Hey everyone, I have to do a 5 minute + fictional WW2 video for History Class and I need some suggestions.

1) Everyone says they hate seeing the Saving Private Ryan shaky look now. Should I use it.

2)Should I make it really gory? Or let the class use its imagination (keep in mind its a high school).

3)Any way I can MAKE my own German stick grenades at minimal cost and a mounted machine gun?

4)Approx how old should my actors be? (Their was quite a mix in the war between old and young. The plot will be driven by a lot of emotion).

Thanks in advance.

Film Director is not a name,
It's a lifestyle.

Not being a huge critic or viewer of action war films, or very experienced with gore, i offer the following suggestions:

Use the shake somewhat if you are looking for a really chaotic, really tense, really fast moving action sequence. Don't do a five min. rollercoaster, noone likes throwing up after 2 min. of a movie.

As for the gore, i'd through in a scene or two of some gore. I wouldn't make it to disgusting (don't want the teacher pissed) but i think it would add some realism and intrest parts of your class/audience.

As for actors use what you can get. Do it right, teennagers will be plenty believable. However, if you can get them, 20-25 y/o actors would be great, and even a few older men thrown in, why not?

good luck

1. There's nothing wrong with a LITTLE shakiness. I suggest you tinker with the shutter speed on your camera for this effect. The higher the shutter speed, the more chaotic and strobish it will look.

2. Don't make your film not gory at all. Don't make your film so excessively gory it's ridiculous. Just find a happy medium between those two. And make your gore look realistic (Don't you dare use ketchup!)

3. I have no idea. Frankly, I'm glad I have no idea.

4. Cast actors in their 20s and in their 50s, I would say (if possible).

Hope this helps!

As to stick grenades. Take some wood dowl, or a broom handle. Top it off with a can (such as a smaller juice can like individual servings of Tomato juice come in) paint accordingly.

The machine guns a bit more difficult. You could do it but it would take time, money, and skill. Just get some pics and start. Heck a box the size of a shoe box (but made of something a tad bit more sturdy, like wood,) some PVC pipe, and whatever you can paste along and paint to give it dimension. Drill holes in the PVC, add a larger cuppling to the end. It could be done.
Good luck.
R. Michael

"Luck, is when opportunity, meets preperation." "There are 3 sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth, and none of us are lying" -Robert Evans
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I've done this before, and it's always rather fun.
Do whatever your teacher will get away with, and always say its in the name of historical accuracy. I've been blessed with having some really tolerant teachers, so I got away with bloody explosions and coarse language.
As for the mounted MG.
Well, there is no direct tutorial on how to make them.. HOWEVER
In Star Wars Fan circles, there are tutorials on how to build heavy stormtrooper blasters. How does this affect me you ask? Well, the heavy stormtrooper blaster WAS a German MG34 with no modification. So you build this, just make sure you give it the right paintjob and you have a mounted machine gun.
A bit of work, but worth the effort
here, link:
http://empireprops.freeservers.com/mg34break.html
Have fun with this.
--Steve--

"Don't be that guy who doesn't film stuff!"