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I'm new to screenwriting and I quickly learned that writing a short script is a lot about budget. I've written stuff with too many locations, characters etc. I saw a short film today that was written, directed, edited... well actually he did EVERYTHING. I'm hoping I can post a link here because I think this is such a good example of not needing a budget or crew to make a good short.
Just editing to add what he said:

"I challenged myself once again to make a film only by myself with no budget within 24 hours starting from writing a script to having a finished short film. I worked alone without a production or post production crew"

 
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That is a very well made film. Your write the script and the story too really depend on budget. But even then, there are always ways to get around a small budget. For example if someone wants to make a sci fi film with space ships and massive space battles. They could create small miniature ships and then hang them down over a green screen using string so It looks like they r floating in space when you add the stars on post. That’s the original Star Wars style and it actually looks pretty great in real life. If someone’s making a fantasy castle/army film. They could make miniature castles or look into drawing really really good backgrounds of castles. There are so many ways to get around a small budget, all it takes is a lot of creativity and problem solving. Fourtunately for filmmakers that’s our speciality :)
 
That short was very well done. He has another one that is also pretty clever.



I'm new to screenwriting and I quickly learned that writing a short script is a lot about budget. I've written stuff with too many locations, characters etc.

I have a friend who writes scripts and has some money to produce them into movies. He is always asking for advice, because he is trying to figure how to afford all these character on a low budget. I keep telling him to stop writing too many characters and hard to get locations. I think it's finally starting to sink in.

When you think of low budget successes, they use this type of scaled down thinking.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD - some people trapped in a single farm house.
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT - three people lost in the forest.
OPEN WATER - two people lost at sea.
EVIL DEAD - four people in a cabin.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - a husband and wife in their house.
CLERKS - different characters coming into a corner mart.

Though it was a higher budget and had A-list actor, Ryan Reynolds, BURIED is a great example of confined storytelling, using no more than the inside of a coffin. It kept my attention throughout.
 
I left a link to this discussion. I don't know if Benzi will come to the forum, but I would like to know more about how he shot this. For example, was this shot with one camera? I would think that it would be a pain in the ass, getting out of the bath tub, while dripping wet, to change the angle from side view to top view. I would try to use two cameras for that. Was the monster face in the door and window an effect overlay?
 
I'm new to screenwriting and I quickly learned that writing a short script is a lot about budget. I've written stuff with too many locations, characters etc. I saw a short film today that was written, directed, edited... well actually he did EVERYTHING. I'm hoping I can post a link here because I think this is such a good example of not needing a budget or crew to make a good short.
Just editing to add what he said:

"I challenged myself once again to make a film only by myself with no budget within 24 hours starting from writing a script to having a finished short film. I worked alone without a production or post production crew"


I'm honored. Thank you :)
I have allways tryed to figure out a way to do a film by myself and all learned that it takes some creativity, authenticity, modesty and hard work. I always try to challenge myself more than i did before and this is what i did with my latest film. You can check it out here:
 
That is a very well made film. Your write the script and the story too really depend on budget. But even then, there are always ways to get around a small budget. For example if someone wants to make a sci fi film with space ships and massive space battles. They could create small miniature ships and then hang them down over a green screen using string so It looks like they r floating in space when you add the stars on post. That’s the original Star Wars style and it actually looks pretty great in real life. If someone’s making a fantasy castle/army film. They could make miniature castles or look into drawing really really good backgrounds of castles. There are so many ways to get around a small budget, all it takes is a lot of creativity and problem solving. Fourtunately for filmmakers that’s our speciality :)

Thank you :)
I agree.
 
That short was very well done. He has another one that is also pretty clever.





I have a friend who writes scripts and has some money to produce them into movies. He is always asking for advice, because he is trying to figure how to afford all these character on a low budget. I keep telling him to stop writing too many characters and hard to get locations. I think it's finally starting to sink in.

When you think of low budget successes, they use this type of scaled down thinking.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD - some people trapped in a single farm house.
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT - three people lost in the forest.
OPEN WATER - two people lost at sea.
EVIL DEAD - four people in a cabin.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - a husband and wife in their house.
CLERKS - different characters coming into a corner mart.

Though it was a higher budget and had A-list actor, Ryan Reynolds, BURIED is a great example of confined storytelling, using no more than the inside of a coffin. It kept my attention throughout.

Thank you :)
 
I left a link to this discussion. I don't know if Benzi will come to the forum, but I would like to know more about how he shot this. For example, was this shot with one camera? I would think that it would be a pain in the ass, getting out of the bath tub, while dripping wet, to change the angle from side view to top view. I would try to use two cameras for that. Was the monster face in the door and window an effect overlay?

Hi. I shot it with only one camera. It was a very hard shoot, especially the final bathtub scene. Altough i planned it carefully, it was very excruciating doing it all by myself, even though eventually i shot the scene in two hours.

the monster face in the door and window was indeed an effect overlay. I'm a practical filmmaker, but in this case, because i made it with no budget, i made a decision to deal with it in post
:)
 
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