Denver Pop Culture Con 2019 Panel Spotlight – From Script to Screen: How to Make Movies

Written by Tim Girard

​From Script to Screen: How to Make Movies
Friday May 31, 2019 7:30 pm to 8:20 pm ROOM 504 - Reel Heroes
Have a dream in film, but not sure where to start? This panel is for you. Learn the process of filmmaking from pre-production to production to post-production. Learn every aspect of the filmmaking process and you'll be ready to make your own movie. Want to be a writer, actor/actress, director, cinematographer, or anything else film related? Please join us to learn how to take that step to get your movie made.
Panelists: Chelley Canales, Cory Rowe, Mikayla Roberts, Timothy Lee, Sarah Del Rio
 
On Friday night of the newly-rebranded Denver Pop Culture Con 2019 I was looking for some info on how to break into filmmaking, and I was given plenty of advice and inspiration at my first panel, From Script to Screen: How to Make Movies. In the panel, mediator Chelley Canales asked questions of Cory Rowe along with a few key members of his crew, about their experiences on the road to filmmaking. When Cory was 15, he went with a friend to a $1 movie theater. He wrote his first script later that same night... which he says was terrible. Since then he has directed 5 short films including Euphorium: Genesis. Cory’s ‘right hand’ Mikayla Roberts became interested in film while attending the University of Northern Colorado and met Cory in a Facebook group. She is the Assistant Director and Organizer for Euphorium: Genesis. After serving our country in the military for 11 years, Timothy Lee found a new path in filmmaking and attended the Los Angeles Film School, where he met Cory. He is the cinematographer for Euphorium: Genesis. Sarah Del Rio is an actress who also performs stunts and actually met Cory during an audition for a different film. She has always wanted to act, and finally stopped listening to naysayers and pursued her dream. She plays the lead role in Euphorium: Genesis.
 
How do you find the time to balance life and your passion? Cory says that if you have a job that is Monday through Friday, you will have to utilize your weekends for whatever project(s) you want to work on. This can mean sacrificing time you could spend elsewhere, but if your passion is that important, then you won’t let anything stop you. Fortunately, Mikayla’s parents are very supportive, and she is able to have a part-time job so that she can make time for film. Sarah says that she sets clear boundaries. As a mother, she is attentive to all of her responsibilities, but she also makes sure to put aside the time that she needs for herself.
 
What should someone do if they thought to themselves, ‘I have an idea for a movie?’ Cory says to start with the script, and if you can’t write, then find someone who can. Talk to any of your friends who might want to write, and if you don’t have any, then reach out through social media groups, but either way, make sure your script is well-written. Then assemble your cast and crew. Again, start with friends who are interested in your passion project, but don’t be afraid to look online to expand your crew beyond who you already know. There are plenty of people out there who would love to work on a project, but may not know anyone with inspiring ideas. Once you have a more complete idea of the project, then you can start crowd-funding (Cory had more to say on this topic later on). When your vision is more solidified and you are getting closer to filming, start scouting locations, but try to be more creative than just using your own house. There are plenty of free options, like parks or out in the woods, but you can also see if any local businesses would be interested in letting you film there (it might be good for their business!). Once you have all of those pieces, assemble your cast and crew sheets, so everyone knows where they need to be and when. Then start filming!
 
What do you recommend for equipment? Cory says you can just use your phone. Most of the higher-end smartphones are capable of shooting 4K video. Sarah said that she’s seen some shots done on an iPhone, and they looked fantastic. If you want your sound to be a little bit better, you can get a Rode microphone for your smartphone. Also, you can look on FilmFreeway, enter film festivals that are specifically geared towards films made with smartphones, and you could possibly win prize money that you could use to purchase better equipment!
 
How do you get funding for your films? Probably the best way in this day and age is through crowdfunding. Cory uses Seed & Spark which he says is better than Kickstarter or Indiegogo (check out Euphorium: Genesis on Seed & Spark). An important part of your campaign is having a trailer. Cory suggests making two contrasting trailers for your film, like he did for Euphorium: Genesis (which he showed us during the panel). His first trailer was intense, to get the audience excited, but the second one was more emotional, to draw people in. Also, once you think your campaign is ready to publish… wait 3 to 4 weeks before you launch. Give yourself time, in case there are things that you haven’t thought of yet. Have your friends and family look at it and see if they have any questions, comments, or suggestions that might help improve your pitch, so that it is the best it can possibly be before you go live.
 
What is the most important piece of advice you can give? Sarah says to not be afraid to fail. In certain types of fitness, they ‘train to failure’ which means that they don’t stop until they fail. You shouldn’t be discouraged by failure, because failure is just part of the process. Timothy says that you should be flexible and ready to change. You should plan and be prepared for the situation that you are going into, but things won’t always go according to plan. You are probably going to have unexpected challenges pop up along the way, and you should be ready to adjust and adapt to those situations. Mikayla says to be a ‘yes person.’ By having a good attitude, and doing what you’re asked to do, people will learn that you are reliable and great to work with. However, this doesn’t mean you have to put up with whatever situation you are in, no matter how bad it gets. Don’t be afraid to pull out if it is a genuinely bad project. Cory’s advice may not be easy, but it is simple: Don’t stop dreaming - Fail, but keep going.
 
The audience Q&A section of the panel began with some elaboration on earlier concepts. What advice do you have for aspiring directors? Cory suggested reading as many books as you can on the various aspects of filmmaking, so you can be well versed in how all of the roles come together. He also recommended the MasterClass online course on directing taught by Ron Howard. Also, a helpful tip to keep yourself organized is to use Excel spreadsheets for all of your information about scenes, locations, actors/actresses, etc., then access these spreadsheets from a tablet so that it is portable. Then Cory and Timothy had some discussion about the relationship between the director and cinematographer of a film. The director may have a visual idea that they will bring to the cinematographer. It’s the cinematographer’s job to hone that idea, based on expertise (education, prior experience, understanding the equipment, etc.) and hopefully a sense of adventure to try something new. Ultimately, however, it is the director’s vision that the cinematographer must be helping to achieve. The same could also be said for working with actors/actresses.
 
What is some equipment you would recommend? Cory says that for editing, something as simple as Windows Video Editor, VideoPad Video Editor, or Adobe Creative Cloud. If you have some money to spend, then get a good lighting kit, but make sure your cinematographer knows what they are doing. If you had to spend money on only one thing, however, Cory recommends spending it on your cast and crew. If you can keep them happy with food and other amenities, they will feel appreciated and be more likely to give you 110% if shooting runs late, or into additional days, etc.
 
If you could be a fly on the wall for any director’s production who and what would it be? Cory would want to observe any and all of the films by Ron Howard, Christopher Nolan, and Quenitn Tarantino. Mikayla would have loved to observe the productions of Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. She would want to see how projects that massive were achieved and how all of the moving parts were orchestrated. Timothy chose his favorite director, Ridley Scott, and Sarah chose her favorite director, Tim Burton.

For more information, go to Cory’s website (5280 Film Company, LLC) or email him (info@5280FilmCompany.com). Tell him Tim from Nerds That Geek sent ya!  

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