How To Make Your Own Fan Made Mini Movie

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Many people dream of creating their own fan-made movie, one which may not only gain them some form of recognition but also gain them a following. Fan films are simply films that have been inspired by the creator’s favorite movie or TV series. It often borrows characters or entire worlds from the original for one’s own story. Usually, storylines or characters develop which did not occur or only slightly occurred in the main film.

Creating your fan film requires organization and patience. Too often people rush too fast into the adventure of production and do more wrong than they would like. The result is that you are dissatisfied with the outcome. Here are some tips that will help you produce the best fan film.

Know Your Target Audience

Knowing your target audience is pretty easy. After all, they are the fans of the same movie! However, you still need to think hard about what your viewers truly care about. What should they know or see differently? With the film, you control the experience for your viewers; for example, you could have an extreme added value that your viewers must absolutely experience including complex relationships which you can easily explain in a  film.

Movies Should Be Entertaining

Clever stories are the key to a successful film, so you need to add anecdotes or pack a decent joke into the film. Unexpected stories awaken interest, so dare to try something new. This kind of surprising story narrative is the best to create a film and make it successful.

Produce Quality Images

You do not have to be the pro on the camera or editor to produce good films or to take good pictures. However, you should note some basic design features such as limited zooming; this is an unnatural movement for the human eye and has nothing (except as a stylistic device) to look for in a short film. Also, use a tripod because there is hardly anything worse than shaky pictures. Know your camera also. You do not have to be a professional cameraman, but the terms aperture and shutter speed should tell you something. As for editing, it must be on point. You can use Adobe Spark to make videos that will produce great quality results.

Watch Your Spending

Even if a movie is to become a no-budget production, it is almost impossible to get along entirely without funding. It doesn’t mean resorting to making your movie on your smartphone; it simply means having a reasonable budget for unexpected costs. There is always something that costs money, be it the catering, a train ride or new batteries. So always plan a few dollars for various things. You’ll soon wonder how quickly the money is gone.

Find The Right Location

Choosing the right filming location is essential if you want to convey the storyline accurately. If you are creating a movie with an urban storyline, it cannot be based in a countryside. The location supports the mood and allows the audience to experience the theme of the movie fully.

Have Proper Lighting & Sound

Filmmaking has evolved thanks to new technology, which means you can use some amazing features offered by film editing software that improve lighting and sound quality. With all the thoughts you have to do about the script, camera, story, etc., many things are often forgotten such as proper lighting. Having good light and sound are essentials that are particularly forgotten by beginners or not thought out exactly. All these things play an essential role in your short film.

Mark Newbold
Mark Newbold
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in '81 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to ILM.com and SkywalkerSound.com, having previously written for Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Starburst Magazine, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host (the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015), the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Many people dream of creating their own fan-made movie, one which may not only gain them some form of recognition but also gain them a following. Fan films are simply films that have been inspired by the creator’s favorite movie or TV series. It often borrows characters or entire worlds from the original for one’s own story. Usually, storylines or characters develop which did not occur or only slightly occurred in the main film.

Creating your fan film requires organization and patience. Too often people rush too fast into the adventure of production and do more wrong than they would like. The result is that you are dissatisfied with the outcome. Here are some tips that will help you produce the best fan film.

Know Your Target Audience

Knowing your target audience is pretty easy. After all, they are the fans of the same movie! However, you still need to think hard about what your viewers truly care about. What should they know or see differently? With the film, you control the experience for your viewers; for example, you could have an extreme added value that your viewers must absolutely experience including complex relationships which you can easily explain in a  film.

Movies Should Be Entertaining

Clever stories are the key to a successful film, so you need to add anecdotes or pack a decent joke into the film. Unexpected stories awaken interest, so dare to try something new. This kind of surprising story narrative is the best to create a film and make it successful.

Produce Quality Images

You do not have to be the pro on the camera or editor to produce good films or to take good pictures. However, you should note some basic design features such as limited zooming; this is an unnatural movement for the human eye and has nothing (except as a stylistic device) to look for in a short film. Also, use a tripod because there is hardly anything worse than shaky pictures. Know your camera also. You do not have to be a professional cameraman, but the terms aperture and shutter speed should tell you something. As for editing, it must be on point. You can use Adobe Spark to make videos that will produce great quality results.

Watch Your Spending

Even if a movie is to become a no-budget production, it is almost impossible to get along entirely without funding. It doesn’t mean resorting to making your movie on your smartphone; it simply means having a reasonable budget for unexpected costs. There is always something that costs money, be it the catering, a train ride or new batteries. So always plan a few dollars for various things. You’ll soon wonder how quickly the money is gone.

Find The Right Location

Choosing the right filming location is essential if you want to convey the storyline accurately. If you are creating a movie with an urban storyline, it cannot be based in a countryside. The location supports the mood and allows the audience to experience the theme of the movie fully.

Have Proper Lighting & Sound

Filmmaking has evolved thanks to new technology, which means you can use some amazing features offered by film editing software that improve lighting and sound quality. With all the thoughts you have to do about the script, camera, story, etc., many things are often forgotten such as proper lighting. Having good light and sound are essentials that are particularly forgotten by beginners or not thought out exactly. All these things play an essential role in your short film.

Mark Newbold
Mark Newbold
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in '81 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to ILM.com and SkywalkerSound.com, having previously written for Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Starburst Magazine, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host (the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015), the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
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