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How to Make a Movie Yourself: Complete Tech Guide

In the age of rapid software development, you can make movies without the involvement of professional filmmakers. Moreover, you don’t need a Hollywood camera to make something truly fascinating.

Filming on iPhone is becoming more and more popular. If you are a vlogger, adventurer, online teacher, or gamer, this article will teach you how to start making a movie yourself.

In short, it’s time for each of us to master movie production. Let’s go!

How to Make a Movie: Tips for Beginners

Although striving for the ideal is a good trait, do not create unnecessary obstacles. Looking for the best equipment and thoroughly studying various video editors like MiniTool MovieMaker, you can never start making a movie yourself.

Meanwhile, you see what is happening on social networks. All these wonderful videos were shot on a smartphone camera, they are attracting the attention of the audience. Start with what is already available to you, and improve gradually.

1. Come Up with an Awesome Video Script

There is one very important rule in creating a video – always rely on the script. This applies to all types of videos, even those where free speech is implied.

To make the text easier to remember, and it was easier to edit the video, divide it into semantic parts. Between these parts, it will be possible to cut the video or make several shots and choose the most successful one.

You will for sure need a checklist: a list of topics that need to be mentioned. Don’t forget that even professionals sometimes stumble.

The video doesn’t have to be perfect, but the speaker needs to think through sentences in advance so as not to get confused by parasitic words. The speech should not look memorized, you need to speak the same language with your viewer.

2. Choose Best Video Gear to Make a Movie Yourself

Here’s how to choose the perfect video tool to create a high quality movie clip –

  • Start making videos from your smartphone camera. Filming on iPhone allows you to make great movies yourself.
  • If you decide to invest in equipment right away, look for a camera with a flip screen or buy an external screen connected via HDMI. When you make a movie yourself, it is important to see yourself.
  • Buy a tripod for the camera. Stabilize the camera first, then shoot video.
  • If you are an adventurer, buy a GoPro camera and appropriate mounts.
  • Do not rush to spend a lot of money on the latest models of video gear. Older versions of cameras can fully meet your needs at the start of movie production.

Here are my recommended products you can by on Amazon –

Canon XA11 Professional Camcorder

It comes with premium features like Night Vision, Anti-Shake, Time Lapse, 1920×1080 video capture resolution, etc.

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod

It is one of the best aluminum tripods with ball heads and 68 inches of maximum and minimum height. The three different leg angle tripod has Swivel Stop-n-Lock System.

3. Learn to Make a Movie with Quality Audio?

Any movie video must have high-quality audio. Below are some tips to create a professional audio movie –

  • If you’re shooting on a smartphone camera, select something from the iPhone external microphone list to record sound. Your phone’s built-in mic will not give quality audio.
  • Choose your audio equipment as carefully as your camera.
  • Find a quiet place to make a movie yourself. Extraneous sounds such as wind or conversations in a cafe will spoil your video.
  • Work with your voice. Every word should sound clear and distinct. Your voice is also an important tool for making a movie yourself.

4. Choose the Right Lighting for Movie Production?

  • Avoid too bright light outside. Cheap cameras do not cope with sharp contrasts.
  • If you are making a movie yourself indoors, do not sit with your back to the window. So viewers will get only a dark silhouette on the screen.
  • Use special lamps to shoot video indoors. This will create a quality image on the screen.

How to Make a Movie: Filming Technique

  • Film at a 4K resolution. Although this is not a requirement, you can crop such videos without compromising resolution.
  • Try shooting with two cameras at the same time. To successfully combine the main perspective with a close-up, you should still learn the rules of synchronization of different videos. For example, the 180-degree angle rule.
  • Learn the rules of composition. If the subject is offset from the center, it will look more natural in the frame. This is so-called the rule of thirds. Also, pay attention to the background, because the poor placement of objects can ruin everything. Make several angles for each scene. Not all shots are successful.
  • Get creative with angles and camera positions. This is especially easy with the GoPro camera. Make a movie yourself, not the way others do.
  • Find your style in front of the camera. Just do not despair from the first shots. Keep searching for the authenticity that the audience will love.

Let’s move on. Shooting successful shots is only part of the movie production. Then comes the post-production stage.

Post-Production Tips for Making Movies Yourself

People can no longer do without a variety of video editing software or apps. There are many useful tools in the process of editing and distributing movies. To learn how to make a movie, master some of them.

1. Choose a Platform to Promote your Video

You can share your videos with your audience via YouTube or Vimeo. Social networks also offer various opportunities to share information. Decide on a platform before the video editing stage, and learn how to use your chosen platform.

For example, for Stories on Instagram, there are restrictions on the length of movies. Don’t let this be an unpleasant surprise for you when your videos are ready.

2. Choose Video Editing Tools

It is difficult to achieve the appropriate quality from amateur shooting. There are various reasons for this. Often the problem lies in the frame “trembling”, extraneous noise. Using a special program, it can not only be reduced but also completely removed. Instead, add music.

Jumps between scenes can be replaced with interesting and dynamic transitions. All this is easy to handle with a good video editor.

Choose something user-friendly like WeVideo or Fastreel. There is no need to use something complicated as you’ll need at least the basic features of any editor.

3. Re-watch your Movie to Make the Next One Better

If you make a movie yourself, you should learn to seek and accept criticism. Use honest feedback about your work for further improvement.

With filming, as with any business, you can constantly improve. The main thing is to move and not stop.

Conclusion

To learn how to make a movie, you need to start doing it. As in any creative business, you have to go a long and interesting way. You will constantly improve and learn something new.

The main thing is to dare to take the first step. And you will succeed!