ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

8 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Hi Max,

It'll help people get an idea if they can help if you list some more details like when, where, how long for, how much money you've raised, etc :)

8 years, 6 months ago - Max Khan

Thanks .
I have a question for you....you know what I need someone who just tell me how much money I would need to shoot a short film .....do think I need a producer for this ....I mean how I can tell what sort of budget I need and other stuff....plz suggest me or guide me how one can start a project..

8 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Hi Max, it could be the cost of running around with your mobile phone camera for free or it could be £50k, depending on so many things, principally the script.

I'd suggest starting out by using your phone camera and free basic editing software and just get making - you're lucky to be doing this in the late 2010's as the technology you have to hand is hugely powerful and you can experiment for free.

Maybe try taking a local filmmaking course or joining a local group, just get involved with other people that want to make films and start learning together

8 years, 6 months ago - Glyn Carter

Hi Max - If your project is for experience / experimentation, I'd suggest keeping costs right down, and so if possible make more than one film. Use whatever equipment and locations you have already, or can get for free. Use friends and collaborators who also want experience, so you only need to cover transport and food.

As Paddy says, a mobile camera (or DSLR) will give you a good enough image for Vimeo or You Tube, and both can be used creatively. The same can't be said for the sound quality, so getting an independent mic/boom/recorder may be a priority, if you have dialogue. (At the very least, test the sound recording quality of your camera at your location recce).

If your film ends up being not as good as you want it to be, you haven't spent a whole load of money on it. If it's good but the low budget shows in terms of the production values, you can always shoot it again with a bit more money behind it. And having learned some lessons from the first run, you'll probably spend less overall, and do a better job, than if you'd dived straight in. Good luck!

8 years, 6 months ago - Nicola Gaughan

Firstly I would suggest reading Producer to Producer by Margaret Ryan. It's a great book about creating films on limited budgets. Admittedly larger budgets than you probably have, but the principles still stand, of being creative etc.

Secondly as the others have said you can make a film with any type of budget, it's not necessarily the money you have, but how you use the resources you already have.

I've written, edited and produced a 10 mins short film, which was long listed for the Winchester short film festival and got into an online festival in Santa Monica. This was our first film and we had no budget at all. The actors took part as favours and/or to start off their acting portfolios. We blagged locations, either borrowing a friend's house, or sweet talking the people in the right position at the location we wanted to use (RAF Hendon). We had a limited crew: the director, who was also the cameraman and myself who acted as boom operator, location manager, casting manager, craft services and odd job woman, making sure that any issues were quickly solved and helping the director stay calm and focused on what he needed to do.
Although we had no budget, we did ensure that we fed and watered our cast well, paying for any food/drink required during the various location shoots, travel expenses and a wrap meal.
We're now almost finished filming our 2nd short with the same set up. This has enabled us to get 1 film under our belts and a 2nd in progress to showcase our work to interested parties as we both have feature films that we want to make, with obviously bigger and better budgets :-). It's given starting actors something for their showreel.