9 filmmaking mistakes and how to avoid them

What do the pros wish they could go back and do differently? Everyone has to start somewhere and, when stepping into the world of filmmaking, there is a lot to learn – from technical insights through to storytelling or finding your place within a large-scale production.

Making mistakes along the way is part of the learning process, but so is learning from others. Italian documentary filmmaker and TV presenter Roberto Palozzi, who runs video production company Erebus Productions and shoots wildlife, nature and history films for Italian TV, says he has learnt his craft through trial and error.

Roberto got his break filming wildlife in Antarctica – and he says the stunning scenery made up for his practical shortcomings. "Even though I wasn't experienced at all, I was in the middle of the frozen ocean with seals and emperor penguins, so it was quite easy to come back with good footage; not because I was a good filmmaker, but because everything around me was so fantastic."

Fellow documentary filmmaker Michael Zomer's roots are in extreme sports, having started out filming his friends skateboarding in the Netherlands, before moving on to film action for the likes of Discovery Channel and Red Bull. But today he increasingly focuses on documenting subcultures and filming with indigenous communities in remote corners of the world. "In the last couple of years, storytelling has become much more important to me," he says. "The best comment I could receive nowadays is, 'Wow, this story really got to me.' I've always been fascinated by other people, even without a camera, and I just love to connect with them and tell stories from the heart."

Director of photography and cinematographer Juan Luis Cabellos AEC is based in Madrid, where he has garnered credits on a huge range of Spanish series. His years of experience shooting for TV and film have taught him the importance of having a good attitude on the job.

"As a professional in this industry, you have to be reliable," says Juan. "A movie team works like a team that changes the wheels in a car race. If one fails, the car won't be ready on time. It is preferable that you are not the clumsy mechanic that slows down the operation."

Here, Juan, Michael and Roberto share what they have learnt from their years in the field, and reveal their top nine filmmaking mistakes to avoid when starting out in the film industry.

While it's good to learn everything that's involved in a shoot and it can be tempting to try and do it all yourself, Juan and Roberto warn against this.

"This is definitely teamwork," says Juan. "It's very important to know how it works, not only technically, but how to communicate with the rest of the crew, as this will help you to better understand the day-to-day running of a movie. Above all, be nice to people, whether you are the director or the last assistant. At the end of the day, we are not only a team but a family."

"I tried to do everything by myself," says Roberto. "That can work as photographer but not as a videographer. To control all the many variables in a video production, you can't be alone. If you want to shoot a good documentary, work with a team."

Coming from a photographic background, Roberto started out looking for the perfect shot – which doesn't always translate to video. "In photography you show an instant, but in video you must tell a story. A beautiful 20-second clip doesn't have a big value if you don't have a clip to go before and after it.

"I wish I could have understood that every clip is linked to the one before it and what follows. A deeper understanding of video transitions would have helped me a lot. If you are making a documentary, you must have in your mind the final result, which will come in the edit. If you know how the editing process works, you will film with that in mind."

Even after years of practice, it can still catch you out, says Michael. "I think I know exactly what I need, so when I'm in the field, I'm filming safe, meaning that I don't capture too much, so it's digestible in post-production. But sometimes I can go too wild with that, and I miss out on certain shots when I should have continued filming at that moment."

Juan also recommends joining a film school to learn your craft. "It doesn't have to be the most famous or expensive school – there's a wide range across Europe, so just look for one that suits you. You will meet people in the same position as you and participating in projects with your colleagues will give you experience and 'flight hours'."

"At the beginning, I thought that extreme shots were the best," says Roberto, who would choose 12mm over 45mm for wide-angle shots, favour extreme telephoto such as 400mm over 200mm, or push for a narrow depth of field more than necessary.

"Now I think that simplicity, smoothness and a natural look to your image is what you should try to achieve. If you need to resort to extremes, it means you are looking for something to make up for the shortcomings of your story. If your story is good, you don't need to shoot to extremes, and if your footage is simple and smooth, your story will be better."

One of Michael's biggest filmmaking mistakes was going into shoots in isolated jungles without a clear plan. "The places where I go are unknown, so you cannot always produce a plan, but even so, write a script," he says. "If you don't, you come home with all kinds of disconnected storylines. So, write the script from the knowledge you've gained and go in with that."

Post-production can't save everything, adds Juan. "The lighting mood must be created on set. The image on the set monitor must look pretty much as it should in final colour grading. Colour correction should be just a fine-tune adjustment to fix the little differences between shots and get the final nuances in colour reproduction. There are a lot of decisions, such as light direction, that you can't undo in post."

Juan also says you should always be careful with exposure and avoid an over-reliance on the power of RAW. "RAW files give us a great margin of action in post, but they are neither magical nor endless. Be careful with the aperture and also adjust the colour temperature so the settings correspond to the look and feel that you want to achieve."

"When heading to remote locations, you cannot just show up, so it's really important that you do your research," says Michael. When he wants to approach an indigenous community, he seeks out anthropologists who have previously visited the region. "I've been in so many places where just saying the name of an anthropologist or researcher gives you access, because that person has gained trust already."

Finding local translators is also essential and they can also assist with the practicalities of reaching isolated communities. "Sometimes it involves five days riding on a motorbike, or on a pack animal," says Michael. "I could not reach these locations myself, so you need to connect with locals and trust in their knowledge. And I love to do that. I think that's the key factor in making a production successful."

Some of the indigenous communities Michael films have rarely seen outsiders. "Let's say they've never seen a camera – it's quite a thing to show up and start filming right away," he says. "I always come with an open heart and a pure interest in their culture, but also share things about my life and culture, because they are interested in me too, and that's how you gain trust."

The size of your equipment plays a role here. "If we think about cultural sensitivity, you don't want to show up with a Christmas tree," Michael adds. "It's quite inappropriate to arrive with a huge camera. You want to have it as compact as possible which makes people relax and open up."

For his work in isolated communities, Michael leans on the cinematic capabilities of the Canon EOS C70. "I love the internal ND filters, that I can capture 4K and 100fps, and the battery life, because I've been in places where there was no electricity. It's the best camera I could imagine for my work."

Roberto recalls his early shoots, when he was laden down with incredibly heavy bags of kit. This was, in part, due to inexperience and lack of planning. He didn't know which cameras and lenses worked for which scenario, or even what shots he wanted to get, so he needed to cover all his bases.

"Over the years, my bag has become lighter and lighter," he says. "I try to only bring the things I am going to use – I want to be sure of what I want to do and not be in the hands of destiny. Now I know what I want to film, I know what equipment is right to reach my goal.

Michael also recommends keeping things simple. "One thing I've learnt is not to bring too much equipment with your camera. You should be focusing on the storytelling. Sometimes I'm busy with the focal length of the lens, or the depth of field, and getting this perfect image, but in documentary, it's the story that matters."

"It is very important that you know your tools well," concludes Roberto. "Knowing exactly how your equipment works means you know what you can and cannot do. This is why I film on Canon cameras – they have all the characteristics I need for my videos. When I shoot with Canon, I feel sure of the result."