The virtual Halfway There Drop-In Session was hosted Wednesday, October 16th, and we had a few first-time filmmakers join to chat about the festival, learn lessons from its history, and have their questions fielded by our team.
We covered everything from the importance of permits and releases to the value that’s come from our workshops, and there’s a few takeaways we’d like to share with folks who might’ve missed out.
You can’t account for everything when setting out to film, but covering questions in advance and taking steps to plan priorities can put you on the right track.
To that end, Derek Price recommended highlighting the most important shots on your Shot List, so you can be prepared for surprises that might trim your schedule down.
It could be something like…
“We have a unique location for only an hour. What are the four shots we need to make it count?”
Or maybe your plans get derailed by daylight or cast and crew availability.
Whatever hurdles show up, you want to be able to look at them and say, “Okay, no problem. Here’s the top X shots from what we had planned. We’ll shoot those and it can still work out great!”
If you have another filming date ahead of you, take a moment to review your priorities and make sure you can optimize your time on set.
Ask Questions:
• What can be cut?
• What could go wrong?
• What’s the intention of shot Y and can you capture it a different way?
Experience will net you more refined answers, but asking questions is how you get started.
From the equipment to the initiatives, filmmaking and the festival itself has grown a lot over the years.
Digi60 has gone from just breaking double-digits to seventy registrations this year, and the technology has come a long way from the grainy, standard-definition DV tapes that our board members remember well.
Back in the early days, it’d be small groups of folks making films with the same backgrounds and a lot of zombies, but there’s a lot more diversity of content and creators today.
Through grassroot efforts like Digi60, Ottawa has really established itself as a great gateway for new and emerging filmmakers to cut their teeth and sample the scene. And since you’re here participating in the festival right now, take advantage of where you are at every turn.
The technology, resources and overall landscape has never been better to find your footing, so keep an eye out for opportunities to try new things and explore your vision.
And remember:
We’re here to point you in the right direction if you don’t know where to look!
Whether it be on set or over the festival weekend, networking and making connections should be at the forefront of your mind. The cast and crews you rally together or join could be people you continue to work with and grow alongside in your filmmaking careers ahead.
Derek Price and Emily Ramsay could attest to that, too. They would help out on other films during their time as participants, and built their cohort from those collaborations.
While a lot has changed in the decades since Digi60 began, the community’s eagerness to help each other out has remained consistent. If you have questions that only experience can cover, there’s plenty of people willing to support you and share their answers.
The Ottawa Filmmakers Group on Facebook is a great place to find them. Even if that social platform isn’t your cup of tea, Kevin Burton couldn’t stress enough that it's worth making an account just to join it.
The films you make are certainly their own reward, but you’ll find that the friends and colleagues you make along the way are much more valuable. Treat them well and make sure you’re creating or facilitating an environment where you all get to grow in the ways you want!
Participants in the 60-Day Challenge have until November 14th, 2024 at 7:00pm to submit their short films, which must include the catch, theme or idea of BELONGING.
The 2024 Digi60 Filmmakers’ Festival will be held from December 6th to 8th, and tickets will be on sale November 4th.