Jude S's Senior Project Blog

Project Title: From Rags to Film: Filmmaking on a Budget
BASIS Advisor: Chris Martinez
Internship Location: Indie Film International
Onsite Mentor: Jeneiene Schaffer



Project Abstract

Everyone should be able to make a movie. Filmmaking is often considered to have one of the highest barriers to entry into any art form due to its mixing of multiple kinds of creativity and the cost of technology to make ‘quality’ movies. Even indie movies often have the benefit of a production company or distribution company. And those that are self-funded are only made by millionaires who are already established in the industry. The goal of this project was to show that even a person working full time on minimum wage can find the time and money to make a good film. The internship at Indie Film International gave the skills and experience in order to properly make a film from as little as possible as efficiently as possible. Despite not having any connections to the wider industry or the resources and technology to immediately make a great film with effort and knowledge of how to make a movie, anyone can produce something that they can be proud of. This project produced a film of quality that was made under strict budget and time restrictions countering what are usually considered hard limits for entering the movie world.

    My Posts:

  • Final Blog Wrap-up

    Hello all, I jumped the gun a bit in my last post, thinking it was the last, so I'm going to reiterate it quite a bit. I want to once again thank Mr. Martinez and Ms. Schaffer for the constant support and valuable insights they have provided through this period. Although not everything has gone... Read More

  • Week 11 – That’s A Wrap! (But Not Really)

    Hello all, I really can't believe we're at the end so soon. I have finished all of my internship work and have actually produced multiple things that, if my internship had a different goal, would be a wonderful final product. I have a feature film-length script, business plan, poster, and now a film bible. However,... Read More

  • Week 10 – Filming and a Working Script

    People often look at a script as a solid, concrete document, but that is not how it functions. A script is a living document constantly changing and updating, especially during filming. A line may be written on the page with an exclamation point, but if the director decides the line should be said softly, then... Read More

  • Week 9 – A Whole New World Soon

    Hello all! This week, I am working on my internship requirements and getting ready to finally start production next week! I have the first few scenes I am filming storyboarded and have the sets ready to go. The costume is the only part of the production I am still getting down. I plan to start... Read More

  • Week 8 – Back to the Future

    Hello all. This week as I continue writing my mentor has encouraged me to look forward to what this film could become. In order to do this she wants me to have three things by the end of the month. 10 polished pages of the script, a poster for the film, and a 5-10 page... Read More

  • Week 7 – Moving Right Along

    Hello everyone, this week has been extra solo work since my mentor was sick. This week I focused on writing which for a script is very unique. Script pages fill up fast, but almost paradoxically, it takes so much time. This is due to the fact that you have to portray all parts of the... Read More

  • Week 6 – Rework and Rewrite

    I have been extremely optimistic with this week. I have been starting to fill up my script and I'm looking closer towards production. This doesn't mean I'm done with pre-production. It's arguable if pre-production is ever over until you're in post-production since you always have to plan the next day. Currently, my biggest struggle is... Read More

  • Week 5 – The Hero’s Journey

    Hi all, this week has felt busy, but not at the same time. My mentor has assigned me to watch a few things to better understand what I want in my story as I'm writing it. This time we dived deeper into the hero's journey. The hero's journey is a 12-step story structure that can... Read More

  • Week 4 – A Unique Voice

    Hello everyone, this last week has honestly been my busiest and ironically I haven't even gotten much writing done. My mentor read what I currently have of my script and has given me the hard task of differentiating my characters. Often it is difficult for many writers, especially me to make characters that don't all... Read More

  • Week 3 – Beginning Without Perfectionism

    Hello all, this week has been probably my most productive yet! My mentor has given me multiple sources to investigate while I turn a short film I have written into a full-length project. There is a concept in screenwriting called multiple names, but one of the main ones is the ten-page rule (Calvisi). This is... Read More

  • Week 2 – Prepare, Prepare, and Prepare

    After meeting with my mentor this past weekend we have been able to discuss how to decide what course of action my project should take. Currently, my goal with this project is to create a feature-length film based on the Oscars definition which is a film of over forty minutes. Per her instructions, I wrote... Read More

  • Week 1 – Research and Writing with constant Reflection

    During this first week, much of what I have been doing has taught me how important space is for work. For researching and writing I need a different space than I am used to to get more done. Finding a quiet or relaxing space to do work in is a key part of being productive.... Read More

  • Introduction before Production.

    Good morning, good evening, and good night. I am Jude Smiley, a senior at BASIS Tucson North. I love and belong to the creative world, especially the world of film. Film is my strongest passion which is why I chose it as the focus of this project. This project will explore the world of independent... Read More