I'm in the process of writing my first feature screenplay and have a couple questions, looking for advice/tips.
1. The budget I have to make my movie is very limited, so maybe 4-5 locations. I'm just wondering how you build a whole feature length movie off of that limited amount of locations, and still keep it interesting.
2. I know you need about 60-80 scenes in a feature length movie. So how do you guys think of so many scenes without making it feel like the scenes are there just to make it longer?
It's best to address #2 right off. "Scene" is not the same as "location". The scene is just a single segment of action which drives the movie. Typically in a screenplay, a "scene" is what happens in between two sluglines, which give the location for the scene. In action films, often these 'scenes' occur once per page. So a 90 page script has about 90 scenes. Dialogue heavy films tend to have fewer scenes, so you might have 60 scenes. Most scripts have an average of 70-80 scenes, that is, blocks of action. However, that action can take place in a small number of locations. In the strict sense, the number of scenes is driven by your plot and the genre. It should also be mentioned that the shooting script will often detail more than the spec script. You can have multiple scenes occur within one location. Likewise, you can have multiple locations occur within one scene (intercutting for a phone call, for example).
Location is sometimes tricky to define too. You may have a house you're shooting in. But possible locations include: Bedroom, kitchen, living room, basement, bathroom, etc. So is that one location or several? In terms of sluglines, the inside of a car/house/etc. (INT) is different from the outside (EXT). So in writing a horror that takes place inside a single house, you might be shooting scenes in several rooms. For me, thinking of 'location' in terms of budgeting a film means distinct, non-joined locations--house, park, desert, etc.--which are covered by separate permissions to film. The rooms inside a house are often 'bundled' into one 'location'. That doesn't necessarily have to be true. But when you have a small budget, it's best to make full use of a property.
Coming back to #1, you need to decide on what kind of story you want to tell and what locations you have access to. You could write a drama about 5 people stuck in an elevator. You could write a horror about being trapped with a killer in a house. I know that some people prefer start with the location/budget. Personally, I like to focus on story. I like to plan for at least 2 distinct locations. This provides for visual variety for the viewer and opens up the narrative possibilities. Those two locations might be inside and outside. Dialogue intensive films can become tedious. It works in "Buried" because the writer wants the audience to get antzy. In a more open set that was less claustrophobic, I don't feel it would have been as impactful, engaging the audience in the protagonist's peril. The less space, the more intense the struggle. It is like Hitchcock's approach to suspense. Showing a conflict/situation occurring contrasted by a non-awareness of others in the film. It involves the audience who become silent participants. If you can give them a vested interested in the characters, you have a solid film.
Suspense and horror are not the only ways you could approach your feature, they are simply more convenient with examples. Another option for filmmakers is to exploit green screen techniques to extend the range of your locations. This can often be done practically and inexpensively. Since you are writing to your budget, I'm assuming you are looking to produce this yourself. As such, planning sequences that might be shot in the garage/basement/studio against a green screen and filled in with a background (sci fi, fantasy, exotic locations, etc.) may extend your possible locations without taxing your budget. You can have a beach with rolling waves or an African savannah behind your leads who are in a Wisconsin basement. AfterEffects, Sony Vegas, and other editing/effects software make that possible for the indie filmmaker.
Story should come first. If you don't have something worth watching, nothing else matters. Let it be guided by locations and budget. You can go back and make changes before shooting as details are put in place. Don't limit your script before it's written. Write it then go back and make changes, or find ways to realize visually the scenes that are essential to telling our story. As writer/director, you face more of a challenge but you also have greater flexibility. Good luck!
