Making Your Own Movie

Everyone likes going to the movies to see the latest release, or curling up on the couch at home to watch an old favorite. There are millions of different types of movies out there, including action adventures, scary movies, romances and comedies. But good movies all have some things in common: great characters and a really exciting, memorable story.

If you really like movies, why not think about making one of your own? It isn't as hard as it might sound. Making a movie can be a really fun project for the holidays for you and your best friends. It can be as long or as short as you like, and the story is up to you: a pirate adventure, a scary ghost story, or a comedy set in a pie-making factory – the choices are endless. And although movie productions in Hollywood use hundreds of different cameras and other pieces of equipment, and cost millions of dollars to make, you only really need one camera and lots of imagination to make a good movie.

Some families have video cameras that they use to take videos of their holidays and special family events. If you have a video camera in your family, or you can borrow one from a friend, that's great. But video cameras are quite expensive and a lot of families don't have one. These days, that doesn't matter as most ordinary digital cameras, and even most cell phones, come with a video recording option. So all you really need for a camera is a cell phone that takes videos, and you're good to go.

Before you start filming your movie, it is good to have an idea about the story. A lot of films start with a written script, just like a play. You can use scripts that other people have written, or write your own with your friends. First, think about the story of your movie. All stories have a beginning, a middle and an end, so plan out what happens at each stage. Then write out your story as a script. Some people think scripts are just dialog – just your characters talking to each other. But they are much more than that. Put in instructions about what happens around the characters, how they react to things, and everything like that. Here's an example:

SCENE: INSIDE A SCARY LOOKING HOUSE WITH LOTS OF COBWEBS.
SOUND EFFECT: LOUD BANGING NOISE

Max: Did you hear that?
Kelly (looking frightened): Yes! I think we should get out of here.

MAX AND KELLY RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE

In this little scene, as well as the words that the characters Max and Kelly say to each other, the script shows that they are in a scary looking house, there will be a loud noise, that Kelly looks frightened, and that they both run away at the end. Putting in all this information when you are writing the script will make it easier when you are filming.

When you have finished the script, you are ready to start shooting your movie. Decide who will be playing each character. Costumes for your characters can be made out of old children's clothes. You can take turns filming when you're not involved in a scene, or just have one person who films the whole thing. When you are filming your scenes, remember that it doesn't matter if things go wrong – you can just stop and start filming again from the beginning of the scene. But keep bits that have gone wrong, as these outtakes can be really funny to watch later!

Make sure your set looks good. The set is everything in the background of the movie. For example, in the scene above, the set is the scary house. If you were shooting this scene, you could use your own house, and drape Halloween fake cobwebs around the place to make it look really terrifying. If you are filming a scene set in the countryside, but you live in the middle of a city, try your local park or even your back yard – if you film it from the right angle it will look like the countryside.

Once you have filmed all your scenes, it is time to put the whole movie together. You might need a grown up to help you with this, and you will need a computer. Most computers have video editing software already installed on them that help you to arrange all of the scenes in your film. You can put music on the film, add sound effects, and cut out bits of scenes that don't work. This shouldn't take too long.

Now, at last, your film is ready to be seen. Gather together a group of friends and family for the grand world premiere of your masterpiece, get plenty of popcorn, dim the lights, and press the play button!

Get inspired with the movie for kids, watch the movie coloring pages or play with the movie games Hellokids proposes you.