Every profession in life requires one to be talented and skillful in order to become successful, and filmmaking is not an exception.
For this reason, if you are an aspiring filmmaker, you need to understand that you must have some talent and acquire the needed skills that will make you enter and excel in the industry.
In this article therefore, I am going to walk through certain facts surrounding talents and skills and if you are patient enough to read it to the end, you will get to understanding why filmmaking is a talent and skill, what talent really is in filmmaking as well as the skills you must acquire to become a filmmaker.
And without further ado, let’s get started with this article by answering the question: is filmmaking a skill or talent?
Is filmmaking a skill or talent?
Filmmaking is both a skill and talent which an individual must possess to be able to come up with great story ideas and pass through the film production stages to bring the story to life on film.
However, it is worth noting that skills in filmmaking can be acquired through learning and practice while talent is a natural phenomena. And to me, talent in filmmaking really lies in the ability for one to come up with great story ideas.
What is a talent in film?
Talent in film refers to the ability of the screenwriter, cast and crew to contribute their artistic knowledge and effort and work together as a team to interpret a storyline into a film or movie that will captivate their audience or viewers.
Even though various careers in the film industry requires learning and practice, one must still posses a bit of talent to be able to progress in their choses field.
Every human being is acting or interpreting a storyline throughout their days on earth until they die, and this fact can therefore make it safe for us to say that everyone on earth in an actor or actress. But when the lights and cameras are on and the director yells action, you ill realize that so many people will never be able to interpret the roles or characters they are given to play out.
Therefore, those who are able to interpret movie roles can be said to have a special ability in filmmaking, and hence the reason we discuss about talent in film.
Skills needed for film production.
There are various skills that are needed in filmmaking, and below is a list and explanation of them:
- Storytelling.
- Screenwriting.
- Dialoguing.
- Cinematography.
- Communication.
- Editing.
- Directing.
- Costume and make up.
- Sound.
- Networking.
- Promotion and marketing.
1. Storytelling.
The number one skill needed in film production is storytelling because every movie in the whole wide world revolves around a storyline and without it there is no way you will ever have a movie being produced.
As a storyteller in film production, you must have the ability of weaving the narratives that will transcend the screens and create emotions that will keep your viewers at the edge of their seats.
To become a good storyteller, you must use the power of conflict and character arcs that builds up to a resolution that will resonate with your viewers.
Even if you are telling a true life story, you need to add those scenes that helps to make the story interesting even though they did not happen initially.
2. Screenwriting.
The second skill in film production is screenwriting, and this skill requires technicalities and formalities like formatting, spacing and constructing dialogues that will match the actions. The rule of screenwriting is for you to “show and don’t tell”.
It is worth to mention here that a screenwriter is usually not the storyteller.
3. Dialoguing.
Dialoguing is another skill needed for film production because it is through the dialogue that the characters will pass the information as well as invoke the emotions that will compel the viewers to enter the characters shoes in just a moment.
You need to be grammatically sound to be able to write dialogues in films.
4. Cinematography.
Cinematography is an essential skill needed in film production because it is concerned with the visuals of the storyline.
While the cast are playing out their respective characters, it is the duty of the cinematographer to capture every moment accordingly.
To succeed as a cinematographer, you must be able to handle cameras and know their settings very well. And while shooting you must incorporate camera movements, shots and angles that will make the story very captivating for the viewers.
5. Communication.
Making a film is not something an individual can carry through from the beginning to end, and for that reason communication skill is needed very wee for film production.
For instance, the director needs to communicate his idea on the type of shot and angle needed at a particular scene to the cinematographer. And this should be done in a way that does not make him feel or get offended.
6. Editing.
Film editing is the process where the visuals and sounds are arranged to give the movie it’s final feel.
To succeed with this skill you must master the use of different kinds of video editing software.
7. Directing.
A movie director is the one who guides the whole cast and crew and for this reason, he must understand all the creative and logistic aspects of filmmaking.
8. Costume and make up.
As a film costumier and make up artist, you need to understand all the clothing and materials that resonate with every occasion, profession and situation involved in every scene of a film, as well as be able to transform a cast into the character that fits the scene.
I’ve seen a make up artist transform a 20 year old girl to an old wretched woman sine there was no character to fit that role in the movie.
9. Sound.
Sound is a very important skill needed for film production because every viewer is always eager to hear what the cast is saying at any given point in time.
Another important aspect in sound for a film is the sound effects that helps to immerse the viewer in the world of the film. It is sound that shapes the emotions and mood of a film and I always keep wondering what a film would be like if there was no sound effect.
10. Networking.
To succeed in the film industry, you must be able to connect with like-minded professionals who have been able to create their marks on the sands of the film industry.
To network with these kinds, you must attend industry events like film festivals, premieres, and even movie locations.
11. Promotion and marketing.
After successfully making your film, the greatest and big challenge is how to reach the audience who are going to watch and love it. And for this reason, you must understand the promotion and marketing strategies that will help you make your film to get around the way it should.
Good lck!
