How to make a feature length film on a ZERO budget

ARTICLE How to make a feature length film, especially on a ZERO production budget by Teja McDaniel Upon moving to Australia in October 2005 and inquiring about the film industry, I was told that there was hardly any work. I was also told that one needed a production budget of $500,000 to $1 Million to produce a feature length film. When mentioning the $3,000 film The Magician by local film maker Scott Ryan, I was met with cynicism and ridicule. Not one to let naysayers dictate my aspirations, I set out to prove the point that money shouldn't be an obstacle. Within the first two months of being on Australian soil, I had written a script and was directing and producing with 4 other production crews, an international espionage film called 5IVE. We have shot on 4 continents, 6 countries, 12 cities with over 85 actors on a production budget of ZERO. Currently, we're 90% edited. Now for those in the audience, who are starting to try to pick holes in this, please don't bother. However, if you have a dream and really want to make something happen, please read on. First things first: Do you have an idea? This is not to be confused with having a clue, since it is debatable how many geniuses are short on their marbles. What is your idea? WAIT! Don't tell anyone, not even Mum if she tends to be negative and put things down! If the critics don't know what you're up to, they cannot destroy the dream. More importantly ask yourself a series of questions: • Is this your first film? If so, have you at least read Robert Rodriquez’s “Rebel without a Crew”? It is not the end all be all to make a movie, but it is very informative and inspiring. Having inspiration will help you get through those difficult challenges that will inevitably come. • Have you ever worked on a film

before on the production end? If not, I refer to the book above. Spending 3 to 4 years in a University Program will teach how to make a larger budget film, usually shorts, not shoe string budget feature. Mind you, that until you make a “Look What I Made” film, no one’s spending a big budget on you. Plus, AFI won’t look at you unless you’ve had success before and it’s an Australian Heritage concept. Hats off to Shane Abbess, director of “Gabriel”. • Is this a high concept film, i.e., special effects, period piece, tons of costumes, big sets, explosions? If so, save it for a later film to be done in your career, however don’t forget it. File it for your second to forth film, since I love it already. After all if they can make money from sequels of Ocean’s 11, Dare Devil, Electra, Predator vs. Alien, who says you don’t have a gold mine project? • If you plan on shooting outside of your local vicinity, do you have the means to travel to that location and sustain a production? If not, keep it local. • Do you have associates in different parts of the world that can get their hands on a decent camera and splurge the $25 for 5 digital cassettes, plus postage to you? If not, you will probably not be making an international film. Look at this first film as a stepping stone for the next project. I will not lie to you and tell you we didn’t spend anything on the making of 5IVE. However, we did not have a set budget. I also spread the word to every producer to keep things to the KISS rule (Keep It Simple Stupid). If you consider that Scott Ryan’s film was shot all in Melbourne, with a handful of people for $3000, we did pretty well with all the logistics of 5IVE spending only twice the amount Ryan spent. It comes down to resourcefulness. So think to yourself, “what can I write that will require the least amount of people in the least amount of locations in the shortest amount of shooting time, with the few bucks I have?” The best story lines are the ones that come from the heart and I don’t mean romances. Is there anything you feel strongly about? Are you mad at certain politics, are you passionate about cars, do you fear for wildlife. There you have: Fahrenheit 9/11, Christine, and March of the Penguins or Happy Feet. It all starts with a script and if you don’t have something you are passionate about, you will stumble out of the blocks. If you are not a good writer and have difficulty with dialogue, don’t worry, so does Sly Stallone. I must say though, that Rocky was a great “feel good” film and Stallone broke his ass to get it made. Do you have the courage as well? More importantly, Rocky was successful since it touched its audience. To start shooting your film, this is what you’ll need: A good story, so what if everyone is monosyllabic. • A digital camera. Beg, barrow, but don’t steal, since your bail will be more than the film’s budget. • Why digital? If Lucas, Spike Lee, etc. are shooting on digital why can’t you? If you haven’t heard, 35 ml film stock costs a fortune. • If you haven’t done a full-on production before, keep the cast small, really small. You will be devastated when people promise to show up and don’t. If you have at most 4 to 5 people in the cast, who are dedicated, you will more than likely have fewer problems, especially when people are not getting paid. Also with a small handful of people you can work out percentage points. • What are percentage points? For every dollar made on the film, someone who has been “contracted” (Please use contracts with everyone) a % point will be paid a portion of that dollar. For example if I have 10% of a film and that film makes $100,000 when it’s sold, I would make $10,000. It’s better than working for nothing even though there is no guarantee the film will make anything. • A crew: Director (If not yourself) and make sure they share your vision or bring to the table something that you feel enhances your vision. • Cinematographer. Get someone who you can communicate with, who knows what they are doing. I had a cinematographer who had to be told five times what I wanted, before understanding. Despite showing him the storyboards, when I would ask him to shoot a tight shot of an apple, he would do a long shot of a banana. Unfortunately, I was not the main producer with the power to get another cinematographer. If you haven’t shot a film before, search through some cinematographers as they will help you make your film look better. Take a look at each one’s reel and don’t just fall in love with the first one. • Lighting Crew (This will help your film look better); packages are around $150 to $200 a weekend. Make sure the rental place, gives you all the lights included in the package you’re paying for and extra bulbs. • Sound Crew (After all silent films haven’t come into vogue again and digital cameras have horrendous mikes). This can run a slight bit more. • The Editor (The prized individual, who will take your material and help make sense of it all). Get someone you can work with, collaborate with, and help enhance your film. With all these individuals you can offer % points. • Secured locations. Nothing like showing up and the place is closed or waiting for the place to be opened, since the person with the keys forgot about your little inconvenience. Did you foresee anything like a construction project going on next door the day you are shooting? If you are shooting outdoors, what if it rains? Can you shoot an alternative day or alternative scene? • Do you have relievable actors? Those that will memorize their lines, be rehearsed, and show up not only on time, but just show up? Did they get scripts before the shoot date to learn their lines, since one will have to do more takes when an actor doesn't know their lines? • Props: If the script calls for a glass of water or the passing of a note, you need a glass of water and a note...you cannot pretend, it's not like doing an improvisation and mime an object. Make sure you have everything needed that will be needed to be seen on camera. • Additional equipment: Lights, Sound, Slate, Log Book, Film/Video Tape, etc. • Extra Stuff: costumes, make up, furniture, did I mention FOOD and DRINK? Careful about costumes and makeup, the more elaborate the film the more expensive it will get to make. It will be better to think present day, as most everyone has clothing that is representative. • Always remember that not everyone will be as passionate as you are about your film. The big thing is: Plan ahead when shooting. Unlike SCUBA diving where you plan your dive and dive your plan, otherwise shit happens; with films when you plan your shoot and shoot your plan, shit will happen anyway. Sometimes it will be unexpected great shit! Sometimes, well shit just happens. Be flexible; don’t get hung up on the unchangeable. It is okay to divert from the plan sometimes, but have one to start off with. If you just wing it you will more than likely not finish this film and find yourself over spent on something unfinished. Here are some things to keep in mind: • Every page in a screenplay (proper form) equals a minute of movie time. Schedule out what scenes will be shot on any given day. I recommend 6 to 8 pages per day or roughly three short scenes at the same location and more time for action sequences as you will have multiple cuts and need multiple set ups. • If you are shooting 4 people trapped in a room together with no other locations, and everyone is up to speed to do a performance from beginning to end, you could do the shoot in one day. So, it depends on your projects specifications. • Storyboard your script even in stick figure form as it will help you communicate with your cinematographer and keep track of the sequences you’ll need later when editing. • When shooting, please take some cut away footage. Even if you are a detailed nut bag, and will make sure that every set piece is in the right place, nothing is more frustrating than actors who change their physical continuity every take. It will make the editing a nightmare. You can keep the scene flowing seamlessly by taking shots of the clock in the room or the paper stuck in the fan. Next time you watch a film, look for those cutaway shots. • Take more than two angles of every scene unless it is a specific shot to comply with the style you are incorporating. If it is a scene of dialogue for more than 30 seconds, do your master, over the shoulders, cutaways and close ups. Audiences get bored quickly and idling on one shot too long draws them out of their interest. • When shooting: slate and write down your efforts on a log sheet, this will keep your editor from killing you with a blunt instrument like his mouse. • If you do not know some of the expressions I am using, Google them. • Ask family and friends to supply food and not just candy bars and spaghetti for those working on your film each day and that means drinks as well. Like the army your film cast and crew moves on its stomach and if you don’t consider this an important part of your film, you will have a problem on your hands. • Find an editor who wants to get some credits and has his or her own equipment. Again, review their previous work. • Lighting will make a major difference for your film. Otherwise you will make a very two-dimensional-looking film. • Plan, Plan, Plan. Not everyone can get away with making a film like Francis Ford Copola. Then again he has Oscars and huge budgets to pay people with and you don’t, so plan. • Rehearse your film like a play and make sure everyone is up to speed. Nothing slows your production down like retakes when people don’t know their lines. • A schedule: Think about what you need to accomplish by a certain time. For example, if you are scheduled to start shooting by 9am and don't start until 10:30am, you are already behind 1 1/2 hours and if you only have a location to shoot 4 scenes in till 12 noon, you're so screwed. Everyone needs to be punctual, even the Producer. If you don’t take your film seriously, no one else will. Here are some of the best concepts for “no budget” or low budget films that have been done before: • Lifeboat, Hitchcock (Not a low budget film if you consider the actors, but wow, they save elsewhere) • Rope, Hitchcock (Think about it, like the title, made on a shoe string) • Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the first one) • Evil Dead (not the musical) • My Dinner with Andre (Two guys eating dinner and discussing life) • Open Water (Forget the crew, but the Sharks didn’t complain about the craft services) • The Deadliest Game (Mostly shot in the woods) As you can see there are many aspects involved with not only shooting a film, but especially a nearly no budget film. Hopefully this has answered some questions and I wish you all the best with your endeavor. Still feel in the dark? Understandable, I’ve only skimmed through the process, but if you are interested in learning more as well as an opportunity to network, I will be conducting a free seminar in Melbourne early 2008. Just leave your contact details and future aspirations at: SymmetryMM@gmail.com