Screenwriting and location availability

[Dan.Hall]

So i'm writing a short film - micro budget, zero profit. Something to add to our showreels and promote our talent, and potentially submit to festivals. I've considered using Kickstarter once I've got something solid to pitch.

I've got dozens of great ideas, but the problem is they just aren't feasible without dishing out £1000s to location hiring agencies, which is obviously pretty absurd considering this will be a zero profit festival short.

So now I'm writing based around a list of locations I could access for free, and it's pretty restricting. I guess this is normal?

 

[tomb378]

totally, write about what you know, dont start writing a film, or a short, about some sort of cabin in wisconsin set in the middle of winter if you live in manchester or something. why complicate a film by writing about something you have seen on tv/film which you then can't make without a huge budget. You may find you have to compromise slightly on your ideas in order to get it made, but i guess a film isn't a film until its been filmed!

 

[tomb378]

or should i say a script is just a story until its been shot.

 

[wheatgrinder]

try the other way..

go spend the day scouting the free locations and see what ideas those locations generate.. write from that..

also realize most scenes can take place in many different locations..

An argument between two people can take place in a park just as likely as a grocery store, or a shopping square..

Now, about getting good locations, for free, here is some general advice..

make sure your a good customer to your local establishments, develop relationships with key people.. for example when you go to the grocery be sure to go out of your way to meet the manager.

Do you frequent a particular pub, get to know the staff and again the manager..

the idea is to be known and to have some basis for relationship with location operators BEFORE you need to use them. Your odds of getting permission for free are exponentially improved when you already know the people who can make the decisions you want made!

Also, look for non-film related networking opportunities. Your personal network is your greatest asset. Grow it, cultivate it, love it.

 

[escher]

Heck, I'm writing a screenplay around a single location and a single actor. If you want to actually finish a project, work with what you have.

Sidenote: all of my other screenplays would require $60 million minimum to make, and because of this they'll most likely never exist anywhere but on paper.

 

[directorik]

So now I'm writing based around a list of locations I could access for free, and it's pretty restricting. I guess this is normal?

Normal? It's essential. I always write for locations I know I can get.

And restricting can (and should) be a great challenge to a writer/director.
I made a short film with a guy in a closet. One actor in a closet. Are your
locations more restricting than that? You should welcome the challenge
and make a great film within your restrictions. Are you up to it?

 

[mlesemann]

I cut 2 scenes out of my feature right before we went into production because it was going to be far too much of a headache to get the locations, and I could tell those points of the story in other ways.

 

[Dan.Hall]

Thanks for the feedback. It was more of an open question really - it's only just occurred to me that i'll be throwing all of my preconceived story ideas out and starting afresh within those limitations.

I am up to the challenge. I think my objective though, from the outset, is to create a short film that doesn't shout 'this is low budget' to the audience. I am ofcourse limited to available locations, but I want it to seem as though these locations were defined by the direction of the story, not the story dictated by the limited budget. I'm sure it's a predicament all budget filmmakers face.