{"id":120275,"date":"2019-09-20T06:00:29","date_gmt":"2019-09-20T11:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=120275"},"modified":"2019-09-12T11:47:22","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T16:47:22","slug":"7-filmmaking-interviews-for-career-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/7-filmmaking-interviews-for-career-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Filmmaking Interviews with Real-World Career Advice"},"content":{"rendered":"

PremiumBeat revisits seven informative interviews with filmmakers sharing their professional insights into the film and video industry.<\/h2>\n

In my experience, there are really only a couple of ways to actually learn how to succeed in the film and video industry:<\/p>\n

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  1. Go through the motions yourself and develop the tools on your own.<\/li>\n
  2. Get solid, real-world advice from those who have learned by doing the above.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Take this article, for example. Yes, you can check camera reviews and read film theory all day long, but the best advice you might actually find online comes from those who’ve really been there and done that \u2014 and can cite specific examples and projects where they can share these tangible insights.<\/p>\n

    From a series of interviews conducted over the past few years, let\u2019s take a look at some of the best interviews with industry professionals sharing real, honest-to-goodness advice on how to succeed in film and video production.<\/p>\n

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    1. Advice on Film Writing<\/h3>\n
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    Christina Kallas<\/a> (photo by Lauren Sowa).<\/p><\/div>\n

    Let\u2019s start where all films projects begin \u2014 the writing process. This is probably the single most important part of the process, but it’s very often the most neglected. As the well-established writer\/director Christina Kallas talks about in her book on screenwriting, even getting started requires a great deal of expertise and thought:<\/p>\n

    I like starting the process of creating a film with an unresolved question. Something I have no answer to. But it nags me. I want to know. So, each script I write, each film I make, is for me a discovery. And that discovery is an emotional journey. In a strange way, it mirrors the potential emotional journey of the audience member. That is what emotional structure is.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    From there, the process just gets more tangled and difficult along the way. But, ultimately, as you push through, it\u2019s rewarding. You can read the rest of the interview on multi-protagonist screenplays, split-screen editing, and the ideology behind losing creative control in the full article here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    2. Advice on Cinematography<\/h3>\n
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    The Man in the High Castle<\/em><\/a>. Photo by Liane Hentscher<\/a> (\u00a9 Amazon Studios).<\/p><\/div>\n

    Like writing, cinematography is an art that requires a great deal of dedication (and years of practice) to master. In an interview with Gonzalo Amat<\/a> about his time working as the DP on acclaimed TV series The Man in the High Castle<\/em>, we get insights into the discipline and patience necessary for the job.<\/p>\n

    Be patient. This is like a marathon without a finish line. You never really \u201cmake it,\u201d so make it more about the process than the result. Talent is not really the determining factor in getting jobs. I know a lot of talented filmmakers that don\u2019t get breaks, so always make the best out of the opportunities that come up.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    If you’re an aspiring DP, or just interested in cinematography, the rest of the interview is full of solid advice from Amat\u2019s career and other projects. You can read the full interview here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    3. Advice on Directing Short Films<\/h3>\n
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    “Nine Minutes<\/a>” Short Film directed by Ernie Gilbert<\/a> (\u00a9 Thunder and Venom).<\/p><\/div>\n

    For many aspiring, up-and-coming filmmakers, the most obvious and practical way to get started is by shooting shorter, smaller-budget projects like short films or music videos. As is the case with filmmaker Ernie Gilbert, who shares some interesting anecdotes from his sci-fi short film “Nine Minutes.”<\/p>\n

    We ended up shooting the project on 35mm film with Panavision Anamorphic lenses and camera. The heat averaged to 116 degrees each day. It was just a challenge of constructing shade and making sure everybody had water. We were fighting the elements. A lot of learning lessons. We ended up shooting the final shot of the film, which is a 360-degree dolly that circles Constance<\/a> as she gives her final monologue. It\u2019s a six or seven-minute shot, and we ended up shooting that, both days, at sunset, right as the sun had dipped below the horizon, for the look we wanted.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Not only is working with 35mm a unique project (at least in today\u2019s digital landscape), but it\u2019s these exact situations when you find yourself in extreme conditions \u2014 working on complicated shots and sequences \u2014 that are the real learning opportunities. For more tips, check out the full article here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    4. Shooting Cinema Verit\u00e9-Style Documentaries<\/h3>\n
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    Taken by the Tiger<\/em><\/a> directed by Ross Kauffman<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

    By definition, the cinema verit\u00e9 <\/em>style is the purist form of filmmaking. As such, it\u2019s also one of the most difficult and chaotic styles to produce \u2014 as filmmakers must capture stories at their realist moments. For cinematographer Matt Porwoll<\/a>, who shot the Sundance documentary Taken by the Tiger<\/em> (a.k.a. Tigerland)<\/em>, it all comes down to being prepared for what you can\u2019t expect:<\/p>\n

    As all verit\u00e9 films go, you never really know what you\u2019re going to get until it starts to happen. We\u2019re following a story that is active and present. [\u2026] We knew we had a fascinating character. We didn\u2019t quite know what was going to unfold. And, as you hope with verit\u00e9 films, the second you get on the ground, things start to develop and you just want to jump in and follow it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Shooting a film across two continents of wildlife, in its natural habitat, can be very tricky \u2014 not to mention getting said film into the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. It takes a certain type of cinematographer, with a good eye and great problem-solving skills, to reach these levels of success. Read the full interview for more insights here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    5. The Importance of Production Design<\/h3>\n
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    Better Call Saul<\/em><\/a>\u00a0Photo by Michele K. Short<\/a> \u2013 \u00a9 2017 AMC Network Entertainment LLC. and Sony Pictures Television Inc.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Known for her work on indies such as My Blueberry Nights<\/em><\/a> and 2 Days in New Yor<\/em>k<\/a>, as well as the Netflix breakout Jessica Jones<\/em><\/a>, production designer Judy Rhee<\/a> breaks down how the production designer role is not just important by itself but also in its collaboration with others. Here\u2019s a good tidbit from her work with the teams on Breaking Bad<\/em><\/a> and Better Call Saul:<\/em><\/p>\n

    It was interesting to negotiate the timeline of Better Call Saul<\/em> as a prequel, but keeping the visual thread of the world that had already been formed in Breaking Bad<\/em>. The design arena for the show is a world you have to occupy and stay faithful to so it\u2019s not disruptive or disharmonious to the story or characters. It may sound limiting, but there is still a lot that can be mined and interpreted, as we move through that world.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    If you\u2019d like more in-depth information about how the production design department partners with directors and filmmakers to build their cinematic worlds and environments, read the rest of the interview here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    6. On the Future of Creating Digital Content<\/h3>\n