Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas’ Post

Making a film for the first time can be overwhelming. Especially when you sit and think about: ~ Getting a good story; ~ Getting the right screenwriter who will pen your story to perfection; ~ Getting the right crew that understands the vision and is willing to team up with you to bring it to life; ~ Getting the right cast that will interpret the role perfectly; ~ Securing funds; ~ Getting the right location, equipment, and many more. Honestly, imagining all this alone is daunting. But here is one thing I always tell my clients when they complain to me. TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME. Start with getting the right story. That one story that you are excited to tell and you strongly believe that your target audience would easily relate with. Then proceed to engage a suitable screenwriter for it. Trust me, a compelling story that is scripted well would have little or no issue attracting the right talents and investors. Then take your time to create a strategic and convincing pitch for your shortlisted investors. Before you know it, what seems like an insurmountable mountain will become a piece of cake that can be chewed bit by bit. Trust me, the fear is in the overthinking. Take one step this week and another next week and before you know it, you will be announcing your release date. Try it, it works like magic. Always remember, your favorite film lawyer is rooting for you💪💪 Quick question, how did you get over the overwhelm when you made your first film? Share your experience with us in the comments. PS: Inspire at least one filmmaker today by sharing this post. _ _ _ _ _ Hi, my name is Omotayo, I help scriptwriters and filmmakers like you protect and monetize their content and brand to enable them create generational wealth. Follow me Omotayo Queen Inakoju to get free tips on how to build a profitable and legally protected film business. #filmmaker #filmproduction #scriptwriter #filmlawyer #nollywood

Envision your life as a #blockbuster #film, and you're the #mastermind behind it! What role do you play? Whether you are naturally a #producer, #director, #screenwriter, or the show's #star, each role plays a vital part in the world of film and the grand #production of #life.   Some people can successfully play all parts, known as Multi-Hyphenates. But they are rare. The rest of us need the support of our family, friends, and community. This is where the beauty of others comes in—to support, enhance, and co-create our lives. By acknowledging our strengths and the strengths of others, we can produce a rich life story interwoven with #diverse perspectives and deep #connection. Our #workshop is designed to help you think about your life through the lens of filmmaking. Whether you identify with one role or a combination of many, remember that every great film relies on collaboration. Your story is yours to create, but it doesn’t have to be a solo production. This is good for #leaders, #directors, #teams, #community groups, and #organizations.   Join Us! Let’s craft #stories worth telling (and living) together! https://lnkd.in/gK76Fj4w

The Return: A Masterpiece of Subtle Storytelling In the age of fast cuts and spectacle-driven narratives, The Return stands out as a testament to the power of restraint. This is a film that dares to trust its screenplay and performers to convey the depth of a story without overindulgence or shortcuts. At its heart, The Return is a war veteran’s odyssey—not a triumphant march home but a reluctant journey steeped in regret and inner conflict. The screenplay is a masterclass in understatement. Rather than spelling out emotions, it leaves gaps for the audience to fill, trusting us to connect with the character’s struggles on an almost visceral level. This is storytelling that respects its viewers, challenging us to listen to the silences as much as the dialogue. Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, and Claudio Santamaria take this restrained script and elevate it into something extraordinary. Ralph’s portrayal of a man consumed by the weight of his experiences feels profoundly human. His silences speak louder than any monologue could. Juliette’s presence, though less dominant, adds a layer of quiet resilience. Their interactions are not grand romantic set pieces but fragments of connection—deliberately fleeting, subtly profound. While it’s natural to long for the breathtaking chemistry they shared in The English Patient, the restrained intimacy here feels purposeful, crafted to serve the story’s emotional tone. One of the most striking aspects of The Return is how the screenplay serves the actors. It steps back, offering them space to build the narrative through their performances. This is a rare kind of filmmaking, where the director and writer understand that the human element—the glance, the hesitation, the unspoken—is often more powerful than any line of dialogue. In a world saturated with loud storytelling, The Return is a whisper that demands to be heard. It reminds us of the power of true cinematic storytelling and filmcraft: not just an escape, but a mirror to our humanity, a question to ponder, and a reckoning with our choices. #Films #movies #filmmaking #screenplay #filmcraft #stortelling #actor #actress #filmdirection #producer #story #filmproduction #dialogue #writer

I wrote the first ever @Mavins Entertainment short film. Some things I learnt from this👇🏽 1. I didn’t know who the client was at first, and that didn’t make me less professional or accessible. Great things can begin from small places. 2. In that time, I had been struggling with writing scripts because of one bad review I had gotten. I took this as a challenge and to see the very positive reviews on the storytelling, makes me really glad. Never stop because you failed once; fail and fail again until you succeed. 3. Stop hiding. For those who know me, I like to retreat and hide. If not for my network, I may have missed this opportunity. You can be private and still be known for what you do. Nobody lights a candle and puts it under a bushel. 4. Grow your network. Volunteer. Collaborate. While I thank God for the opportunity to have done this, I recognize the networks I had was what got me here. People I did not expect to, spoke about me in rooms I had not entered into. 5. Believe in yourself. Do not be weighed down by imposter syndrome. If you got here, it is because every step you had taken led you here. I hope these five lessons spoke to you🤗. At the moment, while I look forward to more opportunities in the film industry, I am working on my first feature length film. Cinema standard, it promises to be beautiful and exciting. Thank you for reading. I hope to see more of you! #filmindustry #scriptwriter #creative

There's no one killer first line for film pitches. However, going back to how the project all started can help you to capture their attention and structure the beginning of your film pitch in English. What are your suggestions for how start film pitches? 😊

What I learned about writing from directing my short? Script is not something you lock and don’t change. It changes constantly, every day, even between takes. Basically, you write it in pre-production, rewrite in production and then rewrite again in post-production. Locations and actors influence the script and the picture you had in your head, when you were writing it. Locations inspire you and give a specific flavour to your scenes, enhancing you to change it. Rehearsals with actors help you figure out which movements work, which don’t and which movements seem more natural at that moment. These are my main intakes so far😉 🎬 Have you had a similar experience when writing or directing? Share your thoughts in the comments! #filmmaking #writingprocess #directing #creativejourney

In the early days of cinema, legends like Martin Scorsese had to rely on memory and imagination, sketching storyboards by hand to capture fleeting moments of inspiration. They didn’t have the technology we do today—just a burning passion to create. Yet, in an era where we have every tool at our fingertips, many of us find ourselves paralyzed by the pursuit of perfection, fearing the flaws that are inevitable in any creative process. This latest micro film ‘The Move’ was born out of a simple challenge: create something meaningful in just six hours. From the initial concept to the final edit, every moment was fuelled by the collective energy of a team united by a shared vision. In just two hours, Josee and I wrote the script, then Joseph brought it to life through the lens, and I had the privilege of directing and editing. It was a seamless collaboration where everyone pushed forward, driven by passion and a common goal. This experience reminds me of the power of collaboration and the magic that happens when creatives come together with a singular purpose. When we set aside our fears and focus on the process, we unlock limitless possibilities. So, let’s keep creating, pushing boundaries, and collaborating. If you have a vision or an idea, reach out—together, we can make something extraordinary. Let’s make a movie. #filmmakerslife #writer #producer #director #actor #shortfilms #aspiringfilmmaker

Storytelling is what I love most.

One of the reasons why films don’t turn out great is because, (especially in advertising), shoots happen mechanically. A huge storyboard is stuck in the corner, and everyone on the set simply tries to replicate the frame. And it’s natural because generally there’s no next day of the shoot. What it does is, it tends to eliminate every organic possibility that a live set brings. Moreover, scripts are treated like gospel, and the creators tend to think that they have already figured the whole thing out. And in such a practice, one of the biggest factors is ignored: that a lot of people are freshly approaching your process, especially actors. Trained actors. And I have a feeling that every actor is, somewhere, a writer. Every actor has the ability to improve the script or alleviate its weak points with minute interactions. One trick to accessing their reservoir of ideas is to observe them closely without letting them know. Sending assistants to spend time around them when they rehearse the script. Because that’s where they tend to connect the dots between the pages in their hands and the lives they live. Once you know where the actor is coming from, what bank of emotions that individual is drawing from, the process of directing becomes easier and more creative. After that, it’s about finding a way to let the actor feel what’s written on your paper. The performance they deliver is twice as natural and intriguing as a mere recitation of lines written on the paper. #FilmmakingInsights #OrganicFilmmaking #ScriptEnhancement #ActorAsWriter #CreativeCollaboration #ObservationalDirecting #EmotionalPerformance #AuthenticFilmmaking #ActorInsights #BeyondTheStoryboard