Hi all, I am a new member of this forum and just joined today. I'm in the process of making a dark thriller but i'm not sure what enough money is for a small flick. But when i went to the film festival in my home-town in Flint Michigan, this movie called Limbo by Thomas Ikimi really caught my eye. It was very deep and talked of the status of morality in a place where there are no consequences for actions.

But what really baffled me was when i went to visit the site, i saw the movie was made for $9,000. I was shocked they were able to make something look so good and for so little. It just goes to show, lots of cash does not equal a quality film.

ha! it's true. We made 'Left For Dead' for under $15k in cash. And within that film we had fight scenes of over 30 people, a 50 bike motorbike chase

It's all about getting the right creative people, having the kit (Left For Dead was shot on 2 DV cameras - one owned, one rented, edite don an Imac using Imovie and Final Cut) and being able to get people to do the sound and grading to make the film look a million $ more than it cost.

Mark Lester (director of Commando) thought that Left For Dead was shot for $750k and shot on Super16mm.

Perception I guess is the key.

Phil Hobden
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wow. Is your film out for rental or to buy? cuz i wud rly want to see it. But you should also check out this limbo film as well. $9k is REALLY stretching it.

Yeah you can rent it from blockbuster.com or buy (both region 1) from Amazon.com or deepdiscountdvd.com (for between $10-14).

It's far from perfect but it's a bloody good indication of what you can do with little money and a hell of a lot of talk, blag and luck!

Phil Hobden
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Welcome to Indietalk, Reference!

It just goes to show, lots of cash does not equal a quality film.
I couldn't agree more.

With a lot of work on lighting and sound, a good script, good actors and post production on avalable software, a quality movie can be made for almost no money at all.

I made my film for $8000 (www.thecoatroom.com) Of course, having been to festivals and posting on this board and others I realize now that $7000-$15000 is the standard these days for no-budget indie films.

I wish some of the bigger fests, like Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto etc. had a special category for films made under $20000 with NO NAME actors. That would give many talented filmmakers a chance to get major exposure.

I agree. there needs to be more peopel who cover this kinda film!

The only thing we can do is sumbit to smaller festivals which still get you the leafs on the poster if you win. Which is nice!

Phil Hobden
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yeah, there should be a section for films under like $20k or something. Oh yeah Duchamp78, i like the line in ur trailer 'i hate eyeballs and the way they look at me.' ha

Im on this Limbo site now, and just watched some clips and can't believe this thing is under 9k. You guys have to see this stuff.

thanks reference. what's the link to the limbo website?

oh, it's www.limbomovie.com

We made 'Left For Dead' for under $15k in cash.


Just wondering how much money has the film made from that investment. Did it turn a profit?

I couldn't agree more.

With a lot of work on lighting and sound, a good script, good actors and post production on avalable software, a quality movie can be made for almost no money at all.

The only money that I spent on my first short was for food - About $100. The DV tape will get re-used, so that does not count :)

Just wondering how much money has the film made from that investment. Did it turn a profit?

Yes. We have sold to Indonisia, USA, Canada,Puerto Rico, Thialand, Croatia and Greece. With a UK, Australia and a few others due once we pay back what we owe we should see a healthy profit, part of which has already funded an interim film called 'Ten Dead Men'

Phil Hobden
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I think that the less money you have, the more creative and resourceful you are forced to be and thus, this then makes produce a better flick.

Indeed look at all the bloated $100 million USD Hollywood crap. There are some great Indie films coming out from the UK over the next year or so.. all sell funded and all indie.

Soul Searcher (Dir Neil Oseman)
The Silencer (Dir Steve Lawson/Simon Wyndham)
Tough Justice...

And many more!

Phil Hobden
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mr. modern life, i was jut wondering, how can a first time director like me, that makes a real low budget flick, get a good distributor. I mean, do you have a list of good distributors that i cud consider?

I had to be negative, but if the deferrments, and freebies are added in, I dont think the budget would really be considered. $9000. Elly

Tell me more about the film and I MAY be able to help... best best PM or email me!


Phil Hobden
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Thanks. Have you actually seen some of the footage of the limbo film on the site. That's the kind of film i am hoping to make. Not exactly like it but near to it. I just need to get the resources and get FILMING!!!!

Thanks. Have you actually seen some of the footage of the limbo film on the site. That's the kind of film i am hoping to make. Not exactly like it but near to it. I just need to get the resources and get FILMING!!!!

Where in the UK are you based? Again best to email me... I may be able to help ( I have some great contacts in the UK)

Phil Hobden
--No Longer Printing Web Addresses--

...the U.K. is a long way from home for a Flint-Stone. Just another Michigan person saying hello from about 30 miles north of Flint...

...and while we're on the subject, wasn't 'Primer' made for about $4 to $7,000? I remember the cost of that film and being really surprised. I haven't seen the film yet, but I want to see why it won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance last year. (I think it was the Grand Jury prize)...

--spinner:cool:

...the U.K. is a long way from home for a Flint-Stone. Just another Michigan person saying hello from about 30 miles north of Flint...

...and while we're on the subject, wasn't 'Primer' made for about $4 to $7,000? I remember the cost of that film and being really surprised. I haven't seen the film yet, but I want to see why it won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance last year. (I think it was the Grand Jury prize)...

--spinner:cool:


It had a budget of ~$7,000 and won the Grand Jury Award, yeah.
I liked the film, but it's the most confusing thing I've ever seen. If you understand most of it the first time you see it, you're a genius. :)

Has anyone here actually heard of this limbo film?

I think I represent the other lesson with regards to budget, which is that we put £40,000 in cash into our film, shot on Panasonic's DVCProHD and then had another £340,000 in deferments.

For that we managed to make a film that looks like we spent 3 million on it. It stunninly beautiful, well written and superbly well acted. And because it was shot on full HD it projects up to full cinema screen sizes and looks as good as 35mm.

However, a year after completion it still hasn't made a sale and looks likely to be gathering dust on my ex-business partners shelf.

The thing I've learnt from this is that it's not about the quality of the script, the acting, the cinematogrpahy or even the budget, it's about making films in genres that distributors can sell easily.

I made a beautiful art house film and by making that choice I ended up having to sell my house to pay off the film's debts. That's a hard road to go down, especially when I could have knocked out a DV Horor flick in my sleep for next to nothing and actually have made money.

Personally I don't regret making the film I did, if I'd wanted to just maek moeny I would have stayed in advertising where it was easy. However, I think it's an important lesson, the only thing that matters is understanding the needs of the business,

I'll repeat that - The ONLY thing that matters is understanding the needs of the business.

Now, just to put this in context, I learnt more about film making by making No Place than I ever could have imagined and I now know that I could walk onto any professional set, anywhere in the world and direct a movie that would stadn up against any that you see in the cinemas. I really honed my craft on that moivie. I also learnt a massive amount about writing feature length screenplays. Personally I believe that No Place will eventually get a release based on the films that I make next, but that's another story.

One of the things that I'm more and more interested in is the idea that great movies can be made on micro budgets, but with production values that would allow them to have cinema release. I've learnt enough now to understand how that's possible.

I think the formula is a little like this:
1) Pick high sales genre
1 a) Design all the marketing material - understand why your film is worth spending $10 on before you write the script
2) Write High Concept - 4 act structure script with small cast and minmal locations
3) Shot on HDV, using the new JVCHD camera (keep crew ultra low, shoot hand held and use simple industry standard setups - no taking hours on fancy shots)
4) Offline on FCP
5) Find brilliant composer and get stunning soundtrack
6) Spend two days onlining on Avid Nitris, up convert to 1080 and master to HDD5

I think with that formula I can create a cinema quality film for £15,000, plus deferments for the cast and crew.

The budget is primarily, camera hire, tape stock, insurance, armorer (got to have real guns), make-up artist, sound recordist (always pay - get the best) petrol, catering (most important thing on set). The largest part of the budget goes into post, the Nitris online is easily going to be £7,000 and the audio mix is easily going to be another £2,500. I know that's a large part of the budget, but I think it's worth it and it takes the film from direct to TV/DVD only up to cinema grade.