Here we proceed with our topic – how to create a film having a low budget but a big desire and enthusiasm.
Step five – search for an equipment
When you decide on a candidate for the position of the operator, immediately go with him to the locations you selected. You have to understand which camera to take, what additional light equipment you will need and how much it will cost. The third inevitable expenses in film production is the rental of equipment. You will also need a recording equipment – at least two microphones (loop and boom) and a recording device.
You will probably be able to find a camera and use it as a camcorder. But just only with a camera it would be difficult to achieve a smooth motion, which distinguishes a real film from an amateur video. You will need auxiliary stabilizing devices – shoulder pads, sliders or an easyrig. In addition, you will need to acquire a camera monitor (because it is impossible to control the focus on the camera’s small screen). And if you shoot with two cameras, double the expenses on the rent of auxiliary equipment.
But the money for renting additional equipment for the second camera is justified. If your operators are able to work with two cameras, you will shoot your film two times faster than with a single camera. So now you and your operator visited all the locations, created a plan of shooting. And you are ready for the next step – the casting.
Step six – casting
For the casting you will need a small room, a camera on a tripod and an assistant. He will give the candidates a number on the A4 sheet to be captured together with them on the camera. Also his task will be to list the contact information of each candidate. Put the camera close to the actors – you will immediately kill two birds. Listen to the record, and check if the actors feel liberate in front of the camera. Someone feels free until he sees a camera. Before the casting you need to choose 1-2 dialogues from your script for each hero. It is better that these dialogues would be bright and characterizing the hero, rather than neutral routine replicas.
So you chose the actors. And your film team now consists of the most necessary minimum – director, assistant, operator, operator of the second camera, sound engineer, assistant of the sound engineer. And you may ask where a makeup artist and a designer are? The director can handle makeup, costumes and props. Ask the actors to choose the costumes from their clothes, having stipulated in advance the image of the hero. Actresses know their face better than any makeup artist, and men can definitely do without a foundation on their faces, unless there are problems with the skin. But you’d better not hire a makeup artist in order to cover a pimple in low-budget filming.
Your assistant will call the actors with a notification of the location and time of the shootings, act as a “first aid” on the set and help with a food order on the site. And the fourth necessary expenses in film production is the provision of a filming group with food. You cannot save on food for a movie group. Order fresh and nutritious lunches. And even if you have a snack every day at the scene – cookies, candy, tea, coffee. For this you will need a “base” at each shooting location – a separate room where you can put the equipment, throw bags, put a kettle and break down the snack, as well as where your actors will be able to change their clothes.
The cost for renting of this room must be included in the expenses on renting of locations. If you are filming on the street, find a cafe nearby. You will have to buy tea, coffee and lunch at the cafe. And then the expenses for the “base” will be included in “providing food for the group”.
Step seven – montage and post-production
Finishing each shooting day you need to copy the footage on two media. For this you need to purchase some powerful hard drives, where you also will save the sound files. Do not forget to organize audio files in accordance with video files. At the end of the shooting, all the material will go to the film editor. His work must also be paid. The film editor’s fee, as well as the payment for the work of the color adjustor, the sound engineer and the composer (or the payment for the rights for the use of existing music) relate to expenses associated with the post-production.
If a multifunctional specialist is working of a film montage, then he will be able to take on color correction and titration. The sound engineer will need an assistant for rewriting, editing dialogues and clearing noise. You will also have to pay for the rental of a sound studio.
The post-production quotes would be almost equal to your expenses while shootings. But getting an extra budget for post-production is easier when ypu have already filmed yout movie and gone through the process of the montage. In this case you have something to show potential producers. And many of them are joining the project at this stage with more pleasure than at the initial stage. It’s easy to find the people online.
If you are conducting your project on your own till the film’s premiere, keep in mind that after the color editing and audio feedback of the film are completed, you have a lot to spend on the translation of the film, the creation of an English-language copy with subtitles (for the possibility to show your movie at the international film festivals), issuing a film distribution certificate (if you have a full-length movie that you plan to show in the cinema), creating a design and printing a poster, making copies of the film. Applying for international film festivals also often requires payment.
All of these expenses relate to the marketing expenses and the PR of the film. And keep in mind that not all festivals are ready to pay for your visit. Therefore, it would be good to postpone booking a hotel in distant Australia. If nobody invited your film to the competition, at least just go to rest after a year of intensive work with maximum dedication.
Film festival is a platform where your films can be seen by producers and distributors. There are also several film festivals devoted to the debut movie. By the way, it makes sense to make a movie trailer – a half-minute presentation of your movie which is more likely to be seen.
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