INDIE FILM "FIRST TIME" FILM MAKERS ALWAYS TRY "FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT" TACTICS?

Houston, TX - Yes, the title to this blog says it all. It happens more often than not and those "first time film directors and producers" who develop a love to split the lines between what is an actual good film and what kind of crap they filmed; trying to sell it as the next best thing since soggy bread floating in a dark swamp, that NO ONE will ever see. In the local indie circles, there's always some egotistical schmuck with cash who thinks they can change the way indie films are produced and make a multi-million business out of their first film. The gimmick always seems to have a little too much planning, a little too much foresight, and always only ends up with a ton of pointless hype that never fills anyone's daily feed on their personalized Internet platforms, like Facebook or Instagram. These "first time film makers" think they can squeeze into an industry by flattering people with their ingenuity, but will learn quickly that even the most brightest amateur has seen their "production crap" before and they are not fooling anyone. - This is where narcissistic producers and their director usually go to die from existence.

There's been a saying within the first time film maker community that "directors are a dime a dozen" and that "many film teams exist that can produce better quality films" with better effort, with better production teams, or even better actors. The realization is that if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it and not just as a glorified hobby. Keep in mind that these first Indie filmmakers absolutely have no prior film making experience nor are they apt to following an established format for producing or arranging film teams. They often claim to have all the answers but have nothing to show from prior experience. There is a pattern that most believe they can "fake it until they make it" with nothing but hype, useless independent film award stamps, and a production effort that is anything but professional and entertaining to anyone outside of their own little circle. - That's the price for NOT learning the film making system or making solid contacts within the filming community.

First time filmmakers are always trying to impress in areas that they've never worked or been exposed to before. Many feel that they've got a taste for making full feature films because of some prior exposure to film production with another film team or that they viewed some "how to" documentary on YouTube or searched the steps to film making on Google. The truth is, being an Indie film maker gives film teams "an out" from following the more progressive way[s] to make a film and where their productions can take short cuts and cut through a bunch of red tape which would usually slow a production down or hinder their films from being shot without a permit. Film permits are not always required, but many industry distributors that require a license for a film will need them to confirm a deal. First timers often feel that they have the right magic on the first go-round in their film production and expect to "ring that bell" and get distribution deal for making millions of dollars on their first film. How many times have I heard the phrases, "We're working on a distribution deal..." or "We have a meeting with a distributor..." after producing their first film. It's truly pathetic. - That's the price for NOT knowing how to build a solid, knowledgeable production team on your first film.

But just how good is a first timers premiere film production? - I guess that all depends on who you ask. If you ask the first time filmmaker and his team, they'll tell you that their first attempt at making their film "...was a huge success;" made to a standard that blows any competition away. The biased film teams friends and family will tell you that they'd "...buy a DVD or pay a ticket" to watch it again. Asking someone not affiliated and unbiased to the film team will often tell you that "the film blows..." and that they "...wasted an hour and a half of their lives" watching it. I know that these groups of people will make you feel uneasy to spend the time to watch the first time film; you'll remember right off that first time filmmakers have no experience in doing anything to produce and promote their films when they premiere. They often just rent a room or auditorium and try to fill it up with people  that they know and who will be supportive. These amateur teams usually get updates from their "first time director," who will post something on their Facebook page and try to get people to be part of their following. But in the end, these newbies will end up calling their family and close friends, begging them to come to the premiere and watch their show - That's the price of NOT actually knowing how to market or produce a proper trailer for your first film.

Many first time film makers reading this blog will come to an instant realization that I am "pointing them out" or "made a personal attack against them," by berating their progress and success in completing their first film. What these newbies truly need to do is ask themselves, "Why do they think that they're among the top of the list in the category of indie films?" Part of the major step in making films is having the dire courage or "nut-sack" to have their film reviewed and critiqued by other seasoned filmmakers who have a plethora of films under their lifetime portfolios. If you produce a film but cannot face the criticism of a proper film review, then it's high time you hang your hat in the field of film making and quietly step away. A bad review isn't something to hold on to and let it bring you down, it's something to grow from; a stepping stone for you to learn from. Hence; "When a child first learns to walk, they will  fall and fall hard. But they will learn to get back up on their feet and try and try again." No one has ever been lucky enough to get it right the first time; even though there are a few idiots out there that will tell you that they did. And of course, there are plenty who think they have that "one instant plan" that logically should work. . - That's the price for NOT knowing who to go to for a proper review of your first film.

It isn't a crime to seek out to go make your first film. Just don't wind up believing your own hype and try to garner a successful career through fictitious means. I mean seriously, awarding yourself a trophy or bragging about indie film awards that you won after you nominated them yourself and paid money to receive...that's real success? Besides there are real and more professional indie film teams out there producing top quality films with sensational scripts, fabulous actors and crews.

Below are a few things to remember should you be bold enough to get your film reviewed or critiqued by people who actually knows what to look for in the local Indie film scene

****SIMPLE FILM REVIEW NOTES TO REMEMBER****

To give your audience a feel of what to expect in your film, let your opening credits and the musical them track lead them down a road of emotions that help you build the mood for your film project. Keep the flow consistent and the lettering stationary and very clear to read; no more than three seconds per credit, and then extend the time frame for the leading title to about five to eight seconds. This shows that your proud of the title and how it is eventually going to grow on the viewers. Keeping the rhythm of the film moving with good pacing will show the viewers the flow of the films production and the professional atmosphere of the first scenes leading into the ten to fifteen minute mark. If you're claiming your film has action, then this is the best time to present it to the masses. If your film has a creepy sense to it, prove it within the first ten minutes. Indie film critics always look for these fundamental parameters in your film. Establishing character development follows the opening and you'd better lay in thick but very subtle. Let the viewers figure out our characters for themselves and you shouldn't spend any time having dialog define who anyone is and what their story arcs are.

Without the formats listed above, you audience is going to crash on you. Especially if you're just slapping credits up on the screen to some song you paid good money for, thinking the small crowd and film critics will be impressed with your amateur opening and want to see more. Furthermore, if you're spending so much time trying to layer in a ton of actors in the first twenty minutes of your film, the views and critics will die and stop paying attention to the rest of the film. Sure, there are always slow parts in film, but some dialog is important to put out and you should always put the slow part of your film in the middle, giving your actors time to establish themselves with their performances. As a producer, you should have a test audience pre-screen your film and give you an honest and brutal review. This group of people shouldn't have a bias or be part of the production team; for obvious reasons.

If you've done everything right, the audience should be focused and wanting more from the production than what's being presented. Think of it this way, if you have a huge plotline that you feel will hook the audience with fear or a sense of anxiety, then be sure to hold that hook until the right time. Delivering your plot too soon might bring the house down too early and leave your film in the proverbial lurch. But holding the hook and delivering a fast punch will bring the entire production to a climax that can be felt by everyone in the audience. Having an experience of holding screenings of your film and viewing their emotions throughout the preview can be such an exhilarating experience; especially if you planned a funny scene and see that your writing within the production actually works. Remember, I'm not talking about you [the director or producer], your family or your friends...I'm talking about the people outside of your comfort circle.

Without any of the post production adjustments hinted above, your viewers are going to tank at the end of the credits and not want to see your next film. They will also wonder who produced this mess and also question the type of production that can be saved after the mess they've witnessed. In the last 15 years, I've personally witnessed indie films crash after all the hype they pushed on their own people. Films that won awards in the indie film festival circuits were actually far  worse than the films that only went from production to presentation. I've learned that films which enter film festivals have a tendency to never be seen by anyone that really matters in the Indie film circuit; and most of these films go directly to IMDB.com and boast about their productions. I find it such a squirrely scam to see these production teams without a nut sack to present their films out right. They often claim that their film is being seen by someone "in LA" that doesn't want the film released just yet. It's such a cheesy and stupid excuse, but what ever makes scam artists go away...well, just go away!

"PREY" SETS A STANDARD FOR SCIFI STREAMING PLATFORMS

🎥 🎞 Movie Review 🎥 🎞  - PREY - Hulu - Rated R - No Soilers! Every once in a while a smaller movie production team releases a gem of a film that could of made for a full feature film to go world wide on the big screen, and this is one of them. PREY stars Amber Midthunder as Naru, a Comanche Native American woman who doesn't just want to be the standard female of a small tribe. She wants to be a hunter, a tracker, and also a healer; these positions in a tribe were mostly held by older, maturer males. Being a Native American myself, made it a little too hard  for me to swallow that the female lead was stronger and more intelligent than the males at first, but I let the movie play and this thing quickly started to burn in the right direction and at the right time. Case in point; if I can accept that in previous Hollywood films, a Caucasian woman killed two big ass aliens in two different films, another Caucasian woman destroyed a cyborg using a compactor, and another Caucasian woman killing a large St. Bernard infected with rabies, then a Native American woman can surely kill a Predator with a tomahawk!

Brilliantly directed by SciFi extraordinaire Dan Trachtenberg who also directed a Cloverfield spinoff and an episode of Black Mirror, he set off to make PREY a little bit more believable and give the Native Americans, who were considerably under armed and extremely vulnerable to an alien predators high tech weapons attacks, a very daring and brave bunch of warriors who faced their enemy without regard to their own safety and lives.

Rumor has surfaced that the Native American cast members of PREY were required to speak Comanche during their screening test, should the director had decided to film the entire production in the Native American tongue. The film presented the Comanche tribe in a pre-horse history, where the first French and anglo-saxon visitors entered their region of territory and introduced the natives to horseback riding, so English was not a native tongue in the region for many years, but I feel that the movie transitioned into the need for English very well.

The visual and special effects for the film were superb and sometimes a little too much for a few scenes. But there was fantastic detail presenting the Native American's, which I felt was pretty impressive and along the lines of the visual beauty not seen since Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves was released. And I'd like to extend a few kudos to the designer of the Predator, as this was a prequel to the first film and they gave a clean restart to the alien hunter from that which was seen in the first and second Predator movies.

Make no mistake, this is a solid and horrifying look at the Predator series. I highly recommend you see this film without any interruption. One look off the movie to grab for your phone or a drink and you'll miss something important!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️   [4 of 5 Stars]

THE QUANTUM STORM .357 E-MAGAZINE ISSUE 11 IS RELEASED!

 

THIS ISSUE TAKES A LOOK AT MODELING. SOUTH TEXAS HAS SOME OF THE MOST FABULOUS AND SEXY MODELS IN THE LOCAL INDUSTRY. IN THIS ISSUE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK HARD TO BREAK OUT IN A COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY FILLED WITH TOP RATED TALENT.

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THE QUANTUM STORM .357 E-MAGAZINE ISSUE 10 IS RELEASED!

 

INDIE FILMS DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS NEED A BUDGET TO BEGIN PRODUCTION. LISTEN TO INTERVIEWS WITH INDIE FILM PROFESSIONALS WHO GIVE YOU THE BEST INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW TO PRODUCE YOUR NEXT FILM.

EXCITING NEWS! WE'VE BROKEN THE 18,000 SUBSCRIPTION MARK AND IT ONLY TOOK US EIGHT MONTHS. A BIG THANKS GOES OUT TO ALL OUR E-MAGAZINE SUPPORTERS. WE PROMISE TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE TOP QUALITY REPORTING FOR YOU!

 

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OBIWAN KENOBI PRESENTS A THRILLING PREQUEL MINI-SERIES!

🎥 🎞 Series Review 🎞 🎥 - OBIWAN KENOBI - Disney+ - SPOILER FREE! After a year of speculation and fan film menageries, this series was streamed on DISNEY and presented a huge a surprise towards STAR WARS canon. The perfect part of this series, is that the plot and storyline starts off right where the first three prequels to the SW franchise left fans thinking, "Oh man, what happened afterwards!?" - And I'm sure that George Lucas was wondering the same thing.

The director and writers of the 6 part mini-series made the right decision, first to ensure that they were able to cast Ewan McGregor to replay the role of Kenobi [or "Old Ben"]. Without McGregor this entire series would have never worked. I can only imaging the long term damage that cold have been produced if the role of the infamous Sci-Fi character was played by some new comer. The best news for the entire production team is that McGregor was a big fan of the series and didn't hesitate to return to complete the pre-series of one of his most popular movie roles.

The second best decision was also bringing Hayden Christensen to the production to replay his role as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. This decision would also bolster the epic quality of the series prior to the commencement of production. When this news hit the web, SW fans surely lost their minds and many people sat at the edge of their seats waiting for any news updates concerning the pairing of these two big actors.

What fans will really like about the series - The best part is the quality of the CGI which is used throughout the production of the series. There is a stead used of both practical effects and blue screen CGI. The style of the CGI is in line with the special effects used in SW I, II, and III. The plot and storyline definitely gives some insight to events leading up to SW IV. The flow of the series is steady, leading up to a climactic battle between Kenobi and Darth Vader.

What some fans will not like about he series - The first three episode depict a Kenobi who is not only struggling with the fact that his kind [the Jedi] are being hunted down by Vader, but that he killed his best friend [and Padowan] at the end of SW III. This struggle forces Kenobi to distance himself from his abilities and presents a weaker, less talented warrior who we have been exposed to in both movies and animated series.

But the truth is - This series is EPIC!...The slow start doesn't last long, is filled with a solid back story, strong character development, and the excitement and drama build up to a climactic battle that can only be described to you as TOTALLY BADASS!

The mini-series is wide open for a second season. I'm sure that both McGregor and Christensen are going to enjoy the extended opportunity to keep fans excited about what to expect next season...and enjoy continued employment! - This fan was extremely pleased with what was produced!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ [5 of 5 Stars]

THE QUANTUM STORM .357 E-MAGAZINE ISSUE 9 IS RELEASED!

 

BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH SOMEONE WHO SAYS, "YEAH, I KNOW HOW TO DO MAKEUP" - BE SURE TO READ THE ARTICLES IN THIS NEW ISSUE. THIS ISSUE IS FILLED WITH INTERVIEWS FROM PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTISTS IN TEXAS, WHO GIVE YOU THE BEST ADVICE ON HOW TO SELECT TEAM MEMBERS FOR YOUR STUDIO TEAM.

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STUDIO CEO MAKES A STATEMENT...

 Opinionated statement from the
QUANTUM STORM PICTURES CEO
regarding his work with
James McShan & Teamwork Pictures LLC

"...He is a very pathetic, weak man. His entire life he has realized that he is NOT the intellectual equal of most of the people he dreams to be associated with. He's a substandard human-being of very poor quality, character and intellect; so he's constantly searching for affirmation from people who will rub his shoulders, kiss his ass and tell him, 'You really ARE successful now"...please understand this, he wants to be constantly padded on his back and told, 'You're a transformative figure, you know everything'...when actually, he's never had any actual training or experience in the field of filmmaking, directing, screenplay, promotions, advertising, casting, photography, photoshop, music videos, or film production requirements of any kind. Like a true amateur, he only has an opinion; he uses a narcissistic edge claiming to know more, but he knows nothing of true value, just a few circus stunts that sound successful.

He spent a lot of his time befriending female indie actors from my Facebook page, using our temporary affiliation as an excuse to try and bolster his contacts throughout the local Houston area. Why he chose certain female actors to befriend is anyone's guess, but in my short time of being exposed to him, my opinion is that it was for more than acquiring actors for future indie film, of which never existed. He targeted one model friend of mine in particular, always asking - virtually begging - to get to meet her even though she was often out of country and not wanting to meet him or anyone else for personal reasons.

Now he spends his time bolstering a resume, claiming "professional studio certifications" and training in the indie film business, just because he funded a college film and a local San Antonio Indie film. All of his skills and talents are made up and not even self made, as he has no real history of making films or making any progressive productionary contacts in the business, except the ones that were handed to him by other actors in his recent list of films.

In the end, he'll fade away and still be the nobody he yearns to distance himself from; never realizing that he will always have the quality of a low-life idiot who just tossed some money around and demanded everyone listen to him because he did so. I resent the fact that I opened the door for this ass-clown to work with talented people in the indie film scene. It's a pathetic shame that talent-less narcissists like him exist in the Texas indie film circuit; he's not the only one, and this is what destroys any chance of solid film teams becoming successful in the Independent film circuit.

Remember that liars often lie in an attempt to distance themselves from everything they truly are in real life."

D. R. Quintana
Director/Producer/Writer
Creator of
The Secret of Angelika5 [52 episodes], Ghosties 1 & 2,
Ghosties-The Witches Spell, Pair of Aces, Bianca 2029,
Gravitron, Clockpeople, STB [22 episodes], Dungeons
& Dragons Journey Ends, Preying Mantis, La Fuerza,
Spectre Zero [3 episodes], Havoc 114 Redux, Iscandar,
Pieces of 8, Grey Panic

 

Here's some proof of his bogus "registered" certifications

“THE BATMAN” FAILS MISERABLY…BUT IT ISN'T THE ACTORS FAULT

🎥 🎞 Movie Review 🎞🎥 - THE BATMAN - PG13 - HBO MAX - I tried...I seriously tried to watch this movie without putting it on pause. After a week of getting through this gross mess of a film, I am seriously doing my best to understand what all of the hype was about. Personally, I had a little issue with Robert Pattinson [from th Twilight series] stepping on board to play Batman/Bruce Wayne and I am certainly NOT going to say that the films failure is due solely to his performance. As a matter of fact, I was impressed by his maturity and the action sequences which were used to fulfill the mystique of Batman's hard training in defending and/or attacking the bad guys; so, kudos to Pattinson for doing that part of Batman some real justice.

 

All in all, I feel that the film suffered due to the poor direction of Matt Reeves and his writers Peter Craig and Bill Finger. They were trying to create an investigative edge to the Batman and deliver the film a psycho thriller, tossing a skewed plot and story with several [often too many] bad guys and not focus on the real crime agenda plot. I thought that making The Riddler a serial killer-type character was a little odd, but bringing in the gangster motif once again was just  a little over the top. And of course, plots over lapped and before you knew it, there were other characters that were added to only bolster the confusion of the main plot.

 

Zoe Kravitz was brought in to play Catwoman, and even though many have told me that they were impressed with her performance, I wasn't. I wasn't even impressed with Michelle Pfeffer's 1992 Catwoman performance in Batman Returns, but boy did I love to see her in the cat suit! - but even then, there was an attempt at developing the character; in The Batman, there was no such luck.

 

And of course, as with ever other failed re-boot franchise that releases a poorly produced product, there's always those producers that claim that "Well, this is supposed to be younger Batman whose still trying to find his way..." - yeah well, they can claim what they want, but in the end the story didn't impress where it should have and maybe next time the writing team will stick to one bad guy at a time, and bring in a REAL Bat Mobile to the film.

 

This movie was pretty close to be labeled as dogshit with just one star...but, I have to admit that there were some attributes to the film that definitely demanded some praise.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ [3 of 5 Stars]

LANDING THE PERFECT LOCATIONS FOR YOUR INDIE FILMS

It shouldn’t be a huge undertaking to land the perfect scene location for your film. In the case of indie film making, most production teams make the mistake of writing a script and then start looking for places to fill the scenes. When locations become the focus of a scenes success, they’re labeled as burdens of choice when the right place either can’t be found or the perfect place just couldn’t be confirmed prior to production. When a writer begins putting together a script, he should consider what locations, materials, wardrobe, running water and most importantly, power sources that are around for the planned project.

A few months ago, one of our Quantum Storm .357 [QSE .357] E-Magazine  issues covered the importance of pre-production and what a good filmmaker should consider prior to establishing a production budget before estimating costs. Because listing the things that you already have in your pocket can save you a lot of money if you don't need to go out and search for it, get permits, permissions, or establish communication with the local community prior to filming. A good producer, with established prior experience, will have a list of things that could help out a project before pre-production has begun. A bad producer will have no idea where to start and a plethora of last minute searches that could hinder production efforts with a "winging it" mentality that will frustrate the entire production team every time a new location is needed.

The job of a producer isn’t just to order people around to help find locations, but it's also the job of the producer to actually get off his ass and establish contacts with the local community, personally ensuring one on one contact, so that the locations can be attained at little cost as possible and even perhaps used for free in future projects. Bum Producers try to evade this part of their job and most of time struggle to make any contact with the right person(s); most of time it’s due to not having the right charisma or personality to mingle with the right city crowds or property owners.

In my years as a line producer; trust me I've worn man hats in my own indie film  productions, I’ve had my challenges to find locations for the right scene in a film. I’ve spent my time location spotting even when I’ve been out with my family on burger runs. The search never stops and I do my best to find the property or home owners to get the rights to shoot my indie film projects there as often as I can. Grimes and Montgomery Counties in Texas have proven to be some of the friendliest places to gain access to various, epic locations. I've produced a little over 30 indie film projects with locations that have extended the "script to film" environment to unexpected levels.

One location, that I call my "go-to" location, when all else fails, has been the scene location called "The Lightsey Ranch." This property has been in almost every indie film I've ever filmed. The location is perfect; far from main roads, ambulances, fire houses, with a closed property, access to power, restroom, shower, and running water, plus plenty of room to maneuver. Even better is that it's located in a private community with strong supporting neighbors who know whats going on there from time to time, even late at night. The location has been used in various types of movies and web series productions, from ghost stories, to Science Fiction, to murder mystery, to paranormal, and even a zombie movie or two.

Recently, we started working on two new projects at the ranch [one SciFi, the other a paranormal film] and with the new greenery starting to sprout this spring, we expect to catch some great scenes out there. Be sure to check out next month's issue of the QSE .357 because we will be presenting a trailer and some in-depth behind the scenes looks at several studio projects!

I've worked with a few Bum Producers recently who have attempted to take me to court and take control of the Lightsey Ranch property by filing court papers and threatening a "demand of a lean" on the property. Yeah, their desire to make use of the property to make films is so childish and over the years I had to make legal changes to keep the property off the ownership of the film maker [me] and the private film studio that I own and operate. Believe me, it happens and greed is out there, so always cover your ass and don't trust anyone in the indie film business, especially when they claim to have money and know the business!

What has been lost over greed is the importance of the positions are in film teams. Remember that producers establish the materials for the director to use and deliver the kind of project a good script can emphasize. Executive Producers being in cash flow and investment opportunities. Seldom to producers actually take part in being in the filming development phase of the production, unless he's staked his reputation in monetary value for the projects delivery. If that is the case, then that producer is called a "pigeon toe" - essentially, "...some asshole who gets in the way a lot..." of the production efforts and slows everything down by constantly demanding certain changes to the films production because he found something else to add to the film; or more commonly, he's found another investment opportunity by adding some person, location, music track, or other useless item to the film.

Finding a good location that can be used time and time again is gold, folks. New directors need to absorb the fact that Bum Producers love to use the same locations over and over again from one film to the next, with little artistic flair in the projects they choose to support. Before you agree to work with any producer, check out the work they've done before; more especially the materials they brought to other projects. You don't want to step on any toes using scene locations that were used in another movie in the same way.

That's why it's very important to have an experienced, strong and knowledgeable director to lead the production team and who isn't afraid to say "No!" to a producer every once in a while. Successful film teams can't look up to a "suck up" whose always kissing a producers ass just to keep him around for "this" or "that" reason.

Stay strong, my friends. Continue to search for those new and interesting film locations!

Ride Easy,

D. R. Quintana
Editor in Chief

THE QUANTUM STORM .357 E-MAGAZINE ISSUE 8 IS RELEASED!

 

THIS ISSUE IS FILLED WITH AN INSIDE LOOK AT ACTORS WHO TRAVERSED INTO THE WORLD OF LOS ANGELES IN HOPES OF "BREAKING IN" WITH THE HOLLYWOOD CROWD. ALSO, A SPECIAL PEEK AT A NEW STUDIO MUSIC VIDEO FOR A SCIFI FILM!

YOU MUST BE A SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS NEW ISSUE OF THE QUANTUM STORM .357 E-MAGAZINE AND FOLLOW THIS BLOG

 

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FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND FILM ASPECT RATIOS MIGHT TANK YOUR FIRST FILM

Indie films suffer all the time due to first time film makers failing to use proper film formatting when they present their first project, whether its a film released on the internet or their film trailer released for anyone to see on an international level, making an impression on people [and indie judges] will come from how you present your film. This blog is presented to you from the notes of any first semester of film school. Your knowledge of Aspect ratios and compression etiquette can help you make the first best impression at the start of your presentation...so take notes!

Aspect ratios in film and television have changed over the years, but the one thing that stays consistent is people's desire to create and show their work in the proper format. So if you're making movies, short films, commercials, TV shows, or just shooting with friends, make sure you know the aspect ratio where you're going to upload or project. 

Whether you're watching a show on your iPhone, setting up your new 70in 4K television, or sitting your butt in a theater, aspect ratio matters. The aspect ratio refers to the size of the image displayed on your screen. While this sounds technical, aspect ratios can help storytellers add another layer to their repertoire. Also, for independent filmmakers and huge studio directors, the right aspect ratio can attract more viewers and create a buzz around your film or TV show. 

There's a lot to learn when it comes to aspect ratios. Like which aspect ratios matter in social media and which aspect ratios make sense for Netflix and Amazon versus theatrical. The aspect ratio of an image describes the width and height. It's usually written as two numbers separated by a colon, as in 16:9. It can also be written with an “x” between the numbers. Like 3x4.

 

Aspect ratios have changed over time, depending on what people use to view media. As screens got bigger, aspect ratio adjusted. As they got smaller, it continued to happen. Over 100 years ago, the very first films were projected in 4:3. The standard film strip was run through a projector and light behind it through the image onto a wall. The 4:3, or 1.33:1, was the literal measurement of the strip.

As film evolved, so did the aspect ratio. Film strips eventually became 1.37:1, and that became the standard for cinema across the globe. 1.37:1 was the ratio officially approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1932. They made it the standard and people started calling it the Academy Ratio. In the 1950s, TV became ever more popular. People started going to the theater less, and theatrical distributors knew they needed to make a change. So they went even bigger, with Cinerama.  

Cinerama was the first widescreen format to be introduced after the Academy Ratio became a standard in 1932. It involved projecting images from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a deeply-arced screen. It utilized aspect ratios of 2.59:1 to 2.65:1 to make images seem huge.

CinemaScope used aspect ratios of 2.35:1 to 2.66:1. It only had to use one projector to get the image on the screen, so it was preferable to Cinerama. Developed by Earl Sponable, who was the head of research at 20th Century Fox, CinemaScope was last used in 1967, the term "scope" is still used by projectionists and filmmakers to refer to any movie that uses anamorphic lenses or with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 or more.

It's funny to think that even in the 1960s, theaters were trying to find a way to get people to watch less television and to come to the movies. Especially since we're having similar troubles today. Nowadays, if you want to go to the theater to see something projected, you can choose from 35mm or the much larger 70mm.

70mm has caught back on recently, since Tarantino, Nolan, and Paul Thomas Anderson have all elected to have their films projected in the huge format. 70mm boasts an aspect ratio of 2.76:1 – twice as large as the standard 35mm film. 70mm was what put Ben-Hur on the map in 1959, and now it's a way that filmmakers are getting people out to see the spectacle. 70mm is often combined with IMAX formats. 

The modern IMAX design uses 70mm film that is shown horizontally with a massive 15 perforations per frame, giving it approximately six times the resolution of 35mm film. The average IMAX screen size is approximately 72' x 50' (22m x 16m), which is significantly larger than traditional movie screens of approximately 50' x 20' (16m x 6.1m).

TV boxes were 4:3 until widescreen televisions debuted in the 2000s. Many older programs had to convert their 4:3 shows to 16x9. But people who watched movies on TV rejoiced. The theatrical experience had finally come home. And as TVs grew in size, aspect ratios began to reflect the change.

So now we're in the digital era. We don't have to rely on the size of the film stock to reflect our aspect ratio. And if you have the money to shoot in 70mm, you still might not want to. People are creating lots of different media content. We're shooting shorts, digital series, movies, TV shows, commercials, Instagram videos, Facebook posts, and Snapchats. 

If you're going to do it for the 'gram, you should do it with the right aspect ratio. Instagram has specific guidelines for what works on its site. 

1. Square (1:1)
2. Standard Horizontal (16:9)
3. Alt Horizontal (1.91:1)
4. Vertical (4:5)

We all love to shoot stuff to post on Facebook. Whether its the trailer for your new venture or a web series, you want people to be able to like and share the best content. Facebook supports:  

1. 16x9
2. 9x16
3. 4x5
4. 2x3
5. 1x1

You can upload phone videos, movie trailers, and fluidly share videos from all other social channels if they occur in the aforementioned formats.

Like Facebook, Twitter is a great place to get your message out there. It's great to get retweets and social engagements. Twitter is one of the best places to get your message put to the people and to interact individually. Twitter supports the following aspect ratios: 

1. 1x1  1200 X 1200
2. 2x1 1200 X 600
3. 3x2 1200 X 800

So here's the deal: lately, some streaming services have been cutting off almost 25% of movies by reformatting them to fit 16x9 televisions. While this practice is supposed to stop, with letterboxes being added to share the proper format, you should still be aware. If you're creating content for Netflix, Amazon, or HBO, you should know their aspect ratios. That way you'll know how your work is presented on the screen.  

Netflix, Amazon and HBO shows almost everything in 16x9. So if you're trying to watch a movie that's natively in 2.39:1, you're going to get the black bars. They also have been known to use 2:1 aspect ration. This aspect ratio is also used in many new Netflix series and is less wide than scope, but still gives the viewer the sense of a wide screen.

Okay, we've gone through lots of different kinds of aspect ratios, but now it's time to talk about how aspect ratio can help your story. Think about how Christopher Nolan used IMAX and 70mm to give Dunkirk the largest aspect ratio possible.  Making Dunkirk huge wasn't just to drive people to the theater. It was to envelop audiences in the heat of battle, to make them feel the pressure of these men, and to give the entire story scope. 

Squeezing that movie into a more boxy proportion makes you feel the claustrophobia of the world we're in. We're under pressure and going through our passion with Reverend Toller. It also gives the movie a more classical feel. It's a throwback, like the church, and an homage to Hollywood of yesteryear. 

Your aspect ratio is not just a mathematical tool. It's also a way to enter your story and add another layer. First time film producers should consider a director that knows the required formats to any project that lands a prospective film project. It takes more than learning the lingo to get your film in the right Aspect Ratio to impress the right people. Don't shoot a film just to shoot it on video, learn to do the shit the right way before you come off looking like some amateur idiot in the local Indie Film Scene. So think about what you really want to do before you start shooting!

Good luck out there!

D. R. Quintana
Director/Producer