Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Gary Burns | Published February 3, 2007

waydowntown

waydowntown

On Fear of Actors

I've always been a bit nervous about dealing with actors and that relationship. I always feel I don't know the dialogue or the language you speak with actors. I've never rehearsed, so I'm pretty much winging it on-set. Everything happens right there and then, and it's always risky. More money would mean more time and it would mean spending more time with the actors.

On Storyboarding

I tend to only storyboard something complicated and then draw where the camera is going to go. My stuff is generally just talking heads so there is not much you have to do with storyboards.

On Video vs. Film

The very first idea was it was going to be video so I always stuck with that. At one point there was a possibility of? shooting on film. We probably didn't shoot any more video than we would have shot film, since there wasn't a lot of time, but we were shooting inside a mall and in offices. It was suitable to the technology.

On Visualizing the Cast During Writing

I usually leave the casting for after. It is a key process. I'm visualizing and have a mental image but you have to agree to throw it out. It can be very limiting if you want what is in your head. It's happened to me-I couldn't find the person I had in my head. You have to get rid of that idea; I've learned that now. You visualize the kind of person? And writing with a famous person in mind is dangerous, you'll never get that person anyway!

On the Three Act Structure

It's something to be aware of, but it can also be a trap. You need to know what your story is about and not worry about all that stuff. Don't get paralyzed by what has to happen at what point; just throw it out. I wrote a couple of scripts without knowing anything, without even having a basic understanding of story structure and they still kind of worked.

We've all grown up watching Gilligan's Island. We all intrinsically have a sense of story. Everyone knows beginning-middle-end, even if they can't articulate it? By the time you're 10 years old you've probably seen 50 feature films and 100 sitcoms; they all follow the same structure-you get it. Just drop that stuff, you'll figure it out.

On Short Films as a Steppingstone

I got to make features because I made shorts.

On Writing What You Know

I always wrote something that I was familiar with, that I understood, or was interested in. It wasn't a high concept thing or something outside of my realm of experience. I would never dream of starting out by making a cop movie, because I'm not a cop.

On Being an Active Moviemaker

Write stuff that you actually have some connection to, and make those projects. Write something and direct it, even if it is a little video. Everything is based on your past work, so just go do it.

On Getting Started

One thing about writing is you can do it at home in your bedroom. You can try it. Write something. It's not like it costs a lot to pull off-it just takes time.

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I'm a relentless truth teller (by "truth" I do not mean the eternal truths of the universe, I mean my personal and completely self-righteous opinion). I will blurt out my truth at the drop of a hat with complete disregard for the impact it has on others. I try not to upset people, but the sad truth is… I kind of enjoy irking those who dare to disagree with me. Knowing my nasty rebellious tendencies, Tim Rhys, publisher of MM, asked me to write a bi-weekly blog. He'd read a cheeky article I wrote for a friend's blog, www.hotinhollywood.tv, and found it somewhat amusing. My initial answer was a gracious "not in a million years." I was terrified that I'd write something incriminating or embarrassing. I think that's what he was counting on. Finally, I relented.

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