Arts & Entertainment

L-W Grad, Filmmaker Gives His Five Tips to Making a Movie

Former Frankfort resident Brad Podowski also screens his Halloween-themed short film, 'Lady Death,' at Friday's Halloween Haunting.

Brad Podowski might not have a Hollywood address, but that doesn't mean he's not serious about his filmmaking.

The former Frankfort resident and Lincoln-Way High School grad has been working on movies in the Chicago area for almost a decade, plying his trade as an editor, director and screenwriter. Podowski, who currently lives in Matteson, also worked with on his production, Barrymore's Dream.

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Podwoski's latest short film, Lady Death, gets a scary screening at the Frankfort Park District's Halloween Haunting on Friday. The short, which was "family approved by the Dove Foundation, a girl, Eileen, who tries to uncover the mystery of Lady Dead, a woman accused of poisoning three kids on a Halloween long ago. 

In anticipation of the showing, we asked Podowski for his five tips for aspiring filmmakers. Here are his suggestions:

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  1. Write a story with limited cast members and with locations that you know you can get access to.
  2. Set up a simple, free website (use a blog site like I did)  to show potential cast and crew members what your movie is about and also so they can get a sense of the quality of the project. Also set up a separate email address exclusively for your film.
  3. Take advantage of free sites like Craigslist, talent sites and mandy.com to post notices for quality, reliable cast and crew members.
  4. Work on other projects to build a network of people who share your same passion. Chances are they’ll be willing to return the favor when you make your own movie.
  5. Make sure you have enough hard drive space on your computer to capture and edit your movie. Use a free "video size calculator" available online to determine the amount of space you’ll need. HD (high definition) footage will take up a lot more space than SD (standard definition) will.

Halloween Haunting

When: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21
Where: , Frankfort
Cost: $10 at the door for wristbands that include unlimited access to the haunted house, inflatables, fun fair games, hay rides and other activities. You can get a $1 off admission if you wear a costume.


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