But still, easier said than done, right? While I’ve made shorts before, and worked with others on feature-length. But I’ve never made my own feature length. That’s about to change, as we’re ramping up to it this fall. It’s a small, ever so slightly supernatural comedy that will be shot in Autumn in Indiana. Sure to be a gorgeous background, full of timing challenges as the foliage changes to quickly.
 

The script is one that’s taken two years and is currently in its third draft. We’re happy with it where it is, and it’s time to break it down and create our production schedule, shot list, prop list, etc. Before we do that, we’re going to take one more pass at it. We’re calling it a budget draft, and it’s been extremely helpful.
 

So what’s a “budget draft”? It’s a process where you go through your script and do whatever you can in advance to keep your production costs down. For example, say there’s a white van in the script. Maybe you’ve had this white van in your head for two years and you know exactly what it looks like. You feel like it’s important, the look, the feel, the whole package. But guess what? What if a white van is more expensive to get a hold of than…say, an old delivery truck? A pickup truck? A blue van? Does it really matter? No.
 

When you’re making your own movie, you need to learn where to be flexible with your production needs. If you decide to be a diva about bringing your unwavering vision to life, you may be shooting yourself in the foot before you even begin. (With metaphorical bullets, not film.) Here are some more simple ways to “budget draft” your script.
 

1.)    Cut the money shots – Sure, in your head you had four crane shots. But what happens when you have no crane? Cut three of the shots and rent a cherry picker for the most important shot, the one that will have the most impact in your film. Or, if you’re really struggling to make the film happen, cut them all.


Crane shots don’t make a good movie, a good movie makes a good movie. Nobody will ever walk out of a screening shaking their head and lamenting the lack of fancy camera work. If you still need something similar, get creative. Why not try a nice 1970’s pan and zoom from a second story window. Have fun with cutting corners. After all, that’s pretty much half of the filmmaking process itself. Cutting corners and trouble-shooting.
 

 

2.)    Be flexible with brands - This may make me sound like a sell-out, but if you need costumes, beverages, shoes, makeup, or whatever…seek out local companies who may want to contribute their items for the free product placement. Do this, or just hide all the brands. Attempting to include brands in a script as an important part of the story is a no-no.
 

 

You want to have the fewest amount of people to depend upon or need approval from to get your movie going. Don’t bog yourself down with details that don’t ultimately matter to the story. (Also, when you audition actors, consider putting them in charge of their own costumes and makeup. Hey, we’re talking guerilla independent here. Doing what it takes to get your movie made. Just make sure you have final approval and someone to do thorough daily examinations to hide brands and logos.)

 
 

 

3.)    Consider natural light – I know, the idea of not lighting a film with the proper equipment creates near-instant anxiety. But it can be done, and you can experiment with a look that works until you get it right before filming.


It can also sink a film if you don’t light it correctly. But invest in some reflectors and bring someone on the production who can make natural light look artistic and beautiful, and you’ve just saved yourself a bundle. You can also claim that you did it all for the art, and nobody can really argue with you. It has to be quality though, or you’re vulnerable to legitimate criticism.
 

 

4.)    Shrink your film - Don’t be afraid to cut crowd scenes, find reasons to set scenes at times of day that aren’t busy. For example, we have a scene with animal control at work prowling the streets. We put them on the street at 10:30 in the morning, when everyone is at work and kids are at school. The only people they encounter are an old couple coming home from grocery shopping. Maybe we'll throw in someone mowing a lawn down the street or getting their mail. See? Sneaky, but effective. Limit your need for extras in the script.
 

 

I’m thinking of how intimate the movie, “Waitress” felt, but how it also felt real despite being sparsely populated. A large portion of the scenes took place with one person, two, or at most three people. Do it right and nobody will even notice. Much like the idea of saving intricate camera work for one or two key moments, it’s the same idea here with crowds. They can be tough to keep quiet on an independent set if there’s no compensation. So you’ll only want to do this a few times during production.

 
 

Those are just a few ideas to get your mind turning. There are lots of ways to tighten your belt enough to make your movie happen. Don’t sacrifice where it truly matters, such as casting or sound. But do get creative. At the very least, you can spend some time theorizing ways to budget pass your film. If you can’t make the film happen, at least you can say you tried and you’ll have a new financial goal to work toward.