Do not Pay

[randombob666]

HI,This is my first post and I am gonna make it a good 1, explining my frustrations

-Do not buy! Forget low budget film making, go for no budget filmaking.I emplore you pay for nothing. The bare minumum you need is a video camera, These you either already have or can borrow. There's nothing more disheartning than spending money that amounts to nothing. Anything can be got /used for free if you go about it in the right way,
Adobe-Premier cost= ?300+
Blank Cd = ?0.80p
copying costs nothing - see what i mean?
Speacil effects,? any thing can be achived for free, just be inventive.Don't pay actors - if anything - make them pay u,
a sutible location can always be got for free
- DON'T make 'fan' films - what is the point? It proves nothing about you to make 'The matrix in leeds' -come up with your own idea, if you can't think of anything original then - make a f**ked up film , that's what'll get attention.Don't listen to rodrigies, tripod's are good if you use em right. Throwing the camera roung might create energy but if you have low/no budget people will just assume your a bad camera man, a fixed camera allows you to frame a shot , hand held makes this almost impossible. For people getting shot - use the effect described on exposure.co.uk - If you want bullets exploding as they hit the ground then i can show u how do it for 10p a hit. Don't buy books on film making + scriptwritng, just learn through practice. Don't make your films quality rely on the soundtrack, expecialy if your limitng what you can do with your film by using copyrighted music. If you've made your film, then put it onn the intenet movie database - it's quite simple if you lie a little on the submission form, Work with what you've got don't have teenagers playing gangsters, ever! Don't ever pay people to acces your scripts. Don't make short films , name 1 popular short film that poeple with no special interst in film know of, Don't make drama films with non actors, If you making an independant film - then stick to horror, comedy or maybe action.Don't make films that are --' The exorcist meets the blair witch' - 'resvervoir dogs meets lock stock'
Don't relate your film to pre- excisting media products, DO not pay for sound eefects cd's you can either folley your self or download the wav's for free off the internet and import the sounds. You can borrow anything for free, if your young and intereted in film then you got no excuse for not being on a course, who will be quite willing to lend u eqipment.Ignore laws phobiting re-enacting crimes in a public place, if the police turn up, and u tell em what your doing ,they will more than lightly be willing to help, i.e drive up in the police car for u, people will let you do anything if u have got a vidoe camera on you.


That's all i have to say for now---

sorry

[wageslave]

Brilliant.
I dont know what to add to that, you a dead right.
The limits are only your imagination..

[randombob666]

Me again-

Remember, no-budget not low-budget, Being an independant film maker I feel decieved by lowbudget film makers, It's like when your watching an education video that try's to make you identify with the characters ,you can't ever truly trust/enjoy and educational video, cos u know it has a hidden agenda,-and that's what low budget film makers are to me, they try and convince you that they'r like you but they aint, you average independant film maker can't raise a budget and shouldn't feel that they need to. There's nothing in film that cannot be achieved on no-budget, that's the point and joy of the medium, the film maker controls what the audiece see's so if what they see look's shit then it's cos your showing shit . Remember the most important words in film making ' we'll sort it out in the dub/edit'.If you have raised a budget then people will charge you, iF u have nothing then people will see that they can get nothing from you and let you do it anyway.I'm not saying don't spend money if you need to , just that 95% of the time you don't need to even when you think you do. Also if your making an independant film,then tyhe best bet is horror, what would you rather see a film that's realy bad but has a load of people dying in funny gorry way, or a film that's bad and is just full of bad actors spouting crap dialouge?. By the way does any1 wanna challange my no budget, theory , i.e - Anything can be achived in film without a budget?

[wageslave]

I remember how my heart sank when I heard that low budget meant less than 5 million pounds. Now I titter mildly when I hear people saying no-budget costs less than 200,000. It doesnt. No budget means no budget.....

However if you use no money at all (which is impossible, but anyway...) if it does costs you nothing, then sure, you can make something that can be watched and listened to, is 90 minutes long and has a few people speaking in it. It might take you 5 years to do at the expense of your social life and it could be fairly entertaining, but it wont be how you imagined it in the beginning. You might tell yourself it does but it wont, it will be what it is.

Because things do cost money. Some basic things do. Be they film scraps, developing costs, a bit of costume, a train ticket, food for the crew, whatever.
Just depends on how much and where that money comes from.
Some people have skills that they sell. The more professional they are the better their skills and the less likely they are to do something for you for nothing. So yes, I disagree with you. Quality costs money. Ramshackled footage cobbled together on a PC doesnt nessecarilly cost you anything, but it wont ever be as slick as MI2. (for example)

[Matt J Heaton]

Well, I have to dissagree with a few things.

You say don't make fan films or shorts; shorts because they aren't popular and fan films because they are'nt original.
But surely its all valuable experience. OK so people don't really know about shorts, but its not like you're going to be turning out cinema or video quality films at first. (or maybe ever) A short film can be a valuable learning experience without taking up much time. Plus they are much more suited to online viewing.

I also think books can be very valuable. They can help you avoid potentially expensive or disheartening mistakes. And of course you can learn at times when actual filmmaking isn't possible.
I don't think I really need to point out how useful books are.

I agree with most of what you say though, and I always admire enthusiasm. I just think spending some money on key things is far from a bad thing.

Oh, and I don't think horror, action and comedy are the only genres a no budget filmmaker should attempt.

[SouthWalesFilmClub]

1. Right -- no budget means not having to pay for ANYTHING.

2. When the film is cut and ready to be shown, don't tell any potential buyers that it cost you nothing. Tell them it cost you a fortune..

3. Make short films.. they're your calling card. Enter them in festivals around the world, send them to producers -- get an agent. Even Spielberg and Zemeckis had to make a short film to get in the business.

[This message has been edited by SouthWalesFilmClub (edited January 29, 2001).]

[randombob666]

Ok, sometimes spending money is a good idea, I was just going to an extreme to get my point over,I was just saying that you should only pay for what neeeds to be paid for and not spend on everthing even thought the same thing can be achieved with no money at all. I was just saying be inventive, don't throw money at the problem.

[Joel Cox]

Who said having fun and work can't go hand in hand? I'm gonna spend the rest of my life making films. And having fun. At the same time.

Anyone who is stuck in a job that isn't fun is a fool. What's the point of life if you are unhappy?

I guess that describes a lot of people. That's a shame.

[Joel Cox]

I just thought I'd like to add something.

I'd say the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy yourself.

I have made a few short films, they are alright, I tried my best. But if I had gone through each little detail and been bored out of my mind, it would have been wasted time.

So,

what you've said + have fun = a film

[SouthWalesFilmClub]

yes, have fun if it's a hobby. If you seriously aspire to make films for a living -- work hard!