There is a general perception amongst the public that the art of filmmaking these days belongs to Wall Street and major studios with giant budgets. But the fact of the matter is that you really do not need millions of dollars to make an independent film. You can make a movie for a fraction of what most Hollywood films cost if the right people and film production methods are employed. However, if you want to make a quality low budget movie on a shoestring budget you must immerse yourself in the world of independent filmmakers.
Most people who watch movies never even consider the fact that they could actually make a film themselves. When they hear that Spiderman 3 cost about 250 million dollars to make and the latest movie about Billy The Kid starring Brad Pitt cost around 40 million, a low budget movie by Hollywood standards, who can blame them.
There are ways to circumvent the traditional movie making process to get your film made. For instance, if you can assemble a tight cast and crew of talented people who are just as passionate about independent filmmaking as you and are willing to do more than they are being paid to do, then your film production costs can be reduced dramatically. They keys to making an independent film with a small amount of money is finding people who love to make films and then selling them on your story.
To find independent filmmakers who are willing to give you more work for less pay in the name of artistic freedom, or just because they need work you need to go to places where they hang out. This can be done online at any of the film production based websites out there that post job listings and information about the film industry. You will find many of them by doing a Google search with keywords like independent filmmakers, independent film, or film production. These sites list jobs, production companies, cast and crew available, post production houses, film labs and just about anything that has to do with making movies.
You can find most of the information you need to make a low budget movie online, but if you really want to find a quality cast and crew you need to get down in the trenches where the independent filmmakers work. You need to go and meet them in person.
The best place to find potential crew members is to visit the equipment rental houses in your area. You can get their addresses by doing an Internet search using the keywords film equipment rental with the name of the nearest major city. This is where the camera people, sound people, grips and the like all go to pick up and drop off equipment for projects they are working on. Many of the people working behind the counters are also people who have their own equipment packages. They would love to get out from behind the counter on weekends to work on an independent film. Spending time at these places, whether you are renting equipment or posting your business card on their work board is a sure way to find quality crew members to work on your low budget movie.
The best way to find quality actors who are willing to work for much less than they are worth is to spend time at professional acting classes. You can find many of them by doing a Google search using the keywords acting classes with the name of the nearest major city in your area. Contact the teachers of some classes and ask them to allow you to sit in on a couple of their classes. Be up front and tell them you are looking for quality actors to be in your low budget movie.
If you really want to get to know potential actors for your film then it would be a good idea to enroll in a class or two yourself. You can forge a working relationship with the actors on a much more intimate level if you are in a class with them. If the class is large enough, you are always going to find at least a few good actors who would love to work on your independent film for very little pay. You may even learn a thing or two about how to act yourself. If you can play one or more of the roles in your movie then that will also save you money for it means less actors to pay.
Michael P. Connelly is an Author, Artist and award-winning Filmmaker who writes on a variety of topics that effect people in their every day lives.
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Answering the age old question, Young Independent Filmmakers Jesse Budd and Patrick Romero set out to simply prove a point. email questions or suggestions to patrick-romero@hotmail.com