MITIR #001 - Film Making 101
For the love of movies.
I’ll start off the first edition of this newsletter on a topic most of us love— Movies.
Ever since I did an online course on screenwriting last year, I’ve been intrigued by the craft of making movies. After watching the lovely Cinema Bandi on Netflix, I’m seriously tempted to make a short film with friends. 😅
So, when I came across a Filmmaking Workshop on YouTube by M G Srinivas1 a few weeks ago, I took extensive notes2 which I’m now sharing with the fellow movie-buffs.
Story and Screenplay:
Types of Screenplay Structures:
3 Act: A Beginning, A Middle, and an End
Real Time: The story happens in real time with no time jumps.
Multiple Timeline. e.g., Godfather 2
Hyperlink: Different interlinked stories are connected together in the end.
Fabula: The pre-climax scene is the first scene of the movie. e.g., Aadukalam, Citizen Kane
Non-Linear: The story jumps around. e.g., Pulp Fiction
Rashomon: The same story is narrated from different points of view. e.g., Ulidavaru Kandanthe
Types of Endings:
Book ending (Circular): The story ends where it starts.
Narrator ending: The narrator starts the story, and then ends the story.
Twisted ending
Moral ending
Emotional ending. e.g., Dia, Mungaru Male
Anticipation ending
Symbolic ending
Confused ending
(The last 3 endings are open ended, upto viewer's interpretation.)
Here’s Francis Ford Coppola explaining how he wrote The Godfather
Editing:
A good editor knows when the story is slowing down and need to be sped up, and vice-versa.
Your work at the editing table goes down considerably if you plan your shots really well.
The Number of shots in a scene depends on the pacing of the film. Faster paced movies generally have multiple shots in scene to give a sense of constant forward momentum. Dramas require the emotions of the characters to come through. So, the number of shots in a scene will be minimal.
Don't forget to take reaction shots and insertion shots (like a waiter bringing coffee to the table).
A good editor can cover up the mistakes of Director, Cinematographer, Actors if he has enough footage.
The more you involve the editor in scripting the better. He can help you with the cuts and transitions, and shots can be planned accordingly.
Types of cuts:
Fade in, Fade out: Changing time/place
Cross cutting: Intercutting between locations like a phone conversation between two characters.
J Cut: Audio comes before the video
Jump Cut: To show the timelapse of the single sequence. e.g., A batsman hitting a six is shown from different angles.
L Cut: Audio, Video will be not in sync. The scene progresses by focusing on the reaction of the listener in the scene, not on the character saying the dialogue.
Match Cut: A cut from one shot to another where the composition of the two shots are matched by the action or subject and subject matter. e.g., The scene cuts to a younger version of the character as he starts a flashback.
Invisible Cut: It feels the entire movie has been shot in a single sequence. The viewer can't make out where the cuts happen. Requires a lot of planning. e.g., 1917
Cutting on Action: Cutting from one shot to another while the subject is still in motion.
Cut away: You show the reaction of a character, then the cause of the reaction is shown, and back to the character.
Smash Cut: A character suddenly wakes up from a dream
For those who would like visual examples:
There are on average 1300 cuts in a movie. (Exception: Inception had 2300 cuts.)
Cinematography:
Breaking the 180 degree rule of camera placement will be jarring for the viewer.
Use Chinese lanterns for DIY lighting.
Cinematography shouldn't overwhelm the story. The viewer should be immersed in the story of the movie.
Types of Shots:
Extreme long shot: Establish a large environment like a city or a jungle
Bird's eye: Drone shots
Wide shot: Establish the environment the character is part of. e.g., a character standing in front of the bank.
Mid shot: For details about the character like outfit, what he is doing.
Close up: For expressions
Extreme close up: To increase the intensity of the character's emotion
Dutch angle: Tilted horizon to show unease of the character
Over the shoulder/Suggestion shot: For conversations
Vertigo: Dolly zoom
Point of view shot: To show a character's POV
High angle (To show the character’s vulnerability), low angle (Character is dominating, makes them look big)
Tilt up/Tilt down
Panning
Here’s a video on Camera Shots, Angles and Movements by Sareesh Sudhakaran
Know what you are trying to communicate with every frame.
Cinematography or Music dominates scenes where there is little content, but is essential for the story.
Learning cinematography is all about observation. Observing places, things, and people.
Learn the rules well, then do your own thing. You need not follow them blindly.
Know your camera's strengths and weaknesses. Use its strengths, do not ignore its weaknesses.
Director is the captain, Cinematographer is the vice-captain.
Pace of storytelling in movies is constantly increasing. So, the use of camera movements is increasing, too, to convey forward momentum.
Lighting: How you light a scene depends on the mood of the scene. Foreground, Middleground, Background. The subject should be seen clearly. The foreground is slightly darker to make the subject relatively brighter. The background can be brighter or darker than the subject depending on the scene.
Mood and color palette used depends on the genre of the film.
Acting:
Everybody acts in their life every day.
To be an actor you need to know only two things-- Emote the feelings, and listen to your director. You have to be aware of what the director is expecting from you.
Practicing
In front of the Mirror.
Constantly thinking about the character, and running the scenes in your mind.
You need to use your body and body language well in addition to emoting.
There are exercises for your voice, body, and eyes.
You need a good imagination to get into the skin of a character written on page. It is an actor's responsibility to bring the writer and director's vision to life on the screen.
Every character has limitations, you have to work under those limitations as an actor. You can't do whatever you want.
To learn characterization, watch movies, read books, and observe the people you come across in your life. You need to learn something new every day.
You can't have any inhibitions when you are acting in front of the camera. You shouldn't be self-conscious.
Whatever you have on your mind will show on your face. "
If you’re able to feel it within you, the audience will see it even if the camera doesn’t.” - Dulquer Salmaan
Timing matters for all genres of acting, not just for comedy. e.g., emotional timing-- when someone says something hurtful, it takes some time for you to get hurt before you say something. Your voice should also be modulated accordingly (are you sad/choking up or angry?) when you respond.
An exceptional actor is so immersed in the character it looks completely natural and effortless in front of the camera. It doesn't feel like they are acting at all. e.g., Irrfan Khan
The connect you establish with the camera, your co-actors, & the director will translate to connect with your audience.
What they look for in an audition? Some kind of uniqueness, originality, a spark in your acting.
In under 2 minutes Marlon Brandon explains the essence of acting.
Distribution:
Multiplexes: 50-50 Arrangement. Single Screen Theaters: 2-3 Lakh rent per week, & the producer takes all the ticket revenues.
For small budget movies with no known faces, a distributor takes a 10-12% cut of the money a movie makes. They help you with the timing and the theaters you should release the movie in. They buy distribution rights from the producer only for movies with big heroes.
Irrespective of how good you think your movie is, do not release it in more than 15 single screen theaters in the state for the first week. Increase the number of theaters in the second week only if the word of mouth is good. Multiplexes will usually give you one screen.
The first 3 days are crucial for a small budget movie. It should have sufficient collection and more importantly, a good word of mouth. Or else the multiplexes will drop the movie immediately.
One needs a marketing budget of at least 25 lakhs today. Know your target audience for the movie and spend accordingly.
Trailer, Songs, Posters should be unique.
The marketing and promotion plan should be like a well thought out script. It should intrigue your target audience enough to want to come to the theaters.
If you still haven’t watched his movie Birbal, you definitely should. It’s streaming on Primevideo
Any mistakes are my own, made while typing down the notes.