Make a Holiday Film with Your Family!

Everyone wants to make a movie! And as a filmmaker during the holidays, you have the chance to make memories that last a lifetime. As we gather with friends and family and the holiday spirit fills the air, it's easy to find inspiration. Come together and let the ideas flow. You may not be professionals, but creativity flourishes in limitations.

Don’t get me wrong. Making a “family” film can be frustrating and challenging, but every production has its problems; great moments come in these situations. So, join your friends, siblings, partner, parents and everyone else, and make that movie.

But before you go, it’s important to know the basics to make the process as simple as possible. This article will cover everything that will help you and your makeshift team create a film that you’ll all love, enjoy and be proud of. At the very least, it will help you create a wonderful and educational bonding experience for everyone.

So, let’s get into it.

 

DEVELOP YOUR STORY

The first step in making any movie is developing a story, and considering cast and budget is critical. Some ideas are more complicated and expensive than others. Similarly, your cast may be better suited to a comedy than a drama, or vice versa. It all comes down to what and who you have available. If you already have an idea you love, awesome! If not, here are a few to get you started.

Use your own experiences. The best stories we tell come from our own journey through life, and who better to tell them? It makes it easy to ideate characters and dialogue as well as to find easy locations that fit both your budget and your story.

Hold a brainstorming session. Use the whole group and come up with a movie you all want to film, then write the script. It's a great way to get people excited and invested because everyone involved has ownership. Someone you know may just be sitting on an idea for the next big hit!

Take a cue from pop culture. As Pablo Picasso once — allegedly — said “good artists create; great artists steal.” Take the most recent hit and make it your own. A fun way to come up with story arcs and characters, it’s sure to make your favorite movie, book, or TV show just that more memorable.

Try a genre film. Genres give you plot, story and character conventions to expand and work into your own creation. Try something new or stick to a more traditional route, genre films can be a great way to showcase your ideas and talents while also being simple to write.

After deciding on a story, you can get started on a script. Get a screenwriting software, or a pen and paper, and take as long as you need. Write something simple that doesn’t ask too much of yourself, your cast, or crew. Flesh out your idea, discuss it with your family and friends before deciding on something concrete. And above all, make sure you’ll have fun making it.

 

GATHER YOUR GEAR

Making a movie can be as complicated or as simple as you want. A simple kit is just a camera, sound recorder, and some basic lighting equipment, but unless you have the budget, it’s not something to get hung up over. They will increase your production value, but to shoot a film that will create lasting memories, many cell phones today have a camera that will work just fine on your TV at home.

But if you do have the budget or just want to make an investment, a good camera is the place to go as they can drastically increase how professional your movie looks. And this is where a lot of people get stuck. You don’t need the highest quality camera to shoot a great movie. A good camera that shoots in 2k/1080p with a decent lighting kit will look better than the best camera on the market. The best way to improve the look of your shots is to pay attention to your lighting and cinematography.

So save money on your camera and get a trusted model, new or used, and spend the extra money on better sound and lighting. Your sound quality will be just as important as what you show on the screen when it comes to overall movie quality. Sound and lighting kits can come in as large a price range as cameras, but for amateur filmmakers, the best options are usually used or mid-range so as not to break the bank.

 

ALWAYS COME PREPARED

Making a film is a process that can get frustrating at times, especially for the director. Once you have your script and equipment, your goal is to make actual filming as simple as possible. Make sure everyone knows their role ahead of time and, if they are using equipment, how to work it. Give the cast their script and try to do as much set up beforehand. Limiting confusion will make this a fun and enjoyable process for everyone involved.

Of course, there will always be unforeseeable problems. Someone can’t make it or a piece of equipment stops working. The important thing is not to stress. I’ve never been on a set that hasn’t had its fair share of problems during filmmaking, but I’ve also never been on a set I didn’t enjoy or love working on. It’s important to be adaptable and always (I can’t stress this enough) bring an extra set of batteries. If something doesn’t work, find a way around it and it will make the process all the more rewarding.

 

SOME FINAL TIPS

The hardest part of filmmaking is getting all of your wonderful ideas to come out in front of the camera. Remember that you are working with people who are only doing this because they love and want to spend time with you. Motivate, instruct, complement and encourage them. Give them acting and crew roles that play to their strengths. Make this a great experience for yourself and your friends and family and don’t worry too much if the final cut isn’t what played in your head writing the script.

And at the end of it all, gather around a screen or two and watch what you all made. Laugh about the struggles and complement each other on great ideas and good performances, both in front of and behind the camera. Celebrate the holidays and enjoy making new memories, together.