Heart & Soul

Recently I attended the 2010 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, where a number of newbies experienced the thrill of seeing their films on the big screen.  Last year, I was one of them.

With devices such as Sony’s Bloggie and also the Flip camera, which musician Wyclef Jean recently used to capture earthquake footage in Haiti, it’s gotten down right cheap to shoot a film.  Shop around and you can buy one of these little cameras for between $100 and $200 bucks, if not less. As you go deeper into the craft of filmmaking, however, you’ll likely want to add more bells and whistles to your projects by bringingexperts on board so your projects look and sound their best.  But for now, just think about getting started.

To help you get fired up, I recently spoke with Mike Ajakwe, whose TV credits include Martin, Eve and The Brothers Garcia.  He’s taken his short comedy series, Who, to the web via www.AjakweTV.com.  He shoots 5-minute installments of the show–featuring two black women who dish about everybody and everything–in and around his home. He employs a small crew, and charges Internet viewers a nominal fee to check out his work.

I asked Mike to share with Heart & Soul’s website readers the secret of making a good film on a tight budget.

(1) “Start with a good script.  It is the foundation of your film.  You have nothing without it. I don’t care if you land Halle Berry as your lead.  Halle Berry does not make up her lines on the set.  She reads from a script that someone else wrote. A good script can become a bad one with the wrong cast, and a good script can become a great film with the right cast. A solid team behind you is also critical. Find people who have made a film before and can help you maneuver through rough waters.  They can support you without taking over.”

(2)  “If you want help writing a script, I suggest the books Screenplay by Syd Field or Story by Robert McKee.  Any filmmaking class at a reputable school is also worth the investment.  It helps if you like to watch films and have seen a lot of them.  In fact, if you want to be a filmmaker, get used to watching feature length films, shorts, webisodes—anything that tells a story visually.

(3) “If you’re wondering what should write, look within for stories that captivate you, however obscure or niche. Often, the more specific a story is to you, the more universal it is for others who see it, because they can feel the authenticity of the experience being revealed.  Anything that makes you uncomfortable to show or scares you or puts you on edge would probably make a compelling film.”

(4) “Don’t be afraid to fail.  Often, our No. 1 enemy to success is ourselves.  Nobody’s first film is a masterpiece.  So join the club.  You have to have talent, vision and courage  in the film game.”

(5) “The best advice I ever got on filmmaking came from the late, great African-American sculptor Tina Allen.  She told me: ‘Don’t be afraid to be naked and don’t worry about what other people will think.  Tell your story.  Sing your song.  Showcase your vision. Some people will love you and some won’t.  Be ok with that…’ And, like Nike said, ‘Just do it.’ ”

Pamela Johnson is a California writer.