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  1. #1
    UHM's Rogue Director
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    What's your budget?

    Question to all of you moviemakers out there:

    Consider your best script, written by you or not, from which you would like to make a movie. If you had a patron who was willing to foot the bill, how much would your bare minimum budget be to make the movie the way that you want?

    I have a great script (of course, ‘cause I wrote it) which is a period piece, Civil War-era horror film. It runs ninety pages, and I’d like to have a few names in the cast.

    1. Not Brad Pitt or DeNiro, but a few known character actors that will get some face, if not name recognition by the audience.

    2. Of course I’ll need period clothing, specifically soldier’s uniforms from both sides, and weapons, accoutrements, etc., but all that gear is sitting in a storage closet somewhere. All I’d need to do is locate it – I shouldn’t need to fabricate it.

    3. I’ll need sets built: specifically a fort for exteriors, but all of the rooms inside can be on a soundstage. I’m guessing that there’s a set around somewhere of a period fort, but I might need to construct it from scratch.

    4. Finally, the special effects of the creature will run the budget up a bit. I’m expecting that I can find a small effects house that will do it all on a budget – but that doesn’t mean on the cheap.

    One last consideration: I am practiced at bringing in a low-budget feature on a micro budget. I think this will help in areas of production where I can take shortcuts that won’t affect quality, and will help (if ever so slightly) to keep the budget manageable.

    Now, all of the above is by no means comprehensive, but representative in broad strokes of what I'll need budget-wise. I’m making an educated guess here, since I haven’t even done a proper breakdown, that I can make the movie for under a million. As in, $999,999.00. Heh. This includes all of the above, with probably at least a full quarter going to the paychecks of the cast.

    Tell us about your script, any particular budgeting problems (crazy effects, big star, specific locations that might run your budget over) and why you’d need the budget you quoted.

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    Last edited by Dr. Phibes; 05-29-2009 at 09:39 AM.

  2. #2
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    //Neon_Maniac//'s Avatar
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    I got a script that I plan to direct in the fall. I have a very limited budget. Everyone (except the special effects guy) is working for free. The entire budget is under $10,000.00

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    For one moment, I wish you would hold your stage with no feeling at all...
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  3. #3
    Psycho Killer
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    Toby's Avatar
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    HACKSAW didn't really have a script to tell you the truth...I DID write one, but it was a different kind of HACKSAW story, it didn't have the qualities of what I did for THIS project in terms with making an iconic killer in some way, but not make him too flashy because then he wouldn't be too memorable. Anyways, yeah, I didn't really have much of a script to use when shooting this thing, this was pretty much all in my head when I was shooting every thing, which to some might've not been the best idea, but you can judge me when you see the movie yourselves...

    The budget?...hmmm...I really spent most of it on a gore effects and latex, but I had bought all of that along with props and such for another movie I was doing WAY in the past and it all cost me about maybe...$300 at most, the other film was canned because I couldn't get any help for it (I was 14 and was asking professionals to help me...and they didn't even bother....cocksuckers...)

    I didn't hire any actors, I just asked my friends if they'd help me with my film and they said yes, and I have to say they were pretty spot on, especially my sis who's playing...dare I say it....the killer's girlfriend (Yeah, yeah, whatever, get it out of your systems, hardy har har) so that was a slide.

    For costumes? I didn't really spend much on costumes, just bought material to make a raggity clown mask and a goat mask, and I guess those costed me about $16 for each yard the different fabric (they don't come cheap..) and I just used my make up to design them. The other costumes are just old clothes that I asked the actors and actresses to wear if they didn't mind getting it all messy and such with some blood.

    The sets were just at my one friend's house in his basement and then at my house and inside my garage, which too is look like a sort of basement.

    My good buddy, Neon, here is doing the editing, with effects and music which I believe he's doing it for free, which is very awesome of him and I know he's going to do great with it as much as he'll do great with his up and coming company of CINEMA18, which I'm distributing my film to instead of Brain Damage Films, because I seemed to have lost them on my radar when Neon (Ethan Rogers) was giving me promising advice and suggestions, so I'm letting him take on this gem and be released with his awesome company, no matter what stages it's on, I know it'll rise up with the best ones out there.

    Sorry got a bit carried away Anyways, so yeah I'd have to say with all of that the full budget has come to being at least $320...because this idea I was pitching was a very simple sort of thing, but as long as I have executed it right then maybe to others it'll have a lot of meaning to the killer's character and the story as I believe in it.

    Currently I'm still working on the DVD cover for HACKSAW, and I'm about to shoot an opening scene for the film to add more gore in its mix because I really felt there wasen't enough, I'll be waiting to hear from the N man about the progessions and then I can finalize the DVD cover to its full potential and hopefully get a screening at San Fransisco, which is where I think Neon said we'd be screening it but I'm not sure.

    I'm working on a fantasy film project, and I'm also working on making an adaption to my Grizzler comic, I'm about to make the mask and the body suit and get into the early stages for its development, but as far as I know the fantasy film project I really want to do will be the most part of my observation, and maybe even film Grizzler on the side.

    LONG LIVE GOOD FILMMAKING!

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    Last edited by Toby; 06-01-2009 at 12:41 PM.

    "It's a Freak Show! A Freak Show! See the strange and bizarre! Step right up, we'd love to see you! We think YOU can be the STAR! Hahahaha! Oooh! Hahahahaha! Ooohh! Hahahaha!"-Umlaut (CarnEvil)
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  4. #4
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    Metapher's Avatar
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    I have one in mind that I don't want to mention because I like to keep it a secret. Seems like I might be doing the film with a crew that know way more than me, they have a few films behind them, so much of the skills won't be from my side, but the idea, script and co-direction will be me.

    Not sure about the budget, but most of the budget will be the special effects.
    Location will probably be built by ourselves. Fairly cheap, all we need is one (!!) cabinet, and walls/doors.
    Camera and such will either be borrowed/rented, or if the crew I'll work with has decent enough themselves.
    Editors and such is already fixed.

    A small budget for sure.

    This won't take place for a few years.

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    Last edited by Metapher; 06-01-2009 at 01:52 PM.

  5. #5
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    Howdy yall,

    Night of the Mullets is a 13 minute short film with 11 deaths and a handful of effects. We got our two lead actors for free (Craigslist) and the crew were friends from film school whom I convinced to work for free (Helps being charming). Gear was all free too (Thanks to film school/our own gear). The biggest costs were feeding the crew, props/costumes, and effects. All in all the short cost $1500. Not bad considering I know a lot of friends whom have completed horror shorts for around $8000-$10,000. Feeding the crew was hella expensive. I don't use crews that large anymore. Pain in my ass. As for editing/visual effects I did them myself, and audio was all favors from audio friends.

    We just completed a 5 episode web-series for screwattack.com which back t back runs about 25 minutes and the whole thing cost us around $100. Mainly due to the fact that we now have all the gear we need and all the video game props were supplied by my collection or the store location we used. Tiny crew which we didn't have to feed because I was on fire with directing/scheduling (Done early every day). Speaking of web-series, I'll let you know when it's up later this month.

    We are planning another web-series and another short film. We are aiming for the short film to come in under $500 and the short to be under $1000.

    We are also planning on opening a bank account for the three of us to start saving cash over the next two years. We are aiming for $10,000 in two years. Our plan is two keep at the shorts/web-series (For practice) and in two years time shoot a low budget film for ten grand.

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