Broke Bitch Guide to Making Short Films
We’ve all heard the same advice. If you, the aspiring filmmaker, wants to get their start in film (without moving to LA or Atlanta) then make a short film. Just take $1k or $2k out of your pocket, or borrow it from your parents and make a short. Easy!
Well, unless you don’t have $1000 expendable dollars to make a short film. So what do you do then? As shocking as it may seem, not everyone’s parents or guardians have significant amounts of money to lend them so while that might seem like a simple solution to some, it can be a difficult hurdle to cross for others.
And yet that first short film is an all important learning experience for aspiring writers and directors, that’s difficult to bypass.
I wrote this post to serve as a resource for aspiring filmmakers who haven’t made even 1 film yet, but hopefully anyone reading can take something important away. The goal is to offer some guidance on how to make your first film with as little money as possible. Be sure to give yourself and your team plenty of time to get everything together, because when you don’t have the funding it takes a lot more work.
There’s a glossary at the end if you run into any terms you don’t know. Hopefully I didn’t miss anything.
Step 1: Write a script you can shoot for no money
I know. You LOVE the script you wrote and that’s what you wanna shoot. Who cares that it includes pyrotechnics and a late night diner shootout? It’s a great story! I get it. I understand. But you can make that script later, when you have the budget for it. It’s not going anywhere. Right now, we’re making do with what we got. So make do with what you got.
Feasibility is the name of the game. Think about what you already have access to for free. Maybe a family friend owns a business you can film in at no cost. Maybe you’ve been collecting antique children’s books your whole life. Make a list of everything you know you can get your hands on and write a story around that.
Things to keep in mind when writing the script:
The fewer characters, the better. The more characters in your film the longer it will take to shoot and the more mouths on set you have to feed. Keep speaking parts to 2 characters in a scene maximum and try not to have any extras. Believe me, you don’t want to deal with all that coverage and audio.
The locations you set your film in must be free. This is one of those costs that’s hard to get around if you don’t already have access to a free location. If you need to write a script that takes place in your apartment, write a script that takes place in your apartment.
If you can set your location outside, you’ll save a ton on lighting equipment. With flags and fills, the sun does most of the work for you.
2 locations max. 1 if you can swing it. Every time you move locations it eats up time and gas money.
No stunts, no pyrotechnics, no guns. No visual effects unless you know a VFX artist who is willing to do the work.
Step 2: Crew up
So obviously if you’re making a film with no money, you can’t pay people to work on it. Lucky for you, lots of people want to make films. Seek out like-minded people at your own experience level by attending workshops, panels and programs geared towards emerging filmmakers. And then make friends. Or “network laterally” as the professionals like to say.
The exchange is simple. They help you make your film, and they receive a credit to add to their CV and a copy of the film for their reel/portfolio. No, you probably won’t attract a big shot Hollywood DOP with that offer but you’ll gain something even more valuable. An emerging DOP eager to show off their skills and willing to learn and grow with you. And who you can continue to work with. A tribe. Making films is hard as hell, even when you know what you’re doing and have a substantial budget. So learn together and lift each other up.
Keep your crew small. Depending on the extent of your script, you may be able to get away with just a director, a cinematographer, and a sound recordist. The more complex the script, the more people you’ll have to bring on. For example, a complicated lighting set up will need a gaffer, and camera movement will require a 1st AC. An ambitious shooting schedule will need an AD, and so on. But start with the minimum and add as needed. Facebook groups are a great resource for finding crew members, just be sure to state that the work is clearly unpaid.
Be transparent when asking people to work on your project. Be upfront about the fact that you have no budget but also approach them with an abundance of enthusiasm for them and for your project. Your passion for the film will get other people excited about it, and your respect for them will make people more inclined to work with you. Let people know what you already have access to, and what you’re working on getting access to, and let them make their own decisions about whether they want to be involved. Don’t try to manipulate people into saying yes, because that is a yes you don’t really want. If it’s a no, accept that no, thank them for their time, and move on. You don’t want people on your set that don’t really want to be there anyway.
Your set is an all hands on deck situation. Don’t think that just cause you’re the director that you can sit around and watch others work. Remember that you’re not paying these people, so respect them, respect their time, and respect their backs. In other words, get your ass up and help, assuming you are capable.
‘Freedom Summer’ was just me, the producer, the cinematographer, the sound recordist and a 2nd camera operator on select shoot days.
It can be done, so make it work.
Step 3: Get your gear together
I already know that you know what I’m gonna say:
Shoot it on your phone.
Is your iPhone going to give you the type of picture control and quality you’ll get with an Arri Alexa and a Zeiss lens kit? Of course not. But you don’t got Arri and Zeiss money, so shoot it on your phone. Or your DOP’s dslr. Or that uncle that loves showing you his out of focus vacation pictures? Borrow his camera. The camera you shoot on is honestly the least of your worries when it comes to gear.
As far as picture quality goes, you should be way more concerned about your lighting. Most digital cameras do ugly things in low lighting, so you want to avoid low light situations. Remember that practicals are your friend. They look great on camera and are a no cost alternative to renting production lights. And if people ask why your main character has 10 lamps in their living room, just tell them to shush and watch the movie.
If you’re shooting outside, even better. An overcast sky makes for great even lighting but in case you aren’t that lucky, black foam board - which you can get for a few bucks at any craft store - makes for great flags for blocking and shaping the light. And white foam boards make great bounces so your actors are never cast in shadows.
If you have some experience under your belt you can approach equipment rental houses for in-kind equipment packages, or big discounts. But it’s a hard sell for a first film and an inexperienced crew so make do with what you have.
If you really need camera or lighting gear, tap into your network and see if anyone is willing to lend it to you. Who knows, with the right crew and the right project, you might get a yes. And it never hurts to ask.
If you’re going to spend money on any gear, spend it on sound. If you’ve got $20 bucks to spare, rent lavalier microphones to get those quality dialogue recordings. Most audiences will forgive a janky picture but no one forgives janky sound. If you don’t have the money, give your sound recordist the room they need to do the best job they can. Defer to them. And be sure to double check that you’ve got clean recordings before moving on to the next scene.
Step 4: You can’t fix it in post
If you’ve been on a set once, you’ve heard someone say “we’ll fix it in post.” It’s a running joke in the film industry. But here’s what no one is gonna tell you.
You can’t fix it in post.
People can. Experienced and skilled editors and vfx designers are capable of seemingly impossible feats with enough time and budget. But YOU can’t. More times, you do not have the experience to know what can and can’t be fixed, and you don’t have the skill to pull it off. I know that sounds harsh, but this is a learning experience, so learn to get it in camera.
As far as who should edit the film, my opinion on this has evolved over time. I now believe that if this is your first film, you should edit it yourself.
Whether that’s in iMovie or prosumer editing software like Premiere, the most important thing here is that you learn the mechanics of editing. Too many aspiring directors do not understand how shots cut together, and the quickest way to learn is to just do it.
And I promise, once you learn, you never have to edit again. But you’ll be so thankful that you now know how to explain what you want to the editors you work with in the future.
And doing the work yourself is free. So there’s that.
Colour correction and the sound edit are two things you probably can’t do yourself. But what you don’t know is that there might already be someone on your crew who can. Plenty of DOPs know how to colour correct and most sound recordists know how to edit. It’s the nature of the game, so ask your crew if they’re down. And if not, post online and you’re bound to find someone looking to beef up their own portfolio.
Step 5: A fed crew is a productive crew
This is a tough one. Feeding your crew, and feeding them well, is a necessary expense. I did all the cooking on the first short I directed which made it affordable for me, but it’s also very time consuming. Time I should’ve spent focusing on directing the film. But that’s what I could afford to do and I wanted everyone on set to be well fed. Once, I was crewing on a set where the sound recordist could hear the main actor’s stomach grumbling in the playback. That’s not what you want.
If you have connections at a restaurant or catering service, use them. Ask them to donate food as an in-kind donation and schedule a time to pick up the food yourself. Pitch it to them like a sponsorship, including offering to include their logo in your promotional materials and in the end credits. Make it easier for them to say yes.
Keeping crew and cast to a minimum will help cut down on this cost if you don’t have the option of getting in-kind catering. Lunch for 3 crew and 2 cast is not nearly as hefty of a cost as 14 crew and 5 cast. Or 30 crew and 10 cast. You get it.
My last piece of advice is to research the resources that exist in your hometown/region/country. A friend of mine is making her first short film and with her own research she’s found a small cash grant and a location freely available in her state. There are also lots of programs that will help you make your first short film, and hook you up with free equipment and post production services. That’s how I made ‘Paladin.’
You just need to give it a shot.
And that’s it! Those are all the tips and tricks I know for making a short film with no money.
The main thing to keep in mind is that this is a learning experience. You’re learning how to make a film, not creating the defining work of your career. Have fun, stay passionate, and be gracious.
And above all else, don’t spend money that you don’t have.
Glossary
Practicals - just a fancy word for lighting that already exists, or could exist, in the space. So that’s table and floor lamps, candles, overhead lighting, and the biggest practical of all, the Sun.
In-kind - when people or organizations give you services or products for free, this is called an in-kind donation. Its meant to differentiate between cash donations and grants.
DOP/Director of Photography - this is the person in charge of achieving the film look the director wants. They don’t direct the film, but they are the head of what is usually the largest department on set, camera and lighting.
Cinematographer - a DOP that also acts as camera operator. Common in indie film.
Gaffer - in charge of implementing the DOPs lighting plan. Usually one of the most knowledgable people on set. And the grumpiest.
1st AC/Assistant camera - also known as the focus puller, this is the person usually standing to one side of the camera or the video monitor, turning a little dial in their hands. What are they doing? Making sure your shot is in focus, so leave them alone. They’re also in charge of the camera set up and equipment.
AD/Assistant Director - in charge of keeping the crew on schedule in order to achieve the director’s “shooting day.” Meaning getting all the shots the director wants. A good AD usually has a loud voice (i.e. they be yelling)
Lavalier microphone/lav mics - those tiny microphones you see clipped to people’s lapels on the news or in interviews. In films, they’re usually taped to the inside of the person’s clothes so you can’t see them.
Colour correction - the process of enhancing and adjusting the video image to achieve the final look of the film. Always done after the edit is complete.