Indy Mogul - DIY filmmaking

WestHavenBrook Sneak Peak!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:46:15 EDT

It's been a while since we've heard or seen anything about our friends over at WestHavenBrook's Feature Length Project, well, you MIGHT remember about that amazing looking Classic car that they found all the way back in Production Log 3.

Well guess what...

It runs.

Stay tuned.

And remember! Check out Sockbaby 4 coming out soon!

Mogulville Spotlight: Matt Willets & Erik

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:31:58 EDT

Mogulville President Bridger once again spotlights more Mogulville citizens and talks to them about their projects. Check it out.

Also, check out their YouTube while you're at it!

Wesley's Weekly HOW TO: Flag Gun Part II

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:41:47 EDT

Last week I showed a very simple design for a Flag Ejecting Gun, this week i'm giving you something extra by showing you how to make a trigger mechanism for it so you can actually fire it without having to hold the pull string taunt all the time.

First start out with a L-Brace you can get at your local hardware store, and a wooden dowel that can fit through it (it'll probably be a bit snug, that's exactly how you want it, you don't want it real loose.

Get a drill approximately the same diameter of the wooden dowel.

Pull the flag core all the way into the gun using the pull string, and measure about where the butt of the core dowel is when you pull it all the way back, and drill a hole all the way through the "barrel" of the gun that you can stick the dowel all the way through.

Mark a segment on top of the barrel.

And cut it off, I used a jig saw to remove the top, but if you have a thinner cardboard or different material for the tube, you might want to go with a different cutting method.

In the segment you cut off, drill two holes in the segment that is going to be facing forward, i'll explain why in a little while.

After running the dowel through the L-Brace, Put some rubber grommets on either end of the dowel on both sides of the barrel, this keeps the dowel from slipping around to much while you're working on the triggering mechanism.

Sketch out a trigger shape into something substantial, like some thicker cardboard or foamboard, not just poster paper.

Run the L-Brace into the "handle" of the gun, (I cut the handle apart so I could work with it.) then attach the foam trigger to the L-Brace. I attached it with hot glue.

Then I reinforced the entire section with some epoxy.

I then attached a wooden cube (I cut off of a piece of wood trim) onto the top of the L-Brace with more Epoxy.

On the base of the flag core, I attached another piece of wood, also with Epoxy, so it catches onto the other piece of wood when you pull it all the way back. When you get it "caught" on the trigger, all you have to do is pull the trigger, it will shift the bottom catch and release the flag shooting it out.

BUT, you'll have to reset the trigger each time, to keep it up so you don't have to reach in and manually put it on the catch, you have to have some kind of tension pulling the trigger upwards so it holds the catch in place until you pull the trigger.

I ran a rubberband through a hole in the L-Brace, keeping it in place with little bit of hot glue.

I then ran the two ends of the rubber band through each hole I had drilled in the top segment I had cut off earlier. The tension of the rubber bands keeps the segment in place, and holds the trigger mechanism up with tension, allowing it to automatically push it back up and letting the flag mechanism re-catch on it without having to reset it each time.

And there you go, after that, I put the handle back together, and now I can seal up the seams with some plaster, and give it a final paint job, and the build is complete.

If you have any questions or suggestions, just post below!

5 Minute Movie House XXIV

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:37:40 EDT

New Man(5minuteversion) from Scott and Dave on Vimeo.

This week's winner of 5 Minute Movie House is Scott Kalberer and Dave Erath's "New Man". Good job guys, can't wait to see what you submit next.

If you would like to see your own videos here on the front page, join the forums and submit your own videos on the 5 Minute Movie House Thread! I can't do this without you so please submit!

Career Paths: Editor

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:12:06 EDT

Hey there everybody, I am glad so many of you appreciated the previous article on Directing, and I was happy to hear that people got some inspiration or guidance from it. Well today I am going to focus on a career that many people seem to forget about when they talk about how a film "looks" or how it's pacing goes. Most people when they talk about a film's look, they talk about the Director, but one of the most unsung heroes of how a final film FEELS is the Editor.

I obviously am NOT an Editor (not a Professional one at least), but our very own forum user Westcroft, is currently working on his Video Productions Certification, and wanted to address some things he has learned while working towards his accreditation.

Take it away Westcroft!

_____________________________

Right now I'm currently taking a series of courses that will get me a Digital Audio/Video Productions Certificate and hope to be cutting my way into the industry soon... Sorry for the pun.

A few things I realized, learned, heard about, etc. is that a great way to get into the industry is through being technical and creative, Robert Rodriguez talked about this in the first 10 minute film school, if you're creative and technically trained then you're unstoppable.

Editing is obviously a technical aspect of film making, but that doesn't mean you can't be creative. It gives you great chances to give different pieces your own little spin, and it also allows you to gain experience of how things work behind the scenes and builds up your resume fast!

Everyone runs out and films a ton of stuff and a good chunk will rely on others to edit. It's great to get out and make connections with the people who make up that chunk. Networking at festivals, university film classes, etc. You never know... you might ride on somebody's coat tails to the top.

However, as fun as editing can be, you have to to be serious. You have to know the programs you use inside and out. You need to be able to do whatever a director wants done, it's not just cropping and intercutting.

You have to LEARN, you have to go take classes and read books, watch online tutorials, and most importantly practice, practice, practice! Nothing is better than real world experience, and you're not going to get work if you only do a half-assed job and you certainly will do a half-assed job if you don’t accept the fact that you know nothing at first. Many people try and skip the learning process (“How hard could it be”... this mentality is bold, but won’t guarantee you work... Clients aren’t going to pay to have it cut by someone who isn’t certified).

Some quick tips are:

- Take some courses (film school might be a waste of time, but learning the technical and hands-on skills is a good reason to attend.)

- Read some books (library, bookstore, etc), watch tutorials online, etc.

- Learn mostly about digital editing, but never ignore the original approach... try and find information on cutting film and splicing (it can't hurt and will increase your IQ... at the very least you can bullshit with old filmmakers at festivals)

- Know Camera jargon (f-stops, frame rates, exposure, different lenses, etc), it helps when communicating with directors and allows you to understand what you're dealing with

- PRACTICE!!! Shoot random stuff with your camcorder and just cut it all the time, in different ways... see if you can change the mood or tone just by cutting it differently

- Learn about the "onlining" process and color correction, how to finalize a film

- Take note of your favorite movies, watch how they're cut, how coverage is used, what the hell coverage is, etc

- Check out some famous editors and look at their work, try to figure out what’s so damn special... make a pact with yourself to top them.

- See if there are any film workshops in your area, attend them if you can! They are a great way to learn new things, possibly network and get out of the editing room once and a while.

- PRACTICE!!! I said this once, I’ll say it again. You need to stay ahead of the game, always experiment... you need to show that you can raise the bar and think outside the box as well as follow the rules when needed.

- Try to get as much knowledge of visual effects (green and blue screening, rotoscoping, etc) With movies like Sin City, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and A Scanner Darkly that are pushing the medium into a whole new direction, you’ll need to keep an open mind about what’s going on. Ignorance isn’t an excuse.

Remember that the visual aspect is obviously a big part of movies (you 'WATCH' them right?) BUT never underestimate sound. There are multiple courses that I’m taking just on sound alone, how to record it properly, how to edit it, how to use soundboards, microphones, sound effects, scores, etc.

Perhaps set-up your own little studio. An optional tip is to try and save up for your own Higher Quality computer, something that can edit HD (doesn't have to be real-time, but it helps).

I am currently running things off of an over-clocked laptop that might explode at any minute... I'm saving up for a desktop that will hopefully be my home base. I run sound recording software off of my laptop as well, and soon my laptop will be used only for that.

I hope to be done my home studio soon, which will be used not only for editing flicks, but also for making better quality scores for; my own flicks, the free film project, and future clients; ADRing; etc.

The editing process isn’t just a video where you connect the dots and your done...

Coherently order the shots, make sure you’re getting the best out of your coverage, You need to color correct (make sure every is matched and is unified), fix any screws up (grain issues, over exposure, etc), you need to synch up audio, overlay audio, clean up audio (hiss, fuzz and hums), ADR dialogue when necessary, add the score, add the sound effects, prepare shots for any visual effects, etc...

It’s not something you can waltz in and do in a day, it takes weeks and months depending on the project. You need patience, you can’t rush and botch the job, you’ll get fired and possibly ruin any chance of getting far enough into the industry to start making the big bucks. You’ve got to listen to the director guidelines and follow the producer’s notes (or ignore them and flip them off when they’re not looking)... Don’t do that, I was kidding... Remember that you will most likely always be on the short end of the stick, Directors want the movie in their head on the screen, you need to do everything she says and if the movie doesn’t do well... you’ll probably be blamed (The idea of good footage + crap editing = bad vs bad footage + miraculous editing = passable is used so much), You’ll be given the worst shot material and be expected to churn out something viewable, you’ll have a film that was apparently lit by a cell phone and you’ll be chastised if you don’t make it shine like the sun... it’s a dog eat dog world, someone will always be there to top you. Keeping your head up and your ear to the ground for news, tips, etc will mostly likely rip your head in two... but it needs to be done... so suck it up and start cutting it up!

Hopefully this helps,
Westcroft AKA Scott

_____________________________

Thank you so much, that was well worth the read for me, but some additional things I wanted to add, or restate.

More so than how do BE an editor, you need to learn how best to obtain contacts and work. Being licensed obviously helps for bigger more "official" jobs, but there are a lot of jobs you can obtain to help you start working your way up the ladder.

Most Television studios offer jobs to students as Interns, they do very simple editing work on the nightly newscasts and you can specifically request to assist the Video Editor. You can understand the importance of getting plenty of coverage, especially during interviews and conversations, and good coverage of the scenary so you have plenty of things to cut away to, helping to keep the shots diverse and interesting, these are just the very basics of editing, but beginning so simply can help you to begin to develop on top of this.

Keeping active in local theater, at Universities and such can help you keep your pulse on the drama programs, and lets you hear about and contact anyone that is possibly working on their own film. You can easily offer to at the very least ASSIST them with the Editing, if you can prove yourself, they will most likely use you again and bring you onto other projects. Also, possibly referring you to friends and associates.

Also, local Videography agencies rarely just give out the raw footage of an event to their clients, for stuff like Weddings and Conventions that they cover, they edit it, they get plenty of coverage and edit together condensed version of the event so they don't just have 4 hours of occurances. Asking these Companies if you can sit and watch their editing, intern with them, or possibly assist them in some way is always a good place to start, and to start learning the basics.

This not only helps you learn the basics, but it also helps you develop contacts, and if it blossoms into a working professional relationship, it also provides you access to crew and equipment that might even be willing to help you out and work for free (or at least at discount rates).

Moreso than learning the basics, it's also important to learn from the masters. Look at some of the famous films you can think of, ubiquitous films that everyone knows about, the classics of every decade, and STUDY them. Don't just WATCH them, actively make mental notes of the shot placement during scenes, COUNT everytime there is an edit, study individual important scenes and STUDY how they are cut together, actively watch them, and think about WHY they were edited together in this way.

Actively study the editing techniques of different genres of film, watch all types of films, classic Comedies, Dramas, Westerns, Sci-Fi, Action, Horror, Documentary, they all have different kinds of editing styles that are utilized in different ways. Watching plenty of films and looking at how they are editing very carefully instead of just absorbing it and watching it passively will help you in many ways to start looking at what works, and what might not work so well, in what circumstances and why.

Look at the quick frentic edits in some Horror and Action films, especially during chase or fight scenes. Look at the slow emotional takes of Noir films. Think about the different styles actively, and examinine them and their emotional effects. Once you start understanding how editing works on people, you start understanding the underlying psychology of why the cuts affect people in such a way, and overall this makes you a more capable editor who can think of not only how to express a scene coherantly, but emotionally as well.

Also, even if you aren't making a horror film, or a comedy, or another genre, understanding their editing style might open up a door for some way you want to express some scene in your film. Even if you aren't making a funny or scary movie, you might have a funny or scary scene that could benefit from "Comedy style" or "Horror Style" edits.

Looking at how similar films and similar scenes to what you're working on, were edited themselves can also help give you inspiration on your own film, and guide you towards a good way to edit it, but also giving you a nice root to branch off from and try something differently from your inspiration, creating something new and possibly better.

So there you go, remember, actively study films, try to learn from people who are actively doing it, read about editing and filmmaking techniques, and most importantly PRACTICE AND EXPERIMENT! You won't become a good editor unless you're used to cutting film, you have to do it and learn it before you can master your own technique.

Mogulville Spotlight: Arissa

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:12:37 EDT

President of Mogulville Bridger, on top of keeping his office (relatively) free from Puppet Related scandals, also does a lot of fantastic things for the community, specifically, spotlighting members he felt deserve some recognition, so watch the interview he did with fellow Moderator and Make-up-mancer Arissa Beck, you'll enjoy it! Or you'll go blind from Arissa's skills!

Ok, I was lying about the blind part. But you may see spots for a while.

Wesley's Weekly HOW TO: Flag Gun Part I

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:03:04 EDT

You requested it, so i'm doing it. The Flag Gun.

I got some plastic sheeting like is used for covering the ground when you're painting, and I cut a rectangle off the edge of it.

Next I attached the plastic rectangle to a wooden dowel using some super glue.

I then painted it with some acrylic paint, and set it aside to dry.

I found this really thick cardboard tube, I think it may have been a postal shipping tube, you need a relatively strong tube for this, a paper towel tube might work, but I think it would have to be reinforced, maybe with some plaster.

I then poked three holes along the top of the cylinder that is going to be the "barrel" of the gun.

In these holes I threaded three rubber bands, and hot glued them into the holes.

I then hot glued the other ends of the rubber bands to the base of the flag.

But not before I had already glued a string onto the bottom of it so I could pull it into the tube.

For the handle, I just used a toliet paper tube that I cut to fit snuggly against the main tube.

Then it was just a matter of painting it, and sticking the PVC coupling I found to the front. Next week, stay tuned, because i'm going to build a full triggering mechanism for this that can be modified to work on any elastic based release system.

Creation of a Stop-Motion Model Part VIII

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:41:15 EDT

Here is the eighth part of the series that Doug TenNapel is recording on the stop-mo project he's doing with the Chiodo Brothers. In this one, he talks about the specifics behind actually animating the model itself, and some of the equipment professionals utilize. Also, remember to check out our own Stop-Motion Specials.

5 Minute Movie House XXIII

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:02:54 EDT

A few weeks ago we had our first, second-time winner for 5 Minute Movie House Ever, this week is our second returning winner ever, Doggysmile Pictures, who you might remember as the winners from all the way back in 5MMH IV, are back with another story of a loser tampering with forces that he shouldn't be, and I must say that they upped the ante for this one. Very funny, great special effects, congratulations on your second win! Can't wait to see what you give us next!

But remember we can't do this without YOUR submissions, please sign-up on the forums and submit your 5 Minutes or less short films to the OFFICIAL 5 MINUTE MOVIE HOUSE THREAD, I always look forward to the great films you guys send me, so please submit!

"The Honda Pilot Do It Yourself" Video Contest

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:08:00 EDT

You don't have to look far for good tips on how to DIY. Indy Moguls have a distinct advantage in this contest, so rock it!

Check out this video contest here!

Behind the Scenes of BFX: The Good Samaritan

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Another week, another build, and another test film. But this past week's project, the Good Samaritan, was an epic voyage from beginning to end. Filled with cross country journeys and the love child of B (maybe C) list actors, this behind the scenes gem will make you laugh, cry, and ralph...all in less than 2 minutes.

Behind the Scenes of BFX: The Good Samaritan from Indy Mogul on Vimeo.

Wesley's Weekly HOW TO: Right Hand of Doom

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:48:58 EDT

So you followed Erik's build with Hellboy's Good Samaritan, and you got your Demon Make-up ready, and you're ready for Hellboy II this Friday except for one thing. Hellboy's trademark Right Hand of Doom. So today i'm going to show you how to build your very own for 20 dollars.

The base for the build is this PVC coupling I purchased at my local hardware store.

I put some screws through the holes and glued them into place.

I then got a piece of poster board and wrapped it around, measuring approximately how wide I want the tube, then...

Hot glued it into that position...

Then hot glued it onto the base using the screws as anchor points.

Next, I got a large yellow sponge I bought at the hardware store as well....

And I coated the top layer in Plaster of Paris.

Then I cut the sponge down the center.

I then painted the plaster with a combination of red acrylic paint and liquid latex (to give it some flexibility).

After it dries, I cut it a strip out of it lengthwise.

Then I hotglued that strip around the top of the PVC piece. I had to cut two strips out of the sponge to get all the way around the base.

I then coated the outside of the tube with more plaster of paris, to add support and begin giving it a rocky texture.

And then I wraped another strip of sponge around the top of the cylinder.

I then reinforced it with additional plaster, also carving some indentions and shapes into the semi-wet plaster.

I mixed up more liquid latex and red acrylic paint, painting over the plaster after it dried.

Now for the actual hand, I got this heavy rubber glove, although I found it takes extraordinarily long for spray paint to dry on this glove, and hot glue has trouble staying stuck to it unless you perforate it first so the glue has something to soak into and really stick. So you MIGHT want to consider using a cloth or leather glove instead.

I just spray painted it a dark red then, while it dries...

I got a tissue and bonded it to the top of the other side of the sponge with my acrylic/liquid latex blend. First I painted the naked sponge, then layed the tissue on it, then put another layer of the paint on top of it, this adhears it to the sponge through the tissue.

Then after the glove dried, I hot glued a segment onto the top.

Then additional segments for the fingers. I followed a pattern similar to my Gauntlet build I did a few months ago, a wide rectangle for the core of the hand, then smaller segments for the fingers.

And there you go, the hand is almost done.

I added details to the indentions in the cylinder, darkening cracks, and overall making it look more ancient and worn.

And there you go, practically done. But I know i'm missing something. Hellboy's knuckle plugs...

To be honest, they are still drying, and I have yet to attach them, I will update with pictures of the plugs added soon. But really, you could go with gatorade bottle caps, form them out of clay, cut the bottom off of dixie cups or aluminum cans, or do what I did and use the inside of a dixie cup as a mold, put plaster into it, let it dry, then peel it off.

But really, you don't need them, although to have a more authentic looking one, it's suggested you improvise some plugs. Come back soon to see the FINAL VERSION pictures!

Pulp Secret's Hellboy 2 Exclusive Movie Review

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:19:08 EDT

It's Hellboy week here in the office (not to be confused with Dark Knight week, which is next week). To celebrate we're doing some awesome Hellboy episodes. You may have seen our recent episode of Back Yard Effects where our host Erik Beck teamed up with unholy mystics to forge The Good Samaritan (Hellboy's Special Gun). But now you need to see what our brother's at Pulp Secret have been up to. Hosts Alex Zalben and Justin Tyler bring you an exclusive review of the new Hellboy 2 movie, along with all the required Hellboy and BPRD reading to get you prepared for this awesome new movie.

Don't miss the exclusive review of Hellboy 2: The Golden Army!

BFX Extra: Up Close and Personal with the HellBoy Gun!

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:49:59 EDT

BFX Extra: Close-up video of the Good Samaritan from Indy Mogul on Vimeo.

5 Minute Movie House XXII

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:38:25 EDT

Man In The Yellow Vest from White Tiger Filmz on Vimeo.

This was another TOUGH WEEK of competition for the victory this week, I had a tough decision with so many good submission this weekm but I eventually came to a decision... This week's winner is Matt Adams & Jamie Hodges's action short, "Man in the Yellow Vest", I really enjoyed the action in this, the special effects we pretty good for no budget, and I think it wraps up nicely. All around, great job, hope you guys keep submitting. Make sure to visit their website and see thier work here.

But remember, next week it could be YOUR SHORT FILM up here on the blog, so keep submitting and remember, I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU! So stop by the 5 Minute Movie House Thread HERE. Submit your films and let me see your best! I can't wait to see what you guys give me this week!

Good luck!

Indy Mogul Featured on WebUpon

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:44:05 EDT

Indy Mogul was recently featured on popular website complation website WEBUPON.com. As number three on their list of 10 Useful Websites to Enhance your Internet Experience, ranking above such heavyweights as Instructables and DIGG! Go us!

WEBUPON seems like it's a really interesting portal that finds a lot of interesting, very useful, websites (hey, they found us didn't they?) so make sure to check them out! It definitely looks like it would be worth your time.

See the Original article HERE.

Thank you WEBUPON!

Interview: James Rolfe

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:09:08 EDT

Today I had the honor of talking to James Rolfe, Writer/Director/Editor/Actor/Cinematographer, most famous for his Angry Video Game Nerd persona, his videos have gotten millions of hits, and his program is one of the most popular on the internet. James has earned a massive fanbase based on his comedic explorations into nostalgia, and the quality DIY content he continually puts out, showing you don't need a huge budget to get fans, just talent and hard work. I was lucky enough to ask him a few questions that I got some answers everyone might be interested in.

So watch the video above (Advisory: Some Profanity, so cover your ears for the first 20 seconds if you're the sensitive type, I don't want to hear from any mad parents), and check the interview out below, you won't regret it. Or you will, at which point, your loss.

Wes: In Cinemassacre 200 you talked about how the internet is the best method to get your work seen. But you also confront the kind of glut of content we've seen on the internet thanks to the ease of the distribution, what advice do you have to offer to any prospective filmmakers about how to improve their own work, and how to get themselves and their work noticed apart from the tidal wave of stuff already out there?

James: I think my only advice is to try something original. Find something that hasn't been done before, as difficult as that may sound.

You've produced work in three different decades, and in Cinemassacre 200, we see how you've proceeded not only artistically, but technologically. With professional looking HD video becoming cheaper and cheaper, and computers becoming more and more user friendly and powerful, and all sorts of technologies we might not even be imagining sure to spring up in the future, where do you think things are headed for content creation? Do you think this convergence of cheap cameras, easy editing, and almost free world-wide distribution capabilities, lead to say a more top-heavy institution like Hollywood, becoming an endangered species?

It's all heading towards internet home made movies. If Hollywood would take more of a risk and stop remaking every movie/TV show/comic book/video game and just come up with something new, then yes, I do feel like big budget films are becoming an endangered species. It wasn't any more than a decade ago before everyone was starting to be able to edit non linear on their home computers. I think the biggest problem is the ticket prices for movies. With home theater systems, most people are comfortable enough watching movies in their own living room. Movies stay in the theaters for a shorter time, and they're released on DVD so fast, that it's not even worth it. I remember with VHS, you had to wait a while. Jurassic Park took over a year, between its theatrical release and eventual VHS release, and there were no bonus features back then either. I don't think any of that answers the question, but it all boils down to this. The cost & admission of rehashed movies needs to stop or else people will find alternatives and that's where we step in.

You talked about some of the aesthetic principles that guide your own work, and the kind of Do-it-yourself ethic that you operate under. What is it about the stripped down quality of your work, and a lot of the work you enjoy, that appeals to you so much? Is it because it's accessible or is it something different?

From the beginning, I worked with what I had available. I shot on video most of my life, far more than I've shot on film. Throughout the late 80's to early 2000's, I was using VHS. I was looking for places to get my movies seen, but was not successful. I submitted to some film festivals, but was never accepted. I can think of a few reasons. They were juvenile, cheap-looking, home made, silly plots, but also they were shot on video. Most filmmakers would spend a frightening amount of money to shoot on film and polish everything so that it would meet expectations from others. Where I felt "CineMassacre" came in was to forget about that and put the actual experience of making the movie in the forefront. I didn't care if the movies looked professional or not, I just wanted to make them and enjoy the process, then worry about getting it seen later, and only if I liked the final result. Today, if I make a movie, it would have higher standards, more like The Deader the Better, or Legend of the Blue Hole, but I still cut to the chase and work very fast.

There seems to be a trend towards the interactive, and the collaborative in the Internet age, how do you see things as changing in the next decade, compared to how much you, yourself have seen it change so much in the last 10 years?

I can't even imagine. I would guess in the next decade, it would be similar to how it is now, with video hosting websites being the big thing, only in HD with the latest technology.

How long does something you shoot on average take to complete? How would you compare the effort that goes into something like your AVGN pieces, to a more elaborate short film like 'The Deader the Better'?

The Deader the Better took about 2 years, between the writing and editing stage. I was also working a full time job which made it very hard to work on the movie on a consistent schedule. I also built the entire cemetery set by myself, with some help from my girlfriend. Once the actual shooting took place, it went very fast. About 5 days. The editing took several months after that. For an AVGN episode, the most important thing to me, is getting them out on a regular basis. The average episode takes about 40 hours to make. (pretty much a regular work week) The shorter & simpler basic game review style takes about 20 hours, while the more elaborate episodes take usually about 50 hours. The episodes which took the longest were the Nintendo Power and Super Mario Bros 3 reviews, both of which took about 80 hours. Nintendo Power, for the extensive reading, and Super Mario Bros 3 for the abundant special effects.

And finally, what new projects do you have coming up, do you have any news you'd like to mention about what you're going to be up to in the near future?

The AVGN series is a priority for me at the moment. The popularity and fan base continues to fuel my ambition to make more. But there is definitely more films to come. Horror, comedy, I have plenty planned and they're all different. But the next one may be a feature.

Thanks for having me.

And thank you for talking with me today, it was enlightening.

Make sure to check out his website over at: http://www.cinemassacre.com/

Where he posts all of his short films, and his AVGN shorts. Well worth seeing what you can accomplish when you apply creativity to filmmaking process instead of just throwing money at it.

Wesley's Weekly HOW TO: Prop Safe

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:07:11 EDT

So you are making a spy caper film, and you need a safe for the secret file/launch codes/microfilm for your agent to crack open with a laser. And/or you really want to pull a Bugs Bunny and drop a safe on your friends head, BUT you realized that REAL safes are expensive and/or dangerously heavy, and you need a prop to fill it's place? Well worry no more, because i'm going to show you how to make you're own prop safe for whatever safey needs you might have.

I started with this shipping box I got at my local Pharmacy store, and popped it open.

I then took some black foamboard that I also picked up.

After I lined up the corners of the foamboard with the edges of the box, I cut off the excess foamboard using a T-Square.

Until it was the same size as the front opening of the box.

Next, I got a cheap locker padlock

I measured the width of the dial.

Then I sketched out the same relative size and shape of the dial out onto the the foamboard.

So I have a slot to put the dial through (you can tape it to the inside of the cover, or cover it with paper, or whatever you want. If you're going to go with a close-up on the inside when you're opening it, you'll probably want to cover it up on the inside of the box with something a little more significant than just duct tape.

I then took a toliet paper tube, and I cut off a segment off of the end.

I painted it silver and attached it to the front aroud the dial, to make it look not so naked. You don't have to do it, I just thought it makes the front look better.

I then took the rest of the tube, and I folded it.

Then poked a hole into the front face, making it wide enough for me to stick the end of the folded piece of toliet tube into it.

I then hotglued it into the hole to act as a handle. You could easily modify some kind of cylinder or lever inside that actually operates, but that bumps up the cost, and it makes the build more complicated, and really, just pulling the door out of the way while adding in a unlatching noise will make people think it's an operational handle even if it isn't.

Now, get some of these hinges that are usually used for cabinets or doors.

And attach them to the corner of the door. I used the screws that came along with the hinges, plus a little super glue to help support it. Then I just added a little more paint to touch it up, and there you go, i'm done.

You can also make a shelf inside with some of the extra foam left over, using some hot glue and duct tape. And also make the door thicker by layering more of the foam on the inside, to make it look a bit more substantial.

There you go, it comes down at under a pound or so, and can easily be thrown around or moved around for whatever purposes you need for you film.

Indy Mogul Update Vlog

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:37:46 EDT

Are you one of the troubled millions who finds themselves lying awake at night, wondering what happened to 4 Minute Film School and Q & Erik?

Are you starting to believe the trolls saying "Indy Mogul is failing"?

Well, don't! Because Indy Mogul is only planning their next wave of ceremonies, dedicated to the God of Film Making, inside of us all.

All that and more in this Vlog update from Indy Mogul's very own Steve Nelson.

Career Paths: Director

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:38:26 EDT

Welcome to the first edition of a new series i'm going to be writing called "Career Paths". Every so often, i'm going to cover a different way to forge a career in a different part of the filmmaking industry. Whether you want to be a Screenwriter, a Cinematographer, a Visual or Special Effects Artist, a Editor, a Sound mixer, a Gaffer, or whatever, i'm going to do some research, maybe do a few interviews with people in the industry, and put together resources for you, the reader, to be able to follow and start forging your own Career Path.

These aren't going to be the only way to get yourself started and on the right track, and I could very well do multiple articles on the same profession from different approaches, so if this plan doesn't work for what you want to do, wait around, and I might tackle the situation from a different direction.

But onward, This week's feature, DIRECTOR.

So you want to be a Director? If you feel the desire too, I say go for it, no one should hold you back from your dreams. But you're going to have to be prepared to understand what you're dreams are going to cost your sometimes. You're going to work hard, desperately hard, sometimes you're going to get up, fueled only by cheap instant coffee, and spend 18 hours straight doing some mundane task, in a dark room, alone, and you're going to feel like you aren't getting anywhere for sometimes many many years. While many directors get lucky and get noticed early on, many other directors haven't gotten their "breaks" until they were already in their 40's or 50's, some even older, some were only recognized Post-Humously. So if you want quick instant recognition for your work, become an elementary school teacher, it's quicker, easier, and the pay is usually better.

You're not only going to have to sacrafice your time in many cases, but you're going to have to become dedicated to it, this is going to be a life style change, you might have to spend a lot of time neglecting your friends and family for no obvious gain in a project you're working on.

Being a Director requires no real writing skills, but it requires plenty of people skills, and an appreciation of writing is mandatory. You don't need to be able to write (most directors don't write their own stuff, there are many famous Writer-Directors, but Spielberg for example hasn't written practically anything he shot himself, he would come up with the basic idea or concept, but he has writers that he works with, one of the only Screenplays he's actually written himself was Poltergeist, which while that movie was great, he didn't DIRECT it.) but you need to be able to READ, reading comprehension cannot be overstated, being able to VISUALIZE the script you're working on is one of the most important things you must learn in the profession.

To get started as a director, you need to start working on a portfolio of visual work now, commercials, music videos, short films, experimental work, feature length films, everything you shoot should be organized, and you should pick the best of the best and create a reel tape.

Find some friends that have lots of story ideas, but know nothing about Cameras or film production, and offer to help them, shoot some of their work, send it off to a few festivals, if you like working with them, and your styles "mesh" then you have just created a working creative team.

If you don't know anyone who writes, see if your local university offers any creative writing classes, preferable ones focused on Film or TV Writing, see if they offer any Film Classes, you'll find like minded people in those places.

Go to local Live Theaters, it would be easy to find Actors, and writers at these places, post up ad's on their walls asking for actors and writers to contact you, talk to them, see what they want to accomplish, see if it melds with what you want to accomplish.

Put up ad's at the local Universities, talk to local businesses for possibly advertising opportunities, you feature their business or their products in your film for a fee, etc.

You need to start saving up money, building up contacts, putting together a creative team, accumulating equipment (cameras, lighting, sound equipment, gels, props, etc.) and finding actors.
Find places that offer local live music, bars, clubs, etc, and ask them, or put up ad's, for any local bands to contact you if they need a music video produced. Do the same at Music department of any local Universities (if any have Music programs). Creating Music videos is a great way to get started, they are usually short, so they require considerably less money and time, but let you understand what its like to work with a crew, work with actors, organize effects, diversify shots, and especially help you understand the relation and coherence that is created from a synthesis of music and image, that is a very important filmmaking basic. Also the experience you can gain from editing a music video is very useful in developing your own style. Do the same at local playhouses and University drama departments for anyone that might need help with film short films. Do the same with local businesses asking if they need any help with Commercials.

Do all of these things can help you start assembling a portfolio, and establishing local contacts that you can use to springboard your own larger projects, after you meet a few local actors, there you go, you have people in your film, after you've met a few local writers, you have a creative team to help you flesh out your ideas, after you've met a few local bands, you have someone you can ask to score your film, after you've worked with a few local businesses, and they like the commercials you've shot for them, you've got potential investors that can help you raise money for your own personal larger projects.

Then like I said, it's just a matter of working hard, creating your own work, then organizing everything you've done in a portfolio, submitting to film festivals regularly, visiting there, networking with people, having your portfolio ready to submit to any interested parties, being able to submit your video portfolio to potential employers, such as larger advertising companies, etc.

So you'll need a lot of personal relations skills, you'll need a lot of oral communication skills, public speaking, you'll need to be well read, you'll need to understand every step of the filmmaking process, you'll need to be able to budget very well, you'll need to have a rather developed knowledge of visual and artistic basics, like color, composition, balance, and how to relate those concepts to something you can replicate with film, and physical lights. You'll need to understand all of the technical aspects behind operating a camera, have a good sense of editing, dialogue, acting, while you won't always need to be an expert in ALL these things, you'll definitely need to have a sense for them, and be able to distinguish between whats good and bad.

If you have those skills, or this sounds like a fun career path, go for it, but remember, it's a saturated market, people get work based on their background, so the more good work a person has done, the more good work he or she gets offered, it's highly competitive, and mathematically, you'll most likely fail. So if you've got nothing to fall back on, no friends and family that believe in you, i'm not saying you will fail, but it's highly likely. Having the support of friends and family, and not having your first film being a failure (as it most likely will be, not saying it will be bad, but it's rare that you'll make a film that will get the studios knocking down your door the first time out of the gate) being the end of your career, are important things you need to balance into the equation.

Anyone can be a Director, but it's far more difficult to cultivate a viable career out of Directing, not impossible, but you've got to be willing to work hard, and crawl up from the bottom, and you need near superhuman determination and focus.

If you are prepared to do some proverbial suffering for your art, if all of these sound like you, like things you want to do, or things you would be good at, congratulations, you are on your way to becoming a director, and with any luck, and plenty of determination and hard work, you can begin to foster your own career, and hopefully begin to get your work noticed.

Good Luck!