top of page

Make a Poetry Film
HINTS & TIPS

On this page we share some basic steps to help you get going with making a poetry film. There are also resources from other generous practitioners.
We hope you will find inspiration here and if you want to learn in a supportive environment you can sign up to one of our online Poetry Film Courses.

Poetry film combines poetry with images and sound. The poetry can be text on screen or spoken as a voiceover, images can be still or moving, sound can be a combination of a voiceover, sound effects and music. I’ve always thought of poetry film as a form of poetry – if you are a poet, it may be helpful to approach poetry film with that idea in mind.

​

There are different styles, genres, and types of poetry film. It’s good to watch as many as you can, but it can seem overwhelming. So, to make it less complicated, for now maybe just start with something based on a specific location. Maybe the location of the poem or where it was written, or somewhere you know well.

​

You can include as much imagination as you can bring to it: blurring, layering, repetition and so on.

Make a Poetry Film...

Poem

​You may already have a poem in mind. 

 

If it is a detailed poem, consider having more abstracted images and perhaps an emphasis on the physical voice. Whereas a poem with more space can have more detailed visuals. With either approach you will still be leaving space for the viewer’s imagination.

​​

​

Ask yourself how your images and film will relate to the poem? Think about the tone and the mood of the poem and the film. What is the intention of the poem? What do you want to convey?

Images/Film

Start to gather film on your phone. 

 

You could record:

  • Elements – wind, rain, sun, snow

  • Movement – Walking, running, water

  • Nature – animals, landscape, fauna, trees

  • Environment – roads, pavements, transport, buildings, walls, fences

Use these as prompts to stimulate ideas. If you don’t use them for what you have in mind right now, they will come in handy for something later.

​

Try something different to the obvious. Reflections not only give a different, perhaps unexpected viewpoint, but can give meanings of its own. Repetition – moving water can be monotonous or mesmerizing/hypnotic.

​

You can also use still images.

Recording Images

Find the best shots

  • Different angles, distance and movement can create a range of emotions, such as power or unease, intimacy or distance, and convey information.

  • The tendency is to hold your camera in front of you in the middle. But, looking up often reveals something, and shooting from below can make something appear larger and more dominant. Looking down can show vulnerability.

  • Close up shows intimacy or menace. The longer the shot remains on the screen the more intimacy or fear the viewer experiences.

  • Being further away from a subject can convey a sense of distance or loneliness.

 

Camera Movement

  • Camera movement, or movement within the shot, can suggest calmness and order or disruption, chaos and anxiety:

  • Moving the camera left to right or right to left, or tilting the camera up or down, can reveal something, add suspense and anticipation. Something moving into the frame from the left feels more ‘natural’ than entering from the right.

Sound

Sound may include:

  • The spoken poem

  • Ambient or background sound. These are the sounds that make you feel like you are there: wind through trees, water, the hum of people or traffic.

  • Sound effects like car tyres, a door closing, footsteps.

  • Music

​

Make the best recording of your voice as you can. See Kevin Brook's video further down this page.

Finding the Shots in Endlings, a poem by Angela France

Editing Software

Editing is the process of putting your film and audio together and rearranging it. You can do this on your phone, but you will have many more options if you edit on a laptop or computer.

​

Some editing software to consider:

Any online search will give many options for editing software to choose from, and many people have their favourite. Here are some to consider:

  • iMovie (iPad, iPhone and macOS Free for Apple users)

  • Filmora (Mac and PC) Filmora has a perpetual licence for Mac users.

  • CapCut (iOS, Android –

very popular but made by the company that owns TikTok ...) 

  • Movavi (macOS and PC)

  • PowerDirector

  • LightWorks 

  • VideoProc

  • Canva Video Editor

  • DaVinci Resolve (macOS and PC – free version and pro version)

  • VN - Video Editor Mac and PC

  • Final Cut Pro (macOS – advanced and expensive)

  • Adobe Premiere Pro (macOS and PC – advanced and expensive)

​

​

All these programs have excellent tutorials available online. You'll need to spend some time learning your way around your chosen software.

Editing

Transfer the recorded footage from your phone to the video editor. (Search online for how to do this for your particular phone.) 

 

Select the clips you want to use and arrange them in some particular order on the timeline of your video editor. and putting

 

Apply transitions to join the clips. This can determine the duration of the shot, and, the type of transition to the next shot.

 

Add Filters

Most filters are designed to alter the colour and movement of clips. Filters can enhance the overall aesthetic of the film.

 

Edit the poem and/or the title

Think about how you might edit the poem for the film. And/or editing the title.

 

Edit the Sound

Don’t give sound less attention. Sound can bring it all together.

  • Close your eyes to focus on listening to your poetry film when you're editing it. You’ll hear things you didn’t know where there.

  • Don’t add music too soon - it can make your work seem more complete than it really is.

  • You can enhance sound when editing, but you can’t make bad sound good.

​

Finally

Export your poetry film to youTube and vimeo, and share it!

 

Equipment

No specialist equipment is needed. You just need something to film with and something record audio on – which may or may not be the same device. 

 

You probably have a phone that will  record good footage. You can use your phone to record a voiceover, but if you can, get your hands on a voice recorder as it will generally record voice much better than your phone. 

​

A small tripod and phone mount is a good and relatively inexpensive option for phone users. Alternatively, an electronic gimbal stabiliser enables stability when moving the phone camera, especially allowing for various shooting angles without unwanted camera movement.

There are plenty more tips and ideas in my chapter 'Making a Poetry Film' in the Nine Arches book Poetry Projects to make and Do

​

With an array of real-life examples from experienced poets, Poetry Projects to Make and Do provides imaginative case studies and inspiration for readers to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. Each essay encourages experimentation whilst also supplying plenty of practical tips and guidance.

                                                                                                                              Nine Arches Press

Poetry Projects sm.jpg

Using 'The Desktop Metaphor' by Caleb Parkin, James Knight explores one way to approach making a poetry film

​

​

Helen Dewbery Talks about creating and using Transitions.

​

​

Chaucer Cameron presents a short history
(but not a complete history!) of poetry film

Dominic Weston shares his top tip for when filming yourself reading a poem.

Kevin Brook from Soundbite Recording shares tips on how to make better voice recordings at home.

Where to find free to use images, sound and music

 

Here are some places to start a search for License Free and Creative Commons licensed video and sound.

Some require payment, and some are free:

 

Video

  • Prelinger Archives: archive.org/details/prelinger

  • IICADOM (The International Institute for the Conservation, Archiving and Distribution of Other People’s Memories): archive.org/details/iicadom

  • Pond5 Public Domain: pond5.com/free

  • Pexels: pexels.com

  • Pixabay: pixabay.com/en/videos/

  • Video Blocks: videoblocks.com/

  • British Museum: britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx

  • The Nasa Video Library: images.nasa.gov/

  • VideoHive: videohive.net

  • Storyblocks: storyblocks.com

  • Beachfront B-Roll: beachfrontbroll.com/

  • Footage Crate: footagecrate.com/

  • Movietools: www.movietools.info/ (Background animations)

  • Videezy: www.videezy.com/

 

Sound

  • Freesound.org: www.freesound.org/

  • FreeSFX: freesfx.co.uk

  • Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org/

  • Community Audio at archive.org: archive.org/details/opensource_audio

  • BBC Sound Effects: bbcsfx.acropolis.org.uk/ (These are released under the RemArc licence, meaning they can be used for ‘personal, educational or research purposes’.)

  • Moby Gratis: mobygratis.com/

  • Video Blocks: www.videoblocks.com/

  • Incompetech: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/

  • ProSFX: prosoundeffects.com

  • Epidemic Sound: epidemicsound.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

©2024 by Helen Dewbery.
 

bottom of page