Movie Making Advice – Making Film on a Budget

It’s no surprise that there are many facets to making a film. You will have to strive, put your best foot forward, but also you are have to money. Starting with expenses at pre-production to pay for your crew and actors to the expenses associated with post production, every moment of creating a film costs something. For those just starting out, however, focusing on a budget is the only option they are fully aware of. If you are making your first film, it is necessary that you simply budget resources accordingly, while you probably don’t have a great deal to work with.

So, how will you accomplish an excellent film while still working affordable? You actually need to make a plan and execute that intend to the letter. Because you aren’t using a large amount of funding, you need to plan everything out meticulously, in an effort to avoid mistakes as you won’t have a lot of room for changes. Make a list of your plan and ideas and become very detailed about them. Then you have everything organized in front of you and you can make a plan for filming based on that.

Obtaining a good writing staff is among the biggest hurdles for all those engaging in low budget film making. Anybody who is worth their salt as a writer will wish to charge a large sum for the rights to a screenplay. Without having the budget for any professional, you are able to look into students at local colleges who might be interested in working for a much smaller price. They could be interested in just getting their work on film.

Then you need to discover a crew and cast your film as the next step. This may not be that difficult since you may possess some friends who’re prepared to work for alongside nothing, otherwise nothing, to assist you or simply for the experience. There are always actors who’re seeking to beef up their resumes and including an indy film on the list could sound excellent to them. Take a look at ads in trade magazines, Craigslist, or again make contact with local colleges.

There has been a lot of technological advances recently, you have a lot more access to post production equipment and technology. Working with a studio is really a top of the line way to go, consider we’re referring to low quality film making, you should be willing to roll up your sleeves and obtain to operate. If you’re not, you should setup those who are prepared to handle post production in advance.

If you’re just starting out, working within a budget on your film will inform every factor of your film making. Even though you might have some obstacles due to the budget, you are able to still create a good film. The best movies ever were made on low budgets, and you may be surprised to understand that. It’s not concerning the investment property to make the merchandise, it comes down to how well it is produced and presented and the final film.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
low budget
TAGS




Leave a comment

Feature Film Production

This is visual story telling. If you don’t have a crew and are doing all the filming yourself keep in mind that good lighting techniques can make a huge difference on the quality. Film making is as much art as painting a picture so a media limitation based on expense should not stop anyone from experimenting with the art of film-making.

The major stages of a major Feature Film production with lots of money are:

1.Development

In the development stage a producer comes up with an idea for which a script is written(and rewritten until it is perfected). A script can also be obtained from many sources as scriptwriters are always attempting to get their scripts purchased.

2. Preproduction

In preproduction the movie is planned and cost is established. Also the producer will hire a crew.

Smart producers know how to maximize the final product by getting the best actors that fit their roles within their budgets.

On a large film budget this could be hundreds of crew members but on less expensive films, skeleton crews are established based on the following positions.

a. Director. (Responsible for acting and creative elements)
b. Assistant director. (Manages shoot schedule, logistics & more)
c. Producer. (finds actors)
d. Location manager. (finds film locations)
e. Director of photography or cinematographer. (Photography)

f. Art director. (production sets, costumes plus provides makeup & hair styling services)
g. Storyboard artist,
h. Production sound mixer.
i. Composer. (creates music for the film)
j. Choreographer.

3. Production

This is when the actual filming takes place based on shooting schedules, locations and film sets. The director can request multiple takes on scenes until he is satisfied that his ideas are expressed.

He will review daily recorded video and determine if scenes have to be re shot. A couple of notes about obtaining pre shot background footage is that royalty free footage is very desirable as there are no delays in negotiating with content providers who are attempting to maximize their profit.

Royalty free footage also means that you buy it only once and use it as many times as you wish.

Always go for the latest format available. If you are buying today then it only makes sense to buy High Definition(HD) footage.

Downgrading HD to lower formats is easy, It is very difficult to make older formats look good in HD.

I recommend you make your movie using 35 mm unless you are using a Red, a Viper or the Sony F23. The 35 mm could then be transferred to digital(preferably HD) using a process called Telecine for cutting and editing.

4. Post Production

Here the editor assembles the footage and formulates a rough cut of the material. Most directors work very close with editors to identify the most important shots to represent their artistic ideas. Some directors rely heavily on their editors judgment and present them with many additional hours of footage, allowing them to decide what gets cut from the film.

Editors are normally very artistically inclined and make tremendous contributions to projects so finding a good one is important. Here is also where special effects and color correction are finalized and implemented. Check the software listing editing software and look at either Adobe After effects or Magicbullet for color correction software.

5. Distribution

Large films funded by the major studios are distributed to theaters they are affiliated with. Lower budget productions can be distributed via DVD, VHS or even Internet. For lower budget features many filmmakers present their works at film festivals in the hope of getting picked up by one of the big studios or their subsidiaries. Ideally Feature film production, at it’s best, is about having good actors working on a well written script supported by a good crew and lots of time and money.

This is almost never the case and corners are usually cut everywhere.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
low budget
TAGS



Leave a comment

The Great Debate – HD Vs Film?

The great debate is on…HD vs Film. Which format best suits your particular project?

The HD world has changed dramatically over the past few years. Many believe the gap between film and digital video has been closed with the advent of new ultra-high resolution, 35mm-sized, single-chip HD cameras that offer superior color reproduction and exposure latitude comparable to 35mm. All professional filmstyle HD cameras are capable of true progressive frame, 24 frames-per-second (24p) capture and provide other film-style features, such as multiple frame rates, variable shutter and cine-like gamma curves that mimic the tonal qualities of film. In addition, all of these cameras accept 35mm film lenses and accessories (some require adaptors such as the P+S Technik Pro35 and Mini35) which assures the exact same focal lengths and relatively shallow depth-of-field associated with 35mm optics.

The movie industry has changed radically over the past decade. Now there are distribution opportunities for small independents that never existed before. Indies have already proven that they too can be successful and profitable at the box office. While HD cameras are now affordable and in the hands of many independent filmmakers, the rules still stand that to be successful in the movie market, you need to make good films. Film festivals and internet sites like YouTube have opened the doors to Indie filmmakers, providing easy access to large audiences. The number of film festivals around the world has exploded, from a handful to literally thousands and each festival receives hundreds and thousands of entries. Both Panavision and Arriflex have joined the digital revolution, recognizing the increased demand for digital acquisition, especially in TV and Indy film production where budgets are tight. A typical 100-minute low-budget feature production will save over $150,000 shooting HD versus 35mm and save $50,000 over 16mm. On a low-budget production, these cost savings are significant.

The digital workflow has taken over film in many areas, especially in post-production. Almost all editing today is performed on non-linear systems and the vast majority of special effects are created through a digital pipeline. In addition, HD is becoming the universal format for distribution, including HD television broadcast and home entertainment (HD-DVD and Blu-Ray HD players are now on the market). HD theatrical distribution will soon follow. Currently, the movie industry spends close to a billion dollars per year on prints, shipping, insurance and other costs, all of which will be eliminated with satellite distribution of HD films for 4K/HD projection. The projected cost savings to the movie industry is enormous and will ultimately be the driving force that will propel the world into HD exhibition.

Exhibitors will also benefit from HD projectors that are solid state and require little maintenance. Pricing on HD projectors will drop dramatically with economies of scale and will quickly be amortized considering the significant savings in operating costs compared to 35mm projection. For example, showtimes can be programmed into digital projectors allowing automatic start and full automation, thus eliminating the need for projectionists and saving theater owners time in training, salaries and expensive worker’s compensation premiums. Landmark Theaters has already begun the process of installing HD projectors into many of their theaters and others are following suit. Conservative estimates suggest that 50% of all theaters in the United States will be converted to HD projection within the next five to seven years and over 80% within the next ten years.

HD offers several distinct advantages over film during shooting, such as immediate playback and monitoring of your finished image. LUT’s are used to define different looks for the film or the final look of the film print and output that look onto a high-definition display. LUT’s can be saved for future film projects or episodes should you want to replicate a similar look. Camera settings can also be saved for future projects so that you can match a particular look exactly (very handy for TV series production). HD monitoring allows you to catch things and make corrections on the fly, while you are in the moment. HD cameras excel over 35mm at locations where you have mixed light sources and don’t have the luxury of setting up your own controlled lighting. HD cameras can white balance, film cannot. HD also excels over film in the effects world, where it is possible to view green and blue screen composites on the set, fine-tune alignments in real-time, and give the director a close representation of the finished product.

While there are many who continue to argue that HD is, and will always be, inferior to film, the truth is an HD feature properly lit and exposed looks very close to 35mm and the aesthetic difference is virtually transparent to the audience. Your average movie patron really doesn’t know or care what format the film was shot in. All they really care about, and all that really matters ultimately, is that they are entertained. A great story with the right cast and skillful directing goes a long way and it certainly stands to reason that as more people become used to watching HD films, the “look” of HD will become the accepted “norm”.

The writing is on the wall. Film will still be the format of choice for a while, especially on large budget features, but eventually one could certainly speculate that the entire process of making films will be entirely digital.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
HD
TAGS



Leave a comment

Film Making Tips – Making Movies on a Budget

It’s no surprise that there are many facets to making a film. You will need to work hard, put your best foot forward, but you are also going to need money. Starting with expenses at pre-production to pay your crew and actors to the expenses involved with post production, every moment of making a film costs something. For those just starting out, however, working on a budget is the only option they know of. If you are making your first film, it is important that you budget resources accordingly, as you probably haven’t got a lot to work with.

So, how can you pull off a great film budget while still working within your budget? You really have to make a plan and execute that plan to the letter. Since you aren’t working with a lot of funding, you need to plan everything out meticulously, in an effort to avoid mistakes as you won’t have a lot of room for changes. Make a list of your plan and ideas and be very detailed about them. Then you have everything laid out in front of you and you can make a plan for filming based around that.

Obtaining a good writing staff is one of the biggest hurdles for those engaging in low budget film making. Anyone who is worth their salt as a writer is going to want to charge a large sum for the rights to a screenplay. If you don’t have the budget for a professional, you can look into students at local colleges who might be interested in working for a much smaller price. They might be interested in just getting their work on film.

Then you need to locate a crew and cast your film as your next step. This may not be that difficult as you may have some friends who are willing to work for next to nothing, if not nothing, to help you out or just for the experience. There are always actors who are looking to beef up their resumes and including an indy film on their list could sound really great to them. Check out ads in trade magazines, Craigslist, or again get in touch with local colleges.

There have been so many technological advances in recent years, that you have a lot more access to post production equipment and technology. Working with a studio is really a top of the line way to go, but since we are talking about low budget film making, you should be willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work. If you are not, you should set up people who are willing to handle post production ahead of time.

If you are just getting started, working within a budget on your film is going to inform every aspect of your film making. Even though you may have some obstacles due to the budget, you can still create a good film. Some of the best movies ever were made on low budgets, and you might be surprised to learn that. It isn’t about the money spent to make the product, it’s about how well it is produced and presented and the final film.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
TAGS


Leave a comment

Movie Production Insurance, Film Permits, and Location Agreements

A practical truth I have learned with smaller budget indie projects is it works better for a movie producer to not have to depend on a lot different locations. This cuts down on time consuming company moves of actors, crew, and equipment from location to location. Breaking down film gear and setting up at each new location burns through film budget money and can cause filming problems that hurt scheduling.

To help get the most production pop out of a film budget and schedule is by searching for one or two key locations that can support as many scenes as the shooting script will allow for. The best way I can put it is that you want to be able “shoot the hell out of a filming location.” When breaking down your shooting schedule make notes on how many different sets one location can possibly be used for. In some cases one area can be shot from various angles giving the illusion it is an entirely new setting.

This allows the director and director of photography to shoot some great stuff because the actors and crew are ready on set without rushing off to a new location. Plus equipment does not have to be constantly broke down, packed, and unpacked at another filming spot. All the creative weapons are right there ready for a movie producer to pull the trigger on making entertaining cinema that will find an audience through meaningful movie distribution.

Another time and money saver is to look for filming locations that are close together in order to cut travel time down for each planned company move. This is common sense, but even good old common sense deserves repeating from time to time. Scheduling a successful movie shoot requires solid logistics on how to get actors, crew, and film gear where they need to be as easily as possible.

Always have film location agreements prepared for location owners to sign. Templates for location agreements can be downloaded online through different filmmaking sites. This agreement grants you permission to film your movie on an owner’s property. Many indie filmmakers do not bother with film location agreements, production insurance, or film permits. They are shooting a “run and gun” project, which is cool, because in reality it rarely becomes an issue that comes back to bite an indie produced project in the ass. Not to say that it has not caused problems for more than one independent “run and gun” produced movie at some stage.

I personally take enough gambles and risks in my life as it is, so I always cover my ass with film production insurance to make sure that actors and crew are covered against accidents on set. It also covers property damage to locations and is needed to secure film permits to avoid being shut down at a filming location. It is a part of the entertainment business where every indie movie producer at the crossroads will determine their movie’s fate.

Shooting locations can get pushed down on the priorities list of an independent movie producer, but it is tougher to secure places you can shoot a film at than you might expect. Renting space on movie sound stages or private residences can get costly for indie budget films. There is an added expense of buying a film production insurance policy to protect actors, crew, and the project as a whole. If you did not plan on buying a movie production insurance policy your best bet is to find locations through friends and family where your word is your bond. They never ask if you have production insurance or film permits like with sound stage facilities. That is what is good about family and friend support of an indie movie.

Maximizing the least amount of locations to shoot scenes will give you more peace of mind and freedom to get truly creative. Actors, crew, and producers can spend less time dealing with company moves, and spend more time working on location to get a movie done with gusto. Film production insurance is extremely affordable for indie projects. Contacting companies to get quotes online is a breeze. Every state and major city has a film commission office you can visit online or in person to get a film permit. Smaller places usually issue permits at city hall. Once you have proof of insurance you will be issued a permit that will keep law enforcement from shutting down your movie shoot and issuing a fine.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
film budget los angeles
TAGS




Leave a comment

Movie Budgeting: Preparing Your Film Budget The Right Way

Budget comes from a French word which literally means ‘small purse’ and in the world of film production; the definition is something hardly appropriate. Every movie maker is limited by the amount of money that will be spent. A wise movie budget is the only way for him to be certain that the allotted funds will be enough. The movie, or film budget is the key element in the overall movie package. It can be just as important as a great story, top talent and director.A studio officer once said that a movie budget can be easily written on paper napkins. Indeed, movie deals have been signed on table cloths at the Cannes Film Festival.

A popular misconception that the movie budget must be presented in a template that matches the studio is truly hogwash.Unfortunately, for many independent film budget producers, it is rare that the elements in a movie package are attractive and compelling from a marketing point of view. Nowadays, filmmakers are required to have a reliable and solid estimate before even approaching todays challenged and risk averse studio executives and film producers.A good movie budget is an estimate and not an accounting. It is a very good guess on how much you think your next epic would cost in terms of location, effects, casting and etc. The best educated guesses can only come from actual experiences. It is not until you finally screwed up something that you actually learn from it. These painful life lessons taught you to conserve financial resources, lower down a budget and streamline the process.

Your movie budgeting goal should always be to maximize the overall production value.Movie budgeting can be approached in several ways. You can always take the brave route of doing the do it yourself movie budgeting system armed with a film budgeting book and a blank copy of an Excel file. For individuals who are ready to take the plunge into independent movie film productions, purchasing fim budget services could just make the work easier for you in the long run.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
movie
movie budget
TAGS




Leave a comment

Film Budget Filmmaking Tips

Movie making has been liberalized with the advancement of digital technology. Today, anyone can possibly make a film budget easily as long as they know how to tell their story in the medium of the camera. Here are some of the preparations on prior to filming:

First of all the producer or the director who have the same level of creativity for the cinema, create a movie project. The director makes his or her own work on the script to transform this work into a shootable movie script.

If not they are the same person, the director together with the producer, works on the budgeting and decides on the selection of the art group; actors, cameraman, musician. Together with the director, the art group will be the main crew under the control of the producer.

The director tells the actors this movie project, and distribute the script to them so that they can read it and make rehearsals.

At the same time the director builds a team for the preparations; to handle the research, permissions, decor and costume preparations.

After deciding on the artistic decisions, it is now time for preparation plan prior to shooting. Generally 2-6 months later the decision to start a movie is taken, the shooting process is started. This period is for the decor and costume preparations, actor rehearsals, script corrections, and distributor agreements.

After the completion of the preparations, now it is time to start to shoot this movie which usually takes around 4-10 weeks.

How To Make Low Budget Movies

Having a low budget is not an obstacle for shooting a movie. Indeed there are some movies which is not even true to have big budgets and include very important actors to shoot these movies. The taste of such movies to catch big success in a limited area.

There are important examples of low budget movies with great success which are shot by usually a group of friends, with unprofessional young actors and a small camera.

If you are good at telling stories and you are using the instruments at hand well, then you can make good movies with low budget. As long as you are very clever, talented and creative!

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
film
film budget
low budget
TAGS


Leave a comment

What is a Film?

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects. The process of filmmaking has developed into an art form and industry.

Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures, which reflect those cultures, and, in turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment and a powerful method for educating – or indoctrinating – citizens. The visual elements of cinema give motion pictures a universal power of communication. Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles that translate the dialogue into the language of the viewer.

Films are made up of a series of individual images called frames. When these images are shown rapidly in succession, a viewer has the illusion that motion is occurring. The viewer cannot see the flickering between frames due to an effect known as persistence of vision, whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed. Viewers perceive motion due to a psychological effect called beta movement.

The origin of the name “film” comes from the fact that photographic film (also called film stock) has historically been the primary medium for recording and displaying motion pictures. Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture, including picture, picture show, moving picture, photo-play and flick. A common name for film in the United States is movie, while in Europe the term film is preferred. Additional terms for the field in general include the big screen, the silver screen, the cinema and the movies.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
film
motion picture
movie
TAGS


Leave a comment

Tactics for cutting film budget costs

  • Eliminate night scenes. Shooting at night requires powerful/expensive lighting and the payment of nighttime rates to the crew. Broken Arrow cut costs by millions of dollars by getting rid of the night scenes from the script. Many directors choose to use the ‘day for night‘ technique.
  • Avoid location filming in famous or commercial areas. Shooting a scene on, for example, the Golden Gate Bridge, requires stopping traffic with a resultant drop in revenue to the city of San Francisco. Filming such a scene for Interview with the Vampire cost Warner Bros. $500,000. Shifting the location to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for close-ups could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in location fees. Some locations are more willing to allow filming than others – commercial enterprises such as hotels and nightclubs. Some producers of low-budget features avoid paying location fees and seek to capture shots by subterfuge.
  • Film action scenes early on Sunday morning. Stopping traffic for a car chase scene is easier in the early hours of Sunday morning, when traffic is at its lightest.
  • Use unknown cast members rather than stars.
  • Ask above-the-line talent to defer their salaries. In exchange for dropping their large upfront salaries, actors, directors and producers can receive a large share of the film’s gross profits. This has the disadvantage of cutting the financier’s eventual takings. It has the further disadvantage of ambiguity. ”gross profits is customarily defined as the profits remaining after production and distribution expenses are subtracted from revenues. Disagreements over accounting methods can lead to audits and even litigation, as happened between Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema over dividing up the profits from the hugely-successful Lord of the Rings film trilogy, which grossed over 2 billion USD.
  • Use a non-union crew. Not an option for studios that have signed contracts with the unions—the Directors Guild of America (DGA), Writers Guild of America (WGA), and Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Directors Robert Rodriguez and Peter Jackson have been known to use the skills of experienced non-union crews for their films.
  • Film in another region. For example, many Hollywood movies set in U.S. cities are shot in Canada to take advantage of lower labour costs, subject to fluctuating exchange rates. As well, they take advantage of federal and provincial subsidies designed to grow and sustain the film and television production industries in the area. Many U.S. states have responded with tax incentives of their own (Movie production incentives in the United States). The Czech Republic, Australia, and New Zealand are other countries in which Hollywood movies are often filmed.
2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
entertainment
film
film budget
film budget los angeles
Hollywood
Los Angeles
movie
Production Services
quick budget
Television
TAGS






Leave a comment

The budget as an advertising tool

For blockbuster movies, high budgets are advertised to imply that the film will be worth watching. On the other hand, El Mariachi was advertised as having a shoestring budget of $7,000. El Mariachi’s actual budget including the distribution costs far exceeded $7,000. The festival print of El Mariachi was in fact made for $7,000. The additional budget expenditures came when the movie was picked up for distribution by a studio.

2011
08/03
CATEGORY
budget
TAGS

Leave a comment

Recent entry

Archive

Category