Let's Make a Movie!
At least once a year, we and a group of our crazy friends (Ryan K. Johnson, Brian Oberquell, Eric Morgret, and Edward Martin III, usually) get together to offer this most kinetic and creative workshop. We started out doing it every year at Norwescon in Seattle, but we've branched out a bit, and have occasionally gone on the road to other locations.
But what is the workshop? The "Let's Make a Movie!" workshop lets the participants join in, learn about making movies, come up with a story, work out the bugs, and basically do a soup-to-nuts moviemaking adventure -- usually while engaging in other fun and seedy things in their copious free time.
Here's the parts:
Part #1
First thing we do is get together and watch the previous workshop movies, to give everybody a sense of the kind of joy this adventure can produce. Fun things are pointed out, questions answered, and there are often Odd Jokes. This is about two hours.
Part #2
Usually the next day, we meet for another two hours. This time, we talk about the basic tools, the things everybody ought to know, and roughly how to get some sort of production started. Then, we start brainstorming subjects, ideas, scenes, and stories for the movie. We eventually hit on an idea that makes everybody happy, and we start working out the script, writing down the important scenes, and so forth. Costumes, props, locations, and any other requirements are scheduled and/or worked out. All in two hours.
Part #3
Usually the next morning, Part #3 starts, and it's the most kinetic part. We hit the ground running, and shoot like mad dogs on a mad dog bender. This is where being super efficient and fast on your feet pays off incredibly well. Cameras are flying everywhere, lights are flying everywhere, cables are being strung everywhere. No one in the workshop sits idle -- every hand is brought to bear. At the moment we're shooting, one group's already prepping the next set, and another group's breaking down the old set. It's one thing after another, and there's no time to stop, think, or breathe. With rare exceptions, we also do this in two hours.
Part #4
Preferably the next day, this is the editing workshop, where we step through the movie as completed, showing where and how and what editing decisions were made. Sometimes we make new ones, based on suggestions. Sometimes we show people how tricky this whole editing thing can be.
What's the bottom line?
The bottom line is that with so little planning, so little preparation, an all-volunteer crew, limited props, sets, locations, actors, and unlimited soda pop, we can make a movie, and it actually makes sense and has some kind of story and flow. Our goal is that people can walk away from this experience saying "Heck yeah -- if I actually plan a little, spend some time with my script, find some actors, take time to work out the bugs better, I can do at least as well as these guys!
That's the bottom line!
Here are a few movies we've completed as part of the "Let's Make a Movie!" workshop:
If you want to join us, catch us at the next convention we're attending! We announce 'em on our Announcements List (you can join at the Home Page), or on Guerrilla Productions' Facebook page.