So you want to learn filmmaking!

You're my fren now, let's eat soft tacos later!

Being silly aside though

The Filmmaking process is split into Three phases, The Pre-Production phase, Production, and Post-Production phases

Don't worry about those complicated seeming words though, it's actually much simpler than you might think

The Pre-Production phase

This phase is about making a plan or a script for your film! It probably sounds hard but if you really think about it, for a simple film all you really need is a little plan

It can be as simple as

  • Introduction(preferably visual)
  • Conflict
  • Resolution

You can also play around with those 3 steps, like repeating them and chaining them together, like after the resolution another conflict arises, similar to how when you fix a bug, 10 more bugs appear in your game :p

There are various things you can play around with in the pre-production phase of the film, but it's mainly just writing, and if you really want to be thourough about it, then try storyboarding.

 

(optional) Storyboarding really involves you already knowing how to do visuals with your camera, so if you're new don't even think too much about this one, move onto the next point

but for those who already have made a film or 2, then take those visuals you have in your head and make a simple stick figure or a shape, signifying the shot/scene for you

don't forget to put descriptions for the scene, cause you might need to explain your storyboarding to others, if you're gonna work with others.

 

Now time for the

Production Phase!

The production phase is split into 4 parts:

  • Picking Worlds
  • Preparing your shots
  • Planning out film sessions(if the scene requires more than 1 person)
  • Executing them

Picking Worlds

This is pretty straightforward, with the things you have planned, just find a world that fits the criteria of the scenes you wanna shoot, or make your own world

Prepare your shots

This one requires you to know the basics of cinematography, but the main thing you gotta know is that the VRChat camera grid(the option on the veeeery right of the VRChat camera) is your best friend

However if you wanna be a little bit more thorough, then try looking into the shot sizes and camera movement types in film

Plan out your Film Sessions

If your film is really short and requires a really small amount of shots with people, then go to publics and/or your friends and ask them in your film session(best if you remind them an hour before though)

But if it requires more than 2 shots, then follow these 3 steps

  • Plan it out. Plan your film sessions for Late Friday and Late Saturday EST.
  • (optional) Make a discord server or a group chat.
  • Find people. Go to publics and/or your friends and ask them to be in your film session, tell them when, and if you have done point 2, then invite them to your discord/group chat with the message on when the film session is, posted in there.

Execute the Film Session

Now that everything is planned out, when the film session starts, load up OBS, invite your people, and start the film session!

also a little tip, if you asked your friends, see if you can get them to record their voicelines in audacity while they are in the film session. It could help you get better control of your audio during post-production.

if you won't do that and your film needs voice lines, you will need to find people to record some voice lines for you.

 

Post-Production Phase

Here you gather up all your shots, go over to Davinci Resolve, CapCut or Kdenlive and Start Editing your Film!

I recommend using Davinci Resolve as it has all of the tools you need for Post-Production in Film!

Post-Production is split into 5 parts

  • Selection of shots
  • Editing
  • Sound design
  • VFX
  • and Subtitling

Selection of Shots

This is pretty straightforward, just look over to the shots that you've filmed and pick the ones that fit the most with your film and feel the best.

Editing

Editing is the act of putting the clips together, so everything would feel seamless and the pacing would be perfect(to you of course)

In editing make sure to follow your gut, as well as the audio waveform if you already picked a soundtrack or you already have voice clips

Sound Design

Sound Design is the act of gathering sfx, music and voice clips and making the best thing you can out of those three

You can use Davinci Resolve for it, or go to a DAW(like Reaper) to use external tools, plugins and VST's to achieve the best thing you can with sound

Sound Design is so cool...ahem

VFX

VFX is the act of making cool effects happen on your screen to enhance the film you're watching, VFX can include stuff like portals, fireballs or simple visuals like VHS style effects and the like.

You can look up some cool VFX tutorials on YouTube but I recommend looking at channels like

Subtitling

This is the last thing you will do in a film, it's basically the transcribing what the characters say on screen and/or putting text in the film.

 

After you're done with pre-production, production and post-production, you are ready to publish your film!

Make sure to title it as something and share it around with your friends, SN0W ＜＞＜ and The ＜＞＜ community!

If your film is meant to be submitted for CRYSTALL1ZED ＜＞＜, then head over to The SN0W ＜＞＜ Discord Server and submit your film at the CRYSTALL1ZED contributions channel!

CRYSTALL1ZED_CONTRIBUTIONS

Above: VISUAL ON THE LOCATION OF THE CRYSTALL1ZED CONTRIBUTIONS CHANNEL

 

If your film is meant to be submitted for ROSE ＜＞＜ , then go over to The ＜＞＜ community Discord Server and submit your film at the ROSE FISH contributions channel!

CONTRIBUTIONS

Above: VISUAL ON THE LOCATION OF THE ROSE CONTRIBUTIONS CHANNEL

 

This page was written by le Saii