Get yourself a script. You can write one, get one from a friend or (if you’re not going to distribute your film) use a favorite story. Your film must tell a story, so you have to start with a script.
Create a storyboard. A storyboard is a set of sketches that represent each camera shot. Visualize the story in your head and sketch it, shot-by-shot. The more successfully you do this step, the more efficiently you will be able to make your film.
Generate a shot list that indicates the location, time of day, actors, costumes and props that will be required for each shot.
Lay out a shooting schedule. You don’t need to shoot your movie in chronological order — in fact, that’s very rarely done. Instead, look at your shot list and see what makes sense in terms of managing the logistics of locations, actors and other factors.
Set up your sound recording kit. Depending upon your budget and crew, this can be a fancy boom microphone feeding into an on-set mixer or a handheld mic plugged into your camera. Don’t use the built-in microphone on the camera, though, because it picks up far too much background noise.
Set up your lighting kit. This can range from multiple generator-fed lamps with diffusers and reflectors to nothing but ambient lighting. Create enough light to get the shots you need, but don’t let lack of fancy lighting keep you from shooting.
Review your shots immediately with your video camera. You don’t need to wait for a film lab to check the quality of your shots. Screen on-set so you can re-shoot scenes with unexpected flaws.
Transfer your video to your computer and edit your movie. Good editing makes the story seamless and sets the pace for the unfolding story.
Invite your friends over to see your film. Accept criticism, learn from your mistakes and make your next film even better.