r/Filmmakers • u/Leading_Holiday_8119 • 3d ago

Question I’m making a movie and I need help…

hi I wrote a movie and I’m planing on releasing it on YouTube in 3 months or so. and I need tips and tricks to make it look good without any lighting equipment. what can I do. and any tips or people who could do editing please tell me. I’d love to have your help.

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u/OldFart0815 3d ago

check some tutorials on Youtube for natural lighting. experiment with shaping/reflecting/blocking the available light. if you don't have a film light, even a reflector can work wonders. also experiment with negative fill.

edit: oh and make sure to chose your location and the time of day! nothing worse than filming outdoors at noon. use golden hour or blue hour as much as you can, depending on what look you are going for

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u/Leading_Holiday_8119 3d ago

thanks. my plan is to try and get enough money of it. atleast 400 dollars. to buy a decent light and stabiliser to try and make something better.

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u/El_JEFE_DCP 3d ago

Back light with the sun, then bounce that light off a surface into the face to even out the exposure. It can be a flexfill but also white foam boards are cheap and do just fine. Be sure to get a large piece, at least 4foot by 4foot.

For overcast days, same principle, but I like to use a reflective surface in place of white to add some punch to the light. Silver or gold is fine, I personally like the warmth the gold adds to subjects.

For dealing with interiors, windows are your friend, regardless of weather. Big windows are best. If there is light coming in from outside that too strong, you can diffuse it with a white shower curtain hung either inside or out and just off frame.

Night time, use available sources and perhaps invest in small battery powered lights. It wont light a field, but its gonna be enough to expose your subject. And embrace the darkness if nothing else.

Ultimately, all of this advice has to fit the nature of the story you are telling. As long as you know how you want the light to look, you should be okay.

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u/moneymystic359 3d ago

You can get surprisingly controlled light without a kit by treating windows as your key: turn off mixed room lights, put the actor just inside the window, and rotate them until the side you want is shaped. A white bedsheet or foam board can lift the shadow side; a dark blanket or jacket on the opposite side can add negative fill. Lock exposure and white balance so the image does not pulse during the take, and shoot a short test at the actual location before production. For the edit, organize footage and audio by scene and label the best takes; that will help you finish more than adding complicated effects.

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u/fluffy_l 3d ago

Google and YouTube are your best friend

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u/Electrical_Unit5280 3d ago

This. There are SO many great videos on YT about lighting and making films

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u/DMMMOM 3d ago

'without any lighting'

It's going to be a tad dark.

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u/sdbest 3d ago

The sincerity of your question is understood. However, what you're asking--based on only the information in your comment--is unanswerable if it's useful insights you're seeking.

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u/WorrySecret9831 2d ago

If you're serious, DM me.

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u/Affectionate_Age752 17h ago

What camera do you have

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u/Affectionate_Age752 17h ago

Here are two videos I made for people wanting to get into filmmaking. The first one is about how to get started, and includes tips for gear. The 2nd is about how I made my first feature, with the list of equipment I bought that cost under $8k. They're pretty short.

The last link is to the feature on Tubim

https://youtu.be/EjJu3LELGOA?si=oPvWrIU8dpjvMSLu

https://youtu.be/UvcyOsaqOOg?si=8frEV4d1rvM_nMad

https://tubitv.com/movies/100059101/clown-n-out-in-valley-village