Writing low budget action scenes.

H

harmonica44

I wanna shoot my first feature length and have a budget around 75,000 at the most, plus a few grand extra in case I go overboard. Now with the budget around that much, which includes everything accept for the actors lunches (since I can cook my own food to save some money), what kind of action sequences can I expect to film?

Like if I wanted a shoot out, how destructive could it be? Could there be explosions? How much of a car chase would be possible? Things like that. I wanna have at least 4 action scenes, and but two of them can be completely microbudget short ones, that can be filmed in someone's house or in an alleyway. But I do want at least two long ones with bigger action.

Another thing is location. I have written two scripts and am good with shooting either one. The one I am thinking about doing more has four action scenes, the other has eight. The eight one, the action scenes may be able to shoot in better accessible locations, compared to the other, if that makes a huge difference.

It's a tough question to answer of course, because there are also several other circumstances of where the money will go with the other scenes, but what kind of action scenes were produced before with movies of that budget? Thanks.
 
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Dude, there's so many variables that it's like asking: How do I make a low-budget sci fi scene?

Personally, unless you're doing something I haven't seen before you're wasting your time with bullets and explosions. Every 15 year old kid on youtube is playing with bullets and explosions.

Snore.

It's all so played out. What do you bring besides the old generic "bullets and explosions" and an obligatory car chase?

That's where you need to explore the depths of your screenwriting soul.
 
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Well I don't just wanna have another car chase or shootout. I wanna have something different for sure. The car chase I have written is actually much more cerebral than any I've seen and the characters have to use their brains on where to go at the right time, and I wrote it so it shows that. Plus the situation in which the chase happens is original. That's one example.

What about the last action scene in Quantum of Solace? Yes I know, bad action movie, but I like the idea of the final action scene. A shootout and fistfight in a burning building. How do you shoot an action scene with the appearance of a burning building around the actors? And would that be out of my budget?
 
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harmonica44 said:
Well I don't just wanna have another car chase or shootout. I wanna have something different for sure. The car chase I have written is actually much more cerebral than any I've seen and the characters have to use their brains on where to go at the right time, and I wrote it so it shows that. Plus the situation in which the chase happens is original. That's one example.

What about the last action scene in Quantum of Solace? Yes I know, bad action movie, but I like the idea of the final action scene. A shootout and fistfight in a burning building. How do you shoot an action scene with the appearance of a burning building around the actors? And would that be out of my budget?
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With all due respect, if you're asking members of this forum if something is within your budget, this project is probably way over your head at the current time.

Don't take this as discouragement. Do your homework, do simpler projects to get a feel about budgets, and make your film when the time is right.
 
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I am trying to shoot no budget short films to get practice but no one wants to work unless it is a real project. I am having trouble finding people to practice with in my area. So I feel I may have to move onto a real official movie if that will get people motivated to work with me.
 
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harmonica44 said:
I am trying to shoot no budget short films to get practice but no one wants to work unless it is a real project. I am having trouble finding people to practice with in my area. So I feel I may have to move onto a real official movie if that will get people motivated to work with me.
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Slow down...things take time. You need experience with projects that have budgets to gain experience with budgets. There is no other way to do it.

A short with no budget is a real, official movie if you explain what festivals you (and your actors) are planning to enter. Set some goals and tell people about them. Build a team.
 
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I'm of the nubile opinion "action" scenes and sequences come in two flavors: Hand to hand combat, w/ or w/o gunplay, and smash/crash/detonate/burn vehicles or structures.

The former generally runs cheaper than the latter.

Runnin' an' gunnin' + fisticuffs usually doesn't cost as much as filming the antagonist in a car chasing the protagonaist on a motorcycle, both firing pistols at each other.
How does anyone park either w/o crashing it?

The moment you start crashing & burning stuff your budget gets real expensive fast.
Actors fighting doesn't cost diddly compared to smashing a car.

Another thing is location. I have written two scripts and am good with shooting either one. The one I am thinking about doing more has four action scenes, the other has eight. The eight one, the action scenes may be able to shoot in better accessible locations, compared to the other, if that makes a huge difference.
Good writing is rewriting.
Watch the DVD/BlueRay director commentary for SALT.
Take notes on how much the screenplay changed from studio approved to screen, how much budget changed what, what was improved right on the set.
 
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"Quantum of Solace? Yes I know, bad action movie"

Huh?

If you regard a Bond movie as a 'bad action movie' then I really don't know what the hey you think you'll be able to produce for $75,000.
 
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Keep it simple

Focus on the plot, lighting, sound and overall video quality before you go crazy with the effects. If a shot is going to be expensive think of other ways to shoot it which would keep the plot the same but cost way less.
 
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It's not that I don't want to start at the top. I do want to start small and build, but it's very hard to find people where I live who are interested in the movie business. Hard to build a team as it was put. I have advertised everywhere for people wanting to work on their craft, but so far the only takers are people in the music and composing business who responded. So I feel that I may have to jump right into directing a feature without much practice. I will definitely do a short film I have written first though. But after that I wanna use the rest of my money for a feature. But when I am ready to start, I will shoot all the plot scenes first and see what I have left over for action.

But that is also hard because plot happens during the action and if I have to change an action scene, because of budget, that could affect the rest of the plot. Like for example if a car chase, happens where innocent civilians are run over, for example, the police characters will be talking about who got run over in court and what went wrong. But if I shoot those talking scenes first before the action, then find out I have no money for that type of action scene, I will have to rewrite and reshoot that court scene to fit the action scene I can afford. Things like that.
 
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You might want to move to another area in Canada where the movie industry is more active. If you volunteer on some independent projects you might make some connections while gaining some experience.
 
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harmonica44 said:
...when I am ready to start, I will shoot all the plot scenes first and see what I have left over for action...
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I wouldn't do that if I were you. What if you end up with so little that you can't finish your film?

Get the budget down in pre-production, have a good idea of where your money's going. You can make some changes during production, but nothing too major. You wouldn't want the notion that you may or may not be shooting the big car chase scene running through your head the whole time.

Make the big decisions like this before you even start!
 
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harmonica44 said:
Like if I wanted a shoot out, how destructive could it be? Could there be explosions? How much of a car chase would be possible? Things like that.
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If you want to do a lot of destruction you can. If you want
explosions you can do that. You can do as much of a car chance as
you want.

What you have done - and we all see that in all your posts and
questions - is set yourself a very, very difficult task.
Everything you want to do - shoot outs, explosions, car chases -
can be done on your budget. What you need are very skilled,
experienced people willing to donate their time and talent to your
project.

I do not think that you can do it. Not at your current skill
level. I know I could do all that on your budget - I know many
filmmakers who could. I also know I couldn’t have done all that,
on your budget, my first time out and with so few skilled,
experienced people to help.
harmonica44 said:
which includes everything accept for the actors lunches (since I can cook my own food to save some money),
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You are aware, of course, that even if you cook your own food,
that food costs money. Are you seriously thinking that while you
are directing a feature film with action scenes that you will have
time to cook food for the cast and crew?
 
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Morris said:
You might want to move to another area in Canada where the movie industry is more active. If you volunteer on some independent projects you might make some connections while gaining some experience.
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If I move to another area, then that will eat up my money right there. I figure I might as well have a saved budget. I have tried volunteering on independent projects here but so far nothing. I will keep looking though.
 
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directorik said:
If you want to do a lot of destruction you can. If you want
explosions you can do that. You can do as much of a car chance as
you want.

What you have done - and we all see that in all your posts and
questions - is set yourself a very, very difficult task.
Everything you want to do - shoot outs, explosions, car chases -
can be done on your budget. What you need are very skilled,
experienced people willing to donate their time and talent to your
project.

I do not think that you can do it. Not at your current skill
level. I know I could do all that on your budget - I know many
filmmakers who could. I also know I couldn’t have done all that,
on your budget, my first time out and with so few skilled,
experienced people to help.

You are aware, of course, that even if you cook your own food,
that food costs money. Are you seriously thinking that while you
are directing a feature film with action scenes that you will have
time to cook food for the cast and crew?
Click to expand...

I can find a way or find someone to cook the food. But yeah if not then it will cost more money. Any tips on how to film higher budget action for a low price?
 
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harmonica44 said:
I can find a way or find someone to cook the food. But yeah if not then it will cost more money. Any tips on how to film higher budget action for a low price?
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The best tip we can give is practice. Several different people have given it in several different threads but it seems like you really don't want to. Action with effects and explosions and car chases on a FEATURE film isn't something you can do good and cheap without lots of experience.

Have you ever budgeted a feature? A short? How much is insurance and permits going to cost? Camera gear? Cast and crew? The food is going to be the cheapest thing in your budget, even if you paid for catering.

Have you ever shot anything? Can you manage 20 people or more while focusing on the shot you're getting and making sure it's what you want?

Have you ever made a shot list, do you know what shots to get?

Have you ever edited anything or worked with an editor? What's that going to cost?


If it were me, and I was green with $75k I'd spend 25 over the next year or so shooting shorts and scenes and what not non-stop. Going from complete preproduction through post, then spend $50k on the feature.

I really am not trying to be mean, but it really sounds like your about to blow $75k on a project that's WAY over your head.
 
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I have done some shooting and recording for practice. My friend is a DP who has worked on several projects and also knows how to record sound and is helping me out. Right now we are practicing and after that we are going to shoot a short film. I don't want to get into the feature right away, as it is way over my head. I am trying to find other projects to get experience on but it has been hard. There is just not a lot to find where I live, but I'm always looking.
 
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