InFocus Film School Blog

By Victor van der Merwe

The world of visual effects is becoming an ever more crucial part of the film industry. CGI and 3D modelling is not just for monster movies and aliens anymore and as movies evolve, it is amazing to see what the visual effects departments can do. Having an actor fly on a dragon is impressive, but what can be even more amazing is subtle changes a person in the VFX department can make to make fabricated scenes look realistic. Here are five films that subtly use special effects to enhance their stories.

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Acclaimed director and film school graduate Ang Lee said: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can never learn enough.” That is especially true when it comes to film.

The benefits of a formal filmmaking education cannot be overstated. It gives young directors, cinematographers, screenwriters, and other aspiring artists the guidance and training they need to master their craft. A number of the most well-known and successful directors have gotten started at film school. It gave them a chance to develop their unique artistic style and voice.

Read on to find out how film school influenced the work of these three famous directors.

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Written by Victor van der Merwe

 

The one thing all filmmakers have in common is the problem of finding money for a project. Steven Spielberg has that problem, David Lynch has that problem and yes, first time filmmakers have that problem. The reason is because, unlike other art forms, this is a very expensive medium to work in. Of course, Spielberg and Lynch can point out projects that prove they can get the money back to investors. Sadly, your profit margins might not yet compare to theirs. This does not mean that you cannot raise the funds needed to make your masterpiece though. Here are five ways new filmmakers can get funding for their projects.

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Written by Johnny Papan

 

The art department is in charge of the decorative, tangible visual aesthetic of cinema. It’s responsible for how a character dresses, why they dress that way, what their house looks like, what their job-cubicle looks like, etc, etc.

 

Every choice made by the art department is in service to subtly give audiences a deeper look into the world and characters.

 

“Generally speaking, I start with the character,” explains Charles Whiteway Wilkinson, who has worked both as a professional industry Production Designer and Art Director. “I think who’s room is this? Who are they? What do they do? Do they have kids? Are they single/married? Old/young? From here I determine the era, colours, quality of furniture, artwork, photograph, etc.”

 

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Who doesn’t love animals in film? Whether to delight or to scare, animals have played some of the most iconic roles. Where would we be without Lassie or Airbud? Or the nameless horde in Birds?

 

So let’s say your script includes animals. You can’t expect them to act like your human actors and likewise can’t expect to treat them as such. The rules surrounding animal performers can seem daunting at first, but this guide will break filming with animals down into a manageable process.

 

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