Filmmaking is not an easy task. It takes time an preparation. If you wish to make a short movie with other actors, you have to be prepared to commit weeks and sometimes months of your time to the cause. Below we've described the main stages of the BCShorts filmmaking process. 

It all starts with a concept, or a log line: "In a World .... an unlikely hero ... did something ... extraordinary ... ". In a movie idea, you need to decide where it takes place, who is the protagonist (the hero) and the antagonist (the villain), and what is the adventure that's about to happen.

You break out scene bit by bit, you break out the script scene by scene. When we get the script we break it down to identify the dramatic arcs or the main characters and help you create the beat board that would identify the key scenes in the script. Screenwriting is a team process and generally it would take a number of revisions before we get the script in a form that can be shot at a reasonable budget.

While it would be amazing to shoot a scene in a medieval castle or at a space station, it might be a bit problematic if you have no castles or space stations around. With all the participants in the project, we search for possible locations and secure them for the shoot. 

When you reach out to us with the project, we assume you have at least two or three friends who would be interested in participating. If there are characters still to be cast, we'll reach out to acting schools, agents or run the casting on one of the local casting websites. 

Props might be normal or custom prepared physical objects that actors need to handle in the scene. In some cases there have to be multiple identical objects prepared for the shot. We take care of that.

Once we have the shooting script and locations we'll break down each scene into a series of set ups. We put each take with the number on a schematic and a story board to prepare for the day.

One we know the access datas for locations and availability of each actor we prepare the shooting plan and would send out a call sheet to all involved actors and crew members.

In contrast to usual commercial movie sets we tend to have short days, not exceeding four to five hours of shooting. 

In contrast to normal movies, we do not wait until the whole movie is "in the can", instead the rushes are assembled every week, and first rough cuts of the scenes are ready to be reviewed by actors within the a week of two of filming. Such approach allows for any modifications and corrections to take place if required.

To keep the team size small, actors are using the lavalier microphones at all times. The sound is then filtered so only dialogue remains on the audio track. All of the ambient sounds, footsteps, and clothing noises are added in the post-production on a separate track. The dialogue and all sound effects are then processed and placed in the surround space so it can be placed in the 5.1 system required for the DCP package.

Sound track is one of the key elements of the movie, it can set the mood for the scene and together with the ambient noises provide the necessary fabric and environment on which the story is told. Depending on the budget and time constrains either a stock licensed music would be used for the key scenes in the project or a custom music will be composed for the movie. 

As part of the specific treatment actors receive for participating in the  BCShorts projects, each actor meets with the editor to go through the entire footage recorded during the filming of the movie. Out of the footage, the actor selects the best takes, and the editor assembles the two-minute or one-minute demo reel for the actor with the scenes edited in a way to showcase the actor's performance. 

When the movie editing is close to being finished, the core marketing materials are created for the movie: The title, Artwork, Website, Poster, Trailer, actor biographies and press package. The Instagram campaign is planned.

In contrast to many Indie and Student movies, which aim at getting sold and securing distribution, the BCShorts movie and not strictly intended for the festival runs or market runs. Still, if the budget allows for it, we might consider sending the final movie to some of the movie festivals. The first movie produced as part of the BCShorts Initiative got screened, and seeing the movie in a cinema is an extraordinary experience for all of the young screenmakers. Still, the festival submissions come at an additional cost, and they might not always be possible if sponsors or funding are not secured.