bring extras. If you're in the audio department for example, you should have extra batteries, XLR cords, headphones, and extension cords. If something goes wrong in your department it's on you and it's up to you to cover yourself. This rule can only be learned though experience so grab every opportunity you have to work on a film. 

3. Focus on the story

       Making a film look and sound awesome will not make an awesome film. When you're looking to direct a quality film you are not making it for yourself or your close filmmaking friends, but an expansive audience. An audience that doesn't care how hard it was to work with the actors or light a tiny bookstore. The audience only requires that what they're watching will compel them with a certain emotion and that they can walk away amazed by what they saw. Before creating a film, plan all of the technical things as perfectly as you can, and then step away from it all and make sure the story you are telling makes sense. Not only makes sense, but draws your audience in and keeps them there until the credits finish rolling. 

4. Have Fun

      Come on guys... we have one of the coolest jobs. We're storytellers. To create a powerful film can be thrilling, empowering, and hopefully rewarding. Things can get very stressful on set though, and it's important to remember why you're there. When you know that all your bases are covered and you're skillfully prepared, making films can be an extremely fun and engaging job. It's not an easy process by any means, but if you have good people to work with you're guaranteed to have a fun time doing it. 

A quality film is like a gourmet sandwich... Crafted by several high-quality ingredients.