Interview: 4 Valuable Tips for Shooting Your First Feature Film
This is an interview with director Pearry Teo – I asked him to give 4 tips for filmmakers interested in making their first feature film.
I knew that he’d have some great insights for those filmmakers out there who are looking at shooting their first feature because he’s pulled himself up by his own bootstraps and learned how to make films the best way there is – by doing.
Pearry has an interesting career and years of valuable experience, from multiple films, to share with us.
Nick: Do you think there is a ‘right’ time for a director to make their first feature film? What if a filmmaker feels like they aren’t ready?
Pearry: There really isn’t a ‘right time’. Despite the budget, whether it’s $10,000 or $10M, you are still going to encounter the same problems and experience the same stress. A lot of filmmakers don’t want to start because of fear-based reasons.
One of the things holding them back is budget. Truth is – go out and make
There is no right way or wrong way to make a film. It’s not like cooking, where there can be a wrong way to do it and ruin the food. Film is the visual arts, so as long as you have a consistency and theme in your work, that is fine. Without fear, art cannot flourish. The fact that you are feeling anxious and perhaps even afraid is the very essence that fuels the most notable and successful directors in today’s movie-making world. that feature. Most of us have phones now that record footage much better than cameras I was using to make features 12 years ago (and at higher resolution). It is amazing how quickly you can find people as long as you can get them behind your vision. In the end, it’s all about communication. Communicating your passion is the first and most important thing.
Unless your film is experimental, my advice would be to focus on your script as a story. Hone your skills as a storyteller. You will find people that help you on your journey to be a filmmaker. But as a storyteller, that is usually a journey you begin by yourself. I have made at least 5 features that I thought were complete duds. You just have to go out and do it. Without making the mistakes, you’re not going to be successful. There is no ‘one film’ that will launch you to overnight success.
Nick: There are always a lot of filmmakers out there that are about to get started on their first feature film. What is the most important thing they can do to set themselves up for success?
Pearry: During the shoot itself, it is always important to listen to your instincts and ‘gut feeling’. It can be really tough when people around you pressure you and look at you for answers. It’s a matter of getting the noise out and listening to yourself. Ultimately, the film (your art) is a culmination of you as a person. What makes you unique? What are your life experiences? What are you sharing with the world? It’s about figuring out a style that works for you – that will become your branding.
One of the biggest mistakes I see first-time filmmakers make is that the decisions they make are not instincts-based, but rather ego-based. They make decisions because they ‘can’. Those are very different from the instincts you have as an artist. Ego destroys art.
Nick: What is the biggest blunder you made on one of your feature films – what would you tell your past self to do differently, if you could?
Pearry: I can’t answer that, because I would be writing a whole novel on its own. But as I said before, you need to train yourself to not listen to the noise around you and listen to your heart. It is definitely one of the things I am still learning to do. I’ve made decisions based upon budgets or trying to please a producer. Many months later, when I’m sitting alone, I realize I had the answers all along; I just did not listen to myself. I could have found solutions even when I was in a situation where there wasn’t enough budget, or I might piss somebody off by making a certain decision. In the end, the director is really the person who takes all the blame anyway, so you might as well do it your way.
I can’t stress this enough…
Listen to the pure voice inside you, untainted by the opinion of others.
Nick: What is one big thing that new directors tend to overlook that’s important to prepare for?
Pearry: There’s no right way to answer this because every director / producer is different and they all have different strengths. I’m a visual person, so I tend to study and prepare lookbooks (mood, lighting, production design). Another director might have a talent at working with actors, so find your strengths and really become a master at it. Better to be a master of one than a jack of all trades.
There are some things I think every filmmaker should do. Take some acting classes (to get to know your actor’s techniques and mindset). Take some photography classes (to get to know your DP and how to frame shots).
Most importantly, go out and experience the world. What makes you unique as an artist is based upon the combination of experiences that are unique only to you and no one else. You’re going to be sharing your heart, soul, and mind with the audience when you make a film. So go out there and feed it.
About Pearry Teo:
Pearry Teo is a writer/producer/director who has worked on such films as The Gene Generation (Faye Dunawau), Dracula (Jon Voight) and Curse of Sleeping Beauty (Ethan Peck). He is also the producer of such films as Day of the Dead, Tekken 2 and Cloud Atlas. He has also directed VR content for movies such as Hellboy (2019).
