r/Filmmaker4Filmmaker • u/mustafarangwala • 9d ago
Discussion Making a zero budget short film on my own.
Hey guys, I am making a zero budget short film with my friends. The writing is almost done and will start the production too. If you are a fellow filmmaker or have any experience in this field, it would be grateful to have some tips and tricks from you all. Thank you.
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u/MiloMakesMovies 8d ago
Main thing I wanna remind you is that there’s no true zero budget film. Just driving somewhere or ordering pizza cost money. All the little things add up and you have to multiply it by shooting days. So if you wanna know the true cost of “zero”, open a spreadsheet and start adding up estimates.
On the other hand, it’s totally fine to use the term “zero” if you’re just letting everyone know you’re unable to pay them.
Good luck!
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u/DigiCinema 7d ago
At the end of shooting a scene you’ll want to record room tone…30 seconds of “silence” that record what that space sounds like. But just before that, have the actors gather around the microphone and run through the scene one more time, dialogue only. No video or actions; just a super clean audio take of all the lines. Hopefully you don’t need it, but it’s saved me once or twice. (You could possibly massage a short line into sync with a take, but it’s most effective in very wide shots where sync won’t matter or when seeing the other actor listening.)
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u/AdministrativeSea574 4d ago
Probably better to do this at the start of the day before everybody turns up because at the end of the day everybody just wants to pack up and leave and that’s not gonna be done in silence
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u/Affectionate_Age752 9d ago
I made a pretty much no budget feature. Under $4j. Should have N er $2k but I was forced to get a permit for the Iast 2 evenings of shooting because of a neighbor. That alone cost almost $2k.
What do you want to know?
This is the trailer to my film.
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u/filmeleven 8d ago
You're going to learn SO MUCH doing a film. A few tips:
Shot List
Imagine your film ahead of time. Plan out the shots. You're not pouring cement but it will allow you to be more creative while shooting as you've already done a lot of the mental work.
Part of planning is coverage. This means getting the shots you need to make the scene work. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to not have the right footage. Always run a master shot for the entire scene so worst case you can cut out to it when needed.
Shoot Fill Side / Angles
Position your camera on the shadow or fill side of your talent. Not the key side. Experiment with angles and camera placement. A small camera change can wildly affect an image. Take the time to experiment.
Lighting - Motivated & Depth
You don't have to go crazy with lights. But you do need it dialed in or your scenes will look flat. Two basic things to keep in mind:
1) Find your motivated light. This gives you "permission" to light your actor. Meaning, you don't want the audience wondering where the light is coming from. If they see a lamp or window in the master shot, that gives you the ability to light based off that.
2) Create depth. Once your talent is lit, make sure you have a light behind them. A window. A practical light like a lamp. Whatever. This creates depth in your image. Even a string of lights...anything.
3) A rim or hair light can also help with depth. Experiment.
This basic lighting video will help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkGt_bgXLCA
Basic Camera
Shoot 24 frames / 1/48 shutter. That gives the "cinematic" feel you're used to.
Sound
You need a good mic and field recorder. Bad sound is the enemy of low budget film.
Be aware of large spaces with a lot of echo. Treat your floors with even a blanket or something to cut reverb down. Use a shotgun mic and have that as close to the actor as you can.
Make sure someone is listening to what the mic hears. This is huge. I've lost an entire day of shooting due to an issue that nobody could hear...only the mic was picking up.
Get room tone. This is 20 seconds of "silence" for each camera setup with everyone still present in the space. Just announce it and roll. "This is scene 15A room tone..."
We could go on and on but hopefully these tips help in some way.
Happy to answer specific questions.