that was scary...
ok, ok, instead of couch potato, you can do something like twilight, that thing didn't have that much production value.
call it the twilight potato
Is $10,000 indie feature possible ?
- Thread starter Randall_Oelerich
- Start date
- Status
that was scary...
ok, ok, instead of couch potato, you can do something like twilight, that thing didn't have that much production value.
call it the twilight potato
j1clark@ucsd.edu
Veteran
Have a script in the works lesbian vampires in lead character roles. All I need is a bit more filling out in the sex and drugs area, get over my inhibition about asking young women to get naked in front of me.... and my camera... uh, right...
j1clark@ucsd.edu
Veteran
I hear an orchestra warming up with Wagner's "Kartoffeldämmerung"
Xian Messerschmidt
Well-known member
That pretty much sums up the problem with your attitude. I've produced many projects over the years, including an episodic horror/sci-fi series for public access back in the mid 1990's. These were shot with Hi8 and 3/4" equipment on extremely low budgets. No one involved was paid and the shoots were long and grueling. Some of the output never even made it to air. I'm still in contact with nearly all of the people involved in those productions and not a single one of them would tell you I wasted their time. They loved being a part of it even though it never really went anywhere. They were just as passionate about the projects as I was and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Your assumption that any zombie-themed project made for under $10k will fail is simply ridiculous and shows a complete lack of knowledge on the industry. Horror is possibly the only genre where the fanbase is so strong that they will watch even the worst productions. There are numerous horror websites, horror conventions and horror film festivals that bring fans and filmmakers together. There are plenty of people who love "bad" horror films. Your chances of getting a crappy horror movie sold are actually pretty damn good, unlike most other genres. Not a lot of people will sit through a bad comedy or a bad drama. There are plenty that will watch even the most atrociously bad low-budget zombie feature though.
Last edited:
that will be the twist in the story. no one will see it comming:thumbsup:
Jimmy Moss
Well-known member
Crappy filmmakers are to blame, but comedy is really hard to get right and it seems many first time film makers end up doing comedy because they don't know how to write (or they don't have anything to say really), and therefore their film turns into a mockery of itself.
If you can do comedy then, hell yes, do it. Same with zombie movies.
I would say however, to make it believable you would need a budget for a good zombie movie (with lots of zombies). It goes back to writing your script for your budget. If all you have is 10k then write a script you can make a believable movie out of for 10k. Hence, "The Following" not "Titanic," or "Day of the Dawn of the Return of the Zombie part 10." I love zombie movies by the way, but I like many other people have high expectations.
Patryk_Rebisz
Veteran
To quietly shut up the over-optimists here dreaming about next lottery ticket the size of "El Mariatchi" and the "Following" let me provide some more actual figures.
Out of over 80 productions i shot many of those were narrative pieces, out of those there were 8 feature-length films and a bunch of TV pilots.
The budgets ranged from $15k to $550k.
$550k - feature film was badly written (no one could comprehend the script in the first place), well acted out, well shot, over all decently directed in production and amateurishly directed in the post (even though well edited for what it was). Result: film went to a few small film fest. Everyone but the writer/director is still working in the business.
$450k - feature was well written, extremely well acted out, well shot and well directed. The film was butchered though in the edit and over all badly directed in the post. Result: the film was shown at some small film fests and sold for... 1/10 of the production price. Because the first time director comes from money the failure didn't hamper his "progress" and didn't stop him from working on another self-financed projects.
$150k TV pilot - badly written, well cast and acted out, decently directed, decently shot, badly butchered in the post. The project went to some small film fest. The producer who financed the film almost lost his house.
$85k - well written, well shot, well directed. The project is still in the post so hard to say what will come out of it.
$75k - decently written, decently cast (all but the lead character that sucked), decently directed, badly edited and over all badly posted (the budget didn't include money for the post). The film played at some small film fest and went straight to video the do-it-yourself route. I'm pretty sure the director is still paying off his credit cards.
$75k TV pilot - well written, well shot, well directed, well posted. The project ultimately went nowhere as people simply didn't connect with the material.
$50k TV pilot - badly written, well cast, decently shot and directed, well edited. In my opinion the project levitated in this weird space where for extra $10-12k it could really be good but as there was no way to find that extra money it was just barely watchable -- then again no money can fix bad writing.
$40k + $150k in advert - well cast, well acted out, the story was flat though, the cinematography was crap (not afraid to admit it) and the edit was painful. The film had serious advert budget behind it and had a short run in the theaters but ultimately lost money as viewers simply didn't connect.
$40k - badly written, badly cast, badly directed, decently shot. The project never got finish and the director went back to teach high school kids about film making (and probably still repaying his credit cards).
$35k - decently written, decently cast, decently directed (both in production and post). Project went to some small films fest... I'm pretty sure the investor never made his money back.
$20k - decently written, badly cast, acted out and directed, decently edited. Went straight to watch-it-all-here-on-the-internet-for-free. The writer/director keeps on making small self-financed films that never go anywhere.
$15k - badly written, badly cast, badly directed, decently shot. The project never got finished.
12 projects, over $1,500,000 spent, ZERO success. Those were smart, creative, hard working individuals definitely not some rejects from mental institution and yet still couldn't make it work WITH money... So you really think you gonna conquer the world with your 10-15k film???? Nothing against optimism, but at least have some kind of reality check.
Out of over 80 productions i shot many of those were narrative pieces, out of those there were 8 feature-length films and a bunch of TV pilots.
The budgets ranged from $15k to $550k.
$550k - feature film was badly written (no one could comprehend the script in the first place), well acted out, well shot, over all decently directed in production and amateurishly directed in the post (even though well edited for what it was). Result: film went to a few small film fest. Everyone but the writer/director is still working in the business.
$450k - feature was well written, extremely well acted out, well shot and well directed. The film was butchered though in the edit and over all badly directed in the post. Result: the film was shown at some small film fests and sold for... 1/10 of the production price. Because the first time director comes from money the failure didn't hamper his "progress" and didn't stop him from working on another self-financed projects.
$150k TV pilot - badly written, well cast and acted out, decently directed, decently shot, badly butchered in the post. The project went to some small film fest. The producer who financed the film almost lost his house.
$85k - well written, well shot, well directed. The project is still in the post so hard to say what will come out of it.
$75k - decently written, decently cast (all but the lead character that sucked), decently directed, badly edited and over all badly posted (the budget didn't include money for the post). The film played at some small film fest and went straight to video the do-it-yourself route. I'm pretty sure the director is still paying off his credit cards.
$75k TV pilot - well written, well shot, well directed, well posted. The project ultimately went nowhere as people simply didn't connect with the material.
$50k TV pilot - badly written, well cast, decently shot and directed, well edited. In my opinion the project levitated in this weird space where for extra $10-12k it could really be good but as there was no way to find that extra money it was just barely watchable -- then again no money can fix bad writing.
$40k + $150k in advert - well cast, well acted out, the story was flat though, the cinematography was crap (not afraid to admit it) and the edit was painful. The film had serious advert budget behind it and had a short run in the theaters but ultimately lost money as viewers simply didn't connect.
$40k - badly written, badly cast, badly directed, decently shot. The project never got finish and the director went back to teach high school kids about film making (and probably still repaying his credit cards).
$35k - decently written, decently cast, decently directed (both in production and post). Project went to some small films fest... I'm pretty sure the investor never made his money back.
$20k - decently written, badly cast, acted out and directed, decently edited. Went straight to watch-it-all-here-on-the-internet-for-free. The writer/director keeps on making small self-financed films that never go anywhere.
$15k - badly written, badly cast, badly directed, decently shot. The project never got finished.
12 projects, over $1,500,000 spent, ZERO success. Those were smart, creative, hard working individuals definitely not some rejects from mental institution and yet still couldn't make it work WITH money... So you really think you gonna conquer the world with your 10-15k film???? Nothing against optimism, but at least have some kind of reality check.
Zak Forsman
Major Contributor
this thread is done.
- Status