How To Make Your First Movie Without A Huge Investment

It’s not so crucial for what purpose you decided to make your first film. Perhaps, you want to make something from scratch and show it to friends, or you have an idea that could change the world. In any case, your first film will require a lot of energy, emotions, and certain investments from you. Surely, you know how long does it take to make a movie and that the filmmaking process is an extremely troublesome task — especially if you are going to shoot a feature film without having multi-million dollar funding.

In this article, we will give you practical tips on how to make a movie without a huge budget and how to create your first film with quality. Let’s go!

Financial Aspect

No matter how much money you want to save, you will still need certain funds to cover current expenses. Filmmaking is the most expensive art form that requires investments — from transport for the actors to meals for the film crew, etc. Therefore, first of all, you need to determine how much money you have.

Borrowing large amounts isn’t worth it. Especially for your first film. Even if you are sure of success. This is your debut work, and the outcome can be unpredictable, and you will have to pay off your debts for many more years. In addition, financial issues can harm your relationships with loved ones.

Alternatively, you can raise funds on Kickstarter or another crowdfunding platform and find an investor or sponsor among some production companies or individuals who love movies. But make it clear that this is your first project, and show how inspired and talented you are. However, if you fail to find a sponsor, you can still continue the filmmaking process without adding cars from Tarantino movies.

Crew

You will need a screenwriter, cameraman, production designer, production manager, sound engineer, make-up artist, costume designer, and many other talented people. Remember that filmmaking is always a team effort, and bringing in colleagues will help you better express what you wanted to say. In addition, treat each member of the team fairly. This applies to all aspects — from their time to their revenues.

You can find like-minded people in relevant circles or on forums on the web and invite them to make a movie together. Chat, and tell them about your idea. Perhaps, you can inspire these people, and together you will be able to create something unique and truly worthwhile.

Moreover, it’s not necessary to invite world cinema stars to your first film. And you simply don’t have enough money for this. However, you can help young and aspiring actors discover their talents. Conduct an audition and select the best, in your opinion, candidates for the roles.Screenplay

It’s as crucial a part of the filmmaking process as anything else. Don’t hesitate to consult editors, screenwriters, and directors, since all of them are within easy reach on social networks. Use Celtx scriptwriting tool to transform your great idea into a production-ready script.

Remember, nothing says you are ready to shoot like a scripted folder. Try to have it at your fingertips at all times. You can read the episode ahead of time and make adjustments if you don’t like how the scene looks when performed.

Equipment

You can’t make your first film if you don’t have an idea of how long does it take to make a movie and what kind of equipment is needed. Of course, buying even used equipment is costly. Therefore, you can rent filmmaking equipment from companies specializing in such services or ask some production agency for help.

Moreover, it’s not necessary to invite world cinema stars to your first film. And you simply don’t have enough money for this. However, you can help young and aspiring actors discover their talents. Conduct an audition and select the best, in your opinion, candidates for the roles.

Editing

After you have filmed all the necessary material, you need to edit the final movie. Here, it’s critical to determine who exactly is going to perform the editorial work — you or another person? For these purposes, try to choose good software with all the necessary functions while keeping high image quality and resolution. Also, since your budget is limited, you should select from proven but affordable apps.

In addition, don’t forget about the importance of visual and sound effects. Use Waveform music creation software to create soundtracks for your first movie and add some drama. If there is no time and funds at all, then you can use royalty-free music to add sounds to your first film for free.

Premiere

Once you have figured out how to make a movie, it’s time to move on to its release and premiere. Since this is the creation of your life, be sure to create a trailer for your first film with Movavi video trailer maker. You can use such a short video as a promotion tool, for instance, by sending it to influential people from the film industry or posting it on social networks.

By the way, before presenting your first film to the general audience and general criticism, we recommend you show your masterpiece to your friends, relatives, and loved ones. These people will express the most honest and truthful opinions about your work. So, it’s time to set up a home theater and demonstrate your first project. And after that, you can safely publish your movie on the Internet and send it to various festivals.

Summing Up

How to make a movie with a small budget? We think we have given you some practical answers to this question. Everything else is just up to you.

Many young people who write scripts and are into directing usually say that they need money for the first film — for a camera, an assistant, or something else. They believe that the film will be good only in this way. However, you need to understand that you have no limits, you need to follow your ambitions and always make a try.

Remember, the filmmaking process must be strictly regulated: discipline, everyone knows their duties and understands that the team is collectively responsible for the final result.

With a small team, you can make great films just by having the idea and confidence in each other. Of course, sometimes you will need to save a lot on yourself to make your dream a reality. But it’s worth it, isn’t it?