Most Important Skills For A Filmmaker At Humanist Films
Ming, a filmmaker at Humanist Films, emphasizes that filmmaking demands a blend of "highly technical skills," including writing, cinematography, and post-production expertise, alongside crucial "human skills" such as leadership, communication, and teamwork, noting that "it's really about storytelling and creating impact to help others." The ability to inspire collaboration and share "the joy of creating something" is as vital as mastering technical aspects of the craft.
Storytelling, Technical Skills, Teamwork, Communication, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ming Lai
Filmmaker
Humanist Films
UCLA
CSULB, M.A., English
English
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Creative
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Technical skills such as writing, photography, cinematography, editing, color grading, and audio post-production are essential for filmmaking.
2. Storytelling and creating impact to help others are crucial aspects of filmmaking.
3. Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills are vital for managing projects and teams effectively.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
Filmmaking is a highly technical art form. You have to learn many technical skills. As an English major, writing is also essential.
You also need to know about photography and cinematography, which are highly technical as well. I went to UCLA Extension to learn these specific things, as they are not always taught in school. If a film school doesn't cover them, you have to pursue them on your own.
There are many aspects to post-production. This includes editing, color grading, and overseeing post-production audio. It also involves music composition, sound design, sound mixing, and all the finishing tasks of a film.
But if we step back a bit, filmmaking is really about storytelling and creating impact. It's about trying to help others. So, those elements are important, but so are plain organizational and communication skills, and leading a team.
You package all of that together, and that's what filmmaking is. It may seem daunting at first, but it's really about being a great human being. It's about being compassionate to others' needs and inspiring them to work on your project.
It's about creating something together and sharing the joy of that creation. So, while there are highly technical skills, the human and soft skills are just as important.
Advizer Personal Links
humanistfilms.com, craftofspeed.com, visionsofwarriors.com