Write your story. Before there were movies, there were words. And before there can be an image on the screen, there must be a story. All kinds of things gets posted on YouTube and sites like it, but if you spend a little time sampling the videos on offer, you will discover that a video with any staying power has a strong story. A story, no matter how rudimentary, with a beginning, middle and end, will grab your viewers’ attention and make them hit the "Share" button--so your audience will grow.
Cast your movie. If your friends are willing to be your actors, that makes things easy--although you may want to hold auditions and cast some experienced actors. Most actors will do a director’s reel or demo reel just for the experience and a copy to use on their own demo reels. Write brief character descriptions and post them at your local community theater, on Craigslist or, if you live in Los Angeles or New York, in trade publications such as "Backstage." Have the actors submit pictures and resumes to you--anyone who looks right for your movie should get called in to an audition. At the audition, have the actors read a scene for you.
Scout locations. Where does your story take place? You need a permit to shoot in most public places, so pick a location within your personal access (like your house) or where you can easily ask permission from the owners.
Shoot your movie. Remember to shoot more than one take of every sequence. Shoot your scenes from various angles and from different characters’ points of view. This is called coverage. Make sure your lighting is consistent--remember to shoot all takes of the same scene under the same indoor lighting, or at the same time of day and the same weather conditions if you’re shooting outdoors. Make sure your actors are wearing exactly the same costumes and makeup, and that their hair is exactly the same each time. This is called continuity.
Edit your movie. With basic editing software such as Pinnacle Studio or a more advanced editing package such as Final Cut Pro loaded on your computer, you are ready to begin editing. Be patient, this is a time-consuming process. Hook up your camera to your computer and begin uploading your footage through your camera’s firewire or USB cable. The software will have to ingest your footage, and then you are ready to begin editing. Editing can be a very creative part of the process. Pick your takes of each scene and cut them together. Both Pinnacle and Final Cut offer tools to create interesting transitions from scene to scene. You may decide at this point to rearrange your story a bit. Many great films have been re-written in the editing room. Don’t be afraid to experiment--you have the raw footage on tape, you can always do it again. Most video-editing software packages also offer tools for super titles and title cards--so don’t forget to put in your credits.
Upload your movie to YouTube, MySpace or one of the many video-hosting websites on the Internet. Sit back and wait for the reviews--you are now a movie producer.