Directing your 60 Second Shakespeare
 You've got your script, the actors are ready and willing - now you need to shoot or record your 60 Second Shakespeare.
Here's some tips, hints and advice to help you direct your Shakespeare short.
General advice
Safety first!
Make sure that the location where you do your filming and recording is safe, and you're not going to hurt yourself or anyone else. It's easy to get so wrapped up in what you're doing when you're directing that you might not notice a hazard, so never work on your own. Also, don't use expensive equipment anywhere it could tempt thieves.
Tell the story!First and foremost, make sure you get the story across. Complex shots, scenes and audio will only improve your finished piece if they help tell the story.
Have a rehearsal before recording anything.
The actors can use it to get into their roles, and the camera operator or sound recordist can rehearse at the same time - making sure they know when they've got to change shot, checking that the sound is nice and clear and so on.
Don't shoot or record loads more than you need.
It might be tempting to give yourself lots of choice, but the more you shoot or record, the longer it will take to get it into the computer ready for editing, and the harder it will be to pick the best bits. And remember, you're going to have to watch or listen to it all back!
Keep a checklist.
If you have a lot of scenes, write up a list you can tick off as you finish them. It would be awful to finish and discover you've missed out a vital moment.
Filming advice
Use a tripod if you can.
Wobbly pictures are no fun to watch. If you haven't got a tripod, try rigging something up - put the camera on a table even! Only go handheld if there's a very good reason, and even then, don't wave the camera around all the time. You'll find the results really frustrating to edit if you do.
Make sure the light is behind you. If it's behind whatever you're shooting, then it'll come out as a black silhouette. Watch a Video Nation clip demonstrating this. (You will need RealPlayer to view the clip.
Try storyboarding your film.
Draw out a cartoon of what you want your finished film to look like. That way you'll have a much clearer idea of what shots you need to get. It doesn't matter if you can't draw - even a stick-figure storyboard will be really useful!
Don't overdo the zoom.
Zooms can often look a bit rubbish, frankly. Just move the camera in closer instead. Try taking a close-up and cutting between it and a long distance shot instead. It'll look a lot more professional. The same goes for moving the camera from side to side (panning) - it can be really distracting to watch, so only do it for a very good reason.
The more light, the better. Shoot in natural sunlight if you can, or if you're indoors, turn as many lights on as you can. Watch a Video Nation clip about this.
Use lots of different shots.
Shots you could use include different angles, close-ups on faces and objects as well as long and medium shots that show the whole of the action. You can also shoot "general views" of interesting details, and "cutaways", close-up shots of relevant action. Varying the shot will make your finished film much more exciting to watch.
Give yourself some space
Try to film so that you have at least ten seconds before and after each shot - it'll make sure you don't miss anything, and makes capturing your film and editing it easier.
Build your own dolly.
In TV and film, a piece of equipment called a dolly is used for moving (called "tracking") shots. It's like a little railway the camera runs along. You won't have a dolly handy, but you could try putting the camera on a chair with wheels (wheelchairs are particularly good), and pushing it for a tracking shot.
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