The Recipe to Ambleton Delight

Tip #100: Free film school

2011-12-01T15:11:00.025+00:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

This is the 100th and final production tip in the making of our low budget film Ambleton Delight.

One question we have often been asked is, should I go to film school? Those in our production team have been to a film school of some sort. Itsuka Yamasaki and Sinead Ferguson went to Raindance and Kieron James studied acting at ACT (Academy of Creative Training) and I went to Brighton Film School. However, we would all undoubtedly say the same thing... that we learned more making this film than we ever did in the classroom, as this blog will testify.

So why go at all? The answer really depends on what you want out of it. If you are wanting specific information or instruction or a particular qualification for credibility, then the answer is definitely yes find the right school or course and go for it. But if you are wanting to learn about practical film production, this will very rarely happen in a typical film school environment. And be particularly careful of film schools or courses run by those who have made super low-budget films, especially if they are charging you an amount that makes you question whether the last part of the course will also recommend setting up your own course to recoup production expenses! We made our film very cheaply which is why we have been happy to provide all information for free.

The best idea is to either get involved in film production in some form, such as through work experience, as a runner or production assistant or to make your own film from scratch. But either way, read as much as you possibly can about filmmaking -not just online but in books- and watch as many film extras such as the behind-the-scenes featurettes as possible. Then go out there and put it into action. It is the hardest way to learn, but it is definitely the best.

This blog as covered each area of production along the way of making our film, so if you need some ideas of how to do it, and how not to do it, check this complete list of tips:

Intro to blog
1. Use what you've got

Pre-Production

2. First Draft
3. Writers block
4. Production software
5. Naming a film
6. Production team
7. Financing
8. Public funding
9. Self funding
10. Product placement

11. Short or feature
12. Naming characters
13. Script
14. Budget

15. Locations as characters
16. Finding locations
17. Key locations
18. Seamless locations
19. Unorthodox location scout
20. Location permission
21. Location tips

22. Casting
23. Production design
24. Character design
25. Low budget design tips

26. Sets
27. Auditions
28. Named actor
29. Rehearsals
30. Contracts
31. Actor's agents
32. Crew

Production

33. Cinematic camera
34. Tapeless workflow
35. Second unit
36. Storyboards
37. Shot lists/schedules
38. Send out good press releases
39. Low budget make-up options
40. Call sheets

41. Catering
42. Lighting kit
43. Lighting techniques
44. Props
45. Sound
46. Wardrobe
47. Filming rain
48. 'Guerrilla' filming
49. Film and production stills

50. Director with a vision
51. Director communication
52. Directing basics
53. Acting
54. Successful actor
55. Prima donna actor
56. Night shoots
57. Day-for-night
58. Actors
59. Extras
60. Continuity
61. Making Of
62. Paperwork

Post-Production

63. Editing workflow
64. Editing tools and techniques
65. Sourcing music
66. Special effects
67. Bands and solo artists
68. Tailor-made film score
69. Scoring to picture

70. Colour grading (timing)
71. Final sound mix
72. ADR
73. Voice over
74. 5.1 surround sound
75. Audio commentary

76. DVD master
77. DVD copies
78. Formats
79. Blu-ray
80. Subtitles
81. Film logo
82. Film poster
83. Trailer
84. Credits
85. Website
86. Social networking
87. Free software

88. Artwork permission
89. Final cut
90. Test audience
91. Premiere
92. Film festivals
93. Distribution
94. DVD artwork
95. Classification
96. Copyright

97. Communication
98. Haters
99. Mistakes
100. Free film school

Any corrections or dead links etc please let us know.

And don't forget our videos as well:

Thank you to all the contributors to the blog and those who have been following. We wish you all the best in whatever film(s) you are making and hope that this blog has some part in making your creative dreams come true!

Tip #99: Learn from our mistakes

2011-11-22T00:52:00.014+00:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

As cast and crew we are all very proud of the film we produced. Not only the way it was made and for how little, but the final product is something we are very satisfied with, as in many cases it has exceeded expectations. However, that doesn't mean it couldn't have been a lot better!

In fact, from my perspective as the director I think there were 10 key mistakes that I was personally involved in making:

1. Under-developed script
The script was an adaption of a short film concept that itself was based on a true story. It was written in a matter of months and although we had many different drafts and long script editing sessions with three writers, the producers and a script supervisor present the fact remains that a lot more could and should have been done. It should have been a lot shorter, several scenes could have been reduced or collated together and in particular dialogue condensed to avoid unnecessary repetition. (see tip #13).

2. Name of the film
A film title should be memorable and this one just isn't. People struggle with it. It was originally entitled "Apple Pie" but this seemed too simple and it went through several different versions until resting on a fictitious village name and the name of the dessert. It was a nice idea...but if people can't remember it, then it doesn't work (see tip #5).

3. Too many locations and characters
We tried to keep the number of locations and characters to a minimum, with several characters condensed into one, but somehow these aspects of the production kept expanding and in the end made a lot more work for everyone involved (see tip #15).

4. Target audience
We never really addressed who our target audience was, other than those who enjoy the generic "drama" genre. This was probably due to the "inspired by a true story" and "passion piece" elements of the production, but that is no excuse. We should have identified our audience more, as this is crucial for marketing the film later, and also for considering classification (see tip #95).

5. Logo clearance
During the production we did try to avoid including logos and brands that could cause issues, but we just weren't vigilant or inventive enough, especially in two particular cases involving beer and TinTin pajamas that lead to headaches in post-production (see tip #88).

6. No sales agent
This was a biggie. It was not until the film was well done and dusted that there was even a mention of "a sales agent" and we still didn't even know who or what it meant! In actual fact we shouldn't have even finished the first draft before organising one. By all means don't make the same mistake of neglecting to learn about this before entering production (see tip #92)

7. Gave away our budget
When we completed the film on so little -despite assurances that we couldn't do it- we thought this was a positive aspect of the production that we could use to help the profile of the film. So early press releases and film trailers mention the next-to-nothing budget. It might work for a zombie film made on £45, but for a serious village-based drama we actually shot ourselves in the foot. Since the film does not look low-budget we were selling ourselves short and giving the wrong impression. And that's exactly what happened. (see tip #14).

8. Too festival focused
Still unaware of what a sales agent was we instead focused on film festivals, mistakenly believing this would lead to more opportunities. We played the "premiere" game aiming for festivals that could premiere the film. While it wasn't a total failure, actually our time and money would have been better spent getting a sales agent and proper distribution. (see tip #92).

9. Indie distributor
We eventually settled for an indie distributor which seemed like a good decision at the time, but in reality at our present rate we are probably unlikely to make even our budget back any time soon. Personally, I think it would have been better if we had gone the self-distribution route, even though such an option has definite drawbacks (see tip #93).

10. The blog and social media
Our low budget film production blog has from the very start worn its heart on its sleeve, detailing the mistakes, agony and pitfalls of making a next-to-nothing budget film, as well as sharing what worked for us with the hope that other filmmakers might join in with more advice. Instead many fellow filmmakers have at best misinterpreted our intentions, at worst used it as a platform to launch insults and abuse (see tip #98).

So was this blog a waste of time, a mistake? Well from the positive feedback I am sure there are filmmakers who will benefit from it, as there is everything we would like to have known if only someone else had told us before we started. But the fact is that while modern web-based social media has brought everyone closer together, that also means you are brought close to some real nutters! So in all honesty, I would recommend creating and maintaining a distance when it comes to social media, as the emotional cost of dealing with on-line immaturity is sometimes just not worth it.

Tip #98: Prepare for the haters

2011-11-15T19:44:00.024+00:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

It is a disturbing aspect of being a filmmaker, but unfortunately the not-so-simple act of making a film will automatically put you in line for possible abuse, either directly, or more likely indirectly, (as with website 'trolls').

You may also think that this would more likely come from disgruntled and anonymous audiences who dislike the end product. The fact is that the four main sources of abuse will come from possibly surprising quarters: fellow filmmakers.

Constructive criticism
Before looking at some specific examples we must emphasise the importance of constructive criticism and how this differs from insulting or attacking filmmakers or their films. There is a simple saying frequently used on film sets: "Don't give me a problem, give me a solution". This shows how the following examples certainly differ from constructive criticism which should be warmly welcomed by all filmmakers. I personally encourage people to criticise and comment on my work and will take onboard such advice (refer to a recent blog about test audiences here) especially when they give practical suggestions and solutions to what they think isn't working or could be done better.

However this is completely different from those who make unfounded, aggressive and in many cases just plain insulting comments. Their intent is not to help the film or the filmmaker but -just the same as the proverbial school bully- to make themselves feel better by putting others down. Which is not only childish but a real shame to discover that such immature behaviour exists within an industry that thrives on teamwork. In many cases it stems from bitterness, jealously and issues that are more their own making and irrelevant to the filmmaker or film they are attacking.

1. From cast (the "prima donnas")
We have already covered the fact that unfortunately there are actors who can suddenly turn abusive over imagined ill-treatment. Unlike the other three sources, this can be a particular problem for a low budget production if it requires recasting. For more information on dealing with prima donnas check here.

2. From crew
During the making of Ambleton Delight the production team extended every effort to make cast and crew feel as comfortable and appreciated as possible -despite the fact that this can be a very difficult task when working on such a low budget.

The general response has been very positive. But we have heard stories from other film sets where this is not the case, with DoPs having to take over the role of the director due to a row with the cast, of crew storming off sets because they are bored or feel they are being 'used', of unpaid runners suing a production company, or those who just don't turn up at all. And then there are those who bad mouth the production team afterward, instead of raising the concerns at the time.

3. From volunteers
We had an interesting situation where a man who had previously worked in the film business, kindly offered the rear of his restaurant premises for a shoot. He volunteered, without us even asking, an offer we eventually took up when we found ourselves in a tight spot. The location worked well, but due to failing light we asked if it was possible to come and film pickups. Unfortunately, one of the producers who made the telephone call obviously caught this man in a different mood, who became so abusive over the phone that it made any thought of shooting pickups completely impossible. We have no idea what changed his attitude, except that he possibly assumed we actually had a larger budget than what he previously thought. This is in fact the key issue when receiving help from volunteers especially when you also have high professional standards -it can sometimes send the wrong message.

4. From fellow filmmakers
And then the most surprising (or maybe not so surprising?) source: from those the same as you. You would think that the amount of effort involved in film production would garner at least a small amount of mutual respect. Apparently not.

Here are some 'printable' examples of what fellow filmmakers have written about our production and production blog....

Karel Bata a UK filmmaker (lives in a "posh bit" of London, http://sweetheartfilms.com/) was the first to take unreasonable offense by alleging our lighting blog recommended not using a DoP (which it did not) and went on to post on forums and bulletins insults and allegations such as "He's made a huge public gaff, and is now getting his head chewed off. He'll learn from it...complete IDIOT here."

Freya Black, a UK filmmaker also wrote about our lighting blog: "How nasty can you get!....making such a massive fool of themselves in public, I personally just find it embarrassing...will just make me cringe, even if it has high bizarre value....it certainly seems like you have been disloyal and unappreciative".

Mike Mann (http://www.gitve.com/team.html) also took exception to the lighting blog describing it as a "slap in the face to DPs disguised as a tip to the masses."

Fellow low budget filmmaker Jonathan Williams regards our production diary as "spam disguised as endless, and often substandard 'tips'... as a means of pulling them to your website and attempting to sell them your DVD".

Valentine Palmer, a Brighton, UK based actor/presenter most famous for some TV bit parts and for directing a porn film. "Your feature film (with a title too laughable to even mention)... within the first few minutes of the film’s showing, (I could see) that this was an absolute disaster.... you appear to be manifestly incapable of taking charge of the director’s chair for any kind of major filmic undertaking... The screenplay of your film gave the impression of having been written by someone who had never bothered to study the construction of a movie. There was no noticeable plot arc, character arc or scene arc. There was certainly no apparent 3-act structure within a film devoid of action, humour, suspense or romance."

Gregory Singer, Director at Stallion AV Productions in the Greater New York area and who describes himself as "proud to be Korean... shy around people, but not with a camera" began by describing the film as "Nice. Not great, but nice." But became increasingly unpleasant and over the course of many months posted many unfounded accusations on Shooting People bulletins including those that took "issue with" our production blog which he goes so far as to call "dangerous" and "disseminating bad information... Breaking the law is promoted as *good* low budget filmmaking technique...Unilaterally redefining decades old set job descriptions because 'having no money' makes you an exception?" He called us "newbies" and asked: "What exactly do you think DP or DoP stands for? DIRECTOR of Photography. Did you go through several MOVIE DIRECTORS when shooting this film? Is it a sort of Round Robin production where everybody gets a chance to do each job?"

UK filmmaker and blogger Ben Blaine (picture with brother Chris above) also entered the furor over our blog which he labelled "the Ambleton Delight Debacle" calling it "delicious bru-ha-ha... where a couple of badly chosen words about DPs have sparked a furore."

Dan Selakovich an editor/writer from LA, took exception to the blog on continuity, reading an unwritten job description inbetween the lines, saying "We are into my pet peeve of the view of script supervisor, and this low-budget tip has gotten it wrong... again....One more part of this "tip" that makes my blood boil...that's rank beginner stuff....What you leave out in your "tips" is blinding... More of my nasty comments below: I don't find your blogs practical. I find them utterly incomplete."

Someone who calls themselves "Anonymous" wrote this curious entry on the lighting blog "Dear Mr. Rambleton...you set yourself up for this....Very strange how I don't see more directors holding a boom. Seems to me you should take your 'advice' and go 'Australian'".

Tom Tremayne even questions our "creativity" when he writes: "It's a shame that supposedly creative people feel they need to impart advice that's merely common sense dressed up as something else!"

You might wonder why we have gone to the effort of reprinting what is mostly either unfounded, misconstrued or just plain insulting comments, especially since we have received several times more positive and appreciative feedback, not to mention even some awards. Well it just goes to show how as a passionate and heartfelt low budget filmmaker you will also need to develop a thick skin and a sense of humour, and especially don't expect any sympathy or even support from fellow filmmakers!

Tip #97: Your most valuable tool - communication

2011-11-01T11:42:00.006+00:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

It is one of the most common complaints -not knowing what is happening. Not knowing when and where the filming will be, not knowing what is expected, not knowing how long it will take, not knowing what has happened to the film.... As filmmakers we are creating an artform that is meant to communicate a message but sometimes we perhaps inadvertently overlook the fact effectively communicating with cast and crew is an equally important priority.

Communication is your most valuable tool as filmmaker, but before using it on your audience think of these areas:

1.Callsheets
Every key date of filming should have a call sheet sent in advance of it. At least 12 hours before if possible. It should contain all the information your cast and crew need: location, times, contact information, directions etc. For more information and examples check here.

2.Contact list
From the very beginning set up a document with all key members of cast and crew listed with their mobile numbers. Don't rely just on your own phone -it can get lost, plus you can easily share this document with members of your production team as and where necessary. Print it out and have it on you at all times. Use people's mobile phones to contact them directly and keep them up-to-date with last minute changes in times and locations. Again, the contact list will help you make sure you don't forget someone when there is a sudden change in schedule.

3.E-mails
Start an e-mail list for your cast and crew and keep them regularly updated via this method on the progress of the production. It is also an excellent way to cut down on printing costs
-you can send scripts and actors may only need to print out the portion they are involved in.

4.Newsletters
You can take the e-mail method one step further and start a weekly or monthly newsletter to keep absolutely everyone connected to the production in loop on the progress of the film. It also makes sure that no one misses out on the latest news or that you have to keep replying to individual enquiries regarding the production status.

An excellent and free on-line software that can help manage your list, as well as assist with the design and subscription, is Mail Chimp.

5. Afterwards and actor showreels
Once the production is over that should not mean you cut ties with everyone involved. We continue to send the occasional newsletter even though it is over 12 months since the release of our film. Stay in touch with everybody via e-mail or the newsletter, find out their news, tell them how the film is doing.

This also includes members of the cast who may approach you in regard to their showreels. So many productions can end up unfinished and disappear. The very least an actor deserves, especially if they were doing it on a very low budget (or free), is to see some of the footage so they can use it on the showreel. Make sure they know they have a right to the footage and that you will help facilitate this in whatever way possible. Although you may want to think about having a clause in their contract delaying this by six months if you believe it may cause creative issues to release footage before the release of the film. Very few actors would want to jeopardise the potential success of a film they were in so would understand the necessity of this.

And finally, for an example of monthly newsletter, with latest news, tips and free stuff etc check out Dan-the-Cameraman -there is an edition coming this week:

Tip #96: Can I protect my copyright?

2011-10-28T15:15:00.012+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

It is a classic Hollywood horror story that has almost taken on mythical proportions in its retelling. Someone writes a great script and submits it to a studio. The studio replies that they are not interested. A year or so later the studio releases a film almost identical to the submitted script, except that it has now been written by someone else....

But is this something filmmakers should fear, their ideas being stolen? And what about once they have made their film, does it require copyright and some form of disc digital copyright protection to prevent piracy?

Stolen ideas
Fact: Script ideas are stolen. There is the example of Reed Martin who wrote a script and a Hollywood talent manager sent it to actors he'd liked to have in the film, including Bill Murray. After initial interest, it was eventually dropped...only for a film with an almost identical storyline and characters to be released. The film was Broken Flowers starring Bill Murray...

Of course, this is not the only example and there are regular law suits and allegations. But there could be logical reasons for this, that may not be down to plain and simple theft. There is the obvious fact that there's 'nothing new under the sun' and hence very few scripts can be labelled 'completely original'. There is also a term known as "parallel development" in which similar ideas are developed at the same time. Maybe something registered on a subconscious level in the minds of the director, producer, writer and so it not necessarily blatant stealing.

Balance is necessary
If you become paranoid about your script or idea being stolen and don't let anyone near it without having first signed a NDA etc, then the likelihood is -especially if you are a first time writer- that you will come off as extremely arrogant and overconfident and will never get your script read by those who could actually make it happen. There is an interesting blog at "Scriptxray" which states: "Your ideas will be stolen...and here’s why it's okay...As a people business where everything depends on who you know, it’s best to let your work get out there and be seen – if you don’t, its pretty much impossible to start your career." The article also mentions that "it’s actually more expensive for producers to steal a script than buying or optioning it legitimately – considering the legal fees and reputation damage." (To read more go here)

How to copyright
That doesn't mean to throw caution to the wind. There are a few simple steps to copyright your ideas and script, firstly by simply ensuring that a date, name and copyright symbol is clearly printed on your script. Although a copyright notice is not required, (work is automatically subject to copyright protection under law), displaying a notice shows that you have an awareness of copyright and take infringements of your work seriously.

You can take the extra step of registering your work, such as using a copyright service: http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/

You can also date stamp your work by simply mailing it to yourself and not opening it. This is known as "poor man’s copyright" and there are issues and alternatives worth considering (check here)

If you are talking with a producer and they are comfortable doing it then there is nothing stopping you asking for a NDA to be signed.

Here is a copy of a NDA you can use: NDA template

DVD copright
Your artwork and the film itself can contain a copyright symbol and date, as well as a copyright warning at the beginning of the film. This can be sufficient but if you are wanting to actually prevent people from physically being able to copy your disc then this will involve CSS or Macrovision copy protection, which requires a pay per-disc royalty fee, and is something only available on professionally replicated discs.

Note: Of course this can cut both ways: Make sure you are not using copyrighted material or logos in your film or artwork (for more information check here) including the use of the DVD logo which is in itself copyrighted (more here)!

Tip #95: Don't forget classification requirements

2011-10-25T13:44:00.019+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

All feature films, short films and trailers which are shown theatrically must be classified in the UK and most other countries have similar systems in place. Classification is also a legal requirement if you are selling your DVDs. The only exemption you might be able to consider is if it is for educational purposes (i.e. a documentary or school resource). But in most cases you are going to have to look at getting it classified.

1. Censorship
Censorship -sometimes defined as the suppression of knowledge or ideas to prevent the circulation of offensive or problematic material, is often in itself a controversial issue for filmmakers with the system being used and abused (filmmakers aiming for a particular classification to appeal to a certain audience) and criticized for preventing free speech.

As filmmakers however we need to acknowledge it as part of the production process. Ever since the coming of sound in 1927 there has been a call for censorship starting with the Hays Code of film classification introduced in 1934, that was later replaced by a new classification system in 1968 run by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). In Britain we have local councils and the BBFC.

2. Local council classification
If your film is screening in a local film festival then it is likely that the festival organisers will have a blanket classification to cover all the films to be shown. But in some cases the local council will also classify the film itself. This happened to us for a local screening as part of the Brighton Festival, and in this instance there was no charge for us. The film was given a 15 rating.

3. BBFC
The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom.

At the time of writing a DVD or Blu-ray feature and trailer has a standard fee that comprises of a handling fee of £75 per submission plus £6.00 per minute for a full length of work (which would also have to include any extras such as the Making of).

Based on this rate Ambleton Delight (the film only) would have cost £723+VAT, a total of £867.60 to be classified (you might also have to take into consideration packaging and cancellation and further review fees, plus the cost of reviewing disc extras). If you are looking at self-distribution then this is an important expense to consider.

4. Certificates

There are seven main certificates that your film might fit within:

Universal

All ages admitted, there is nothing unsuitable for children over 4.

PG Parental Guidance
All ages admitted, but certain scenes may be unsuitable for children under 8.

12A (Cinema only)
Considered to be unsuitable for very young people. Those aged under 12 years are only admitted if accompanied by an adult, aged at least 18 years, at all times during the motion picture.

12 (Home media only)
12A-rated films are usually given a 12 certificate for the VHS/DVD version unless extra material has been added that requires a higher rating. Nobody younger than 12 can rent or buy a 12-rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game.

15
Only those over 15 years are admitted or can rent or buy a 15-rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game.

18
Only adults are admitted. Nobody younger than 18 can rent or buy an 18-rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game, or watch a film in the cinema with this rating.

R18 (Restricted)
Can only be shown at licensed cinemas or sold at licensed retailers and only to adults, those aged 18 or over.

5. Exemption
While there is no legal obligation or any scheme for labelling material that might be exempt from classification (such as educational works) there is a symbol similar to the BBFC certificates that you can use here (click to enlarge):

6. Think ahead
It is important to think ahead during production to what classification your film may end up with. You do not want to alienate your audience -for example the average audience that enjoys period drama romances might be turned away by a 15 or 18 rating.

For more information on BBFC and certificates please visit their official website here.

Tip #94: Make your own DVD artwork

2011-10-21T10:29:00.017+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Carrying on from the earlier blogs regarding designing the film logo and poster and especially if you are looking at the option of self-distribution, you will need to look at designing and creating a DVD "wrap" and "on-body". One important thing to remember is that all artwork should be supplied for printing at a high resolution and at least 300dpi to ensure good print quality.

1. The DVD/Blu-Ray wrap
This is the cover that goes on the outside of the video box, normally underneath a thin film of plastic to protect it. The DVD wrap is often the film poster slightly altered to fit. The rear of the wrap contains some more information about the film, maybe a synopsis and technical details.

Here is the official DVD wrap for our film Ambleton Delight -notice the 3mm bleed around the edges (click to enlarge):

One thing to note is that the wrap for Bluray boxes is slightly smaller. Here is the Ambleton Bluray wrap (click to enlarge):

To help, we are here providing some templates you can use:

Here is a template for creating a DVD wrap (right/control click to save) as a Photoshop file and PDF.

Here is a template for creating a BluRay wrap (right/control click to save) as a Photoshop file and PDF.

2. The DVD/Bluray onbody
The "onbody" refers to the actual DVD or Blu-ray circular disc itself and what is printed on its surface. The size doesn't change for either the DVD or Blu-ray, but you need to remember that there is a hole in the middle which may affect the design layout.

Here is the official Ambleton Delight on-body (click to enlarge):
And here is a template for creating one yourself (right/control click to save) as a Photoshop file.

3. DVD symbol
This is a common trap a lot of filmmakers fall into -using the official DVD symbol. In reality you cannot use the DVD and Blu-ray logos without permission, as permission requires a license and quality control. For more information check this website: http://www.dvdfllc.co.jp/logo/lg_who.html

So to make things easier, feel free to use our own logos for free (click to enlarge):Or you can download the Photoshop files (right/control click to save) here: DVD logo and BR logo.

For information on DVD masters check here and for some tips on duplication and replication of your DVD, check our earlier blog here.

If you find any broken links or file format issues please let us know here.

Tip #93: Get distribution

2011-10-17T23:53:00.006+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Distribution - when your film is released commercially to the public either theatrically or for home viewing via DVDs, VOD or TV broadcast - is probably the most asked question we have received and also one of the most difficult to answer, even though we did end up getting a distributor. However, from our experience in producing the feature Ambleton Delight we see there are 3 basic distribution options you have available:

1. Get a sales agent
As mentioned in the previous blog we highly recommend acquiring a sales agent first as a means of getting into the right festivals and approaching the right distributors. This was our single biggest mistake -not getting a sales agent. We tried approaching as many UK distributors as we could find and garnered a lot of interest in our film but the unorthodox approach did not help. Most top distributors would not take a second look at a direct approach from the filmmakers themselves as it is too amateur a method. It is similar to approaching actors directly regarding a role and bypassing their agent. Except that distributors, unlike actors, are primarily commercial operations with too many risks at stake to be making 'creative' choices. So if you are aiming high (which you should be) go through the proper channels and start looking for sales agents as soon as possible.

2. Independent distribution
The happy news is that one indie distributor we approached did say yes -Renderyard Films- and so we can now say that we have actually succeeded in getting a distributor. However, the type of independent non-sales agent distributors you will be looking at will be unlikely to push for a theatrical release or even DVD distribution as this can be expensive, so it will be more likely be limited to on-line and VOD. Which may make you think, well, why not do it yourself?

3. Self-distribution
We have done this in the past and have to say it is something you should look at as a last resort. Although the idea of complete control over the marketing and profit is attractive, there is a tremendous amount of work involved and it can also be expensive and yet be very limited in its scope. Here in the UK you will need to think about classification (which can be expensive, more coming in a later blog) and also duplication/replication of the discs, and then the charging of VAT (tax) and end of year accounting. If we were looking to self-distribute in the future, we would probably narrow that to on-line/VOD.

Be careful
If you are accepted by a distributor make sure you read the fine print. Some distributors will have wording in the contract which essentially means that they will only pay you any returns minus their marketing costs, which in some cases could actually leave you owing them money!

In regards to distribution, the next three blogs will look at DVD artwork, classification and copyright protection.

Tip #92: The truth about film festivals -get a sales agent

2011-10-11T10:08:00.013+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Of course, once your film is done and dusted the next thing you most urgently want to do is to get it out there, and maybe even pick up some awards in the process! This is when filmmakers begin searching for festivals to enter, from Cannes to the small local festivals. But it is at this point that our novice production team learned a very important lesson that we hope to pass on to filmmakers who like ourselves, innocently believe that festivals are where films are found by distributors, or where awards can be given which in turns brings attention and the possibility of distribution. Neither is really true. Although we had a reasonably successful festival round, with six official selections, six award nominations and three awards (two for best film and one for best actor) the fact is that it could have been a lot, lot better.

1. The Festival Plan
A big mistake is to just simply start entering as many festivals as possible hoping to be picked up by a big one. The problem is that we often hear stories of films screened at Sundance or elsewhere that go on to be bought my major studios. But it is just not that simple. The fact is that firstly, most of the major festivals are looking for national or international premieres -not films that have been screened elsewhere already . This can get complicated, meaning that you end up putting all your hopes on getting accepted into just one festival (so as to abide by their 'premiere' regulations), and most likely the chances of being accepted into this are very small.

The truth is that filmmakers themselves should not be entering festivals on their own... they should firstly be looking at getting a sales agent.

Ambleton Delight production team
accepting an award for Best Film.

2. The Sales Agent
To reiterate, this is the person filmmakers should be thinking about long before festivals. Nobody ever told us that until we had already started our festival round, and in my mind was the single biggest mistake we made as producers. But it was down to complete ignorance. Nobody had told us -and we had all been to various film schools- that this was a necessity, or even how it works. But we started to find it strange how our film would disappear once submitted into festivals, and how it seemed like most of the festivals had their programmes worked out already and our entering it was essentially a waste of time. Maybe that's because it was. The fact is that if you get a sales agent first then they will know the best way to market your film and thus help you with a festival plan. Of course, once you have found a sales agent willing to pick up your film you must check the fine print of any contracts or agreements made.

3. The DIY method and awards
A sales agent is not essential. There are filmmakers who would prefer the DIY option in the hope of finding a distributor however unlikely that might be, or it could come down to the fact that they have no choice. If you are careful in your selection of festivals and set a festival budget then you can have the satisfaction of knowing that your film will be seen and that it also might pick up some awards, as did our film. But if you enter film festivals without a proper sales agent then be aware that it will look 'amateur' and you are likely to only be picked up by those locally run festivals run by enthusiasts.

Ambleton Delight production team

with the Best Actor award for the film.

4. The Expense
An important consideration (and another reason for getting a sale agent to help) is that entering film festivals can get very expensive, with not only sometimes exorbitant entry fees, but also the costs of providing the materials required. Some festivals will insist on 35mm prints or HDCAM tapes, the transfer of which can rule out any ideas of entering. But you may also find that there is some local funding for putting your film into festivals -we were assisted by Screen South in our festival round.

5. The Politics and the Scams
And then there is the simple fact that many festivals -except for maybe the small amateur events run by volunteers - are more often than not rigged, driven by mostly hidden agendas, have commercial motives and objectives and in worst cases are just pure money-making scams.
For example, if you have a named actor in your film you are more likely to be picked up because then they might attend which will raise the profile of the festival.

The key issue here is that as filmmakers we should be more aware of this. Our whole industry is about creating illusions, but somehow we sometimes seem to forget that festivals are also part of the facade. On the other hand, the 'small amateur events run by enthusiastic volunteers' can be terribly unorganised and result in your film being shown at the wrong aspect ratio to a room full of empty seats!

Ambleton Delight production team
with other award winning filmmakers.

If this sounds harsh or embittered be assured that this isn't the case and we are happy with our festival round and awards. However we did meet dozens of disillusioned and upset filmmakers at many of the festivals we attended. And we know it could have been better if we hadn't entered in ignorance.

The next blog will look at the next and most asked about step... distribution.

Tip #91: Organise a premiere

2011-10-07T12:25:00.008+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

It can be both a very happy and very stressful time for a filmmaker - that moment when the curtain is finally lifted on the film you have been slaving over for months and it is finally seen by an audience for the first time.

The date for the Ambleton Delight premiere was timed to launch a film festival, and hence was a date that was not going to move. It was advertised, free tickets for cast and crew arranged, champagne ordered and tickets put on sale for the public. While the film itself had been cut and effects completed, the sound mix (which was being done separately) began having delays and resulted in final touches being made literally the day before the premiere. But considering it was actually nine months from first draft to premiere, this should not be completely surprising!

Producer Itsuka Yamasaki, actor Sadao Ueda
and director Dan Parkes at the after-party.

The premiere itself was very successful, with 200 in attendance including both cast and crew, special guests and those who bought tickets. Most importantly it was a time to say thank you to all those who helped make it happen. Here are some tips we found on organising a premiere:

Don't leave it to the last minute. Although your concentration will likely be on completing the film you need to start thinking about the premiere from a very early stage.
Location. Obviously a real cinema is the best place, but it might be expensive if you are hiring it. If you can organise it to be shown in a festival then that could solve the problem. Otherwise there are many other non-cinema options you can consider. In the past we have premiered films in a library, a hotel and in a school.
Cast and crew. This is where it can get tricky. Make sure you have an accurate guest list that includes all cast and crew and also those who may have helped in some other way. It might be a good idea to start making this list early in the production so you don't accidentally forget someone in the last minute rush. Also, don't forget to allow each person to bring a guest.
The guest list. Don't just invite those who were involved in the making of the film. Also invite those from the industry and community along to make it an extra special event and to allow for networking opportunities.
Seating. If in a cinema you might want to allocate a special area (such as the back rows) for cast and crew. If not in a cinema you might want to make sure the seats will be comfortable enough for the duration of the film.
Food and drink. It is good if a glass of champagne or wine can be provided to celebrate the event. If you are unable to afford this or get it sponsored then at the very least give people a bag of popcorn!
Test the facilities. Don't ever premiere an event without having first tested the film on the projector and screen to make sure it will look and sound good enough.
Advertise. Send out invitations well in advance and if advertising tickets start looking at ways of getting your premiere known: noticeboards, flyers, posters, e-mails, newsletters etc.
Dress code. From experience most people like to dress up -but make sure everyone knows what is expected. If there is a very formal dress code then this may put some off -especially if they arrive without realising it is the case!
After party. many will want to network or party after the event -if this is not possible at the screening location you might want to think of what facilities are nearby that could be used for this.
Official photographer. It is still part of the production process -so make sure to have an official photographer to record the event.
Festivals. You might also want to think about how the premiere may impact on your festival and sales opportunities. If you have a sales agent or even distributor it is best to discuss this first with them. Also if a film is screened in one country that may make it ineligible for some festivals.

Main actors Jos Lawton and Kristina Anne Howell
at the after-party.

Tip #90: Have a test audience screening

2011-10-04T10:06:00.013+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

As filmmakers sometimes we get too close to the film to be able to be objective about whether things are really working or not. In the previous blog we looked at how some films can have various cuts as director's attempt to rectify issues. We also listed some critical factors to look for when deciding on that final cut. But an even better method is to test your film on an actual 'virgin' audience before deciding on a finished cut.

The wrong audience
Of course it is very easy to just show it to those who were involved in the making -the cast and crew- as they are no doubt eager to have some input. While this can be a good idea, they will all suffer from that lack of objectivity that will prejudice any feedback.

They already know the story. They may have seen a lot of it being filmed and know the difficulties and issues already. Many actors do not like seeing themselves on screen, and crew such as sound recordists and cinematographers may well be very critical of their work or the way it has been represented as their reputation is at stake. Their input is all worth considering but may not be entirely helpful. Conversely, family and friends may be aware of the sacrifices you have made and so will not be as critical as you would like them to be.

The right audience
What you really need is a cross section of people who are seeing the film for the very first time -without knowledge of how it begins or ends and without any emotional connections or involved in its making. You want them to be as honest about the experience as possible. But make sure this cross section is your target audience, the correct age group especially, those who would watch this kind of film by choice, otherwise you are only asking for a negative reaction.

Word of caution
Everyone has a point-of-view and everyone is their own film critic ready and able to tell you how much better it could have been. But they may have no knowledge of the limitations or even how films are made. Unless you find a very serious issue, do you have the time and money to reshoot a scene, or write in another scene, or rerecord the music? Tailor the feedback to be more specific, to things which can be practically done to improve the film.

There is also a political and psychological factor to think about: if someone is asked to state an opinion or comment on someone's work there is sometimes a need to justify their involvement or credibility by making a point -even it if is not required or worthy. Especially is this the case when those being asked to comment are employees of a company or part of a committee -they will consciously or unconsciously want to justify their position by finding something wrong. Simply stating that it seems fine would not seem enough.

That is why some test audience's have "focus groups" which will hopefully pinpoint more specific and practical areas of improvement from a collective point of view. But beware of the proverbial "focus group endings" which have spoilt many a film due to an apparent yearning for a Hollywood conclusion!

A case in point: A focus group that watched Wolfgang Petersen's Troy (2004) apparently did not like the dramatic score by Greek composer Gabriel Yared (above). Despite the director and composer having worked hard together on it, the studio, based on the focus group's reaction, rejected the score and James Horner was brought in with only two weeks to create a replacement score. When the film was released the general consensus among many was that the film would have been much better with Gabriel Yared's version, and that it suffered overall as a consequence (although not the only reason it did so).

In the case of Ambleton Delight we arranged several test screenings. However the most important screening we organised encountered an unresolvable technical issue with the sound which meant it had to be cancelled at the last minute, a missed opportunity and embarrassing situation which I will forever regret, and which left us very little time to make adjustments prior to the premiere. In the end the premiere and festival screenings brought enough feedback which we used to create the final version of the film.

Test audiences are not always right...but they are an important part of post-production and you should employ suggestions when and if practical. But remember to not loose your artistic integrity.

Tip #89: When a final cut... is not so final

2011-09-30T10:32:00.011+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

The word 'cut' is used during editing and distribution to refer to different versions of the film. Sometimes a film can have many different 'cuts' - Blade Runner famously has seven different versions of the film, including an "International Cut", the "Director's Cut" and the "Final Cut". The key difference being the removal of Harrison Ford's voice over.

But what are the differences in definition between each 'cut'? And how can we apply this to low budget filmmaking?

Here are eleven possible versions and their definitions:

Workprint cuts: These are the first cut, second cut, third cut and so on that the director and editor work on. A later "workprint" cut might be shown to a test audience, but otherwise these are never normally seen publicly.
Final cut: The finished version of the film as decided by the producers. (although now more synonymous with a certain Apple editing tool!)
Theatrical cut. This is the version of the film shown in cinemas
International cut. From the perspective of the US, a "domestic" cut means within the United States, but if for some reason a different version is required for overseas this may be referred to as an "international" cut.
Distribution cut DVD/Blu-ray. Once it has finished its theatrical run then when it is released to the domestic market changes might be made -previously there were "pan-and-scan" and "widescreen versions" to accommodate the fact that not everyone had widescreen TVs.
Censored/uncensored cut. Depending on individual territories and also classification guidelines and rulings, different versions
TV cut. Special versions for broadcast will also be different -maybe with offensive language or scenes edited and the pacing and end credits shorted so that it fits within a certain time slot.
Airline cut. There are separate versions that are altered just for airline audiences, with length and suitable content considerations. It also often involves being altered to fit the screen sizes on most airplanes.
Directors Cut. If there were creative differences with the studios sometimes the director will release their original version, for better or worse!
Extended cut. Maybe similar to the above, but since not all director's cuts are longer (Peter Weir's cut of his own "Picnic at Hanging Rock" is shorter)
Digitally Remastered. If only on celluloid and in need or repair a new digital version, with restoration, may also be released.

Of course the invention of DVDs and Blu-ray has now made it a lot easier to be able to add the different versions and endings, even providing opportunities for studios to rerelease films as part of a long-term marketing strategy (e.g. the 10th anniversary extended version). A good (or bad!) example of constant tinkering with various cuts and new editions is George Lucas' Star Wars saga.

However you are probably thinking that it is highly unlikely that a low budget feature will ever get to have so many cuts made to it. And you are probably right -unless your film becomes phenomenally successful then it will hardly merit the attention of being recut and rebranded. But the methodology here is important, as you can use the same form of analysis to ensure that the final cut is the best cut.

Here are some things to think about, especially during the work print cuts:

Logic -Does it make sense? Does it require something more, or maybe something less, to tell the story?
Pace -Are there times when it feels too long and the audience may begin to loose interest, or other scenes or cuts that are too fast. Is each and every scene necessary? Could a scene or two be dropped without affecting the story but maintaining the pace?
Continuity -is there something distracting from the story
Style -Is the editing, the colour grading, the look and feel of the film correct, or does it require further polishing?
Music/Audio mix. Does the music work, hinting at the emotional core, not being too overbearing. Are extra the sound effects required to add an extra layer of realism.
Effects shots. Are the effects shots working or are they drawing undue attention to themselves? Is there anything else to be tidied up or removed?
Mistakes -titles/credits. Are there any spelling mistakes, or omissions?

And what about Ambleton Delight? Well it went through half a dozen working cuts before having three major versions released: a premiere cut (the longest version), a festival cut (tightened version, with one scene removed) and a distribution cut (with one shot removed and a new ending, the shortest of the three cuts). The Blu-ray version is the same as the DVD (distribution cut) except that it contains the cut scenes and the full making of.

Tip #88: Get permission to include logos and artwork

2011-09-27T15:02:00.008+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

It is the easiest mistake in the book, and we fell into it big time - allowing a copyrighted logo, brand or artwork to appear without permission. In our case it was a scene involving a father-and-son bonding moment, during the filming of which all our energies were focused on trying to ensure the young child would appear natural in front of camera, to the extent of overlooking the obvious: that the young boy was wearing pyjamas with a huge picture of TinTin on them! In the end the child was more than natural on camera, providing us with lots more footage than was originally scripted. The producers, notably Sinead Ferguson, on seeing how obvious the TinTin image was, questioned what the situation would be regarding clearance. With the upcoming film by Steven Spielberg on its way, we thought this might be an impossible task...

Actors Jos Lawton and Henry Page
in the 'TinTin' scene.

And it was not the first brand or logo that we had to attempt to get clearance for. Although some great efforts were made to avoid certain logos and branding in shot -either by turning the labels round or removing them completely from shot, or blurring them out by using depth-of-field in the lens- there were several companies we had to approach to get clearance, and who are consequently mentioned in the end credits.

But in some cases we knew it would be impossible. For example, there is a flashback party scene with implied drug usage, which has beer cans scattered around the room. We knew that it would be very unlikely to get permission to use a brand name in such a scene. So in the end we digitally removed the offending logos. It was not an easy task. In fact it is probably the most complex effect shot in the film. But hopefully not one that anyone notices!

The lesson here is:

Don't include famous logos, labels, branding or artwork on props or set design without getting permission first
If you need to include a logo and don't think you can afford or even get permission, then create an alternative version that will not be subjected to copyright
If uncleared labels appear in shot during filming and cannot be removed or changed, turn them around, reframe the shot, or use depth-of-field to obscure them.
Avoid having to digitally remove or alter labels and logos in post -it is a gruelling and sometimes unsuccessful task!

And of course another option is to not only get permission first, but use it as a funding opportunity....more about that here.

And what about TinTin? Well fortunately it has a happy ending. Producer Sinead Ferguson was able to heroically get contractual permission to include the logo direct from Herve Moulinsart who are the owners of the TinTin artwork. And so it remains one of our favourite moments in the film, for more than one reason!

Tip #87: 12 Essential FREE video production software!

2011-09-23T14:59:00.015+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Film making can be an costly exercise, but that doesn't mean everything has to be expensive. Seeing that this is our 100th post to celebrate we are listing 12 of what we think are worth having as part of your arsenal.

Click the image to go to the official website:

1. Celtx -free production software. They have recently introduced paid subscription for using its collaborative features, but if you use it in conjunction with something like DropBox you can still use it to collaborate (although it may not be as easy).

2. Dropbox An excellent collaborative tool -meaning you can instantly share files via a common folder. The free version allows up to 2GB.

3. Muvizu If you need to some 3D previsualisation for effects shots or complicated sequences, Muvizu is free software that enables users to make 3D animations.

4. Lightworks A video editing software package that was used on the film The Kings Speech and is now open source, meaning you can download a free version of it. Looks like it has some great features. It does require 'Matrox VFW' codecs and a recent version of Apple Quicktime and is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 32 bit and Windows 7 64 bit.

5. VLC A free open source media player which seems to play just about anything and everything! Can also be used to convert between formats and works on most platforms, Windows and Mac.

6. StarBurn (Rocket Division Software) Free CD burning, DVD burning, Blu-Ray Burning software.

7. ImgBurn A lightweight CD/DVD/HDDVD/Blu-ray burning application that enables you to burn disc images with ease. We recommend using Imgburn has a better workflow for burning multiple discs as it is faster and has verification features.

8. VisualSubSync A subtitle program that facilitates subtitle synchronization by showing you the audio form. For more information on how we used it check HERE.

9. Subtitle Workshop Free subtitle software which is good for converting subtitle formats and also translation. For more information on how we used it check HERE.

10. VirtualDub VirtualDub is a video capture/processing utility for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows platforms (98/ME/NT4/2000/XP/Vista/7). We use it to help create burned in subtitles. For more information on how we used it check HERE.

11. NVU Webpage design software that we use to create the official website. For more information on how we did that check HERE.

12. FreeFilesync An Open-Source folder comparison and synchronization tool. It is optimized for highest performance and usability without restricted or overloaded UI interfaces. A great and free method of backing up files over multiple discs or computers, especially if you cannot afford expensive backup systems such as Raid.

Note: The software was free at the time of writing. Any updates to links or additional information please comment below.

Tip #86: Social networking -does it work?

2011-09-20T13:40:00.014+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Social networking, a new inexpensive means of promoting your film, has seemingly become an important part of any marketing strategy.

Kevin Smith famously used MySpace in 2006 to promote his Clerks II by putting the names of the film’s first 10,000 MySpace friends in the credits. Since Smith had 50,000 friends at the time this wasn't going to be a problem. They had the names in two hours. Clerks II apparently made a profit and now Kevin Smith has nearly two million Twitter followers.

But does it work? It is a well known fact that a film can sink or swim based purely on rumour and gossip alone. So on-line marketing via social networks is certainly one way of making a presence -and most importantly for budget filmmakers -one that can theoretically be done for free. And it must also be noted that a film is more likely to garner the attention of buyers and distributors if it has a strong on-line following.

In addition to an official website (for more information on that check our previous blog), here are the four main avenues to think about trying:

1. Facebook Page
It's a necessary evil. And very easy to set up, the important thing is to keep it regularly updated and to look not too much like it is advertising the film all the time. Post other interesting things as well.

2. Twitter
Another necessary evil! But again very easy to set up. You could have regular tweets with real time information on the production progress, promote special contests, sneak previews and have links to your other sources of on-line presence such as Facebook. But there is a danger...negative, abusive or downright stupid "tweets" could embarrass and endanger your cast and crew not to mention the film itself.

3. Blogger
Not so necessary, but an opportunity to go into more detail than Facebook or Twitter will allow. This can also be more practical -such as this blog -with anecdotes and behind-the-scenes information or a production diary. Updates to the blog can then be posted on Facebook and Twitter.

4. YouTube
Again, not completely necessary, but once you start releasing any video material this is a good place to host it for free. You could put up a production diary, making of and trailers, which you then embed into your blog and official website.

5. Newsletters/E-mails
Collecting e-mail addresses of those interested in the film and keeping them updated is also a good idea. We use the brilliant (and free) on-line e-mail marketing tool MailChimp which helps you create and maintain subscription lists, design newsletters and e-mails, send the e-mails and provides comprehensive reports on how many of your newsletters are being opened and what links are clicked.

At the end of the day though, an excellent marketing campaign for a bad film.... still makes it a bad film. So make sure you make a good film first.

If you have any good social networking and marketing ideas please post them below.

Tip #85: Build an official website

2011-09-16T11:14:00.007+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Setting up your own official film website, such as we did (www.ambletondelight.co.uk) does not need to be a difficult and expensive option these days. Not only does it mean you have your own place on the web that you can advertise on your film trailers and posters, but it also gives you much better sounding e-mail addresses!

It is essentially a simple 5 step system:

1. Register a domain name
Obviously this will be the name of your film or a variation of it, followed by .com or .co.uk etc. Keep it short and simple -if your film title is already taken you can try just adding the word "movie" or "film". Most domain names can be bought for a year or more, and many companies can offer both the domain name and the hosting as a combined package. Note: Register the domain name as early as possible to avoid being scammed and be careful of any subsequent offers to continue or buy the domain name -they may also be a scam.

2. Choose a hosting package
Now that you have a domain name (i.e. a website address) you now have to organise the hosting -which is the allocation of space on a web server to put your website, and also how much bandwidth is allowed (every time someone visits the site it means data is downloaded from the server - there may be a limit imposed on how much a month is allowed to be downloaded).

3. Design a site
You can actually download free website templates, or buy more professional versions that only need the text and images changed. This is a much faster and professional way of getting a website on-line. We use the free html design software Nvu (http://www.nvu.com/) but there are many out there worth checking. Make sure it is WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) as that is much easier for beginner web designers!

You can also add some great little tools such as Wibiya which includes links to your twitter, facebook feeds and can also create a custom contact page, and a button that translates the entire page into several different languages!

4. Upload
If you are constantly uploading and updating your website you might want to also look at Ftp software which will make this a lot easier. You can use your own computer's operating system to do this or use separate software which can be easier. We use Wise-ftp, but there are many other free alternative ftp programs out there worth trying.

Above: the homepage to our official website
is designed to reflect village life.

5. Check
It is a good idea once you have your website set up to test it on different browsers and different computers including smart phones to see how it looks and if there are any critical compatibility issues. Also check that your new e-mail addresses are up and running and if you have put a redirection to another address in place that it is working correctly.

Tip #84: Opening and closing credits

2011-09-13T12:56:00.009+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Up until the 1970s most films would begin with the full cast and crew credits list. Now, the full list almost always run as a long scroll at the end of the film. These opening or closing credits should not be underestimated -not only are they an informative and in many cases a contractual requirement, but they can also be an opportunity for creativity.

1. Opening credits/title sequences
Some films such as James Bond and the Pink Panther series have utilised the opening credits as an opportunity for artistic "title sequences", something which has become almost a staple of television openers. But most films have now reduced the number of opening credits down to the bare minimum, often superimposing the text upon the film's opening scenes. The 1993 film The Fugitive has credits appearing fifteen minutes into the film! This is not a necessity however. Some other films such as The Godfather, and the recent Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008) have no opening credits at all, except for the film's title. Apparently, Clint Eastwood has not used any opening credits other than the film's title for every film he has directed since 1982.

For some ideas on how to come up with some interesting and artistic opening title sequences, check these wonderful websites out:

www.artofthetitle.com
http://annyas.com

Above: The opening credits to Forrest Gump,
an example of credits overlaying the action.

Above: The opening credits to Catch Me If You Can,
an example of a creative title sequence.

2. End credit crawl/roll
The longest end credits at the time of writing is in the film Aliens Vs Predator (2004) which run at 12 minutes long, followed by Lord of the Rings: Return of the King at 9.5 minutes. This is of course the time to credit everyone who appears, or was involved in the making of the film. It does not necessarily mean everyone seen in a film must be credited - normally only speaking roles are given credit, but this can depend on the individual contract.

This is also an opportunity for some fun, whether it be to have a great selection of music, a suite from the orchestral score, or to screen bloopers, or post-credit scenes. For example, Super8 (2011), has a film within the film playing during the credits. For more examples check the "Crazy Credits" section on most IMDB film listings or http://aftercredits.com/.

3. Standards -formats etc
In the US, credits are often dictated by the relevant guilds. For example, The Writers Guild of America allows only three writing credits on a feature film, while The Directors Guild of America permits a film to list only one director, leading to some occasional issues, such as when George Lucas resigned from the Directors Guild of America after being fined $250,000 for not crediting the director during the opening title sequence of his film Star Wars!

The BBC also has some credit guidelines for television broadcast, which you can check here.

4. Some tips

It is good to start collating credit information from beginning -as the number of thank yous you might accidentally forget is surprising.
An official credit list can be used in the press kit and IMDB listing
Check for errors -make sure you get the spelling of people's names correct, and check contracts as some actors insist on their name being represented in a certain way.
Make sure the font is large enough to read and is not too fast, and is also in keeping with the genre and production design.

You can view the credit list for Ambleton Delight in our press kit, found here.

Tip #83: Make a teaser/trailer

2011-09-09T14:04:00.014+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Film trailers have become an artform in themselves, with slick editing, dramatic music and flashy 3D graphics, along with a barrage of impressive imagery and a complete retelling of all major plot points. But the power of a good film trailer should not be underestimated, as a successful trailer will make you really want to watch the film and form a very important part of a marketing strategy.

Of course you don't want to fall into the trap of creating a trailer full of cliches, although there are times when this can be very entertaining -check out the fantastic analysis of trailer techniques in the brilliant trailer for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, with voice over by England's national treasure, Stephen Fry:

When making your own trailer there are some important factors that are good to remember:

A "teaser" is normally shorter than a trailer - and only teases you with limited information/imagery from the film. These are often released earlier in production, before the final edit is complete.
Standard trailers are almost always about 2 and half minutes in length.
Send the right message -don't deceive you audiences unintentionally -if it is an action film show lots of action, if it's a romance, romance!
Use of appropriate music is important -there are some great orchestral trailer tracks you can acquire, or use band music to set a different feel. Of course clear whatever music you use.
Make sure the editing is as slick and professional as possible, with good grading and sound quality -people will judge the quality of the entire film based on what they see in your trailer.
Unless you intend on releasing a "red band" trailer keep everything PG.
Voice over can add an extra dimension, but don't fall into the trap of thinking you need a deep, booming trailer voice... although you can get these done for you if you think it will work (check this guy out: http://www.voiceoverguy.co.uk/)
Add taglines, graphics, festival information or reviews if possible or appropriate.
It is good to finish with some end credits (cast/crew), as seen on the film poster.
The final image you show in the trailer might be the one people remember the most -make sure it is a good one, and makes you want to see what happens next.
Watch lots of other trailers to get familiar with what works best. Here's a good place: http://www.davestrailerpage.co.uk
Release HD (1080p and 720p) versions of your trailers.

For more information and an interesting analysis of making trailers check this article here.

For Ambleton Delight we created a teaser and two trailers. Check them out below (they are all available in HD, just push play, change 360p to 720p and click the full screen button):

Teaser/trailer 1 (before the main production edit had begun):

Trailer 2 (made for the festival circuit):

Trailer 3 (final, official trailer):

Tip #82: Create a film poster

2011-09-06T12:21:00.013+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Once you have your basic film title logo sorted (refer to previous blog) then the next natural progression is to develop this into a film poster. It is good to do this as early on in the production as it can create a sense of unity and focus for production design. But ultimately remember that it is an advertisement to help "sell" your film so should indicate the mood and genre of your film in an appealing way.

Early concept poster for 'Ambleton Delight'

The early versions of the Ambleton Delight film poster reflected the state of casting at the time and how the main cast might look together. Being a drama set in an English village, the design centered round the main characters and the countryside in the background and this basic concept remained until the final official poster.

A later example of the concept poster for 'Ambleton Delight'.

Here are some elements to think of in your poster:

The main title/logo should be large and bold enough to catch the eye.
It should list some of the main cast -although this is not mandatory. But if you have a "named" actor then their contract may stipulate "top billing" meaning their name should feature prominently above the rest.
If your film has a "tagline" or phrase that might catch people's attention this is the place to use it. For example with Ambleton Delight our tagline is a sarcastic expression taken from a line of dialogue in the film: "Experience the delights of the countryside."
Cast/crew credits. Normally this is located in the lower portion of the poster and in small print. A tall type font works best. There are some free replica fonts you can download to imitate the official font used in Hollywood here: http://www.dafont.com/sf-movie-poster.font
Festival selection/nomination/awards. If your film has festival information worth listing you can use the laurel leaf to list this. Here is a template you can use: http://www.sonnyboo.com/downloads/images/Film_Festival_Laurel_Leaves.png
Film critics quotation. If your film has been reviewed then these are definitely good to include. In the case of Ambleton we included a quotation from a film festival.
You should create both a portrait and landscape ("quad") version -the landscape version can also become a desktop wallpaper.
Overall, does the poster make people want to see it? Does it look professional enough?

Final version of 'Ambleton Delight' poster, here seen as a"quad" or landscape version.

For some great tips and examples check this link: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2011/02/7-elements-of-a-great-movie-poster-design/

Here are some classic designs for inspiration....

Tip #81: Design a film logo

2011-09-02T13:30:00.013+01:00

By Dan Parkes
(Director/editor)

Creating a film logo is an important aspect of the branding and marketing of any film. Once the name of the film has been established beyond a working title then selecting a suitable font and look is important, as this may dictate such things as the look of the opening titles and closing credits, the film poster, website and DVD wrap and menu artwork.

It does not have to be as complex as you may think. Some film title artwork is very basic -simply the choice of a suitable font. Others can also include subtle imagery, such as the puppet hand in The Godfather title. Or you can use badges or crests or use 3D art work to create depth. And don't forget the importance of colour - the colour could end up becoming a means of branding the entire film. Just make sure your design does not lead viewers to think the film is of a certain genre that it isn't.

In the case of Ambleton Delight, since the word 'Ambleton' is ficticious we decided to create it in the look of a village sign, indicating that it is in fact the name of the village.

For inspiration, notice how these recent film logos indicate the nature/genre of the film and become an important part of the branding:

Here are two excellent websites to get further inspiration and information:

http://annyas.com/screenshots/
http://www.thedesignbuzz.net/27-movie-logos/

Tip #80: Give your film subtitles

2011-08-30T19:40:00.011+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Subtitling your film might seem an unnecessary or even an indulgent option. However, if you are considering overseas festivals you might be asked to provide the English subtitles for translation, or having hard-of-hearing subtitle options may open the film up to markets you had not thought of. The fact is that putting subtitles on your film is now a relatively easy option that uses free software and hence something we recommend. There are two different work flows we have used:

1. Separate DVD subtitles
Subtitles that can be switched on and off via a DVD menu option are the easiest and probably most common. It first involves transcribing the English dialogue (and sound effects if for hard-of-hearing) and the best software for this is VisualSubSync (www.visualsubsync.org). Here you import your video and it automatically extracts the audio waveform. I personally find this the easiest way of timing the subtitles to the video -by seeing the dialogue visually means you can make sure it starts at precisely the correct point. VisualSubSync also has some good error checking settings to make sure the subtitles are not too long or too fast etc. Once finished we then took the resulting .srt file and imported it into Subtitle Workshop (http://www.urusoft.net) where we could then convert it into a .txt file for importing into our DVD authoring software, Adobe Encore, which allows importing .txt files, or for sending off to get translated. The subtitle files, .srt or .txt are essentially timecode information alongside each line of subtitles, and so are relatively easy to create, check and alter if need be.

VisualSubSync (www.visualsubsync.org)

2. Burned in subtitles
Sometimes you might want 'burned in' subtitles -meaning that rather than the above option that allows you to switch them on and off they are in fact 'burned' into the video and cannot be removed. This is sometimes necessary for web delivery or in cases where you want complete control over how the subtitles look. Here is the work flow we have developed for achieving this:

Create the subtitles in either VisualSubSync (www.visualsubsync.org) or Subtitle Workshop (http://www.urusoft.net)
Import the film as an .avi file into VirtualDub (http://www.virtualdub.org/)
In VirtualDub enable the TextSub filter. Navigate to Video /Filters/Add… and select the TextSub filter in the list. Press OK. In the pop-up window, press “Open” and browse to your subtitle file. This file must be in one of the supported subtitle formats (srt, sub, smi, psb, ssa, ass).
Back in the VirtualDub video drop down menu, make sure you’ve got Full processing mode selected, and go to Compression. Here you need to select one of the available codecs. Xvid does a great job for a free codec, and that’s the one I used. You can alter some settings, and tweak the quality of the video if you press Customise.
Also make sure that the program is set up to do a Direct stream copy of the audio; this means the audio doesn't have any processing.
Finally, save the video somewhere on your computer, and wait for the process to finish.
As an alternative, if you are wanting more control over the subtitles afterwards, you could instead use a proxy solid colour video of the same length and resolution when creating the subtitles in VirtualDub, which you then export as a video file, import into your NLE and then using chroma key tools key out the colour leaving just the subtitles on an alpha channel (meaning you can now move them around so they don't go over lower thirds etc).

Subtitle Workshop (http://www.urusoft.net)

3. Translation

Load the video and the subtitles into Subtitle Workshop.
Click on the tab EDIT and select "Translation" and Translation Mode. You will now see two columns, the original subtitles and the translation subtitles. The Subtitles on the left will only show on the video. If you want to see the translated subtitles on the video, go to EDIT and select "Translation" and "Swap". The translated subtitles will now be on the left and you will be able to see it on the video.
Export to preferred format as described in 1.

4. Subtitle Tips

For separate subtitles, don't forget to create a DVD menu option to select the subtitles, and to make sure the default is set to OFF.
Don't create long subtitles -it is better to break up long sentences into several separate subtitles
If there are two people speaking almost at the same time or overlapping, you can show both pieces of dialogue on the screen at the same time by using a "-" at the beginning of each line
When using Subtitle Workshop be careful to make sure you have the correct framerate (as it also creates subtitles via frame numbers).
When creating burned in subtitles in VirtualDub the .avi aspect ratio for widescreen standard definition can cause problems -you can make sure of the correct aspect ratio by adding the resize filter and setting it to: Absolute 1024x576.

Tip #79: Have a Blu-ray mastering workflow

2011-08-26T14:27:00.006+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Although not (yet) commercially released in the Blu-ray format, Ambleton Delight was mastered in HD and hence we created a Blu-ray master first, before down-converting it to DVD. This is something we recommend all filmmakers do, as not only will it look great on a HD TV, but it future-proofs your film and also allows for HD quality projection if shown in a cinema (e.g. cinemas such as Cineworld are now equipped with Blu-ray players that can be used with their digital projectors). This is the workflow we used:

1. Export HD master file
Since the film was shot and edited in HD we simply exported the entire film as a HD master file, in our case, from Adobe Premiere Pro CS3, as an .avi file using the Cineform intermediate codec. (For more information on this refer to our earlier blog: http://ambletondelight.blogspot.com/2011/02/tip-63-establish-editing-workflow.html)

2. Encore authoring
We then authored the Blu-ray disc in Adobe Encore CS3, making sure all the menus etc we at HD resolution (ie at least 1280x720). It is recommended to create these menus separately in image creation software and then import to the authoring programme. We created ours in Photoshop.

3. Add extras
The great thing about Blu-ray is the ability to fit up to 23GB of data on the basic 25GB discs, compared to 4.3GB on standard 4.7GB DVDs. This not only allows for higher quality video but a load more extras. On the Blu-ray version of Ambleton Delight we could include the full Making Of plus other extras such as deleted scenes and the alternate ending -something that would just not fit on a standard DVD.

4. Burn DVD and HD
Adobe Encore has a great feature -the ability to export both a Blu-ray or DVD disc from the same authoring project. It does involve creating different transcodes for each disc and so there is some extra rendering time. You also need to decide whether your Blu-ray video is transcoded in either MPEG2 or h.264. H.264 is higher quality but takes a lot longer to transcode, unless you use a Matrox system which has the ability to speed up h.246 encoding.

5. HD Image file
We also recommend not burning direct to disc but creating an image (.iso) file for both the Blu-ray and DVD discs, that can then be burned to disc using IMGburn (http://www.imgburn.com/) which can verify the accuracy of each disc that is subsequently burned.

Tip #78: The frame rate format wars: PAL vs NTSC

2011-08-23T11:02:00.016+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Formats can become a complicated issue in film production. Even when presented with opportunities to simplify and standardise formats (such as with the invention of DVDs and then HD) instead further complications were introduced. There are some good reasons for this -mostly due to regional differences in power supply and to prevent piracy and control pricing (i.e. DVD region codes).

PAL(25p) vs NTSC (30p)
PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is primarily a European/Australasian television format, or used where electricity supply is 50Hz. It now essentially refers to a frame rate of 25 or 50 frames per second . NTSC (National Television System Committee) on the other hand is primarily an American television format, or where electricity is 60Hz and refers to a frame rate of 29.97 or 60 frames per second. In the days before HD, PAL and NTSC also involved differences in vertical and horizontal resolution (PAL: 720x576, NTSC: 720x480), but thankfully that has been standardised, with HD resolution coming in at either 720p (1280x720) or 1080p (1920x1080). But the key difference in frame rates still remain, and the resolution difference does apply for DVDs. (Note: for reasons of simplicity this blog is referring to hard copy media such as discs, and not broadcast formats.)

Click on this map to see more precise information
on what format is used in which country.

Some considerations
So if you are purchasing or using equipment in a European country then you are most likely going to be shooting at 25p or 50p. In the US that will likely be either 29.97/30p or 60p. Even if you are filming at 24p (filmic) you will also eventually have to think about having it converted to either the European or US format. Generally speaking, most PAL DVD players in Europe will play a NTSC DVD. However it seems that very few NTSC DVD players can play a PAL disc. So you will eventually have to think of converting.

Conversion options
And this is where it can get really tricky for filmmakers, especially when thinking of submitting films for international festivals. There are two options you have for PAL-NTSC or NTSC-PAL conversion:

1.Conversion with a fixed running length
This method keeps the total length the same, but in order to do so, it has to interpolate (i.e. estimate frames that are between 2 original frames) or blur frames together via "frame blending" or "frame skipping". This maintains the same audio, but can be a slow process and more importantly, result in low quality output and unnatural motion.

2. Conversion with a fixed number of frames
This is what is referred to as ‘conforming'. You keep the same number of frames -they are just played at a slower/faster speed. However, this much better quality conversion also involves changing the speed of the audio. For example film conversion from 24p to PAL involves a 4% increase in speed, which raises the pitch by 0.7 of a semitone, something which is not normally noticeable and can also be 'pitch shifted' (restoring the original pitch).

There are both expensive and cheap (and nasty) options to achieve either of the above -at the top end you have the Snell & Wilcox Alchemist standards converter used by professional companies. At the other end of the scale you can try exporting it directly from your NLE in the desired frame rate -although this will likely be using the fixed running length conversion mentioned above in no.1, which is a low quality method.

Here are some other possible options:

Use Adobe After Effects. Check this article on how to do it
Try freeware/shareware programs such as TMPGEnc (http://www.tmpgenc.net) or VirtualDub (www.virtualdub.org)
Pay for basic software such as DVFilm Atlantis ($45.00, http://dvfilm.com/atlantis/)

Issues to look out for:

Progressive/interlaced (if interlaced the field order can change i.e. "Upper Field First" or "Lower Field First").
Changing the frame rate can cause the audio to become unsynchronised.

And it looks like things might change again, with filmmakers such as James Cameron and Peter Jackson talking about 48p as a standard (The Hobbit is being filmed at this frame rate).

Please note: If you spot any errors or would like to add some extra advice for filmmakers, please feel free to comment below.

Watch the entire feature film on-line!

2011-08-13T11:27:00.005+01:00

We are pleased to announce that the award-winning UK indie film Ambleton Delight can now be watched on-line via VOD (Video-On-Demand). It costs only USD 1.99 for 3 days access, with payment via PayPal or Amazon. Click the link below to find out more:

Tip #77: Making copies - Duplication versus replication

2011-08-04T21:30:00.007+01:00

By Dan Parkes (Director/editor)

Once you have your official DVD master, you will then need to look at how to get copies made. You have three basic options available:

1. Personal or small run copies
As mentioned in the previous blog, rather than burning straight to DVD I recommend burning an image file (.img or .iso) of the disc first. Then you can use free software such as IMGburn (http://www.imgburn.com/) to both burn and verify (check) the disc. The reason for this is that when you need to burn extra copies you simply open IMGburn and burn the image file again, rather than opening your authoring software or having to insert the original disc and make a copy. The verification function ensures you are getting the exact same copy that has been checked for 100 % accuracy.

However this can end up being an expensive and time consuming option, especially if you also need to print out the DVD wrap (printed cover) and you may want to look at either duplication or replication for larger runs.

2. Duplication
For anything up to 500 copies duplication can be a good and cheap option. It is essentially the same as what you likely used to create your home burnt master disc, employing the use of purple dye discs which are "burned" (DVD-Rs). You can easily tell the difference between a duplicated disc and a replicated disc by turning it over and looking at the bottom surface: if it has a dark purple colour the same as the DVD-Rs you burn at home then it has been duplicated (while a replicated disc will be silver). The only difference is that the company the duplicates the disc probably used a duplication tower to do it in bulk. But the end result is the same: a DVD-R. A notable advantage is that quite often the turn around times are much faster than replicated discs.
3. Replication
This is most certainly the best option, especially for quantities above 500, as it creates the proper "stamped" DVD-5 or DVD-9, DVD-10 discs as you would buy commercially (not the purple dye DVD-R discs used for duplication). A “glass master” of your original disc is made which in turn "stamps" the data onto blank media. The disc is then printed and lacquered for protection. DVD-10 can offer a double-sided single layer which can hold up to 9.4GB of media (although in reality this is about 8.75GB) rather than the standard 4.3GB discs. However, due to the necessary glass master this can mean the turn around times are slower, although the per unit costs especially for large quantities is certainly a lot cheaper than replication.

But note that replication factories, due to their large commercial clients, can have various standards that have to be met before a DVD can be processed -which can be a hassle, although it does mean that you can be confident your DVDs are meeting industry standards!

Compatibility
There has been some who say that duplicated DVDs have more compatibility issues than replicated discs. However most modern playback devices now have no trouble with DVD-R discs due to their proliferation, as long as you ensure the DVD-R brand is reliable -I personally recommend Verbatim. Instead, the key issues now come down to PAL, NTSC and DVD region issues... which we will explore in the following blog.