This article was taken from the November 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Fancy yourself as an amateur auteur? Your first step is making a killer short film. Luke Matheny won the 2011 Oscar for Best Short Film with God of Love. Here's his guide to taking on Hollywood.
God of Love is out now on DVD
1. FIND YOUR IDEA "For a short, the idea is probably about 60 per cent of the game," says Matheny. Keep it simple: a theme, a few characters and one location. Then figure out the ending. "It's easier to write the beginning if you have a goal to write to."
2. LIGHTS, CAMERA...
The basics are a camera, a high-quality microphone and XLR cables to link the two. Matheny shot on a digital RED One. "With digital you don't have to be as precious with the number of takes, and it isn't as expensive as 35mm."
3. ...ACTION! "For a short, the shoot will last days, rather than months," says Matheny. "Stick to the script, and make sure you have a shot list." Maintaining focus is key, so provide snacks: "People tend to respond well to food."
4. CONQUER THE CUTTING ROOM
Some scenes may need reshooting, or additional dialogue replacement (ADR, or dubbing), but don't be disheartened. "Even if you've made a classic, the early rough cut is going to be terrible," says Matheny.
5. SELL, SELL, SELL
Enter lots of film festivals -- look for ones that specialise in your film's genre. And don't expect an Oscar right off the bat. "Filmmakers have a lot of bad films in them. You have to get those out before the good ones start coming."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
