Independent filmmaking: In his book “Lessons from Set” (published in December 2018), the award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and studio executive Usher Morgan recapitulates and translates his own experiences with his first feature film “Pickings” (March 2018) and its theatrical release via AMC Independent. We’ve taken a deep-dive and asked ourselves: What can we learn as filmmakers? “Lessons from the Set” (2018) Book Cover by User Morgan “Lessons from the Set – A DIY Guide To your First Feature Film From Script to Theaters” by Usher Morgan Covering the entire value chain of film production, from the first screenwriting ideas, themes and fundamental principles, through the essentials of funding, extensive explanations on proceedings in pre-production (including checklists), to production, post-production and distribution, he seeks to present insightful, creative and detailed descriptions with helpful advice as he goes along. Teaming up with the encouraged reader through a sometimes colloquial, equally conversational style on a multilayered journey, Morgan creates visually appealing experiences. He is following along with a stringent narrative and includes thought-provoking and sometimes unexpected ideas. Usher Morgan portrait with a pose that apparently can’t be avoided Writing Style Morgan will most probably reach a broad audience, even from their mid-teenage years onwards through his conversational, easy-to-read, and comprehensible style of writing. His approach could comfortably be described as matter-of-factly, it’s explanatory to the readership in a straight and blunt way. He introduces the Do’s and Don’ts of the film business as he has encountered them, on his way, creating his first successful feature film. Relationship to other Books About Independent Filmmaking Surely there are many other books in the field which have investigated the area of low budget, DIY and independent filmmaking many several angles before. Some striking and noteworthy older examples with related topics are Robert Rodriguez’s probably inimitable “Rebel without a crew” (1996) about his early years and artistic successes with films such as “El Mariachi” (1992) and “Desperado” (1995) and the classic by Elliot Grove: “Raindance producers’ lab: lo-to-no budget filmmaking” (2004). Some of the aspects presented in Usher Morgan’s book “Lessons from the Set”  in chapters such as “Strategy”, “Funding” and “Distribution” cover ideas, prospects, techniques and tactics to win support and funding for your first feature film. The depicted cases and solutions are sometimes comparable or adjacent to other recommendable works such as John Gaspard’s “Fast, Cheap, and Under Control: Lessons from the Greatest Low-Budget Movies of All Time”, Carole Lee Dean’s “The Art of Film Funding: Alternative Financing Concepts” (2007), John W. Cones’ “43 ways to finance your feature film” (2008), or Tom Malloy’s “Bankroll: A New Approach to Financing Feature Films” (2009). Real-Life Relevance of Recommendations While other essays, books or publications comprise theoretical approaches and creative explorations (sometimes without excessive testing), Morgan mostly stays with real-life experiences and solutions accumulated by himself, explaining his targeted approach that finally led him to get his feature film done. Another important aspect is that filmmaking exists within a fast-changing environment of complex relationships. While “modern ideas” articulated as contemporary in former times about getting your feature film done and distributed might have worked ten or fifteen years ago, they should undergo in-depth checks and examination for practicability in the current sphere of the profession. That is where Usher Morgan can score important points on actuality. Independent Filmmaking: Stars of “Pickings” (2018) by User Morgan Learning Effects One of the most pleasant aspects to read in Morgan’s book is his unfailing energy and the sheer amount of helpful tips, tricks, ideas and valuable learnings, which he shares willingly and freely with his readers. These are also compiled and curated in short and concise segments, crafted for immediate execution. Especially his designed checklists like the “Pre-Production Checklist” for independent filmmaking incorporating 33 curated steps, his “Ultimate Gear checklist” or his 7-step workflow for post-production will help young and enthusiastic filmmakers not to get lost in the jungle of options and necessities. Of course, I wouldn’t agree with all of his particular findings or tips and tricks, which may be due to a different background and experiences or due to the applicability of his skills and expert-knowledge in different markets. Usher Morgan Comic Figure on Book Cover Final Thoughts: Market Limitation Several of the aspects are written from a North-American, especially US-centred or (New York, Empire State) perspective, where Usher Morgan gained much of his knowledge and expertise. Some inferences from these viewpoints may not apply to other markets in the world, although on the other hand, they could be helpful since many non-American filmmakers aspire to produce in the USA. Of course, the details above include restrictions or limitations regarding adaptability for European or Asian markets, for example, or could function as constructive ideas to propel the often intuitive approaches of ambitious young filmmakers. All in all, the book “Lessons from the set” an educating hands-on, practical approach at “how to make a feature film” and Usher Morgan doesn’t fail at delivering what he promised. There’s much to learn from his workflow, even though you might disagree on some of the details.

2018 is almost over and these lines were supposed to summarize the almost 365 days behind us and provide a glimpse of 2019. But instead of listing each and every major tech product of 2018, I’ll take a slightly different approach. What is the future of indie filmmaking and how does modern gear technology in mirrorless cameras helps to shape that future? image credit (cropped): Lucas Favre via Unsplash.com FUJIFILM X-T3, Canon EOS R, Nikon Z6 and Z7, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (BMPCC4K), Sony A7 III or the Panasonic GH5 / GH5s to name just a few (make sure to read Johnnie’s article about best small cameras of 2018). All these cameras are tiny in comparison to proper digital cinema cameras. And all of these cameras are very potent filmmaking devices which were impossible to think of just a few years ago. Video Technology The one key spec which impacts the resulting video quality the most is bit-depth and chroma sub-sampling. There are more factors, but the ability of recording 4:2:2 10-bit is one of the most important factors that sets a pro camera apart from a consumer camera. Guess what: this barrier is about to collapse. The GH5, released in early 2017, is already capable of recording 4:2:2 10-bit internally but it sports a micro four thirds sensor “only”. Many of the mirrorless cameras of 2018 either record 4:2:2 10-bit internally or at least output it via HDMI. The BMPCC4K records raw as a cDNG stream (Blackmagic RAW seems to be around the corner) but –again– it “only” uses a micro four thirds sensor. The Sony A7 III tops out at 4:2:0 8-bit (internally) and 4:2:2 8-bit (externally) but it sports a full-frame sensor. Wait and see what the upcoming a7S III will offer! The FUJIFILM X-T3 does 4:2:0 10Bit internally and steps up to 4:2:2 externally, all with a super35 (APS-C) sized sensor. With cameras like the Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R and the aforementioned Sony a7S III, which are anticipated for an 2019 release, the number of 4:2:2 10-bit capable devices with large sensors will grow but the compactness of the camera bodies will remain the same. Pro technology trickles down to more affordable gear, that’s a trend which started earlier of course but in 2018 we got to a point at which the transition from mega-bucks cameras to very affordable gear is in full swing. The point is: These less and less bulky cameras don’t compromise on quality any longer. To me, 2018 marks the year in which the equation small device = poor quality is no longer valid. This opens a door to a new thinking and new concepts for indie filmmakers. Other Gear It’s not only cameras, obviously. Everything regarding indie filmmaking gear gets smaller, more lightweight yet super capable without compromising on quality. The good ol’ V-mount / Gold mount batteries for powering your (big) pro camera are now available in tiny sizes. Bebob offer their V-micro line of batteries, CoreSWX have the Hypercore 9 Mini and the Power Base EDGE (even as a specialized model for the BMPCC 4K). Building a decent rig becomes a whole lot simpler if the battery is not the bulkiest part of it! External video recording is still a thing, for obvious reasons. But even solutions for full-fledged external recording become smaller and yet as feature-packed as full-sized gear. The Atomos Ninja V fits a mirrorless rig perfectly while the larger Shogun Inferno might seem a little bulky on such a camera. The BMPCC4K renders an external recorder obsolete and to be honest I’d be happy to see more (smallish) cameras with such potent recording options, including high frame rates, in 2019. Stabilizing Shots Internal sensor stabilization is another buzz word of 2018. Not every camera has it and it’s one of these things which might tip your buying decision to one or the other make and model. If you, like me, chose a non-stabilized body such as the superb FUJIFILM X-T3 you might want to get a gimbal for certain smooth tracking shots. In 2018, grabbing a powerful yet decently priced one, is not a problem anymore (here’s our review of the X-T3). The gap between huge devices such as the MōVI Pro or the DJI Ronin 2 and smaller single handed gimbals is no longer very big. Sure, a bigger device can handle (way) higher payloads but the single handed Ronin-S is indeed a very capable gimbal for all of the aforementioned mirrorless cameras (here’s our review of the Ronin-S)! It’s actually kind of overpowered for such a camera which ensures very good reliability and performance even for demanding movements. Other options are the Tilta Gravity G2X or the new Zhiyun Crane 3 Lab. DJI Mavic 2 Pro. Source: DJI Wanna film things from above? The new DJI Mavic 2 Pro is a pocket-sized drone which packs lots of punch for its tiny size. You can carry one of those along with your other gear all the time. If you need it: it’s there waiting to lift off. If you don’t: no worries, maybe next time. Compared to that bringing an Inspire 2 to set is a bit of a hassle. The Inspire 2 is the better drone, sure, but for many use cases the Mavic 2 will be just fine without comprising too much on image quality. Packing Stuff You see where this is heading, right? In late 2018 you can pack a whole truckload worth of filmmaking gear into one reasonable sized backpack. Useful options would be the new Peak Design Travel Backpack complete with packing cubes in various sizes (2018) or the WANDRD PRVKE (from 2016). Peak Design Travel Backpack (with folded away straps). It’s all about portable, versatile, customizable and modular gear. Everything gets smaller, yet more powerful. Being a one-man band is not an obstacle anymore but an opportunity. Grab your bag and go. Camera, on-board monitor, lenses, gimbal, drone, travel tripod, batteries, media, it’s all in there! All of the above-listed gear would leave the technically savvy guy (or gal) of 2015 with an incredulous look and a strong craving reflex. Just because the specs seem to be way too good to be true for such smallish pieces of gear. State of Mirrorless Cameras You could easily employ a recent mirrorless camera as a B-cam next to a proper camera such as a Canon C300 mark II. Depending on the job, you could even replace the bigger camera without being left behind with bad image quality. You can use a Mavic 2 Pro instead of a Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 or Inspire 2. Sure, there are differences in terms of image quality but the point is: The Mavic 2 Pro is not bad – at all! The aforementioned gear is not inferior just because it’s not playing in the premier league of filmmaking. All of it is very decent indeed. Nice cam.. but it’s huge! Image credit: Jakob Owens via Unsplash.com Being in this business for more than a decade (15 years to be exact) I know that cutting edge gear always was kind of the minimum requirement for most jobs. And I think these times are over for good. Cutting edge gear will always be a thing but for the average indie filmmaker it’s not only OK but very reasonable to employ average prized gear for their jobs. As I’ve stated before: Average doesn’t mean inferior any longer. Just like with audio gear, video gear doesn’t need to be cutting edge anymore in order to perform at a very decent level. Pro cameras will always play their role and depending on the job they are worth the bulk and cost. On many other jobs, however, a smaller package will do just fine. Just grab your tiny yet super powerful mirrorless camera and off you go! Post on the go And when you’re done shooting, recent developments transform your laptop into a pro workstation: Just connect a portable eGPU and edit / grade / export away. Everything in a traditional post production pipeline can be achieved using a laptop right there in the field. Again, full-fledged post suites are still a thing of course but you can do it on the go. This was impossible in 2015 but here we are on the brink of 2019… This is the future and it will evolve in 2019 and beyond. As I stated in the beginning, this article was meant to sum up 2018 and in a way it did. My approach is putting together a one-bag solution with 2018 tech for all my indie filmmaking needs for 2019 and I will write up a dedicated post once I’ve finished building it. Let’s cut some bulk while remaining confident that we are employing state of the art technology! What are your thoughts about this? Is 2018 a turning point or are we not there yet? Share your thoughts in the comments below!