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Shooting a low-budget feature under $50,000 can be challenging. Start lowering the number and even more compromises begin, the lower you go the more difficult things can get. But make no mistake, it can be done. Obviously the compromises can make things more stressful, but needs can be met. You can go higher than $50,000 even up to $100,000 or so. Still the compromises would be there, but how many and how severe would depend on many factors. There are some things you should have in mind next time you go making another film.

Marketing: Wait huh? What does that have to do with filmmaking? Actually it’s half the battle. Making a film is all well and good if you just want to sit around with your family to watch it. If you want to sell it, you have more to worry about than simply finishing it. Finishing a film is a great accmplishment and if you’ve done it already, my hat comes off to you (if I wore hats…but I don’t). But your battle is half over, now you have to sell the film. You can self-distribute and that’s fine but I still believe that making a story you know might not be marketable is like shooting yourself in the foot. I would rather not make a film at all if I wasn’t at least confident it could be sold. Can low-budget films be sold and make big profit? Dang skippy! The past 5 years has certainly proved that, in the Christian and secular film world. It’s never a sure thing, but coming up with a story that has the potential to be sold and have interest to the public is very important. Keep this in mind when developing your story and your overall scheme. Don’t waste the time (and other peoples time, especially if your dealing with lots of volunteers and donations that might not come around a second time <–read that again), money, and all the other headaches that come with completing a film if you don’t have at least some sort of idea on how you might pitch it to someone. See our Networking Articles for information on how to find those people.

Natural Light Examples: (Canon XHA1 + Letus Extreme)

Story: What you choose for your story will determine how much money you’ll need, people, resources, what format you shoot on and what aspect ratio, and on and on it goes. If you choose an epic battle between two countries, $5,000 might be cutting it a little short. If you know your money is capped at a certain point, find out if the story you have in mind is doable within your constrictions. This sounds like common sense but folks seem to forget.

Locations: This ties into your story but it’s still a totally separate topic. What kind of story you pick will determine where you need to set it. Is it a period piece? That can make things really difficult for wardrobe and production design. It could also make getting those locations more difficult as you can’t just choose any old place. If your working on a low-budget, your choices might not be many. Doesn’t mean you can’t get great locations and do a period film on a low-budget, but make sure you take the time to find it. Don’t leave yourself in a pinch where a bank account wont do you any good. Odds are whatever locations you choose, you’ll have to deal with lots of other people. Houses that currently have people living in it, restaurants that are in business, roads that are still in use that you can’t shut down. Lots of things will most likely be out of your control, or in your control for a short amount of time. Plan accordingly!

Don’t settle for the bottom of the barrel, but make decisions based on what you might have and keep reality in check. Also choose a location that fits the kind of story you want to tell from a cinematic viewpoint. Does your film require a lot more visual storytelling? Does the location you have fit that? Is it interesting enough to look at for a long time if the audience is required to be there a lot? What kind of natural light does it allow and when during the day? For those of you working with minimal lights, this might be sink or swim for you. Does it fit the aspect ratio you want to use to tell that visual story? Shoot outside as often as your story will allow, and pick beautiful locations. A nice summer day will look brilliant, nothing better than that huge yellow orb in the sky lighting your scene for you. Some things I’ve shot outside without a single flag, scrim, or bounce card to speak of have given me some of my best footage (All the images on the right were from using natural light, not a single lighting element was used). Especially cloudy days where you end up having a nice soft light on everything, take advantage.

Talent: The often debated and most commented on topic in Christian films, the acting. It’s rare that the acting is good, and unfortunately with a really low-budget you probably wont have access to great actors. If you do, then great use them. If not, then there are some things you can do to make sure you have the best possible result. One piece of advice, pick the best candidate. Don’t pick your friend because he’s your best buddy in the whole world. Pick him because he is your best option. Also try and pick those who’s real life personalities are similar to those they have to play. That will make their transition a little easier if they aren’t as outgoing as others. Often the people who aren’t embarrassed to do certain things in public, wont be embarrassed to do it in front of a camera. Them being comfortable might be the most important element. Even if they are unsure or have a lot to learn, the fact they are comfortable and willing to be patient is a huge factor. Also if your working with more inexperienced talent, factor in more time on set to get things right. Make sure you know exactly what you want, and your willing to do as many takes as it takes (no pun) to get things right.

Equipment: Another big factor in your budget, just how much stuff do you own already? How much are you able to borrow? If your like me, nobody near you has the equipment needed to shoot a film. There isn’t a single rental place within a good distance, and prices are high. I’m a firm believer in owning what you use, but only up to a certain point. If you properly plan ahead, and you know that you’ll need your camera for 30 days, rental might be a good option. It’s personal preference, and you’ll need to do some number crunching. The same thing applies to anything you might rent/buy/borrow. Also being on a lower budget means working with equipment that might not be the best. One thing I’ll say is no matter what level of equipment your able to get your hands on, make sure you can use it to its full potential before you dive into shooting. Do tests, especially with Cameras and Sound equipment. Odds are whatever locations someone is crazy enough to give you, they’ll be ok with just you and a friend doing some camera and sound tests there for a few hours. Don’t be dumb, ask and go for it. In the end it’s worth it. Less guessing equals less stress. Other options might mean waiting to shoot the film until you have a budget to give it justice. Sometimes that hurts, but consider it.

Low-Budget Film Examples:

Flywheel – Sherwood Pictures first feature film, and a low-budget film in every aspect. Shot for $20,000 in DV on an XL1s with a 35mm Adapter (that didn’t help the image at all), with Home Depot lights, volunteers for everything, and the result was a great film. The story was fantastic, and after more than 200,000 units sold…who can argue?

Smuggler’s Ransom – Brandon Rice & Daniel Noa make a 50 minute Action Film, shot in 4 days, with professional actors (Anthony Tyler Quinn in the lead), donated locations, and a $5,000 budget. The result was a film that not only found distribution and sold several thousand copies, but stands as one of the few Christian action films out there…let alone a good one.

When you ask someone to be in a low-budget film whether it be cast/crew, the only person who has control of whether or not its a nightmare is you. How well you plan, how well you manage, how well you direct people and communicate, etc. You are the ringleader, keep the peace and get the job done. It also warrants you probably wearing a few hats. I’ve had the pleasure (cough) of wearing 5 or more hats or even more on a really bad day. Two man crews, one man crew (yours truly), and all that fun stuff. Plan the best you can and do the best you can with what you have. That is one thing that I love about lower budget films, it intrigues me to see people doing something of quality with so little. You can reach a quality level far above the rest of your competition, the key is knowing what quality is. If you have an eye for quality, you’ll be able to direct the boat down the proper stream to get there. There will be problems and compromises, but if the end result in the framing of the camera is good, then you’ve accomplished your mission.

If I’m going to do something, I better make sure I do it the best I can do. I want to make sure that whatever happens to whatever it may be (in this case a film), I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning and be content I did what I could. I’m sick of hearing “I can’t,” “There is no way,” or “That isn’t possible.” Figure it out. Make your film look bigger than it is, and more expensive than it is. Your biggest job on a film, especially a low-budget film, is problem solving…so start getting better at it.

Kyle Prohaska
kyle@praisepictures.com
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

Articles

Cinematography is more than just camera movement, framing, and lighting, it’s what you choose to show. Anything outside of the window you choose to show your film through, doesn’t exist for the audience member. If you don’t show it, they don’t know it’s there. Sounds simple, but it’s critical.

“Once we get the audience to imagine that what exists within the frame extends beyond the frame, we have a new and powerful tool to create unreal realities on the screen” - Chuck Peters

Be mindful of what your pointing your camera at and for what purpose. Everything shot should have a reason attached to it. If there is no reason, especially if the viewer is supposed to be gathering an emotion or feeling from whatever they’re watching…you’ll lose them, bore them, and pull them out of whatever you were trying to build to in the first place. Very rarely is a shot left in a film because it “looks cool.” Is that 10 second epic shot really worth it if it doesn’t do something for your audience memeber? No, especially if you are working on something that depends on specifically placed and paced action, reaction, and flow. Keep all this in mind when your shooting something. What goal are you going for?

Why are you shooting your film the way you are? Why are you in a wide instead of a close up? Why are you dollying the camera (this is very overdone in films), or why are you handholding it? Examine your story and figure out a way of telling it that fits the type of story it is.

Cloverfield is a great example to use. Whether you like the film or not, the Blair Witch Project type of shooting that it entails fits the kind of story they were trying to tell. You are going through the adventure and horrific events with the main characters, running right along with them. Not only that, but almost every sequence in the film is shot in a way that shows you only little bits of things as the director saw fit. Because your watching the film from a camera that is being run (in the film) by the main characters, you have a unique experience as an audience member. Shaking of the camera, quick zooms, autofocus problems, etc. were all used to feed the audience member specific pieces of information. When the camera is having a hard time focusing on something and there is grain and some movement, your left squinting at the screen saying “what is that?” Then BOOM your hit with something you didn’t expect. It’s a great example of using a camera in the proper way, and to the full potential of the source material.

Road to Perdition (one of my favorite films, and one of the greatest cinematic pieces in history) has lots of great camera work but for this article the place that came to mind was the father and son riding to Chicago. The city is revealed to the audience by the reflection in the windows, before the camera eventually ends up behind the car as it drives into downtown. There is a moment before the buildings show up where your not sure what your looking for because the windows reflections are barren, then in an instant the first building hits and the reflection is covered in windows moving by.

If you have seen those 2 films, or have other films of your own that you love for their cinematography, go pop in the DVD and find your favorite shot. What is it saying? Then write that down and figure out other ways it could have been shot to convey the same thing. It’s a good exercise, give it a try. If your a junkie for things like that (like me), then it’s something you probably think about already. Even if you aren’t a cinematographer, thinking about these things as a director can really help things along, especially if your on a low-budget film where your wearing lots of hats. There is a reason why Directors & Cinematographers have a unique bond. They’re both doing 2 different jobs with the same goal, and they need to work together to pull out the proper result. Constantly ask yourself why you are shooting what you’re shooting, before you plant your sticks, pick your lens, etc. What is your OBJECTIVE?

Objective -> Information -> Decision -> Result

If your objective is off (from the story), so will your result. Your objective determines where you go for your information and from your information you make your “informed” decisions. The same applies to life but it applies to all things.

What about your lighting? Without light all you have is darkness. What are you choosing to light and why? What kind of light are you putting on that subject? Is it the proper color? What can be done to further accent the desired mood? Do you want hard light, soft light, or a mix of both? People play with white balence all the time either on set or in post to get the effect they want. A dark alley with a suspicious man walking would probably benefit from a high contrast ratio, blue tint, and limited fill. Granted that is just an example, you could do things many different ways. I’m not here to tell you how to light or compose, I’m trying to get your juices flowing about why you do what you do.

What about camera movement? Besides all the other things involved in shooting, camera movement is a powerful way to tell your story. Something I want to touch on first though is a lack of camera movement. A static shot has just as much purpose as a tracking, handheld, or crane shot. Lets see how many different ways we can convey the same type of feeling with the same subject.

Objective: Loneliness

Place/Subject: A man at a 4 way intersection out in the middle of nowhere.

Option 1: Wide static shot of the man standing there. Showing how big the surrounding farm land is and how small the man is will convey just how alone he really is. Being static, it can make the environment feel dead and have less life to it with this one human being in the center of it all.

Option 2: Start on a closeup of the man and pull back to a wide showing the surrounding area. This would allow you to slowly reveal how alone the subject is (the same as Option 1) but choosing to reveal is slowly might have a purpose. Say your scene has the man waking up on his back at this intersection not having a clue how he got there. Pulling back slowly from him to show the entire environment allows the audience to realize where he is at the same time he does. This differs from Option 1 also because of the way you would edit it together. Cutting from a close up on an actor looking around directly to a wide would hit the audience in the face with loneliness a lot more abruptly than Option 2 where the camera movement would reveal.

Keep in mind how your shots will edit together and what cutting from one shot to another actually says. It’s not just your shots, it’s the relationship from shot to shot.

Option 3: Start on a closeup of the man and as he turns to look around, the camera dollies around him in a circle revealing the environment in 360 degrees. Normally this is done to convey confusion or worry if the character is looking for something but if done properly and at the proper speed, it can convey wonder and beauty in the environment (depends on what your looking at). If you are able, starting in a super close up of his head and zooming out slowly as you dolly around adds another dimension to the shot.

There are many other ways to shoot that kind of thing but those 3 can show you just how different you can tell your story if you think about what you want to say. None of them are wrong, but one of them might be for your intended feeling. Option 1 would have you hitting the audience in the face with the environment, Option 2 slowly reveals it (what if he woke up on the top of a mountain, wouldn’t it be more effective to slowly reveal the beautiful scenery and get that WOW factor?), and Option 3 might work to show the environment, the situation, the beauty of the environment, and the motion itself could show some confusion and worry if that is what your going for.

Never lose sight of what your shots need to say. If your not moving the camera, should you be? When your not saying anything…what are you saying? Filmmaking is decisions, one right after another. Each decision you make will either push you towards the story your trying to tell, or away from it. Don’t mess this part of the process up. A great script, with great actors, and great environments is all well and good but if you aren’t sure how to use your camera to present those elements, all that hard work by everyone else is for nothing…or takes a serious hit. The audience can only see what you show them, so make sure they see what they need to, and in the way they need to.

Kyle Prohaska
kyle@praisepictures.com
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

Articles

I might step on some toes in this article, for that I apologize ahead of time. This article is on things I personally believe based on what I see and what I logically deduct. I figured I would get that out of the way to hopefully ward off a nasty email or two. The title of this article is technically a joke, you’ll understand why with the next statement.

The reality, no successful Christian filmmaker currently makes his living solely on their films.

Is that a shock? Quite frankly it shouldn’t be. I hope this is something a lot of you know about, but just in case, give this is a read. All the top dogs in the Christian film industry (which is a young industry by the way), have something other than their films to make up their income. Did I raid all their houses and check their financial records? NO. But seeing that no Christian filmmaker does films only, tells me something.

The people below aren’t necessarily the best/most succesful, etc. So do me a favor and hold back your lashing out for a different article…I’m aware.

Rich Christiano (Time Changer, Unidentified) is probably second place in terms of success. Not based on that one hit that made millions, but the fact he has a track record. His most successful film Time Changer sold about 800,000 DVD units or so. His other films weren’t as successful but other money is made though TV broadcasts and things of the sort (TBN being his biggest supporter). However Rich owns ChristianMovies.com which sells other Christian films. Not only that but he distributes films making commission on those as well. There are many different avenues that he takes to bring in the bacon. Don’t forget Rich makes a film every 3 years or so.

Kevin Downes (The Moment After 1 & 2) has Produced a few films that have been very successful in the Christian film world, but where his big source of income comes from is the fact he started ChristianCinema.com…one of the largest Christian film stores on the planet. 100,000 visitors a month is pretty big traffic, and they get interviews with some very popular people. Traffic floods that site daily. In-between films (which is every few years), it’s a great source of income.

The Kendrick Brothers (Facing the Giants, Fireproof) are a little bit of a different story. Some people mistake the process in which they make income. It isn’t from their films, something unknown to most. Now that isn’t 100% for sure, information like that isn’t something I can see them spewing around the internet, and rightfully so. However, the films are copyrighted by Sherwood Baptist Church, NOT them. They work in ministry at their church and do a normal 9-5 just like any other joe. So they are on salary at the church and that is their main source of income. The big change recently is the Love Dare book which is still in the top 5 on the New York Times best seller and sold over a million copies. Even if they got only 2 dollars per copy (which isn’t the case, probably a dollar or two more), and you did the math…then split it in half between the two of them…their kids are going to college. Again none of this is for sure, it’s the logical conclusion. The Love Dare book isn’t copyrighted Sherwood Baptist Church, it’s a normal book like any other, with their names on it.

You know that saying “Once in a blue moon?” …pretend this is the night a
Christian film became a HUGE financial hit.

Here is my point, all of you out there that want to make Christian films and do it for many years, you need to get other plans cooking. That isn’t meant to a discouragement. The point is there are hundreds of you out there that are serious, but only one or two of you will probably have a hit on your hands. Don’t let things discourage you from trying, but look at reality. You all will be growing up (or already are, this article is more for the younger person who doesn’t already have some sort of career), and starting families. Make sure that counting on a hit isn’t what your betting the farm on. I’ll tell you right now that is STUPID and you’d be a fool to wish for such a thing. The statistics just don’t make it likely you’ll make enough money off your films. Finding distribution can be tough, I’m not talking about someone putting it on DVD in every store in America either because even if that happens there is no guarantee you’ll sell enough to really make it useful. That doesn’t mean don’t strive to make great films that are marketable (that’s the key), it means don’t bank your future on the fact you’ll have a hit.

Some might disagree with all I’m saying but I’m telling you, figure out another way to make money. Not because you can’t make money with films, but because making enough is difficult and having backup plans especially when it concerns your future is extremely important. I’m not telling you this to crush your hopes and dreams because mine are the same (if your reading this article and your a Christian film person). I want to make great films that impact lots of viewers, but whether or not that will happen AND be lucrative consistently is another story. Lots of you who like to make films know lots of different skills, start making plans to capitalize on those things with odd jobs and things of that sort.

All your web designers out there, do a few sites for free and hone your craft in-between films. Heck, make the next website for your next film the best it can be to use in a portfolio. Learn from others and ask questions, what’s it going to hurt? There are countless ways to make money for all of you technically savy people, you just need to get on the ball now and not later. Don’t wake up when your 30 and realize you wasted the last 10 years of your life by not getting ahead of the game. This is off-topic but don’t start saving for retirement at 25, START NOW. If your 20, start now…if your younger even better. You need to build your future, don’t bet it all on the idea you hope you sell a million copies of your next film. Don’t forget hundreds of others are trying to do the same.

To end this article I will say that someone somewhere will probably end up making a living doing just films. That lucky individual will do it, but not many others will…or they’ll be alone. Don’t fool yourself by saying “well the Kendrick’s did this…blah blah blah” The Kendrick’s have a church salary, a church of volunteers, and connections now that’ll last a lifetime. If all you get out of this article is a look at reality, then I’ve done my job. I’m not here to crush dreams, I’m here to give you a smack and help you understand what your really in for. Please take notice, almost NONE of you will ever have a hit…and even if a bunch of you make a film that does decent, it probably wont be enough to sustain you and a family. Start looking for other ways to generate income, don’t be a fool.

I don’t pretend to have things all figured out, but what I do know is that I could make a living doing 1 of 12 things if I had to. Or I could do 5 of the 12, or all of them, or a few then just 1 later…that’s the joy of working for yourself. I made sure from the get go that I started building knowledge in all sorts of areas. Start learning as much as you can, while you have time to do it. All you single 20 something bloggers out there who still live with your mom, sleep in Star Wars sheets and wear footie pj’s…I’m talking to you. Don’t be lazy, learn as much as you can (by the way, I’m a 20 something blogger and I live with my mom but the second two of those don’t apply to me, just getting that out of the way). Once you start getting older the time to really learn this stuff and dig in starts to dwindle. I could do web design, graphic design, camera work, traditional art, internet marketing, dvd production, editing, etc. There is so much out there that you can make money doing, but you need to know how to do lots of things if your going to be an entrepreneur or be self employed. The best part of all this is the more you know on these topics, the better your films can be because it all sorts filters into what it takes to make an independent film, especially on the post end of things. Learning lots of skills is like the oil drilling analogy I gave in the Networking articles. Drill as many holes as you can (intelligently placed by the way), and sooner or later you’ll hit oil. It’s only a matter of time. So get out there and get to work…

Kyle Prohaska
kyle@praisepictures.com
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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By: Kyle Prohaska | View Article Source

Choosing an aspect ratio can be an interesting task. The amateur takes a look at something that is framed in 2.40 and says “wow it looks like a movie, I should crop my video to that!” They fail to understand the reasons for Aspect Ratios (I’ll abbreviate it as AR in this article), and when you should use which size.

How The West Was Won - 2.90:1 Aspect Ratio

There are a few standards that are used way more than the others, and with good reason. I wont go explaining what Aspect Ratios are and the standards used because you can find that information anywhere. Look here to read all about Aspect Ratios and their different standards.

This article will focus on the importance of choosing an AR for your film, and what kinds of things you need to have in mind. Why is this important? Well the AR you choose determines the window your viewer will watch your film in. It also gives you the power to use certain framing and camera techniques to compose your film. What happens if you choose the WRONG framing?

How The West Was Won - Pan & Scan Crop

Well for one you could be setting yourself up for major problems on set. Choosing an anamorphic sized aspect ratio like 2.40:1 could really mess things up for you in a family drama if you aren’t sure how to use it. The common mistake is people like to choose aspect ratios that don’t fit their story. There is no set aspect you should use based on what kind of story you have, only

the way in which you want to tell it. That is the difference. We chose 2.35:1 (Basically 2.40) for Standing Firm because we wanted a bigger budget feeling. However we didn’t just choose it and go for it, we made sure it would suit our needs and fit with the story we had to tell.

What about your environment? Large landscapes look fantastic in anamorphic and super wide aspects. Old westerns years ago were shot in aspects that aren’t even touched anymore. How The West Was Won (1962) was shot in 2.90:1 which is a really wide format. The film however shines and looks amazing, beautifully capturing the landscapes of the west. If it was shot in simple 16:9 things would look great as the landscapes are beautiful no matter what, but the actual scope of the landscapes would not be seen without moving the camera or panning it horizontally. Imagine the exact same film in 4:3 to fit a standard TV? You begin the see my point. The film itself would still look the same but the way in which you watch it is changed significantly.

This is easier to see when your favorite film is shown on television in a Pan and Scan format. Most films that are shown on TV now are broadcast in 16:9 but for years it was cropped to 4:3. Fullscreen DVD’s do the same thing. You can’t really even find a fullscreen DVD anymore, 16:9 is the new 4:3. If you saw your favorite film a million times, then saw it on TV in 4:3 you would see a huge difference. It completely changes the original vision of each shot. What your supposed to see, what your not, and when your supposed to see it…all changes. It ruins the original intent of the cinematographer.

Standing Firm (2009) - 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio

Analyze your films story, which format would benefit your film the most? Besides the more epic feeling, we chose 2.35 for Standing Firm because of the house we shot in. The entire downstairs is open, without doors. Just hallways and a very open layout. This means that everywhere you look you can see deeper into the house, your not looking at a wall. This made 2.35 a great choice because you could really see the design of the home and see deep inside it. Also because of that layout the format allows nice camera movement and dolly moves with more talent participation. Being able to do extreme close-ups and still show the environment is also a plus, including over the shoulder movement. Others argue that 16:9 and greater is similar to how we see the real world with our eyes, so it’s simply better as a standard.

Choosing the incorrect aspect can hurt your film if your camera work isn’t up to par. You might choose a more epic styled standard like 2.35 just to find out you can’t make the framing interesting with what you have to work with. Films that would benefit from an epic aspect and don’t get one aren’t necessarily hurt, but they could be shortchanged in the end. You want the maximum impact from your story.

Good acting, lighting, sound design, production design, etc. all factor into making your film great…and what aspect you choose to view all that in is just as important if not more so. The point of the matter is if you can’t figure out a beneficial reason to use a wide aspect then don’t use it. Besides wide aspect simply looking “cool,” make sure you don’t make the mistake that others make…choosing an aspect without realizing their story to tell can’t use it properly.

Kyle Prohaska
kyle@praisepictures.com
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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Article Source: http://www.praisepictures.com/networking_resources.php

Read the previous article on the philosophy of Networking here.

So you want to network? There are lots of free resources available, most of them you use already. They are all freely available and that means you should use them.

Myspace: This resource used to be the big one. It’s since lost its charm. Myspace is still a good way to find bands, actors, directors, etc. but it doesn’t mean its a great way to contact them anymore. Myspace is a giant mess right now for contacting people. If you don’t have their email you can’t really find them. People can change their display name to anything which means I could change my display name to SPOCK and nobody could really find me. Myspace is sorta a last resort, I’m not a big fan of it anymore.

Facebook: This is your best bet. Since you can search peoples name directly, your odds are much better to find them. For common names like Smith you’ll find lots of results. Odds are who your looking for has a piece of information on the internet that tells you what state they are in, college, town, etc. So this is the best way to weed them out if there is a lot of results. Facebook also includes the personal messaging which means you can instantly contact them. You can start Groups and Fan pages for things you might have worked on, or join other peoples groups. If your interested in helping other people network or advertise their stuff, join their group and invite all your friends. This is a great way to spread the word about something. Being able to search by name is the best feature Facebook has, making it the best public profile resource you’ll ever find. If you don’t have a Facebook, get one and learn how to use it.

Linked-In: Another well known networking tool more for professionals and people with titles although the average joe has begun using it extensively. You can find a lot more higher profile people this way if you search their name or company. You can also message them and invite them to become part of your network. This is a great place to put your resume as well on your profile.

Email: Your thinking “duh Kyle…like I didn’t know this.” Email seems like a default networking tool and it is, but not many know how to use it properly to do so. If you find someone you want to contact, you probably have a good reason to be hunting for them, their help, their advice, etc. If you can find their email from any of the other resources above, or you find it some other way, take advantage and contact them. Give them a formal email with your question, compliment, etc. This can go a long way if you make it worth their time. Also learn to start putting a signature on all your emails. Name, company & title, email, phone if you want to, and anything else you find valuable to contact you or advertise you. Some people have placed links to portfolios, current projects, their Facebook profile, etc. Take advantage of putting your contact info on every email you send, you never know when it’ll come in handy for someone. Who’s to say whoever you contact doesn’t forward your email and therefore get your contact info as a result?

Websites: Having a personal or company website can be very valuable. It’s valuable because you have control of it in every respect. What’s on it, what’s not, and when you can change it…all under your control. You can put bios, portfolios, links to all the other things listed above (all in one location, which can be useful), and whatever else you want. The same goes for company websites. If you don’t know web design, find somebody who does (Who Are We page with my email <–see that, more networking opportunities), or use a program and a GOOD template and buy some hosting space and a domain name. Please don’t miss this next point, it is vital. If your going to put up a website, make it professional please. None of that Times New Roman font at 14pt size and nasty mixes of colors. No gross animated gifs and dumb features that you don’t need. Please take into account what kind of message you send. Many of you have mediocre websites that are ugly, clunky, and poorly conceived. Before you lash out at me and send me a nasty email, consider what your saying to your potential client. If you can’t do it well, don’t do it at all. This doesn’t apply to all of life, sometimes you need to try but before you contact some CEO and give out your website…be sure you wont be embarrassed by what he’ll see. Just a suggestion, please take it.

Face to Face: This isn’t internet related, but in a way it is since you can find out if people at events will be somewhere via the internet. It still applys so I’ll throw it in anyways. There are countless ways to meet people. Go to events that circle around your area of business and interest. Meet everyone you can, find out who will be there and hunt them down! Just don’t be a stalker fanboy, just make it a point to shake their hand. Don’t underestimate a good handshake. Please for the love of pete! Don’t give them a wet sandwich handshake. Shake their hand firmly, and give them something to remember. Don’t drool either, that probably wont help. If you are making a film, have a good promo disc together and hand it out.

Get yourself out there anyway you can. Just as I mentioned in the previous article, you get out of networking what you put in. Don’t expect much out of a handshake and a short conversation if you don’t have anything lasting to say or anything to give them. God gave you a brain for a reason, so use it. Don’t let an opportunity pass by that would be very easy to take advantage.

Life (and networking) is like an oil field. Even if you aren’t sure where a contact will take you, it’s still a new hole in the ground. I have hundreds of holes started that I’m drilling, and sometime and somewhere…I’ll hit oil. How many holes are you drilling, and how deep are you digging?

Kyle Prohaska
kyle@praisepictures.com
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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Article Source: http://www.praisepictures.com/networking_philosophy.php

Networking is essential in the filmmaking world. Wanting to do things means you need people, needing people means you need to find people, finding people means you need a resource to find them, and the internet is one major place to do that! There are countless free resources available to you, a lot of them some of you use everyday. I think the majority of folks out there are unaware of just how easy it can be to find people nowadays. This can be as great as it is scary, but the advantage is none-the-less there and you should use it. Networking is like anything else, you get out of it what you put in. That means time, something not many have. If you don’t have a lot of it, don’t sweat it. This is one of those things that no matter how little you try, you’ll get a result. Even if the result is small, it can be worth it.

There are numerous ways to find people. Don’t underestimate the worth of a good search engine. Odds are in the film world the person you might want to contact has an email somewhere. Not because they are in the industry, but simply because the average person today has a Facebook/Myspace, etc. Odds are they do. Even if they don’t, then they have an email. You wont find someone actively working in film that doesn’t have an email, or two. People often have websites also, which have their name on them.

As an example, let me use myself. If you wanted to contact Kyle Prohaska there are numerous ways you could find me. If you type if Kyle Prohaska into Google you’ll find many different things on the first page. My personal website, imdb profile, an interview or two, my Linked-In account, the Praise Pictures website, and the Standing Firm movie page. That’s a lot of stuff, but very little compared to others out there. It would be very easy to get ahold of me by email.

My point with Networking is you can get ahold of almost anyone. You just need the diligence and discipline to get out there (or in this case, get your fingers moving), and GET TO WORK! Send emails to those that might benefit you in the future on cast/crew, and let others know you exist. Search major Directors, Cast, Crew on Facebook. You’d be surprised just how many of them have a normal personal Facebook. Scott Derrickson has a normal Facebook page, just don’t expect him to sign into the Facebook chat.

The beauty behind Networking is whoever you contact always knows many other people, who you then are connected to on some level. I wont go into names or specifics but in just a years time I’ve gotten ahold of almost every major Christian distribution avenue (for film) that exists, talked to CEO’s by chat, email, and phone, interacted with hundreds of people from all sorts of different jobs and locations, and gotten my name out there in a pretty remarkable way. ALL ON THE INTERNET. The only phone calls I’ve made were more project specific and not network related. All of this was done by friendly emailing and things related.

Some answers I’ve been able to get, from people I’ve been able to ask, have gotten back to me with almost a 100% response rating. I’ve had people ask “How do you do that!?,” or “What’s your secret?” Am I some sort of magic man? Do I have this secret likable power that draws people? NO, but I do take opportunity when they come my way, and make my own opportunities. You’d be surprised just how much can be accomplished by simply asking people questions. Ask them nicely and without sounding like a big fanboy, and your golden. Some might even be famous people, but famous or not they are still people who hope to be treated normal.

Also helping other people network in return does more networking for you, so does helping people with other problems. If you know the answer to a problem, answer it. Being someone who has the answers always means more questions for you. Take advantage of that. The more you help people, the more you help yourself. Don’t do it with that motive in mind but it doesn’t hurt that know that helping connect others in return helps you connect with others as a result. It really helps everyone in the end. If only everyone had this mindset, where would we all be?

The rule of thumb is to do whatever you can, when you can, for whoever you can and do it like that every time. Sending a message either by chat, email, Facebook, Myspace, forum personal message, etc. only takes a few minutes of your time. Don’t be foolish, use what resources are free to you.

Kyle Prohaska
kyle@praisepictures.com
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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Read about how independant Christian Films got started. From the 40s all the way to the 80s where things took off and landed us where we are now. There are a lot more pieces to the puzzle than you might expect.

Read the article.

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By: Kyle Prohaska | Jan. 20, 2009

When I met Stephen Kendrick (Producer/Co-Writer on Facing the Giants & Fireproof), talked with him, and watched him talk to others, something was different about him. No matter what he said, his words were always of love and encouragement.  He was always staring right into the eyes of the person who wanted his attention. Not only that, he was the last one to leave the room. This was at the 2009 SAICFF where there were hundreds of interested people and families that had seen his films. You can imagine the constant flow of questions and people. But he spoke with anyone who wanted his attention, something I admire. The man was a powerhouse of faith, gushing passion and oozing with excitement and joy for others. It was a true inspiration.

The greatest thing that stood out, he never talked about himself. The unholy trilogy “me, myself, and I,” never came out of his mouth. He talked about what God did, how God worked through others, how the volunteers helped create their movies, how the church came together and grew as a result. It was never about him, always about the Lord or someone else. We can all learn something from that. What we do, why we’re here, it all centers around Christ. Your here to Glorify Him, Honor Him, raise Him up! I loved seeing that in action. Not that I don’t see it in other places but seeing that everyday over the course of a week was amazing.

If this man encompasses the kind of heart that his brother Alex has, his pastor, his church staff, and the other members at Sherwood Baptist, then we all should have our eye on this congregation (not that we don’t already). If only I could somehow describe in that moment what it felt like to shake his hand. It was electrifying. Here the person who helped create the very thing that God used to set me on the path I’m currently on. Right there in front of me, and having a conversation! I didn’t have the time to truly thank him until later that day. I must have seemed awkward but I just wanted to make sure he understood how much it meant to me what he, his brother, and his church are doing.  They are reaching the world from Albany, GA! It excites me to see such enthusiasm and big goals coming from a church. The worst part about that is it shouldn’t surprise me. Why isn’t this attitude common amongst all our churches? We are falling behind folks. I’m not just talking about your churches either, but your families, your outlook on life, your goals and who sets them and where your standards come from. We need to make sure we have our eye on the ball in every area of our lives. However, we do fail from time to time.

That is something else that I loved seeing at the festival, admitting failure. The consensus at the festival when all the finalists were asked to share something with everyone that they did “wrong,” the response was always count the cost. Stephen Kendrick almost broke into tears a few times while talking about promoting Fireproof. Getting off his 50th airplane last year he realized that his wife was there, his kids were waiting, and he was home. They still supported him and he was so incredibly thankful that they stuck by him and put up with him being gone for so long. On the other hand he can’t get those few months back, that time back with his kids or his wife. Count the cost and consider the toll that creating a film takes on you, especially if you have your eyes on the big prize (theatrical, wide release, etc.) Step back and evaluate what your really doing, and stay in prayer. Even Godly men like Stephen Kendrick makes mistakes, so does his brother, so does their pastor and mine, I make mistakes and lots of them.

Hearing that people we admire and look up to making mistakes shouldn’t be a depressing thing, it should be an uplift. A wise man, a truly wise man knows how to evaluate himself. A truly wise man knows how to recognize his sin and compare his life to the Word of God. Oh that we would be like this man. Thank you so much for your encouragement. Your presence alone radiated a Love for God. May God Bless all of you down there in Albany, GA. This company and our first film Standing Firm would not exist without your example. I am eternally grateful, God Bless You!

Kyle Prohaska
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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So you want to use a 35mm adapter? You’ve heard of these incredible pieces of equipment that give you that shallow DOF everyone raves about. You want to look professional, you want to have high production values, you want someone to watch your film and go “ok…who made that.” Hold the phone, there is much that needs to be known before you venture into the complicated and EXPENSIVE world of 35mm Adapters…What Do 35mm Adapters Give Me? (that I want) - If you didn’t know that, I’m not sure you would be reading this, but it seems relevant to answer it anyways. 35mm Adapters allow you to place lenses that aren’t standard to your video camera, on that camera. The DOF is just the result of that, but the main idea is to use lenses that your camera wouldn’t normally be able to use. This allows you to get a “look” and DOF that your camera on its own could never give you. Something positive about GG’s in adapters (Ground Glass is explained in the next section) that I should mention is that they add a certain texture to the image. It’s extremely subtle but some people are very good at spotting what footage was shot with what adapter, they often have a flavor of their own. I personaly like the texture my adapter gives me, it gives the footage a film texture without that texture coming from the result of digital noise or digital grain.

Don’t forget about your lenses as well. Lenses don’t just get you closer or farther away from the target subject, they give you different looks between each of them. The relationship between what is far away and what is close, is altered with each different lens you use. Even if its a slight shift, the difference can be seen. Keep that in mind when you go and buy lenses, what are you looking to achieve?

So…you get:
- Shallow DOF
- Different Lens Options

What Do 35mm Adapters Give Me? (that I don’t really want) - You’ll find the disadvantages of an adapter are in greater abundance than the advantages. Along with the advantages of using an adapter, ie. the “look,” comes the wonderful world of Ground Glass (or GG). It’s a fine glass that resides inside the Adapters housing. There are different kinds of 35mm Adapters that use the glass in different ways. The GG is visible to your camera, something you obviously don’t want. So each Adapter has its own way of “hiding” that. Some spin the GG, some vibrate.

Along with having a GG comes light loss, some adapters losing more light than others. Keep that in mind when you purchase, as each kinds of Adapters lose different amounts of light. The Letus Extreme is what we used on our film (Standing Firm) and it looses the least light of any adapter currently on the market, 0.5 stops. HOWEVER, put it on the camera, and you have to zoom in on the ground glass to the proper position. That means I gotta take the F1.6 20x Lens on my Canon XHA1 and zoom into the proper place causing my lens to stop down to about 2.8-3.2. Your already at 1.5 stops…but no that’s not all. You haven’t added a lense yet. Add the lens and pick the widest setting it has and your probably adding another stop if not 2 easily. That means bare minimum…2.5 stops of light loss, in most cases with the lenses you’ll use you’ll be at 2.8 or more so that means even more light lost. This is why the GG in an adapter is so important, the manufacturing of the GG itself is extremely important to the adapters eventual image and how easy or hard it is to get the image to where you want.

Adapters also make noise, some more than others. They all involve motors, and they all make some sort of noise. They don’t sound like a power drill, but they aren’t necessarily silent. Some being released now are, but I’m just stating it so your not surprised if you can hear yours. Odds are any well manufactured one is no louder than the tape drive in your camera (assuming that’s what your using, not Hard Drives or P2 Cards).

Don’t forget about weight, adding an adapter…adds weight to the camera setup. “Well duh Kyle! I’m not an idiot! Of course adding any mass to anything means more mass! I’m as buff as Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, I can handle it.” Take it easy killer, let me explain. Using an adapter means you need to support the adapter. Adapters are DELICATE, expensive machines, and should be treated as such. If you have a decked out Adapter setup with all the thing you really should have (in my opinion) your talking about a big monstrosity. Some people have really figured out ways to mainstream the setups but no matter what, it ain’t no homemovie camera your gonna be swinging around during the family party, or sneaking onto your favorite roller coaster (although…eh nevermind). Just be aware that you need much more than an adapter to use one, and overall useability becomes more difficult. NOT IMPOSSIBLE! If you want the advantages of using an adapter, you better get used to the disadvantages.

Don’t forget what else using adapters gives you, a shrinking bank account. These things are expensive. What expensive means is different to many but as I said, using an adapter doesn’t just warrent an adapter purchase, but purchasing of other things as well by default. (I’ll talk about that later)

So…you get:
- Light Loss (The power must be out, I can’t see)
- Noise (Minimal)
- Weight (Oh! My Back!)
- A Lower Account Balence (yippie)

Something I will say…DO NOT LET THE DISADVANTAGES DISCOURAGE YOU! With the proper preparation and tools, 35mm Adapters will give you something incredible. The hills to climb to use them properly (and the money spent), are well worth it in the end.

Kyle Prohaska
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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View Source Article - Jan. 11, 2009

To call the week spent at the 2009 San Antonio International Christian Film Festival, “The greatest week of my life,” would truly be an understatement. Why was it so amazing? Well then, let me articulate it a bit for you. If you’ve ever seen someone’s dreams come true, it’s an incredible sight. If you’ve ever seen someone who has worked for something so hard finally get it, it’s an incredible sight. Things like High School Graduation, getting your drivers license, shooting your first shot on your first movie, the list goes on. This past week has seen many things I’ve been waiting for since 2007 come to pass, as well as other things I’ve waited for since I was a kid. I got to rub elbows, and have meaningful film related and spiritual conversations with MANY people young and old who have a passion for the Lord. The place was dripping with talent and enthusiasm. Even in the obvious inexperienced folks or much younger guests, their willingness to learn and their attentive ears brought a smile to my face when the seminars at the Academy and Guest Speakers got up to the podium.

Being in a place with thousands of people of like mind and interest is something I have NEVER had the opportunity to experience. I live in a one stop light town next to a bunch of bigger towns…but nobody does film here. It’s void of film interest, movies on opening day unless its 8pm on a Friday Night are practically empty. I’ve always felt a bit alone in terms of my own interests, which is why the internet has been an escape in recent years, especially on forums. 90% of the folks I met I have talked to online or on the phone. It was a thrill to have countless people say “Hey! Your that Standing Firm guy right?” Apparently the internet advertising (or what little I”m able to do) is working, that was a big encouragement.

I also walked around with my laptop showing pieces of Standing Firm to whoever would lend an ear and eyeball. The overall consensus was very favorable. People especially loved the look of it and the stack of business cards I received is very thick. Ialso brought Promo DVD’s to give out to choice people. Out of the 20 I brought, 19 were given away. Stephen Kendrick (Producer/Writer of Facing The Giants & Fireproof) received his disc on Monday Jan 5th. Myself and Justin Tolley (Unit Production Manager on Fireproof) talked on Tuesday for about an hour and a half about all sorts of things, it was a great conversation. He was a great guy, had a lot of passion and was open to chatting. I gave him a disc as well and that night himself and Stephen sat down to view the disc. It included the first 6 minutes of the film (in its current form), the unreleased trailer, and scene 38 which acts as a centerpiece in the film. Their comments the next day were great, they both loved how it looked and were very impressed that it was film #1 for me. Hearing that from Stephen was like an electric bolt, I was floored that he had even taken the time to watch it after he had received so many discs already that first day (thanks Justin…*smile*).

I can’t talk about EVERYTHING but here is a list of the other wonderful people I had the pleasure of either meeting or hanging around:

John Moore, Doug Phillips, Geoffrey Botkin, Kirk Cameron (I was 3ft away, what an awesome guy he is), Chris Staron, James Burgess, Rich Christiano, Jimmy Broyden, Jon Erwin, George Escobar, Chad Burns, and many more.

The awards night was a very emotional night. Seeing people I know go up and get recognized for their obedience to Christ was a sight that moved me to tears. I couldn’t help it, I was so overwhelmed with the Blessing. Such God Honoring, selfless young and older men being Blessed for their work, it was incredible. Stephen Kendrick when Fireproof received the Best Feature Film award help the trophy up in the air and looked upwards. That is EXACTLY the kind of attitude needed. That is what was so incredible, that nobody looked at their awards as “theirs.” Where else does that happen? It’s GOD’s award, He gets the Glory, He is lifted up and Magnified. Christ 1st, all else 2nd…that includes ourselves. It was amazing to see that displayed. This past week was a Blessing that this blog post even at its current length can’t articulate. Congratulations to ALL the winners, and ALL the people who were involved in making them. Congratulations to ALL the entries submitted, even those that weren’t accepted. We all have a common goal here, to Glorify Christ with our work. Some of us are better filmmakers than others, but we all have a common goal, and should be encouraging and helping each other with a passion and a drive to see others succeed regardless of where we may fail. God is so good to each of us, and the best part is…he doesn’t have to be. He saved me from what I was…isn’t that enough? Let that sink in and reveal just how much Blessing he really gives us on a regular basis.

I hope to enter Standing Firm into next years competition to see what God does with the project, regardless of its possible release by that time. Who knows…

I’m ready to get back to work! Time to create something Honorable and Glorifying to Christ AMEN!? I’ve never felt so uplifted.

Kyle Prohaska
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

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