1000 Dollar Film

If it doesn’t sound natural, cut it. If your character is a teenager from a small town in the Midwest, it’s likely that he’s not going to walk around speaking in lengthy scientific phrases. Unless it’s part of your plot (perhaps he’s River Phoenix’s character Wolfgang in The Explorers?), change or cut the dialogue.

Make sure your dialogue is easy to understand. It’s one thing to have a character with a weird accent or feature to make him interesting; it’s another to make him incomprehensible. Continue Reading »

Tags: character dialogue, dialog, dialogue tips in filmmaking, film dialogue, making cheap movies, movies on a budget

You want your characters to sound as natural and human as possible–without being boring–right? This doesn’t mean that every word that’s said must be golden words of infinite wisdom, grasshopper; what it does mean is that your characters need to be believable.

Here are just a few tips to follow when guiding your actors through their dialogue.

Maintain consistency. If your movie takes place in Ireland and your actors have their Irish accents down perfectly, great! Continue Reading »

Tags: character dialogue, dialog, dialogue tips in filmmaking, film dialogue, making cheap movies, movies on a budget

Looking for even more tips for a Hitchcockian feel? Here are even more ways to twist your movie to fit your budget and the big screen.

Walk a mile in your lead’s shoes. Or rather, make your audience walk in them. If your character is a serial rapist in jail, your audience may not have much empathy for him; engage the audience by showing things from his point of view, such as in flashbacks of a difficult life or in a current abusive situation while in prison. Continue Reading »

Tags: alfred hitchcock, cheap movie making, directing movies, hitchcock films, hitchcock themes, making movies, movie twists, movie writing

If you want to really add some cinematic appeal to your movie without adding more money to your budget, look no further than twisted tale guru Alfred Hitchcock. There was a man who knew how to draw in an audience! Here are a few tips on adding some Hitchcockian style to your film.

Give your characters plenty of scene time. Continue Reading »

Tags: alfred hitchcock, cheap movie making, directing movies, hitchcock films, hitchcock themes, making movies, movie twists, movie writing

Going to film school is the dream of many people. Unfortunately, times are tough, and many simply can’t afford to go–either because a job gets in the way or costs are simply too high.

Fortunately there are still ways to learn about filmmaking. While it doesn’t result in a degree of any kind, Wikiversity’s filmmaking class can be an invaluable resource for movie makers just starting out in the industry. Continue Reading »

Tags: cheap film school, cheap movie making, free film school, free filmmaking class, free filmmaking resources

Every movie maker wishes that he or she had a favorite director, actor, writer, producer, or other professional at his or her constant disposal–an ear to bend that’s been there, done that, and has plenty of tips to share. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have that kind of resource–and acquiring one can be pretty costly.

That’s where the Filmmaking.net FAQ comes in. Whether your question is about financing or film school, music or marketing, they’ve got an answer for you. Continue Reading »

Tags: cheap movie making, filmmaking answers, filmmaking faq, movie making

One concern that many new filmmakers share is that their movie will be terrible simply because they have little to no budget to blow on production. This is simply not true; do not let lack of funds deter you from creating your masterpiece.

For proof that money doesn’t make the man–or in this case, the film–look no further than these masterpieces created with plenty of creativity–and without much money. Continue Reading »

Tags: famous low budget movies, low budget films, low budget movie masterpieces

Before filming your movie, you’ll probably want to create a storyboard to visually conceptualize the scenes together. That way, you can move things around for dramatic effect and have each scene ready to film before you begin. Remember, your scenes can be flexible; for the sake of art, don’t feel as if they have to remain in the order they were originally written. Continue Reading »

Tags: drawing storyboards, filmmaking, how to make a cheap movie, storyboard, storyboard tips

With all this talk of special effects, a green screen has to come into play somewhere. A professional and portable green screen is ideal for conducting special effects on a set.

The good news is that a green screen can be made very cheaply. For about $40 you can make your own.

First, gather your materials. Continue Reading »

Tags: cheap movie making, green screen, movie making, movie tools, special effects

With Hollywood getting greener by the day, making an eco-friendly film is becoming less of a tall order and more of a trend. Going green should be even easier for the small filmmaker, as less money equals less things to waste. After all, who is going to spend their entire budget of a couple grand on stuff to simply blow it up?

Still, if you really care about making sure your film is green, here are some tips to follow. Continue Reading »

Tags: eco-friendly movie making, environmentally friendly movies, green movies, sustainable movies