Why Screenplay Genre’s Don’t Matter

Conventional thinking in the indie film industry states that in order to do business with a lo/no budget film, you have to make a “genre” film.

This based on a fairly sophisticated understanding of the buying patterns of the industry. Which is turn are based on consumer buying habits. It’s not that hard to understand — when we go to Blockbuster or decide to go to the cinema, our choices are by and large based on the currency of the stars attached to that movie. — If liked the last Nicholas Cage movie I saw, then it’s a good bet that I’ll like the next one.

For the $1000 movie maker, in fact for any low budget indie film maker, attaching a movie star to your digital film is highly unlikely — Of course with the right script, good luck and persistence anything is possible, but in the main it’s not going to happen.

Instead of which, indie film makers rely on specific genres where the audience will purchase the film, regardless of whether it has a name attached to the project or not. In the past these have been the kind of films that appeal to teenage boys whose wardrobe consists exclusively of black T-shirt. In other words horror, thrillers with naked women and heavy gunfire, kung-fu movies and various shades of porn/psuedo porn.

The no budget horror film has been such a staple of the industry and to many it’s still the obvious port of call, if the budget is tight and you know your cast is going to be marginal.

Anyway, the point I wanted to make today is that it doesn’t have to be like this — the genre approach to low budget film making is fundamentally almost always about saying “I have no budget, therefore I’ll aim low — at least that way I’ll turn a profit.” It’s a B-Movie mentality, and personally I hate it.

With the $1000 approach, genre is irrelevant, except where it impacts on the budget. So whereas guns and car chases are out (too expensive) there is no bar on any genre, providing that your idea can be sold virally.

This means that you can do an art house film, if it meets the criteria, or a thriller, if it meets the budget. With this approach you remove the B-movie mentality and always aim to make something outstanding.

tags: films genres digital film making low budget movies