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Top Tips: Making a film solo? Here’s some must have advice

Going solo?

Hey Filmmakers,

So there’s less than a month on the clock til your film submissions are due on September 23rd. Perhaps you’ve got one film in the works, either with your school, or a group of friends, and you’d like to submit something that’s all yours. Perhaps you’ve just left it too late and you’re looking for a project to work on solo! Making a film in a group is a great way to collaborate, but working on something that’s all your own is also really rewarding.

Here’s a few ideas for ways to make a short film with a micro team of 1 or 2 people, and tips to make it all the easier.

If you’re looking for a bit more guidance on your filmmaking journey, remember all our previous newsletters are archived HERE, with piles of advice, tips and resources.

Top Tips

Get animated!
Every year we receive some amazingly creative animations. Stop motion animation can be a really unique way to tell a story, using everyday objects, clay, lego, other toys or anything else you can think of to tell a story without any need for actors! Check out Oscar-nominated short filmmaker PES on Youtube for some inspo- we especially dig the creativity of Human Skateboard.

Give it some space
If you’re working on a stop-motion, it can be pretty time consuming, so make sure you have a space that you can leave totally undisturbed. This allows you to take a break without packing things away, so that you can keep the camera nice and still!

Double up
Reckon you’re pretty tricky with a camera and editing? Cast yourself as multiple roles in your film, and follow some tutorials for whichever software you’re editing do what is called Splitscreen– creating the illusion that you’re talking to yourself! It might sound complex, but achieving something ambitious is so rewarding!

3, 2, 1, Selfie
Using a tripod, selfie stick, or simply placing your camera somewhere stable, it can be pretty easy to film yourself. Just be sure to take lots of test runs to perfect your framing and make a mark to remind yourself where to stand.

Don’t forget that one of the best ways to be in the running to take out top prizes is to submit multiple unique entries, and to help others with their projects. If you’ve got a specific strength, play to it! Develop your filmmaking skills through experimentation, and be rewarded with your increasing skill and ability to make creative films!

Best of luck filmmakers, as we count down from one month to go! That’s still plenty of time even if you’re just getting started.

Happy filmmaking!

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