Are First-Time Filmmakers Overly Optimistic or Pessimistic? Two Opposite Preconceptions

The Two Extremes of Assumptions

Through hosting filmmaking workshops, I’ve noticed an intriguing trend: People with no prior experience in filmmaking tend to have preconceptions that fall into two extremes.

Some are overly optimistic, thinking:

• “Let’s come up with a short 30-minute story.”
• “We can shoot the whole thing on a Sunday and have a screening the following week!”

This idealized vision, while understandable for beginners, is far from realistic. A 30-minute story is not “short” by indie film standards. For newcomers, it would likely take over five days to shoot properly.

Optimistic Filmmakers: Lessons from Trial and Error

Even so, giving them a chance to try can help them realize:

1. The process is more demanding than it seems.
2. Turning their ideas into a tangible form is uniquely rewarding.

As they gain experience, they may learn to adjust their plans to better match the resources and conditions available.

The Pessimistic Majority

On the other hand, the more common preconception is pessimism:

• “Filmmaking is expensive.”
• “Filmmaking is too difficult.”

When such participants are encouraged to share and explain their ideas for a scene, their responses almost always include:

• “But this would be hard to film, right?”

This unnecessary defeatism seems to stem from imagining scenes that, on the surface, appear grand or complex.

The Truth About Elaborate Scenes

Indeed, scenes imagined in these exercises often feature:

• Elaborate sets requiring a hefty budget.
• Reserved access to special locations, like railcars or breathtaking landscapes.

Such ideas reinforce the notion that “filmmaking requires substantial funds.”

But I believe the true joy of filmmaking lies in crafting “fun lies.” Unlike Kurosawa’s approach of providing absolute authenticity in every aspect, I find such literalism lacking in creativity and imagination.

Embracing Creativity Over Literalism

With a shift in mindset, filmmakers can:

• Recreate the essence of a location without building massive sets.
• Portray scenes involving train cars or other elaborate locations without guerilla tactics or excessive costs.
• Transform nearby rocks into grand landscapes.

The center of filmmaking joy lies in finding clever, resourceful ways to create an illusion. For me, that resourcefulness is rooted in special effects.

Special Effects and DIY Craftsmanship

While some insist on authenticity, aspiring to mimic Kurosawa or Kubrick, I follow a different path:

• Maximizing creativity with limited resources.
• Using special effects and reverse thinking to make almost any scene possible.

Although CGI is necessary for complex movements or dynamic changes, simpler scenes and backgrounds can be crafted through miniatures and compositing—challenging yet rewarding tasks that are rarely as difficult as they appear.

The Charm of DIY Filmmaking

Hiring professionals to create props and composites can be costly, but for me, such activities are integral to the fun of filmmaking.

In my first feature film, The Legend of the Crystal Skull, I created most of the sets and props myself. A professional designer told me they wouldn’t take on the work for less than one million yen, yet my expenses amounted to mere tens of thousands of yen, plus my labor.

Nowadays, digital compositing allows me to avoid constructing full-sized props, requiring only scaled-down models. Halving a prop’s size reduces material costs to an eighth, so creating a single miniature costs me around 100 to 1,000 yen. Total production expenses rarely exceed a few thousand yen.

Sure, factoring in my time might translate to tens of thousands in labor costs—but DIY filmmaking thrives on the enjoyment of the process itself. Counting it as a “negative” cost feels nonsensical.

For simple films requiring no special effects, costs are even lower. With shooting and editing possible on a smartphone, creating a film can be virtually free.

Challenging Pessimism About Filmmaking

Considering how much fun filmmaking offers for a modest investment, I’d argue it’s one of the most cost-effective hobbies for adults.

If concerns about cost are holding you back from pursuing filmmaking, please reconsider. With creativity, you can enjoy making films without breaking the bank—so dive in and let’s create together!