Is it even possible to make a short film with no money? The answer is yes, and no. Simply because you will need some recording equipment. Many have used their smartphones and free editing software available online. Needless to say, I’ll walk you through the process.
- You will need a film script. Your film script can be written by you or someone else.
- Breakdown the script to see what props and locations you need.
- Figure out what equipment you need. You will need a camera, possibly some lighting, a sound recorder (you can use your smartphone for this), and a clapboard (slate board).
- You may or may not need a crew. It’s totally up to how comfortable you feel managing and filming the production. A rule of thumb is to have a production assistant to help you manage the shoot and actors.
- Make sure your location is available. If you are shooting indoors, make sure to turn off any appliances that can be heard when the room is silent (you’ll thank me later for this one). If you are shooting outdoors, make sure the weather is permitting and try to avoid areas with lots of pedestrian traffic. Also, try to avoid shooting when it’s incredibly sunny outside—Google search “the magic hour” for shooting films.
- Find actors who are dedicated to your shoot. Meaning, find actors who will show up on time and give you great performances. Most beginning filmmakers use family or friends before hiring professional actors. Keeps costs to a minimum.
- Now that you have your cast, crew, equipment, and locations, you can begin shooting your film.
- Once your film is shot, you now have to edit your film. There are free and paid versions of video editing software available. If you do not know how to edit, you can ask a college student, friend, or family who has these skills to help.
- Once your film is edited, it’s done. Time to share with audiences.
I just gave you a brief overview of how to shoot a film with no money. Of course, there are more filmmaking procedures that you’ll want to learn. For example, lighting techniques, sound design, and camera shots/angles. The 5 Shorts Project offers a film mentorship that’ll help you with all of this. If you are interested in learning more, check out our film mentorship program.