“Low budget filmmaking is a process that can at times be arduous, but the pay-off is one of the most creative forms of fulfillment that can be achieved by a modern day storyteller. It is with this concept that we will cover some of the most basic steps of low budget filmmaking. Keeping these rules in mind will prove to be a savvy move.

Spend sometime and get to know your camera and its features before your shoot. Practice shooting simplistic scenarios. Familiarize yourself with the instruction manual, take nothing for granted. This could save you hours of critical time during low budget filmmaking projects.”

Read the rest of this article from Screenwriting Basics.

“Recently I have seen alot of press about crowd-funding and alternative ways for film makers to generate funds to finance their film projects. I’m sorry- I but don’t get it. What do these people need all this money for? Can they make films with virtually “No Budget.” Yes indeed they can. In this modern age- the less you spend to make something the easier it is to turn a profit. This is obvious economics. If you have no initial investment to recoup then the first dollar you get from a DVD sale or VOD play is the first dollar in your pocket.”

Read the rest of this article from Go Kustom.

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Sign up now for your own FREE monthly subscription to “The Director’s Chair” filmmaking ezine and get: (1) Day One of my 210 page multi-media Online film directing audio course, “The Art and Craft of the Director Audio Seminar” and (2) the first 24 pages (plus mp3 audio) of my 144 page “Script Breakdown and Film Scheduling Online Course For Independent Filmmakers.”
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“Producing a low budget (or in some cases no-budget) independent film is a lot of work especially when you consider all the creative and technical people needed to make it a reality. Making a “good” film is even harder because so many individuals need to be brought together in order to craft a single cohesive product – a singular vision of which usually starts from the imagination of the producer.

This vision is than passed down to the rest of the production crew, so, in order to produce a good film you need to be aware of some of the elements of being a good producer.”

Read the rest of this article from Diary of a Filmmaker.

“Low budget filmmaking is a good way to start a career in filmmaking. There have been many instances of low budget filmmakers making it big in their own countries and even internationally. So if you believe that you have the potential to make good or even great films then why not prove it by making an effective low budget film. You never know it might just turn out to be your ticket to filmmaking success.

But of course it is not a cakewalk and many aspiring filmmakers end up with half done or completely trashy projects and lose confidence in themselves. If you intend to make a low budget film, the following tips are going to help you ensure a satisfying experience.”

Read the rest of this article from Mister I Digital.

“Low budget filmmaking is a good way to start a career in filmmaking. There have been many instances of low budget filmmakers making it big in their own countries and even internationally. So if you believe that you have the potential to make good or even great films then why not prove it by making an effective low budget film. You never know it might just turn out to be your ticket to filmmaking success.

But of course it is not a cakewalk and many aspiring filmmakers end up with half done or completely trashy projects and lose confidence in themselves. If you intend to make a low budget film, the following tips are going to help you ensure a satisfying experience.”

Read the rest of this article LoveCount.

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Sign up now for your own FREE monthly subscription to “The Director’s Chair” filmmaking ezine and get: (1) Day One of my 201 page mutli-media Online film directing audio course, “The Art and Craft of the Director Audio Seminar” and (2) the first 24 pages (plus mp3 audio) of my 137 page “Script Breakdown and Film Scheduling Online Course For Independent Filmmakers.”

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“My email box was ablaze this past Friday with news that Paramount was forming their own micro-budget film division.  The goal is to make twenty $100k no-budget features a year.  After their success with “Paranormal Activity,” (a film they DID NOT PRODUCE, by the way), this sounds like a case of ‘give the guy a rope and now he thinks he’s a cowboy.’  All I can say is, “good luck!”

As someone who has devoted most of the last 15 years to no-budget filmmaking and spent the last six years specifically working on this kind of a multi-film model, not to mention the last five years teaching no-budget filmmaking and making my own no-budget features, I have this cautionary note for Paramount:  it’s harder than it looks.”

Read the rest of this article from Film and Music Forum.

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Sign up now for your own FREE monthly subscription to “The Director’s Chair” filmmaking ezine and get: (1) Day One of my 201 page mutli-media Online film directing audio course, “The Art and Craft of the Director Audio Seminar” and (2) the first 24 pages (plus mp3 audio) of my 137 page “Script Breakdown and Film Scheduling Online Course For Independent Filmmakers.”

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“How many times have you heard or read the phrase “in this wintry economic climate” or something similar over the past few months? Several, I bet. As the money falls out of the industry however, the indie filmmaker retains an edge over his/her studio counterparts. The indie filmmaker is used to working with a low budget, cutting it in half might mean a loss of £500, not £500,000.

The indie filmmaker usually has time on their hands to commit to their project. They are resourceful and they are already up for a challenge. The indie filmmaker is passionate about what they are doing. The indie filmmaker, in short, should not be put off by this wintry economic climate; they should relish it as part of the challenge.

It will however, mean changes as the slashed budget might not prioritise fancy kit and expensive equipment rental. A more imaginative approach is needed then; an indie filmmaker has to be willing to get their hands dirty to get their vision on screen. In view of the tighter restrictions on the budget, we have come up with a list of ten bits of useful kit that can add a more professional touch to your film but can be made at home quite cheaply instead of bought or rented for exorbitant prices.”

Read the rest of this article from Raindance.

The Ten Commandments of Filmmaking
How to Work (and Survive) in the
Film and Television Industry
by Peter D. Marshall

“Let’s face it, anyone who has created a low, or no budget film knows there are quite a few more than 5 steps in making a no budget film. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll group many of the smaller, individual steps into 5 main categories…”

Read this article from Screen Writing Basics.

The Ten Commandments of Filmmaking
How to Work (and Survive) in the
Film and Television Industry
by Peter D. Marshall

“A new service called Hukilau is offering low budget projects, like independent films and alternate reality games (ARGs), funding through a concept known as “crowdsourcing.” The service allows members of the Hukilau community to become producers of independent films or remain consumers, by watching and rating the films.

The service gives ARGs a new platform. The hope is that the Hukilau community will participate in independent-made alternate reality games, and provide feedback to the puppetmasters. If the Hukilau service works, it’s nothing short of revolutionary.”

Read the rest of this article from Movie Viral.

“201 Things You Wouldn’t Know
Without Movies or Television!”

“I’m writing from New Zealand, where I’m happy to be observing the creation of ‘The Insatiable Moon’, a film based on Mike Riddell’s 1997 novel.  It’s eye-opening to see the process that I’ve been criticising for so long – as Jett says, it’s HARD to make a movie.  I can see that now

Some thoughts thus far:

There was a time when the term ‘independent film’ was a near-guarantee of quality or at least interest – making a film like ‘sex lies and videotape’ or ‘Reservoir Dogs’ required so much superhuman effort that it was a miracle if they were even finished. Distributors, alas, needed an economic reason to invest, rather than merely their aesthetic sense, and if your small film with no stars didn’t happen to be lucky enough to attract the attention of a wealthy gatekeeper, it wasn’t likely to be released.”

Read this article from The Film Talk.

The Ten Commandments of Filmmaking
How to Work (and Survive) in the
Film and Television Industry
by Peter D. Marshall