MIKE CARROLL’S NAKED FILMMAKING -

The Bare Truths On How To Make A Feature Film -

Without A Crew


Weekend Workshop     Postponed to Early 2010

Mike & his new HD camcorder

Over the past year I’ve taught two courses of my One-Man Filmmaking class through the UC Davis Extension.  The people participating have all been interested and enthusiastic.  Since then several have taken the leap and bought their own HD camcorders to get started making their own films.

    I wanted to do this class to see if there was any interest in this type of filmmaking and this experience has confirmed that there is a hunger to learn how to make independent films -- independent even from a crew.

    But enough of me.  Here’s what some of the filmmaking class had to say:



Mike,

    I've been a director/actor for 6 years and until I saw Year I didn't think it was possible to make a really good film, at least outside of Hollywood.  Films that are artistically designed, well-acted and poignant, that and move you, challenge, provoke. 

    I’ve taken other film classes, but I've learned more from you in four weeks than I learned in four months.  It's so refreshing to have an instructor who actually instructs.  

    You inspire confidence to go out and “do it".   

Laura


I am really enjoying the class. I’ve waited more than thirty years to start seriously studying and making films.

 KC Lynch


RIVETING!  Absolutely Riveting!  No one wanted to take a break.

    You are a fabulous teacher.  Your passion, history/experience and creative information is moving, infective, inspirational, and motivating. 

    You gave specific things to do and think about to make progress on everyone’s individual projects.

    I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

    Bravo!

               Deanne


(These accompanying photos were taken one evening when the first class served as my background extras for one of our final evenings of shooting Nightbeats at The Back Door Lounge with Bonnie Bennett and Francesca “Kitten” Natividad.)


How cool was last night? 

It seemed effortless and by far the best shoot I've ever been on.   

Your set was absolutely delightful.  My husband Ted was amazed at the simplicity and ease with which you work.

Bonnie and Francesca were pure joy.  Their performances actually moved me.  I felt the longing of Francesca's character and the conflict of Bonnie's character hidden under protective and complicated layers.

 Thank you for that experience.  I just love our class.  Everyone in it seems to coalesce.  Maybe you just bring the right people together.

Laura


The films you’ve been sharing with us each week I’ve added to my Netflix queue and watched as many as possible.  I thought I’d seen a lot of movies that fall under the radar, but thanks to this class, I’ve added these wonderful films:  A Woman Under the Influence, Italian for Beginners, Wonderland, 28 Days Later, Bubble, Lawrence of Arabia, and Coming Home (which I hadn’t seen in 30 years).

See you Monday night!

Mark


Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with us. 

        Thanks again for letting me borrow your copy of Wonderland (Michael Winterbottom, U.K., 1999).  What an amazing film.  It's hard to believe it was done using existing light! 

Alex


I have been so taken with your generosity of spirit and your dedication to your craft. I have met and worked with a number of people in my years and I have to say you have so many wonderful things going for you. When I see the quality of your work and some of the junk that shows up in the mainstream, I just have to shake my head. I'm envious of your complete immersion in what you are doing (that is a great gift). It was truly a great experience getting to know you.

Jerry




Alex

Melissa & Roz

Mark & Mary

Mary trying out my camera on her shoulder.

Sam

Deanne & Alex

Jeri, our host and assistant to the director.

THE PLAN: Three Sundays, Six Hours Each Day. COST: $120. This is an introductory figure as it is the first time the Weekend Workshop is being done. PARTICIPANTS are encouraged to have access to a camcorder and computer editing to participate in workshop assignments. It’s fine to observe, but you’ll get more out of it if you join in with the assignments. NOTE: This is going to be intensive and hard work -- but you’ll be a better filmmaker by the end. Books To Read: Accidental Genius, a biography of John Casavetes. Like his films or not - and they can be an acquired taste - he is credited with creating the American independent film movement. (Available used thru Amazon.com.) DVDs To Watch: In This World (U.K., dir Michael Winterbottom) It’s essential to watch the making-of extra to see how this film was shot using just Sony PD-150 camcorders. Wonderland (U.K., dir Michael Winterbottom) Shot with two 16mm Arriflex cameras and wireless mics, using available light and photofloods screwwed into regular light sockets. Today Winterbottom would have shot this completely digital and natural light. A Woman Under The Influence (dir John Cassavetes) Now available on Netflix and occasionally on Sundance Channel and Turner Classic Movies. However, check out the DVD for it’s inspiring audio commentary about how this was, in essence, a handmade film -- and for the behind-the-scenes photos to see how simply this was made. In fact, The John Cassavetes Collection DVD set from Criterion is an essential study for any filmmaker. His methods are raw and his filmmaking and stories can try one’s patience, but they are all personal cinematic gems. It’s around $100 and worth every penny. Buy it, save the receipt, use it as a filmmaker’s business expense on your taxes. My own films are not available on Netflix -- yet. However, they will be made available to workshop participants. To make all three Sundays count, participants will be given a simple 30-second filmmaking assignment to shoot and edit and bring to the first class. We are going to hit the ground running. Have a good breakfast before you get here because we are going to work. MIKE CARROLL mikecarrollfilms@me.com When our first feature film Year premiered at the 2006 San Francisco Independent Film Festival (a fabulous event, by the way) Bonnie and I made a point to attend as many films as we could. After the screenings we would listen to the filmmakers’ Q&A, hearing things like: “This is our first film out of film school,” “We only had a fifteen person crew.” “We only had a twenty person crew.” “We only had $50,000.” “We only had $90,000.” “We only had $200,000.” “My D.P. had to operate his own camera.” “The gaffer had to use his own lights.” When it got to the Q&A after Year my answers went like, “I’ve been in a paying film school for twenty years. I’m a TV news cameraman -- so I shoot my own camera, pull my own focus, record my own sound.” “No, I didn’t have a crew, it was almost always just me.” “We’d usually only shoot for two or three hours at a time, but in that time I’d still usually shoot between 90 and 100 shots and takes.” And the one that always came up, “How much was your budget?” And I’d say, “We didn’t really have a budget. But we made this film for $8,000.” This always brought a round of applause. Year was a small film. However, I know very few people, even people with crews and financin, who’ve gotten their films into festivals, reviewed in Variety, a call from one of the biggest production companies in L.A. to come down and “chat,” and had an entertainment attorney take a personal interest in our work and try to advance our films. You don’t have to take out a second mortgage, raid your 401K or dip into your kids’ college funds. Making a feature film of quality for less than the cost of a used car is possible. It’s not rocket science -- but there is a process to it. If you’ve always talked or dreamed about making a movie, got an idea or a script and you’re tired of hitting your head against the wall trying to raise money or get an agent or you just plain don’t know where to start, this is the course for you. I was in a writers group for years where the routine mantra was, “This script could be such a great movie and it could be done for only $300,000 -- or half a million -- or a couple million.” And none of those scripts ever saw one exposed frame of film. Here’s the secret to financing an independent film : It doesn’t exist. No one with any real hard-earned money in their right mind is going to part with it to invest in an untested filmmaker. However -- A smart moneyman just might consider partnering with a creative talent who has made a full-length film and proven that they can tell a story, work with actors, understand the technical process, be responsible with money, and can deliver a professional, well-crafted project -- and consistently get their films into festivals. An independent film intended for festivals is a resume. A calling card. If you are ever in a situation where you are talking with an agent, an executive or someone connected to the film industry, they will turn a deaf ear when someone says they’ve written a screenplay. Who hasn’t written a screenplay these days? However, hand them a DVD of a feature film that’s played in film festivals and is available on Amazon.com, eyebrows will raise. It shows you’ve followed through, you’ve been committed. You’ve walked the walk. And the reaction will most likely be, “Oh? Have you got a spare copy?” That’s your foot in the door. Where it leads and how much that door may open to you are entirely dependent on the universe of variables - who watches it, their tastes, what they are looking for. Or it may simply lead to a new personal relationship, which can be very helpful in itself. You never know who your friends are going to be. But a DVD of a feature-length film that you have made showing many different technical capabilities, which are absolutely vital in the complicated process of filmmaking, will put you several steps up the ladder in the eyes of other filmmakers. In this workshop I’ll tell you how I -- -- Design a screenplay that can be filmed. -- Find actors who will show up. -- Find locations. -- Shop for cameras. -- Sell your gear. -- Shoot and light. -- Record audio without a soundman. -- Edit. -- What to do with a film when it’s finished. -- Author fully-loaded DVDs. -- Design a poster. -- Make & maintain a website. And anything else that you want to know that I can help with. Enough of the sales pitch. Sign up. I’m looking for at least 10 dedicated filmmakers. For further information e-mail me at mikecarrollfilms@me.com http://livepage.apple.com/mailto:mikecarrollfilms@me.commailto:mikecarroll1@comcast.netshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2

To sign up now or get on the list contact:


bonniebennett2@comcast.net