Top 20 Tips for Making Your First Film
(from a Croydon lad)
If you can survive a night out in Croydon, you can make a film.
Making your first film is a bit like cooking a fancy dinner for the first time – ambitious, fraught with potential disaster, but well rewarding when you don’t burn the kitchen down. Here’s how to serve up a cinematic feast without setting off the fire alarm.

1.Crystal Clear Vision
Think of your film idea as the first pint on a Friday night. It’s got to be refreshing, exactly what you need, and the perfect starter to a memorable night.

2. Script That Sizzles
Your script should be as compelling as gossip at a family reunion. Make sure it’s something everyone wants to lean in and listen to.

3. Planning Like a Holiday
Treat pre-production like planning a holiday. You wouldn’t book flights without checking your passport’s expiry date, right? Dot those i’s and cross those t’s. 

4. Budgeting Like a Pro
Imagine you’re buying rounds at the bar but only have a tenner. That’s your budgeting challenge. Make it stretch without watering down the fun.

5. Sound Matters
Bad sound is like a rock in your shoe – annoying and impossible to ignore. Invest in good audio to keep your film’s feet comfy.

6. Know Your Gear
Familiarize yourself with your equipment like it’s a new smartphone. Play around until you discover all the hidden features.

7. Lighting: Set the Mood
Lighting can make or break your film. Think of it as setting the mood for a romantic dinner – too much and you’re in a fast-food joint, too little and you’re basically in the dark.

8. Team Spirit
Making a film is a team sport, not a solo marathon. Find your squad and keep the communication as clear as a bartender’s pour.

9. Feedback Is Your Friend
Critique might sting like lemon in a paper cut, but it’s essential. Listen, learn, and thank your stars someone caught that blunder before your audience did.

10. Stay Organized
Keep your project more organized than a cat herder. Chaos is for the screen, not behind it.

11. Be the Bamboo
Flexible, strong, and able to sway with the breeze. When problems pop up, be like bamboo and adapt.

12. Safety First
Remember, no film is worth a trip to mayday hospital. Keep your set safer than a padded cell.

13. Shoot, Then Shoot Some More
Having too much footage is like having too much chocolate. Is there such a thing? Always shoot more than you think you need.

14. The Art of Editing
Cutting your film should be as precise as a good skin fade.

15. Sound and Music:
The Secret SauceGreat sound and music are the secret sauce to your film burger. Don’t serve it dry.

16. Be Unapologetically You
Originality is your ace. Play it like you’ve got the winning hand, even if you’re bluffing.

17. Study the Greats (and the Not-So-Greats)
Learn from others' triumphs and faceplants. It’s like watching dance floor fails – educational and entertaining.

18. Patience, Padawan
Good things come to those who wait... and hustle. Think of your film like a slow-cooked stew – it’s all about the simmer.

19. Fuel Your Passion
Keep the fire burning, even when it feels like you’re just making smoke. Passion is your best producer.

20. Reflection Is Key
After it’s all said and done, reflect on your journey. It’s like reading your drunk texts the next morning – cringe-worthy but enlightening.

Why Even Bother?Because, my friends, making your first film is a rite of passage. It’s your chance to tell a story, to make people feel, think, and maybe even squirm in their seats. It’s about putting your mark on the world, one frame at a time. So go out there, be bold, and remember: in the grand cinema of life, you’re the director. Make it count.

1. Speak up! If there is anything that they or you would like to change in the copy let the prompter operator know. They can edit the text right there on their laptop. Or, If you need the font size changed, or something phonetically spelled or abbreviated, or you feel like the scrolling is too fast or too slow, let the teleprompter technician know. The operator is there to help you!

2. Be Natural. Maintaining a natural conversational tone really helps  the audience or viewer.

3. Know the material. The more familiar you are with your script, the more naturally you're going to come across. This will allow you to use the teleprompter as a safety net instead of having to follow it word for word. This way the prompter gives support and allows you to feel confident.
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5. Have good energy! Granted there may be some subject matters that call for a more subdued tone, in general more energy is the best policy, especially when you are delivering the script on camera. The camera really tones down the energy level, so it's usually best to be a little more upbeat and positive than may feel natural. Trust me, the camera loves it.

6. Read into the lens. When you're using a camera mounted prompter, you'll want to maintain eye contact with the lens, which is just behind the glass. In order to help do this, the teleprompter operator will show what place they are putting their cue point to keep pace with the speaker. Generally this will be in the center of the glass, and not at the top. That way they can keep the eye-line directly in front of the lens.

7. Practice. If you have never worked with a prompter before try to arrange some rehearsal time with the prompter before the shoot. That way you and operator will have the time to get in synch. You can experiment with different font sizes and colors, and format the text for the reading style that suits them best.

8. Choose the right prompter size. If you are going to stand close to the prompter ask the operator to either bring an appropriate sized prompter or to adjust the screen size smaller so that on camera so that your eyes are not seen to be moving back and forth as in a tennis game.

9. Relax. Remember the prompter will make life easier not harder. It takes all the burden of memorization off you so you can concentrate on communicating your copy in the most effective way possible.

10. In Summary... Be confident and take time to breathe. If they ad lib or go off script, the prompter will be there when they come back. If you stop, it will wait. Have fun. and remember that this is so much easier than trying to remember a whole script. Think of all the time you're saving, and enjoy it! 

Hey everyone! Are you ready to dive into the whirlwind world of shooting a blue light series? As a self-shooting A/P/, you're about to enter a realm where 'expect the unexpected' is your daily mantra. Here's my top 10 tips for someone shooting in this environment for the first time.
1. Become a Camera-Toting Octopus

• First things first, grow some extra arms. You’ll need them to handle the camera, sound gear, and that all-important coffee mug simultaneously. Who says multitasking is a myth?

2. Befriend Your Gear Like It's Your New Pet

• Your camera isn’t just a camera; it’s Wilson from "Cast Away." Talk to it, name it, and most importantly, know every button and quirk like it's your quirky best friend.

3. Snack Like Your Life Depends On It

• Keep a stash of snacks that would make a doomsday prepper proud. Trust me, when you’re on hour twelve, that granola bar will be your lifeline to sanity.

4. Develop Telepathic Skills with Your Producer

• Being in sync with your self-shooting P/D is key. Develop a glance, a nod, or a telepathic connection – whatever floats your boat. It’s like a dance, but less graceful and more frantic.

5. Embrace Your Inner Chameleon

• Blue light environments change faster than a chameleon at a disco. Be ready to adapt at a moment’s notice – and maybe work on your color-changing skills.

6. The Art of Invisibility

• You want to capture the action, not be the center of it. Learn to blend into the background so well, you’d give a ninja a run for their money. (Even though in some situations you may be wearing a HI-VI and astronauts from the space station are able to see you .

7. Safety First, But Make It Fashion

• Safety gear is a must, but who says you can’t accessorize? 

8. Get Comfy with the Uncomfy

• Uncomfortable situations? You’ll face plenty. Embrace them like a long-lost friend. Awkward conversations, cramped spaces, and odd smells are part of the charm.

9. Find Humor in the Chaos

• Things will go wrong. When they do, laugh it off. A sense of humor is like an all-access pass to sanity in the world of blue light series.

10. The Daily Debrief: AKA Therapy Session

• End each day with a debrief. It’s part therapy, part strategy session. Reflect, laugh, and plan how to conquer the next day.

Conclusion:
Congratulations, you’ve just had a crash course in surviving (and thriving) in a blue light series as a self-shooting AP. Remember, it’s a rollercoaster – buckle up, enjoy the ride, and maybe scream a little. It’s all in a day’s work!