Amazing Feature Film For Ten Grand

[deanl]

Hey there.

I have a question for you guys. Now It's aimed more at the
brits on the board but anyone who can help please feel free
to chip in.

Now without meaning to start a big old boring film vs
digital debate... Right off the bat, let's take film off
the table.

I'm really not interested on shooting it right now. I'm
talking digital baby.. All the way. And at a ten grand
budget I'm assuming we're looking at DV or HDV. Does that
sound about right?

Now if you had a great feature script and ten thousand
pounds burning a hole in my pocket what would you do?

You're script is good solid horror. You'd be happy as hell
if it ending up going direct to video at the local
blockbuster. And if it turned out to play a few festivals
and be nothing but an extended calling card you would also
be able to sleep at night.

It's an original take on a simple idea. You have a small
cast that you;re sure will work for free, including a semi
c list UK tv actor..

It's mostly set around one "cool" location you have
unlimited access too.

Still with me?

Right...

Let's say you own a Panasonic DVX100A and enough equipment
to be able to edit it to a decent standard.

What would you do with the ten grand? Would you go with the
DVX and spend your money on lights, a sound guy (with own
gear) maybe a DP if you cant find anyone to work for free,
a dolly track, a glidecam, decent tripod, Food, travel
expenses, make up person and whatever else you may be
forced to spend money on...

OR would you spend the majority of that ten grand stepping
up to a higher quality format? Like HDV? Just buying the
camera and a decent editing solution is gonna cost a fair
amount of that TEN grand.

What about renting. Would you think that's a better idea?

To be honest I've not really though this all through yet or
done any real research..

I guess I'm just wondering what you guys would do.

How would spend that money. Either way. By the end of next
year you would like to have a finished feature film sitting
on your dvd shelf.

Despin out.

[miker]

Good sound has been known to carry a poor visual. A fantastic visual will never ever disguise poor sound.

The Sony HC1 HDV cam is EOL and can be had for a tad under ?1K and records MPEG2 at 1440x960 (or something close) onto ordinary miniDV tapes. If I had money to burn, I'd buy it for my next project. But I don't.

An HD ready edit suite, say a MacBook + FCE, there goes a shade over a grand, maybe a grand and a half if you get a 500GB external drive to store your HDV rushes.

That's ?2K, maybe ?3K spent so far.

Keep your cast to a bare minimum. They may work for free, but they must be fed and given a roof over their head. On my 10 day shoot, this ended up being my biggest cost.

Get a dedicated sound recordist. Get a dedicated lighting-camerman (that's like a DP who knows how to setup a typical key light and practicals etc, and also knows how to operate the camera too). You might want to go all cinematic with the visuals, in which case get a DP, operator and focus puller. You want that camera to move? Get a dolly and grip and stuff. All costs money. How much depends who you know and if they owe you a favour.

Save at least ?3K for a marketing and PR blitz. Believe me, making the movie is the easy part. Getting anyone to give a damn is much harder work. Maybe sleep with journalists.

Make sure you script is the fucking best thing on this God's earth with a fantastic ending before you even think of giving yourself the greenlight.

[eidde]

Assuming that your crew are working for free, and includes lighting, and recording decent sound, I would probably spend this money on paying decent actors and paying for auditions and rehearsal space in order to bash out the really important scenes.

Certain things are expected in horror, make sure these are done well. Spend the money on that - might be doing good gory effects, or very good music for particular scenes, or dressing the set really well.

Like miker says - keep people happy with good food and accomodation. Again good sound can carry poor visuals, but never, it seems, the other way around... You may want to pay for song rights, or find a really good sound designer (and pay them).
A known peice of music can give your film more credability/familiarity than unknown music - same with actors, but your chances of getting a known face are slimmer I think (and tougher to get right)

On that note Jim Jarmusch's student film, Mystery Train/Or Stranger than Paradise - I forget which, has only one song playing throughout the soundtrack, artfully done again and again - so he probably paid for the rights to only one piece of music - cheap - but used it loads. (and it actually became a part of the plot.)

Of course make sure your script has a great ending and you know how you are going to film the ending to get the most out of it. Perhaps pour money into that - the BIG FINALE!

Just re-read your post.
If I owed a half decent camera there is no way I would spend the money on new equipment.
Story,story,story -
What do you want to do? make films? Or own lots of cool equipment?

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 22, 2006 07:37 AM: Message edited by: eidde ]</font>

[Nigel]

I shot a pretty cool feature for 10,000 bucks on film.

Preview here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogn9k...7re%20sleeping

Granted we were on a skeleton crew with 2 lights but hey we got it done in about two weeks. The final looks better that the trailer.

Back to the task at hand...

I would avoid buying as much as possible. Rent gear when you can and make sure you take the time to do good set dressing and casting.

Moreover make sure the script is tight and you are ready to shoot.

That was the #1 problem with the above film. It could have been 100 times better with more time and planning. But hey--It was only 10,000 bucks.

Good Luck

[m0d]

Sounds good Despin. I can only offer a short 2 cents. I'd spend as little as possible on the technical side because I know just about every aspect, lighting, camera etc can be done well, for cheap - and with internet resources you can find just about anyone to do or provide something for free.

I'd spend a large amount of it on sound - because sound is annoying and always seems to fuck up (well, in my world, anyway). The rest, I'd put as much as I could into either some kind of star or more importantly, lavish locations or some great "wow" moments in the movie. I'd make as higher production value as I could, whether that means decking locations out or simply finding some of the best ones...

Just try and give the audience something new. If only one moment of your movie sticks in the heads of your audience for the rest of their lives, that is what I would consider a major achievement.

Blow up a house or something [img]smile.gif[/img]

Best of luck!!!

[eidde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogn9k...7re%20sleeping

That looks great!!
Every cut in that trailer has bags of energy. I like the leading man (Nick Cave look-a-like-ish)

Good luck with it.

[Nigel]

Eddie--

Thanks.

It sounds like you like it more than me. It will be just fine but in the end it just doesn't look as good as I know it should have.

Good Luck

[rayko]

Blow up a house or something

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[GingeUK]

Sound would be one of the big ones for me. Like Miker said, audiences can deal with lesser visuals if the sound is great (for example Blair Witch Project) but cannot deal with bad sound and a good picture.

Acting would also be another one. You don't have to get an A list actor but spend some time auditioning and you can find some great actors for free. You might have got the best script in the world but if the actor you have playing the main part is awful, then the script don't mean jack.

Set dressing would be my final one as it makes the film and gives it a personality. little things such as mugs and pieces of clothing make it more personal.

[m0d]

...or have some freaky AK wielding monster thing swear at you, just as cool...