We are living in exciting times. You no longer have to have be a Hollywood big-shot with multi-million dollar investment to make a movie. The success of low-budget movies such as Kevin Smith's Clerks has given rise to a movement dubbed 'guerrilla filmmaking', involving low budgets, skeleton crews, simple props and a can-do attitude.
As co-author of The Guerrilla Filmmaker's Handbook (opens in new tab) Chris Jones puts it, the idea is to focus on what you have, not what you don't have. "At the end of the day, filmmaking is simply a series of tough decisions, backed up by your creative talent," he writes on his blog (opens in new tab). "By focusing on what you have, instead of what you don’t have, you can actually get your film made now."
Jones' website is full of insightful and practical articles, written by industry experts, to help you on your way. Here we've picked out some of the best, focusing on how to keep your budget down, and ways to raise cash for your movie. Enjoy!
01. Shop around for cheap kit (opens in new tab)
High-quality camera equipment is coming down in price all the time, and it's now possible to get a full kit for less than you might think. Chris Jones asked the film community ‘what would be the ideal camera kit for £1,000’, and he's compiled the results in this article (opens in new tab). Of course, new kit and new discounts are appearing all the time, so it will pay to do some serious shopping around. Also check out our own recent article on How to choose the right movie camera (opens in new tab).
02. Shoot in one location (opens in new tab)
Find the right location and it's possible to fulfil multiple story locations in one place, saving you a heap of time and money. If that's not feasible, then look at the locations you can afford and tailor your screenplay to match what is available. This blog post (opens in new tab) offers eight top tips for maximising your location and illustrates the approach with a real-world example.
03. Use open source software (opens in new tab)
If you’re planning on showing your film on a large cinema screen, you’ll probably need a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) to get the best picture quality. This used to be something that would set you back tens of thousands of pounds - but open source tool OpenDCP (opens in new tab) has changed all that. This video (opens in new tab) by Danny Lacey explains how you can set up your own DCP at home, cutting out the facilities house and putting the power back into the hands of the indie film-maker.
04. Use minimal crew (opens in new tab)
You're going to need a big crew to make a movie, right? Wrong, according to Ken Simpson. In this insightful article (opens in new tab), he reveals what can be achieved with a crew of two and budget of £500.
It may sound insane, but Simpson breaks down exactly how it works in practice, with some detailed and useful tips. For example: "If you’re smart about it, a moving camera combined with some creative blocking can do the job of 2-4 stationary camera setups." Here's another: "It’s very easy to park a car in your driveway and spray a garden hose on it." A must-read for all low-budget filmmakers.
05. Learn to compromise (opens in new tab)
No one wants to compromise their artistic vision. But everyone has to, even at the very top of the industry (Alfonso Cuarón would have shot 'Gravity' in space had money been no object). So guerrilla filmmaking, like any endeavour, has to be about cutting your cloth to fit the available budget. This article (opens in new tab) explains how to do so, offering six 'commandments' to ensure you complete your movie on budget and on schedule.
06. Tick off the investor checklist (opens in new tab)
It's a simple question - Why would anyone invest in your film? - but one that a surprising number of filmmakers fail to prepare adequately for when meeting potential investors. This checklist (opens in new tab) features a range of tough questions they will probably ask, plus hints and tips on how to answer them in ways that will put their minds at ease.
07. Consider crowdfunding
Crowdsourcing investment for your movie is the hip way to raise finance for your movie right now, but it isn't as easy as it looks, and it comes with a lot of potential challenges in terms of meeting crowdfunders' expectations.
Here are some insightful articles from those who've been through the process and want to share the benefit of their experience:
- Top seven tips on crowdsourcing from Iron Sky creator Timo Vuorensola
- 5 tips on making your crowdfunding campaign stand out (opens in new tab)
- Crowdsourcing and the currency of generosity (opens in new tab)
- How crowdfunding is changing the 3D industry (opens in new tab)
08. Success is possible! (opens in new tab)
One of the best things about guerrilla filmmaking is that you're standing on the shoulders of giants - others have paved the way and are often happy to share the secrets of their success. This revealing guest blog (opens in new tab) by producer Bethany Clift explains how she and writer/director Pete Handford secured a UK distribution deal for her £30k horror movie Heretic, with advance. In the article she explains six things that they did to get the deal signed - another must-read.
Delivered in conjunction with ZED!
This content was produced in collaboration with HP & Intel as part of ZED (opens in new tab) - a Pop-Up Studio for the Creative Community held in Soho, London. For more information about ZED and any future events see here (opens in new tab).
