Has anyone done a full length feature film on no Budget ? If so, tell me how you did it and what steps did you take to achieve your final cut.
No Budget
- Thread starter Smithproductions
- Start date
Are you asking about not spending any money at all? What do YOU mean
by "no Budget"?
by "no Budget"?
Yeah, that's what i mean. Not spending any money.
I'm presently in the process of shooting a no budget feature film. First of all, the crew and set must agree that no payment is involved and just use the film as a portfolio for future reference. If they're doing it for fun then even better. But even no budget films still end up with you spending something. Even if it is to buy the actors something to eat now and again.
I don't see how that can be done. If you ask people to work for free
you should feed them. That's spending money. If you don't spend
money on food for your cast and crew they will have to spend money
on food so that's spending money. If you buy a camera that's spending
money.
Quality, are you really spending no money at all on your no budget
feature? Sounds like you're feeding them. What your budget for food?
Is that your only expense?
I understand why actors and crew will work for free. What I asked
you is are you really making a feature without spending any money?
I'm curious about making a movie without spending any money. You
say you are presently in the process of shooting a feature without
spending any money so I thought you might be someone to ask.
Are you actually spending no money at all on your no budget feature
film?
you is are you really making a feature without spending any money?
I'm curious about making a movie without spending any money. You
say you are presently in the process of shooting a feature without
spending any money so I thought you might be someone to ask.
Are you actually spending no money at all on your no budget feature
film?
I feel like increasingly the advice being offered on this site is coming from people who have no practical experience with the subject their discussing.
No, you can't make a feature film for absolutely no money. That's not to say that you can't make a feature film for a practically tiny amount of money.
In the UK we are obligated to provide food and travel expenses for people who are volunteering on the production and aren't being paid the NMW. I would usually calculate that at £15 per head per day, and on a no budget feature there are probably going to be between 5 and 10 cast/crew at any time. So that's automatically £70+ per day.
But even if you chance your arm and refuse to pay for food or travel, how are you going to film your movie? On a camera, right? Maybe you already have one – in which case that cost money – or maybe you rent one, which also costs money. Or maybe someone lends you one which is great, cos it's free, although there's a whole sharing/exchange economy which we could get into but won't...
So even if you can sort all that out for £0 and even if you can sort all the locations, costumes, props, snacks, script printing...etc for £0, you then have to take this footage and turn it into a movie. Maybe you can get around hiring an editor by editing yourself, well, presumably that software and that computer cost money, right? Or maybe you find an editor to do it all for free, no expenses (no food): how do you get 100s of GB of footage to them? On a hard drive in the mail? Bit expensive. I guess we'll have to hope they come to your house and collect it from you and then don't bill you for the time it took to get there and back, or any of the inconveniences of the months it will take to edit. And repeat this whole process with sound and colour grading and VFX and so on.
Long story short: If a million different stars aligned and you were willing to exploit people and break employment law, perhaps you could make a film for £0. Along the way, I think you'd incur so many 'favour debts' that it would cost you in the long run. But, either way, that scenario is so unlikely that it's not worth accounting for. Why not set yourself the task of making a feature film for £1000 and then trying to save as much of that money along the way? That seems eminently more reasonable to me.
No, you can't make a feature film for absolutely no money. That's not to say that you can't make a feature film for a practically tiny amount of money.
In the UK we are obligated to provide food and travel expenses for people who are volunteering on the production and aren't being paid the NMW. I would usually calculate that at £15 per head per day, and on a no budget feature there are probably going to be between 5 and 10 cast/crew at any time. So that's automatically £70+ per day.
But even if you chance your arm and refuse to pay for food or travel, how are you going to film your movie? On a camera, right? Maybe you already have one – in which case that cost money – or maybe you rent one, which also costs money. Or maybe someone lends you one which is great, cos it's free, although there's a whole sharing/exchange economy which we could get into but won't...
So even if you can sort all that out for £0 and even if you can sort all the locations, costumes, props, snacks, script printing...etc for £0, you then have to take this footage and turn it into a movie. Maybe you can get around hiring an editor by editing yourself, well, presumably that software and that computer cost money, right? Or maybe you find an editor to do it all for free, no expenses (no food): how do you get 100s of GB of footage to them? On a hard drive in the mail? Bit expensive. I guess we'll have to hope they come to your house and collect it from you and then don't bill you for the time it took to get there and back, or any of the inconveniences of the months it will take to edit. And repeat this whole process with sound and colour grading and VFX and so on.
Long story short: If a million different stars aligned and you were willing to exploit people and break employment law, perhaps you could make a film for £0. Along the way, I think you'd incur so many 'favour debts' that it would cost you in the long run. But, either way, that scenario is so unlikely that it's not worth accounting for. Why not set yourself the task of making a feature film for £1000 and then trying to save as much of that money along the way? That seems eminently more reasonable to me.
You are wrong, you can make a feature film with no budget. A feature film doesn't mean it has to be anything extravagant. You can have limited amount of actors. As long as the film is at least 40 minutes it is a feature film. I didn't do the cost for the camera etc. because most directors would have already spends serious money on their filmmaking equipment so there's no need to include that. Some actors don't need money. They are willing to work for free because they get exposure. If those people are good friends with you, then you don't necessary have to spend on traveling or food.
Please explain. You have said you must spend money on "food mostly"
so that means you will spend money. And you say the director has to
already own all the necessary equipment so a filmmaker who doesn't
own what is needed must spend money. Help me here, Quality, how
do you make a feature film without spending any money at all?
It's not black and white. It's not 0 budget, and budget. The term you are looking for is microbudget because some money will have to be spent. If you are really looking to do an absolute zero budget movie, I fear you are going about it the wrong way and the results will prove so. Filmmaking is not a challenge to see who can make a film without even spending $1. If you have $1 to spend, you should spend it in the most efficient way.
Now, is what you are after microbudget fillmaking tips? Indeed, some of these may be free resources.
Now, is what you are after microbudget fillmaking tips? Indeed, some of these may be free resources.
Google, "There's no such thing as a free lunch."
I don't understand why you are being so evasive. This is a discussion board.
We should be helping each other out. I'm curious about making a feature film
without spending any money. First you say "You are wrong, you can make a
feature film with no budget." then you say you have to spend money. Why
can't we talk about this subject?
I have made a feature for $5,000. I have made a feature for $12,000. I was
hoping you could discuss your methods other then not paying cast. I agree
with your most recent statement, you have to spend money, period. It's a
little different than "you can make a feature film with no budget."
Most of the other filmmakers are asking you to delineate what exactly defines cost. If our hypothetical filmmaker owns a laptop on which s/he wrote the script it is no longer without an investment on the part of our hypothetical filmmaker. Once the script is printed our notional filmmaker has "invested" in paper. So at the very least the budget includes a laptop and a few reams of paper.
I think that Smitty (Smithproductions) is asking how to make a film without any personal investment from prepro onward. The hypothetical filmmaker he poses wants everyone to donate time, equipment & facilities, transportation, props, costumes, make-up, locations, food & drink, etc., etc., etc., etc. so that the hypothetical filmmaker can preproduce, shoot, post and market their script so there is no personal cost to him/her beyond writing the script.
Sure, it's possible, but extremely improbable.
I work once or twice each year with a producer on a pro bono basis doing shorts (plus a few paying jobs). The freebees always involve very talented people. As an example, on one for free project our DP did corporate and wedding work, the editor did corporate and advertising work, the PSM was a very ambitious up-and-comer with some decent work under his belt. The lighting was by a pro photographer looking to branch out into film/video, the wardrobe/H/MU team were recruited from local beauty salons. The actors are always top-knotch. (As an aside, besides the usual places, our producer looks at big-budget films and TV shows shot in the NY Tri-State area and contacts speaking-part extras who might fit whatever project is in the works.)
So yes, all these people work for free and supply a majority of the equipment needed for the shoot and for post. However, our producer treats everyone like the professionals they are or aspire to be. Transportation costs are covered, and an extremely lavish craft table and meals are provided. This includes preproduction, where all the dept. keys, talent, director, screenwriter and producer are present in a very relaxed beer/wine & knoshes roundtable discussion atmosphere. Most important of all, everyone is vigorously encouraged to contribute during prepro. On one project our location/sets/props gal made suggestions to a script that took us from six (6) to only two (2) locations. On another project I made a suggestion that caused a partial rewrite of the script. This type of involvement gives everyone the feeling that they are involved in a creative process, not just a bunch of hired hands.
It also means that we all get to work with (and add to our networks) some very talented people, and, because of the type of people the producer recruits, quite compatible temperamentally and professionally.
So on a short the producer will spend a few grand on food, liquids and transportation plus whatever minimal equipment (rented) and props may be required, as well as replenishing the supplies of the H/MU team. A very minimal investment considering the high quality of the final products.
The whole point is that something needs to be offered to the participants to make the for free project a worthwhile investment of their time and talents. If our hypothetical filmmaker will not spend any money at all, even to treat the cast and crews like professionals, I give notional feature a 99.9999% chance of failure.
I think that Smitty (Smithproductions) is asking how to make a film without any personal investment from prepro onward. The hypothetical filmmaker he poses wants everyone to donate time, equipment & facilities, transportation, props, costumes, make-up, locations, food & drink, etc., etc., etc., etc. so that the hypothetical filmmaker can preproduce, shoot, post and market their script so there is no personal cost to him/her beyond writing the script.
Sure, it's possible, but extremely improbable.
I work once or twice each year with a producer on a pro bono basis doing shorts (plus a few paying jobs). The freebees always involve very talented people. As an example, on one for free project our DP did corporate and wedding work, the editor did corporate and advertising work, the PSM was a very ambitious up-and-comer with some decent work under his belt. The lighting was by a pro photographer looking to branch out into film/video, the wardrobe/H/MU team were recruited from local beauty salons. The actors are always top-knotch. (As an aside, besides the usual places, our producer looks at big-budget films and TV shows shot in the NY Tri-State area and contacts speaking-part extras who might fit whatever project is in the works.)
So yes, all these people work for free and supply a majority of the equipment needed for the shoot and for post. However, our producer treats everyone like the professionals they are or aspire to be. Transportation costs are covered, and an extremely lavish craft table and meals are provided. This includes preproduction, where all the dept. keys, talent, director, screenwriter and producer are present in a very relaxed beer/wine & knoshes roundtable discussion atmosphere. Most important of all, everyone is vigorously encouraged to contribute during prepro. On one project our location/sets/props gal made suggestions to a script that took us from six (6) to only two (2) locations. On another project I made a suggestion that caused a partial rewrite of the script. This type of involvement gives everyone the feeling that they are involved in a creative process, not just a bunch of hired hands.
It also means that we all get to work with (and add to our networks) some very talented people, and, because of the type of people the producer recruits, quite compatible temperamentally and professionally.
So on a short the producer will spend a few grand on food, liquids and transportation plus whatever minimal equipment (rented) and props may be required, as well as replenishing the supplies of the H/MU team. A very minimal investment considering the high quality of the final products.
The whole point is that something needs to be offered to the participants to make the for free project a worthwhile investment of their time and talents. If our hypothetical filmmaker will not spend any money at all, even to treat the cast and crews like professionals, I give notional feature a 99.9999% chance of failure.
Yes, you can make a feature film without a budget. Figuratively speaking.
Even if everyone involved is volunteering, there are expenses that will arise. You'll need batteries, gas, water, random props. You're going to have expenses.
Even with an all-volunteer cast and crew, I bet you'd end up spending a few thousand dollars.
Even if everyone involved is volunteering, there are expenses that will arise. You'll need batteries, gas, water, random props. You're going to have expenses.
Even with an all-volunteer cast and crew, I bet you'd end up spending a few thousand dollars.
I agree. There seems to be no way to make a feature without spending
any money.
How much are you spending on the no budget feature film you are presently
in the process of shooting? Andy advice for Smithproductions on how you're
doing it and what steps to take?
I would even reverse that: if they are good friends, you should feed them, just like anyone else on the project.
