Anything Goes : New to this Sh*t! by Jason Stow

Step one: an excellent script.

An IDEA :)

First off, an idea; then the script. Storyboard the script so that you can see it from all angles, and what you have learnt from the storyboarding, use when you rewrite the script. Then sleep on it for a fortnight or so and come back to it. Any bits that sound weird or jar rectify - otherwise go ahead and gather cast and crew etc.

Ask yourself if it is for art or money. Start with a script. Asking distributors about what is selling or what is popular is a good start for choosing a genre. Make yourself a workspace. Storyboards can be a lot of work, I would develop the script. Read it and rewrite it, read it and rewrite it etc. etc until you feel it is good. You don't have to write it yourself. I optioned a script from a writer to produce.

Okay, step one is a script. Step two is money. Most beginning filmmakers who are new to this sh*t finance their own projects - or with friends and family. Step three is scheduling. Step four is gathering a cast and crew.