Looking for tips on trimming the production budget

C

Cakebread

I'm working with a production company, and we're trying to explore ways of reducing production costs to be able to produce more films at once. Specifically, we're looking at approximately 6-7 feature length films in production at any one time, with a budget of possibly $300k each. I'm looking for suggestions and advice from others on methods you've used to trim down film budgets, and what would allow us to get more films in the production pipeline at once. Keep in mind we do smaller indie films that focus on character and story instead of action and effect. If there's anyone with experience in this area who would have thoughts to contribute on how to best manage this sort of production model I'd love to hear from you. I'm really just shopping around for any opinions, so anything you might care to share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
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I think the fact that you got to the point where your able to have a budget like that for each film is awesome. It is hard in are field to make it and it sounds like your doing great for yourself. I definitely wouldn't go backwards and start to shoot like you have no budget. You clearly worked hard to get where you are today, so enjoy it and just make sure you use your budget wisely.

I really have only one tip that I can give you for trying to trim your budget. Try using the barter system. When trying to secure a location, instead of offering them money, offer them your production services. For giant halls offer them a sample video to hand to possible brides looking to use their hall. For actors offer to make them a demo reel that would show off their acting ability. I have seen this method work a number of times.

This method also lets you network and gets your name out there to other companies. You don't even have to offer them the services for free, you can offer them at a discounted rate. This is really the only tip I have.

I guess if you can get stuff/locations for free go for it. I know I have had to try and get somethings for free when I make films. But I think shooting with a budget is awesome. I would be proud of the fact that I was able to shoot with a budget. Good luck and let us know how everything turns out.
 
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cinemaguerrilla said:
$3000k!?!?! I haven't spent $1k on all the films I've done combined!! The feature that I'm in pre-production with right now, THRESHOLD, has a budget of $0. I'm not kidding. I've got a cast and crew of over 25 people, over 12 locations, and an arrest scene that will be utilizing the following:
1. actual police car
2. actual police officer
3. a Corvette
4. a classic car
5. a tree trimming truck with 50 ft bucket for arial shots
6. actual Fire Department ladder truck to shoot arials
7. 6-8 camera operators
8. two sound technicians
9. we will be shutting down a city street
10. we will be filming from the rooftops of two seperate businesses
11. and the list goes on

Plus we have the following locations:
1. Morgue
2. Hospital
3. Restaurant
4. three bars
5. Race track
6. Closed down psyhiatric ward
7. An apartment
8. Isolation Cell in an old jail
9. Chiropractor's office
and many more


All of this is being done legally with permissions granted by the city, and is costing me exactly $0!!!! What you need to do is stop thinking like a "Production Company" and start thinking like an Indie Filmmaker again. Shoot around what is available. A friend's house has a pool... write it into the film. Someone has a unique look or feature... base a story around it. Go back to your roots and shoot like you have NO money, NO financing, NO chance in hell. Make connections and use them. If you've got any questions, feel free to contact me. Good luck.
Click to expand...

How you got all that including permits with no insurance is question 1.
 
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My town (Nashville) is less jaded than LA or NY, but immune at this point to the novelty of filmmaking. I spent over a month talking to 20 or so property owners/managers of vacant industrial buildings before I finally found one willing to let me shoot for $300 a day without insurance. The abandoned prison, and the two abandoned hospitals in town, were in the range of $500 to $1000 a day, plus insurance required, plus pay $25 an hour for a security guard while we were there, plus rent a ginny truck because they didn't have electricity. I did get hooked up on equipment rental as I developed a relationship with a local rental house and they rented me $500 a day worth of gear for $100 a day.
 
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Nice work on the free labor as well (again, people appreciating the opportnity in a place that doesn't have a lot of them I imagine). People here are (again) more jaded. I got PAs and ADs for free, but sound, camera operators, any tech people who actually knew what they were doing wanted to get paid. My "connections" let met me get them for cheap (highest paid person on set was DP at $100 a day), but nobody (in this area) who knew what the hell they were doing was gonna work for free.

Mostly, it all comes down to the time = money equation. You can spend time, or you can spend money. I could spend 20 hours of my time looking for Prop X for free, or I could spend $100 and buy it. To me 20 hours of my time is worth WAY more than $100 (or even $500). Other people, in other situationsl, would look at that equation differently. It's all about balancing those out, to maximize your budget.
 
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The most effective means of trimming the buget/costs would have to be:

Quote: "Don't let that money hose flow and flow and flow" (or something like that). Robert Rodriguez, you are god. Seriously though, thats a piece of advice I'll carry forever.
 
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