Contributed Post
Money
OK, so this one might not be so much of a surprise. Traditionally the film industry has been one tough cookie to break into, and one of the key factors for success was money. Usually enough to bankroll your project and support yourself while filming. Or, the ability to schmooze some industry bigwigs into sponsoring your film.
However, now everyone has the ability to make films, with mobile phones and film editing software, things have changed. OK, so you might not be able to make a blockbuster without some serious funding. But you can definitely get exposure for yourself and your ideas by making short films and showing them via film festivals. Or, platforms like Youtube.
Contacts
Networking was once the cornerstone of the filmmaker’s career. As they say, ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know that counts,’ and never is this truer than when trying to get a film off the ground.
The monopoly that the big film corporations had on movie making meant that to get anything out there you had to go through them. To do that you would need someone on the inside that would fight your corner and give you an opportunity to pitch your concept.
While there are definitely some key people in Film that have a lot of influence, public opinion is also important now too. If you can show enough interest in what you are doing before you get to the film company stage, then you already go in a strong position.
Also it instead of having contact with other artists, and specialists are very valuable too nowadays. For example, knowing the perfect person to sculpt creatures like Brian Froud. Or, companies that can do aerial shots like Helivision, can make or break a production.
Ideas
This factor hasn’t change munched, you use to need great ideas to make a film, and you still do. The only thing that has changed is the audience that you are pitching them to. Remember we are in a media saturated world, people still love the film industry, but the original plots and twists are harder to come by.
People also consume films in a different way now. What might have been once indented for the silver screen might be watched on a small personal device on a busy commute home. Or steamed to their living rooms via Wi Fi. All of these factors need to be considered if the form of the film is going to match the need of its consumers.
Computer skills
Of course, computer skills are essential to filmmakers these days. Not only do they need to know their way around social media, and creative applications. But also around programs like ZBrush, and Autodesk 3ds Max.
In fact, Gareth Edwards maker of (Monsters 2010), created most of the special effects using these programs on his computer at home. These included giant neon jellyfish-like monsters. Which shows that the DIY method is more than viable and that you can save around thousands in special effect costs, by using it.
