The DIY Mindset

by Cole McDonald

OK… So I’ve written three articles and not a single mention of building your own DIY dolly, crane, 35mm adaptor or goofy car mount. I was brought on board by our glorious editor Clive to be the DIY guy, but haven’t been posting any of the typical DIY guy things. That’s because there are already a ton of these resources out there (and we’ll get to those).

When coming up with where to go with this column, my first priority was to find a part of the DIY universe that hasn’t been explored as much as the obvious topics. It occurred to me that why DIY people make their own things, even though they’ve been made before and are widely available, is a lesser understood phenomenon. I came to this conclusion while posting to one of the filmmaking forums I frequent. Read more

Think Bigger

By Cole McDonald

Think Bigger!

I’ve heard the “write a script with what you’ve got access to” thing alot. Even Robert Rodriguez, the role model for low-budget filmmakers everywhere says this. I think this is ok for your first couple of shorts, after that it’s your responsibility to start thinking bigger.

Every indie film I’ve seen (and made) has the same components. Two people trapped somewhere in an awkward situation talking… Generally across a table… No more! I will make the comparison that I see conversations between two people in big budget hollywood movies all the time. Somehow, they make it compelling. Some of it may be the level of acting, but I’ve seen some really amazing indie level actors that should be able to pull off this type of dialog. What is missing is the subtle camera movement, the background action, the people at neighboring tables, the carefully chosen wall art and set dressing around the people. Perhaps even the location should be changed to make a more lively scene. Read more

No Budget Doesn’t Mean Bad Locations

by Cole McDonald

I’ve made a feature and 8 short films, but this hasn’t been done alone. I have a dedicated team of enthusiasts that I call upon every time I want to make a movie. We’ve even gotten to the point where they call me if they have an idea they want to produce. In Hollywood (the state of mind, not the location), this would mean paying all of these people. Now, while I would love to cut paychecks for all of the members of Y.A.F.I.:Underground, we are hobbyists and realize that this is either working toward becoming a paid gig, or an elaborate outlet for our creative needs. We don’t expect money. And, quite frankly, at this point, we don’t let anyone help us who needs it. We’re not snobs or altruists about how art should be free and all that garbage, we’re just not in a position where we can pay anyone. Read more

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