Mastering the Art of Visual Storytelling

Obviously film is a visual medium and storytelling characters are great. You hear people talk about it all the time and of course it's important not knocking it, but that's not all that makes the film okay. If that was all that made a film, it would be more like a play being recorded. And you see that a lot in older movies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, where they really haven't gotten as visual.

It really is very talky and just shots of people doing great acting. So visual storytelling is really what you want to be going for. And some people say, Well, I'm on a budget, I can't do it. Well, first of all, there's a lot you can do in post now with Premiere and After Effects. You can create a lot in post, or you could choose to have less coverage and take more time to set up your shots that you can get some amazing pictures.

If you don’t want to spend a lot on post and don’t do your own editing then I would say that you really need to invest in a great DP and watch some great films. Not hack Hollywood CGI films. I’m talking about pre-CGI films where you can see amazing shots done with what would now be considered basic equipment. Then sit with your DP and show the person what you are trying to accomplish. Show the “look” you are going for by referring to other films. That’s okay. That’s not stealing. That’s using those for inspiration. A good DP will tell you what you can and cannot accomplish on your budget. Sometimes it’s just a matter of renting a few lights and giving more time in your day for set up.