murraymile
Active member
Is their anyone shooting any action films for low budget or what not? I would love to see how some of you guys are putting an action film together. I know that it calls for a heavy size budget sometimes. Just carious.
Action films.
- Thread starter murraymile
- Start date
jls4
Veteran
Hey Murray,
Actions films for cheap can be difficult. I plan to try my hand at it next year - by this time I've gone through 2 feature comedies and a feature drama, plus shorts - tv, etc. Action is so complex with storyboarding, timing, effects, etc. It can be done. You just have to be on top of your game.
I'll see if I can find some of my links. But first you need a decent story - where the action is limited, but effective. By limited I mean, maybe you have 1 or 2 explosions, mainly shootout scenes with guns, and plenty of hand to hand combat - which is cheap.
Depending on your budget, you may have real VS fake explosions, real VS fake shootouts. there are people who are pretty good with choreography so maybe you can convince them to help you with your movie.
Detonation films is a good place to start.
Also, somebody - I have to check my links - shows you how to shoot up a wall with mousetaps, string and nails. It's a cool trick and looks exactly like the real thing. Plenty of fake blood and FXhome is awesome when it comes to muzzle flashes.
Most of action is how you shot the scene and how well your editor can put the scene together. In the 24 Diary I talk about how many shots you need for a basic scene, for action you probably need at least 3 times as many. So 3 minutes will take you all day (8 hours) - if you want it to look right - like Baby Michael Bay. Have fun
Actions films for cheap can be difficult. I plan to try my hand at it next year - by this time I've gone through 2 feature comedies and a feature drama, plus shorts - tv, etc. Action is so complex with storyboarding, timing, effects, etc. It can be done. You just have to be on top of your game.
I'll see if I can find some of my links. But first you need a decent story - where the action is limited, but effective. By limited I mean, maybe you have 1 or 2 explosions, mainly shootout scenes with guns, and plenty of hand to hand combat - which is cheap.
Depending on your budget, you may have real VS fake explosions, real VS fake shootouts. there are people who are pretty good with choreography so maybe you can convince them to help you with your movie.
Detonation films is a good place to start.
Also, somebody - I have to check my links - shows you how to shoot up a wall with mousetaps, string and nails. It's a cool trick and looks exactly like the real thing. Plenty of fake blood and FXhome is awesome when it comes to muzzle flashes.
Most of action is how you shot the scene and how well your editor can put the scene together. In the 24 Diary I talk about how many shots you need for a basic scene, for action you probably need at least 3 times as many. So 3 minutes will take you all day (8 hours) - if you want it to look right - like Baby Michael Bay. Have fun
j.nguyen
Active member
it all depends really on what type of action you are doing.
jls4 has made some pretty good points.
Creativity and ingenuity can really cut costs in many areas. Makeshft props, post production vs in production special fx. Also As a cinematographer/editor you have to be able to set up shots so that matches on action flow naturally from shot to shot.
I have a martial arts short in sig if you want to check that out. zero budget.
jls4 has made some pretty good points.
Creativity and ingenuity can really cut costs in many areas. Makeshft props, post production vs in production special fx. Also As a cinematographer/editor you have to be able to set up shots so that matches on action flow naturally from shot to shot.
I have a martial arts short in sig if you want to check that out. zero budget.
Simon Höfer
Veteran
It is all about creativity and the type of action you want. Of course Micheal bay action is not possible. My Twilight fest entry has alot of action and it was fun to do 
troopercooper
Active member
We'll see how my project pans out. Lots of gunfire, lots of CG laser pew-pewness, and certainly lots of explosions - and our budget will be pretty small. We'll see how things go!
murraymile
Active member
I like how two people mention Michael Bay....lol. Yes I'm a fan of his action and visuals. Majority of his visuals are unbelievable. He wanted to be a DP (Which we can tell through his stunning visuals) but after working with a director that wanted a particular shot and michael did not like the shot. He told him what he can do to bring the scene to life and the director said no. Michael then said this is a stupid shot and pretty much never wanted to DP again. That's why he is a director so he has the last word on the shot. Pretty much why Michael loves his visuals just a little more than his story.
Getting off track here, but what I'm saying is that, I never said michael bay in my first post. lol.
cheers,
Murray
Getting off track here, but what I'm saying is that, I never said michael bay in my first post. lol.
cheers,
Murray
jls4
Veteran
I brought up Michael Bay because like it or not, I feel like he is the king of action, at least over the last 10 years. My favorite action director was RRodriguez/John Woo but RR has kinda strayed away from his earlier work and John Woo wants to do dramas these days. So Michael is like the only one constantly doing action.
murraymile
Active member
Hell yeah. I agree with you brother. Michael is insane!!! I still like John Woo's work, but he needs to start filming more action.