Utilizing Film Industry Blogs

It cannot be heard enough...there is so much to learn from those that came before you!

There are a few industry blogs that I follow, and I wanted to give you a little taste about what there is out there that might fit your needs.  Take advantage of this Internet-crazed world.  Soak up the information flowing from those before us!

One great website to start with is Film Industry Bloggers.

This website has a list of blogs for every day of the week.  One of my favorites is a Friday blogger.  The writer is an anonymous reality TV producer.  While that particular one has not been updated in a few years, it has great things to thumb back through!  To the left is their logo.

Another fascinating finds are blogs related to your Industry, straight from production companies and networks!  One of my favorite shows is Law and Order: SVU, via NBC.  Their production has its own blog that shows how things are done through the production aspect of the show.  Being able to tap yourself into that will not only help inspire you to create new and exciting things, it will enable you to see how those who are successful are doing it!  To the right is a picture from the SVU production.

Even lesser known productions are blogging about it.  Get yourself out there, online, and see what there is to learn!  Try a quick Google search of your favorite show or movie and see if there is a blog available.  You might not be able to visit the production site, but it would be nice to see some of their secrets!

One last option that you don’t want to forget about is vloggers.  Video blogging has become this amazing phenomenon.  YouTube has become a haven for a lot of these vloggers.  One of the better production vlogs is LanteanStreet.  There are a series of vlogs from the Peter Jackson’s new film The Hobbit.  This is a must see.  Below is his latest video.

Get into the game.  Find inspiration.  Enjoy!

Search Engine Optimization

More often than not, all companies have websites. And you probably already have one created, or at least one in mind for your new production company. One of the biggest problems with new companies is their inability to get traffic to their website. Have you ever wondered how to do so effectively?

You need SEO, or Search Engine Optimization tools to help you. Some of the best ways are to figure out what keywords people, who might need your business, would type into their search engine. Now, you need to get your website to provide those keywords so that you can get your website to pop up in their search.

James Dunaway of bloggingpro.com explains SEO,
“One of the most popular areas for trying to get more traffic to a website is by using search engine optimization (SEO) techniques so that the site receives a much higher ranking from the major search engines such as Google. There are a number of techniques that will contribute to successful SEO marketing, and for most sites looking to do this successfully securing some help from an experienced consultant in this field can help to boost the ranking given to a website.” (2011).

Moon Hussain, a guest blogger on problogger.com made some great suggestions to those needing help in this area.
“To reach your audience, a big part of what we, SEO practitioners, do is called keyword research. You can use a free tool like the Google Keyword Tool to decide what keywords are worth your time.” (2011).
He goes on to explain the benefits of using keywords to help gain a bigger audience for your website. “Advertising takes money. Search engine rankings can take time. However, I’m a fan of SEO and ranking your website because it’s a low cost solution as long as you don’t mind putting in consistent effort and have time.”

If you don’t have the money to advertise, take the time to create keywords that will help gain a bigger audience for your company. Take a minute to go through those two articles I shared. This is one step you do not want to skip when starting a new business.

Allowing Print-On-Demand to Work For You

It’s not that new, but it is that exciting! Take anything you want to publish, or print or sell in books, film or audio, and you can do it without a publisher! Print-on-demand websites cater to those working independently. You pay a small fee to sign up, and the website will keep a percentage of your earnings. The fees and percentages vary between companies.

Recently, New York Times published an article, High School, that Hilarious Minefield, raving about MTV’s hit show Awkward. Instead of linking you to MTVs website to purchase the first season on DVD, it did something else. There is a new trend rising in media. Mike Hale writes, “This month a Season 1 DVD will be available (for $17.99) from Amazon.com through the company’s CreateSpace on-demand service.” (2011).

Networks like MTV are using print-on-demand websites that are just as accessible to the independent filmmakers! The websites are easy to navigate through and there are plenty to choose from.

A few suggestions:
www.lulu.com
www.createspace.com
www.infinitypublishing.com
www.blurb.com

Sometimes it helps to get advice from those that have gone before you. Through YouTube, I found a video that would help you. Ramit Sethi and Tim Ferriss are two best-selling authors from traditional publishing companies. Here is their video on their opinion on self publishing.



Find what works for you. Research the best site, or whether or not it is even for you. For another video; ABC News did a great job talking about this platform in 2010. They go through how important it is to be able to get your books online just to have people read it. It may not be the best sellers, but it would be a great place to get started. Check out the video on their website, ABCNews.
Print-on-demand, or self publishing, are great tools to help establish yourself. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages of both. Good luck!

Digital Media Wire – Great Resource!

If you’re anything like myself, you love coming across great websites! In our industry, the best websites to come across are those to keep in your resource folder! Do not allow your resource folder to sit idly by while you attempt to move forward in your career.

If you’re just starting out, start with Digital Media Wire. One of my favorite parts about this informational website is the job postings. Being nearly done with grad school, this is how I spend all my free time online—drifting through job postings. With one click, I had over a thousand postings to look that that range from Intern to Senior Director. This free website will become invaluable to you if you take advantage of just this one part of the site.

Digital Media Wire describes themselves as:
“Digital Media Wire, Inc. launched in early 2000 with a simple yet compelling proposition to provide busy executives with a daily briefing of the most important news stories about the business of digital media. On July 20, 2000, we published the first issue of Digital Media Wire Daily — our daily email newsletter dedicated to objective coverage of news stories about the convergence of media, entertainment and technology. Today, we are a full scale media company that owns and produces 8 major conferences, publishes daily newsletters and directories, and operates the popular www.dmwmedia.com news and community portal.” (2011).

The amount of articles posted on here is astounding. It will keep you updated on all things media related. If you are interested in what’s going on in Media Law, check out the Law section. Or look into things that are social related, like Twitter or Linked In. This website goes beyond being informational on current topics, to keeping you on your game for future job opportunities.

If you’re in New York on November 17th and 18th of 2011, please check out the Future of Television conference. The list of speakers is reason enough to check it out. This is an opportunity to network! Keep yourself updated and ahead of the game. Never underestimate the power of a great resource!

Learn the Legal Lingo...Save Yourself.

For anyone starting his or her own production company, you need to learn the legal lingo. You also need to be aware of what is going on in the entertainment world, legally, to keep yourself safe and protected.

Before you go any further, check out the podcasts of Lawyer2Lawyer.

If you ever use any music in your films, you need to get permission. I cannot stress this point enough. Going a step further, you need to be aware of what is going on in the music industry. Because of the 1976 Copyright Act, there is a new legal battle over song rights. Knowing this will help you be able to figure out what songs are too messy to be able to use right now. Knowing your copyright acts will allow you to keep your copyrights in tact and legal! For more information on this, check out Lawyer2Lawyer’s podcast “The New Legal Battle Over Song Rights.”

Another big concern for your company, legally, is social media. This can be your biggest asset or your biggest downfall. Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t take it back?” That applies, more than anything, to things put on the Internet. Set up In Lawyer2Lawyer’s podcast “Legal Issues Surrounding Social Media,” some great ideas were presented. Set up Google alerts to see when your name, or your company’s name is posted anywhere. If anything negative is posted, you can contact that person to get it down. Save the e-mail message in case this defamation needs any more legal matter. Do not put anything up on personal social networking sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, photos or messages that would dilute the value of your brand. The privacy settings are never as private as you wish and your valued customers, and audiences will find them. Be constantly aware and updated on your online presence. Make the social networking sites work for you, not against you.

Another big thing talked about by Lawyer2Lawyer in their podcast “The Legal Issue of Blogs, Fair Use and Attribution,” is Fair Use. Get to know Fair Use here. Write blogs, they are great at updating your audience on what is coming up with your production company. It will keep your company and your upcoming movies fresh in the minds of the readers. However, make sure that what you are writing, whatever it may be, gives credit to whoever’s work you use. If you post a funny picture on your Twitter page, let everyone know where you got that picture. If you add music to the background of your website, get permission! If you quote an article written about your company, you need to give credit.

It may seem tedious. But you need to protect yourself. You do not what to be caught up in legal issues surrounding copyrights. Better safe than sorry. Use the resources given to you, such as Lawyer2Lawyer’s podcasts. Now go Google yourself!

Legal Controversies in the Entertainment Industry

One of the biggest controversies to hit television this year was Charlie Sheen.  Charlie Sheen was an actor on the CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men.  He created a lot of problems with his drug abuse and the show was put on hiatus to send him to rehab.  Shortly there after he made some nasty comments about the creator and the studio (Warner Bros.), prompting Sheen to be fired.  Legal battles ensued after Charlie Sheen being let go.  Recently the legal woes came to an end, but it definitely let the rest of the industry know that they are entitled to pay someone for the work they did.  For more information on the outcome, check out the Los Angles Times article, Charlie Sheen's Legal Dispute Over 'Two and a Half Men' Ends.

Another controversy that struck the entertainment industry this year was Lady Gaga and her “benefit” bracelets.  Basically consumers are saying that they bought these bracelets thinking they were going towards a charity and in reality, Lady Gaga was making quite a profit off of them.  Consumer Protection laws are put in place to help prevent this sort of thing from happening.  These bracelets were to help those in Japan after the earthquake.  And while some of the profits probably made it there, why was she profiting off these bracelets?  This particular lawsuit really gets my fire going.  She makes so much money in her own sales that she has the ability to lend her name to a relief fund over a tragedy.  It bothers me that anyone would want to profit off of that, especially without the public who adores here knowing!  Read more about the lawsuit at Reuters, and how there are people out there looking out for the consumer protection.  The article, reported by Jill Serjeant, Lady Gaga Sued Over Japan Earthquake Charity Bracelets, also shares about how the Michigan legal network, 1800LAWFIRM, is the one that pointed out this allegation.

But of all the controversy happening this past year, my favorite would have to be the reality-stars, the Kardashian’s debit card scandal.  Kim, Khloe, and Kortney, who are unbelievably famous for basically nothing, signed on to have their brand (face/name) but lent to this company to make these debit cards.  But when they heard that the cards had outrageous fees, they pulled out of the deal, and lawsuits followed shortly after.  This could have been avoided if they were to know exactly what they were signing up for beforehand. I believe they should pay the money and move on.  Watch the video, Credit Card Company Sues for Kardashian Kash, and decide for yourself.  I found the Kardashian video posted at newsy.com.

In reality, we’re going to be going through controversy for as long as this industry continues.  But knowing the rules, the laws, and the fine print will help in the long run.

Resource: SBA.GOV

Starting your business, especially in the film industry, can be nerve-racking.  The U.S. Small Business Administration is a great website to start with.  It will help you tackle what you need, where to get it, and answer questions you might not have realized you had.

This website, SBA.GOV, has some really great tips and information.  There is a great place to start, Starting a Small Business.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that even if it is a movie production company, it is still a business.  You still need to file taxes, hire staff and gain a profit.  Hopefully one day your small business will turn into a huge corporation.

One of the best tips for beginners is writing a business plan.  Get your ideas down on paper.  SBA.GOV suggests finding a niche and using market research, tables and graphs as well as surveys to help find what is needed in your market.  Using your creativity and well thought out business ideas will help strengthen your business in the long run.  There are also templates available if you need that extra help getting started.

Another big thing that I have utilized on this great website is the checklist they provide to help you secure a loan.  Getting the money to start your business is key.  Many businesses will fail if there is not enough money to help them grow.  Check out their business loan application checklist page for more details.

Even after spending a great deal of time researching and detailing everything you need for a new business, it can never hurt to have a mentor to go to for advice.  You can check out local resources as well to help you.  But the best advice anyone can ever give you is to research, research, and don’t forget to do your research!  Be prepared, and good luck!

Example of the Necessity in Public Image

Recently there was a tragedy at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  Right after singer Sara Bareilles went on stage, and right before Sugarland took the stage, it collapsed from strong winds.  If you haven’t had a chance to hear about the awful incident, take a minute to read through Indiana News Center’s article regarding the tragedy that took seven lives and injured so many more.

While this is an event worth dissecting in and of itself, I want to focus on what happened afterwards.  Being that this was a State Fair there were many acts scheduled to appear at this same Grandstand location this past summer.  The week following the catastrophe, Janet Jackson, Lady Antebellum, and Maroon 5 with Train were all scheduled to perform on different nights.

When discussing the total image of an artist when thinking about management, there is more to look at then whether or not they are physically appealing and can sing significantly well.  Like it or not, how they are perceived by the public with their decisions is a great part of their success.

I will not condemn Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum for cancelling their shows and offering refunds because that was best for them and their decisions did not negatively affect them.  However, Maroon 5 and Train chose to not only keep their concert in Indianapolis, they moved it to a new venue and donated the proceeds.

The Indiana State Fair website had this to say about it,

“Train and Maroon 5 are donating 100 percent of their performance fee while both the Indiana State Fair and Pacers Sports and Entertainment, who manage Conseco Fieldhouse, are also donating their entire proceeds from the concert to the Indiana State Fair Remembrance Fund. Furthermore, in order to make this concert possible volunteers from the Conseco Fieldhouse full and part time staff, members of IATSE Local 30 Stagehands, ESG Security, Levy Restaurants and others are all volunteering their efforts to work at this important community remembrance event. The Women of Faith are also to be commended for re-arranging their set up schedule for their upcoming event at Conseco Fieldhouse so that the remembrance concert can take place.”

Following that decision, the bands were whole-heartedly supported for that decision.  Their current albums were selling out around the county.  This is just an example of why it is important to choose artists to manage that support the public as well as the public supporting them.  If you get a chance, check out both Maroon 5 and Train to support them for helping with this Indiana heartache.

Negotiation Advice: Interview with Cassidy Moody.

When thinking about your own future in the industry, it always helps to get the perspective from those already working and dealing within the industry. One thing quickly overlooked when asking for advice from those working in the industry, is asking about negotiation.

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Morning News Producer, Cassidy Moody, from KSDK, the NBC news affiliate from St. Louis. When asking about negotiations, I noticed that emotions are running high in St. Louis.

The kind of negotiations that he does mostly involve the stories that are going to be aired; about their lengths and subject matter. The negotiations happen often with the executive producer and require quite a bit of give and take.

Mr. Moody stated during this interview, more then you’d imagine, that emotions run negotiations. Get yours under control, or you will always be fighting an uphill battle with professionalism. He goes on to explain that anger makes it hard to get your point across and can distract from the point.

The best way he deals with his emotions are knowing a lot of background information before even speaking to the executive producer. Game theory works really well for him too, because he knows the people that he is going to be negotiating with on a regular basis. Cassidy Moody says, “Sometimes negotiations are a game, you got to play the game.”

Okay, so it’s a game, and we are all spending a lot of time learning how to play this game to the best of our ability. I asked Cassidy for some advice on how to be a better negotiator, and he said, “Learn to separate who the people are from the negotiation itself and be informed so you can present your argument well.”

Cassidy Moody had a lot of great advice. You always learn something more when talking to those actually working within the industry. Take time to hear what people have to say, and understand that with negotiations, you’re looking for the best outcome for both parties, not just yourself. Good luck with your future negotiations!

Twitter's Invaluable Resources

Its been said before, and I’m going to say it again. You cannot live without the knowledge of those that came before you. One of the greatest tools we have these days is Twitter. If you’re not already a member, sign up at www.twitter.com for a free account. There are several film producers that have twitter accounts. Start your journey there.

A film producer I greatly admire is Kevin Smith. Following him can result in a lot of personal quips you might not care about, but he puts things out there like sneak peeks at what he’s working on, or where you can catch him next for a meet and greet. For instance, on July 18^th he told the twitterverse that he would be attending Comic Con. Knowing where people are that you want to emulate, in a very appropriate manner, will result in a better opportunity to get a quick interview in with that producer.

Fimmaker David Lynch posts great articles worth checking out as well as places to go for discussion on important topics within the industry. One of the most influential things that could happen to you is when Lynch does a Q and A. He will answer questions from his followers with the ending of #lynchqa where you could ask valuable questions. Twitter allows you to be connected to those you aspire to be like in the industry, as well as those whose knowledge is inevitably greater than yours since you are just starting out.

Commercial director, Dan Trachtenburg, has some of the best content I have run across. Just over a year ago he posted this, @dannytrs “Great advice for aspiring directors-RT @MakingOf:Dir Anne Fletcher discusses her path in the industry http://bit.ly/65Q9vP” Coming across articles like this one can lead you to other influential people to follow on twitter.

Having information at your fingertips in the form of past experience and knowledge is invaluable to someone just starting their own venture as a film producer or entrepreneur. And if you get a minute, connect with me at @jessicaroachFSU!

Screenwriting Tips

There is a lot of creativity coming out of new moviemakers. This is great, needed even, but we all have to keep in mind some simple truths about movies. While you need to be true to yourself, there are a lot of articles out there with tips to help you and guide you in your screenwriting process.

The Sunday Times wrote an article entitled “Ten tips for writing your own movie.” Their number one listed tip was “watch and learn.” This has to be the most important. Know what came before you. Pete Daly, the author, wrote, “It is essential to view as many films as possible, good and bad.” This is important if you want to be creative and original. Allow the great works, and oftentimes the not so great works, to inspire your own creativity. One of the last tips Daly wrote was to be original.

“These are general guidelines. But you must be true to yourself and your vision. Don’t simply copy others. Good movies stand out because they dare to be different, whether it be the tongue in cheek tone of The Big Lebowski or the reimagining of the Brit gangster flick in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”

Go back through his article and really take note of his rules, “watch and learn, don’t show off, structure, the story must have a point, if its not 90 minutes then there must be a good reason, choose your protagonist, make an impression, avoid being linear, be original and you’ve either got it or you haven’t.”

Once you’ve got the basic outline of that article down, head on over to screenwritingforhollywood.com. They have published an article entitled “12 screenwriting tips for beginners.” This is a must read.

One of their best tips is number three,

“Read screenplays for movies you’ve seen. You can get through most screenplays in less than two hours. The more you read them, the more ingrained that formula will be and the better you’ll understand the relationship between the screenplay and the final production.”

You cannot have enough knowledge of what came before you.

Pay close attention to the great advice given in numbers 8-10,

“Master the art of writing. Study grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, and voice. Learn how to write a comprehensive sentence and a compelling paragraph. By cultivating better writing, you’ll strengthen your screenplay and acquire the skills you need to sell it (writing proposals, treatments, and queries).

Get it written. Yes, you should study the craft and spend time sketching ideas, but ultimately, you have to sit down and write your screenplay.

Edit, proof, revise. Repeat. Repeat again. And again. One more time… It doesn’t matter if you’ve written the great American novel, an article for the tabloids, or a term paper. You should always polish your work carefully.”

Knowing how to write is half the battle. But most important of all is to just write. Get it on paper, no matter how long it takes. You can become the next great American Screenwriter, but not if you don’t start somewhere! Pick up a book on screenwriting, and rent as many movies as you can! Get acclimated with your industry. Most importantly, have fun!!

Be Passionate. TED.com Inspiration.

Why begin a company that you’re not passionate about? KLEJ Productions is passionate about the equality of gays and lesbians in America. We are not alone with our passions either.

State Senator Diane J. Savino shares with us one of the most passionate speeches on the topic of gay marriage at the NY Senate. Take a minute to view that speech here at TED.com.

Senator Savino did an admirable job of explaining the case for gay marriage. She started by proving her intimate knowledge on the subject through relationships of gay men she knew personally. We hear a story about her explaining her side on the issue to a man in a petty cab and every bit of knowledge she has obtained to prove her point.

Just about a minute into the speech the Senator speaks one of the most powerful sentences I have heard on the subject. She says, “This vote is about an issue of fairness, and equality. Not political.” Her passion, and complete logical state about the situation, along with her ability to speak to it on the level of all Americans, is what we all need to be hearing.

Most of the time when the issue is arisen you hear time and time again that gay marriage will ruin the sanctity of marriage. Here, Senator Savino does a fantastic job of taking that one opposing view point and dissecting it and righting all of its wrongs. She talks about how the government is not to change the religious institutions right to discriminate on whether or not they would marry gays and lesbians. The bill will allow the courts to issue marriage licenses and marry people no matter their sexual orientation. She drove home the idea with stating how the divorce rate is so high in our country. In her story about the petty cab driver who asked her opinion on the subject, she stated that she could go with him tomorrow down the courts and apply for a marriage license and no one would ask how well they know each other. Allowing same-sex marriage will not ruin the sanctity of marriage.

This speech did our company a great service. Being able to see our point of view on the issue taking on a whole new light was inspiring.

The point I am trying to make, besides showing you all how important this issue is in our country today, is that like Senator Savino, we need to be creating our companies like she created this speech. Be passionate. Back yourself up with knowledge, intimate relationships. Be able to talk to everyone on your staff the way the Senator did, with respect.

Take this even further and use this logic when making a movie or short film. Be passionate, relate to the audience and know what you’re talking about. Find a way to get intimate knowledge on the subject. At the very least, go back to TED.com and review more passionate speeches on the subject.

In my companies quest to inspire tolerance on the subject of gays and lesbians, a good one we found was Councilman Joel Burn’s speech “It gets better.”

Check out TED.com for subjects that inspire you. You won’t find the passion lacking. Be inspired and create magic!

Great Resource--www.mpaa.org

When tackling the wonderful opportunity of starting your own production company the best place to start is The Motion Picture Association of America. The website is full of ideas and knowledge. Whether you would like more information on how to copyright your artistic creations or you’re interested in staying up to date with industry reports, you must visit this website.

While the Motion Picture Association of America’s website does a great job of informing the public on copyright, industry reports and ratings, that is not their primary responsibility. The website reads:

“We are the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries, domestically and, through our subsidiaries and affiliates, internationally. We champion a healthy, thriving film and television industry by engaging in a variety of legislative, policy, education, technology and law enforcement initiatives. These efforts range from safeguarding intellectual property rights to using technology to expand consumer entertainment choices, to championing fair trade agreements and a secure future for artistic freedom of expression.”

This site is important to our industry because of its fight for copyright laws and how it educates the public. Many people view copyrighted material illegally because they are unaware they are do so. Copyright infringement and piracy are huge threats to the film industry. Without MPAA's dedication to the issue, I do not know how long the industry would last financially.

That being said; know your options. As they say, “location, location, location.” Although, these days, you have the opportunity to make change happen anywhere. And there are different incentives for having your company film in particular states. A big state that has been pushing the onset of the film industry is Michigan. The scenery is beautiful and the tax break is too. The website provides a state-by-state statistical analysis for the film industry. For the purposes of this blog, I wanted to show you a state that is far from New York City and L.A. The following are Indiana’s statistics:

“Movies filming in 2008: 3

TV shows filming in 2008: 6

Economic Impact:

The motion picture and television industry is responsible for 10,192 direct jobs and $267.7 million in wages in Indiana.

Production Incentive:

The Media Production Expenditure Tax Credit (MPETC) provides individuals and companies a refundable tax credit of up to 15 percent of qualified production expenditures with an in-state spend greater than $100,000 for films or TV productions less than $6 million. The annual cap is $2.5 million.” (State-by-State Statistics)

With all of that information already provided, the best part for up-to-date information is their blog. It is updated often. I suggest signing up for their e-mail list; their blog updates will be sent to your e-mail. If you wanted a different way to get the information updated to you, log onto Twitter.com and follow @MPAA.

The industry can be overwhelming and confusing. With simple-layout websites like the Motion Pictures Association, a newcomer on the scene as well as any mom looking for information on blocking things from their kids, has information at their fingertips. Read their blog. Keep yourself updated so your company can be successful. Good luck!

Effects of Sound Effects

Imagine yourself finishing your first short film. However, something is just not quite set. You have the main subjects walking through grass without talking. Can you hear the grass? Are there great sound effects when the window breaks? Can the listener really feel the presence of the crowd? Want to have the sound of a large crowd without paying for extras? Try layering a sound effect.

With the use of sound effects, you can have a foghorn while you’re filming the ocean. This creates the impression that there is a ship in the distance. Nearly every scene is filled with layers of sound effects. Most of the time, it is done without us knowing it! Imagine your subjects are sipping on sweet tea outside at night. What would you hear? Crickets? Perhaps an owl? Maybe you would hear wolves? Layer these sounds in editing.

The editor’s best friends are the sound effects. Some sounds do not capture well on camera. Some events need help with sound amplification.

The best part of using sound effects is the budget. Sound effects are rather inexpensive and can save your project’s budget. Instead of manually creating each effect, you can download a variety of sounds. There are quite a few free sites on the Internet. The best sound effects you’ll have to buy, but they are only a few dollars.

One of the biggest issues facing the entertainment business these days is legalization. When finding a site to acquire your sound effects, look for sentences like this one found on soundsnap.com, “Access 100,000 legal sounds with our economical Download Packs.” Take a look at Sound Snap. They are a great place to let sound effects inspire your creativity, legally.

Another great option is making your own sound effects. You can use your voice, your children, your kitchen appliances and even various taping speeds on your table.

Here, a youtuber named Esalaah gets creative with sound effects. He’ll give you a rather in depth description of making a gun shot noise using your mouth!

If you’re a twitter-aholic like myself, I suggest following @ProSoundEffects. This company, based out of New York City, updates Twitter frequently on their database of sound effects. On their Twitter page you can find a link to their website. A few other good ones to follow are @a1soundeffects and @sepulchra.

Remember, when creating, use what works for you. Create your own sound effects, or find amazing ones online. Either way, use sound effects to help you make your projects the best they can be! Good luck on your films!

How To: Green Screen

One of the easiest special effect to pull off is Chroma Key, or more commonly referred to as green screen. Beginning filmmakers or your typical vlogger can use this technique relatively cheap. When filming a scene where you, as the filmmaker, would like to make the background different than what it is, have your actor stand in front of a big green or blue background. The reason why green and blue are used, is because they are farthest from the color of skin. A room wall can be painted green or blue, or you can fashion fabric or poster up that is that solid color, big enough to fill the frame.

Once you’ve established your own green screen you need to focus on your lighting. Make sure you have it evenly lit before filming.

Wavelength Media, has an easy to follow tutorial for beginners. Their best advice:

“remember the two most important considerations: 1.The colour and lighting of the green screen needs to be as even as possible. You can't have anything in the foreground (i.e. part of the the subjects) which is the same colour as the green screen.”

Sometimes the simplest of rules are broken and the Chroma Key fails to look as seamless as the filmmaker intended.

For the purposes of this blog, I am using a MacBook Pro in where iMovie is the chosen editing software. It is extremely useful for a filmmaking beginner because of the ease of use and the amount of online help you can receive for it.

Step one…film your subject in front of a green screen.

Step two…film your background, or find photographs of for your background.

Step three…import all filming into iMovie.

Step four…drag the selection of film or photographs you’d like as the background into the upper left hand side.

Step five…drag the green screen film work you’d like to use ON TOP OF the selected background in the upper left side of iMovie.

Step six…select green screen and watch it put together.

Of course you’re going to have to edit it to get the timing right, but it really is that simple. I found a great tutorial that says the same steps, but shows you how to do them:

Ken, from Maholo.com, the website that can teach you basically anything you’re interested in knowing, has a video about how to use a green screen with imovie11, which for your average mac user, is a must for movie magic. I found his video at macmoviemakers.com

Finally, I’d love to leave you with a fun video of one of my favorite bloggers, one half of the Vlogbrothers, Hank, showing us, back in 2009, his new green screen.

Thanks for reading and feel free to send me your green screen work!

Filmmaking Made Easy: B-Roll

I have had so many people ask me about how I have made my videos so far and the key is time and patience. You need to shoot hours worth of footage. A lot of it will end up on the cutting room floor.

B-roll got it's name from the earlier days when cutting literally meant slicing tape. Tapes were put in alphabetical order and A-Roll was the tape with the footage of interviews and dialogue.

B-roll is basically alternative footage used to be placed under narration or between interviews or scripts. Usually the footage you take will be supporting what the interviewee is talking about. It is supplemental footage. Always shoot more than you need and never underestimate what is interesting to viewers.

Start with shooting the interviews. From there, shoot your interviewee doing their craft, or their subject, and everything that goes into their lives. Shoot different angles as well. Even a few minutes of them relaxing will edit well under a well-written narration. A well made documentary will have a lot of b-roll.

Videoproductiontips.com is a great jumping off point for amateur filmmakers and their article, Making a documentary: where to start?, has more to say than I can even begin. Lorraine Grula, the author, makes a great point in explaining B-ROLL, an unlikely vital part of filmmaking,

“If you are interviewing a scientist, get video of them working in the lab. If you are videotaping a boxing expert, get video of them working out and practicing their moves in the ring. If you are videotaping a truck driver, get video of them driving the truck plus video of them washing or maintaining the truck. As a last resort, get video of them walking down the sidewalk or hallway. I often asked people, “What would you be doing right now if I were NOT here?” Then I would take video of them doing that.

In addition to getting video of them working, get video of them relaxing. What do they like to do? Read? Watch TV? Cook? Play with the kids? Take video of them doing whatever they like to do and you can make it work by writing your narration properly.”

To view the rest of the article from Grula, check it out at videoproductiontips.com.

Dexfango, a popular YouTuber, posted a sketch-comedy video showing what B-ROLL is. Check out the guy’s hilarious video here.

For a personal example, I shot some b-roll of my everyday life. Here are shots I put together using different elements that could be talked about with narration. Keep it simple and try to keep distinctive dialogue out of it. Have a great time, enjoy the creativity behind it, and get rollin!