Lars.Erik

Hey newbie... since you seem to be so new to everything i'll keep it simple. - think about the composition, take shots YOU think are good and make sure they can edit together. get close ups. two shots and a total. make a shooting plan for every scene. you don't have to follow it on the set. it just helps you if you get lost...as david mullens says...make sure you have some visual ideas... - for the lights...difficult. been working in the industry for seven years now and lights are challenging. don't know what kind of film you're making...but an ok way to approach the lights is to see where the natural lights come from. which direction. then try to lift them a bit with lamps. either pro lamps or you can always buy fluorescent lights...not as good at all but they're ok. you can take them out of their sockets, just keep the parts you need to get power in them, then they are lighter and can be taped to walls, ceilings etc. if you have a friend who is an electrician ask him/her how to do it. BUT make sure they are the one's with the purest color. OSRAM 950(daylight 5600K), OSRAM 930 (3200K). That's what they're called in Europe. Just make sure as i said, and i can't express this STRONGLY enough...the one's with the purest color. this will only work for the interior shots though. the ones with lower color pureness is poop...some are greenish other just makes the picture look dull and flat. - outside is tricky, hmi is the key...but since you have no budget...make sure you have big reflectors...to help you with the dark areas of faces etc. and the dencer the woods the faster the lights will fall. and the greener the woods...well green doesn't bounce light, it eats it up. - last but not least...focus on your story first and foremost...before cinematography even. (can't believe i'm saying that). but seriously...good cinematography NEVER saves a poorly directed film..but a good directed film can draw the attention away from a poorly shot film. good luck...