Gurella Filmmaking-Things I learned doing no budget films-Part 5

So the continuing saga. How to make the concept of no budget work for you. First off, one of the big things I battle with when there isn't a budget, are the constraints of time. You just can't stretch it out over too many days. I have determined that I can get a good crew and cast for no more then 3 days. 3 days isn't a lot of time but you make due.

Today we talk the location hunt. In low or no budget filmmaking the locations becoming doubly important...not only do you need the right set, but you also need it to be conveniently located. I did a film a couple of years ago that was a multi location shoot. We found a house that was enormous and shot if as follows:

Living Room, Location #1
Family Room, Location #2
Kitchen dining room, Location #3
Kitchen, Location #4
Counter table-Kitchen, Location #5
Dining Room, Location #6
Basement rumpus room, Location #6

So we spent 2 of the 3 days there but it served as 6 separate locations...this was a gold mine time wise. I know these are small things, but they add up and contribute to the overall film. Time is money or in this case time is a couple extra takes needed to get the right performance, to make your film look as be as good as it can.

Here is a good tip, if someone let you shoot in their home and you need another house location in your film, ask them how well they know their neighbours and if they think they would have a location that could be used.

My last film, "Honest you won't get hooked" required 3 separate house locations...we found them all on the same block. Nothing kills your shoot faster then having to relocate.

Bad things happen in threes...baloney, it's not true

So I was talking earlier about having a pissy day...and I was worried that bad luck happens in 3s...well not true. I decide to have a positive attitude, and things worked out. The city came out, discovered my plumbing problems were actually theirs and it didn't cost me anything.

It actually is cheaper to call the city then a plumber when your sewer backs up...if it is your problem you will be billed $200.00, if it is a city issue the problem is fixed for nothing. The catch is you will be hard pressed to get a regular plumber out to fix anything for less then $200.00. Its a no lose situation. You got sewer problems, the city is always the first call.

There you go...Ben's homeowner tip #1. If you know me, giving home owner tips is the ultimate in irony. Anyway I am off for the night..."I love the smell of sewer in the evening" didn't that come from a movie?

I'm having a pissy day!

Ever have one of those days where you think, why did I get out of bed? My keys are locked inside my garage, so I ended up missing a couple of appointments, because one of the keys that is locked inside the garage is the key that opens the door to the garage.

Next up a plumber is coming over. My laundry room flooded. This happens every 6 months (friggine tree roots0 and the plumbing guy has to come out and clean this up...well, he did 3 weeks ago and now its plugged again. The plumber guarantees their work but have informed me that they cleaned out the main line and the plug is now just in the drain in my laundry room so that qualifies as a new problem outside of my guarantee which happened three weeks ago. Okay its probably my worry, but this coupled with the locked garage... you now know why the pissy mood.

The thing that worries me the most is the thought that bad things happen in threes...ummm, maybe I will go back to bed. Or, maybe I stand up to superstition and say no to the nasty threes and stay up. Am a bit sleepy though.

Gurella Filmmaking-Things I learned doing no budget films-Part 4

So you're doing a film. You have a script, shoot dates, a crew and all roles have been cast. What do you do in pre-production. Well right off, since you don't have a budget you know rehearsal is going to be difficult. I start with a table read. This is an extremely important time for me. The actors have had time to look at their character and then bring something to the table. I am big on helping the actor find their voice. I always design back story for all the larger roles. I think it's important that the person know what I was thinking when I wrote it. I always tell them that I am open to their interpretation, but at least they now have a starting point. The round table is a little bit about actors, but more for me. It is the first time I hear the whole film from start to finish. I find it a good place to find problems with pacing, dialogue and scenes that just don't work. Which means rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. I am always changing things right up to the day of the shoot, and would probably still be writing during the shoot if I didn't have other things to do.

I also give my actor plenty of flexibility. I am usually not in love with the words so I always tell the actors that they should feel free to change it up and use things that are more comfortable for them. As long as story isn't compromised I have always gotten stronger performances when the actor is able to make the part their own.

I wasn't always like this. When I first started doing films I found I was fiercely protective of every word and wouldn't let anything change. It was an insecurity and a need to own everything. It almost always fucks up the film and it ensures that your movie will not be the best that it can be.

So again the round table is a crucial part of my post production. From here I decide what scenes need work and try to schedule rehearsals. I also try and not book rehearsals to close to the shoot dates. Actors seem to do better after a little bit of time between rehearsal and shoot and I think it's because they need the time to internalize the role and in a sense put their game face on.

So there it is part 4. These again are based on experiences I have had and have found that I am starting to get better at the whole filmmaking thang when I practise what I have learned. I would love some of you to share your ideas on filmmaking as well. An open forum is a good way to learn and share ideas.

Independent film on the web

So, I am very excited about my next project. It is going to be the first of what I hope will be a series of web based documentaries. It will only be available for download. The series is called "For the Record". It will follow singer/songwriters as they prepare to record a new album, or I guess technically it would be a CD. The first edition will be about Bill Bourne as he prepares to record his new album "See". I think it should be an interesting doc. Principal Photography begins April 5 with a release date for the show sometime in July. The album will be coming out in the fall.

So now the project is to figure out where to make the documentary available for download. At only 1.99 per download it will be extremely affordable. If anybody has any info on good sites for this (if I understand correctly you need a distributor to get onto Itunes) please let me know. Or if you have had experiences good or bad on the process I would also like to know about it.

Gurella Filmmaking-Things I learned doing no budget films-Part 3

The real part 3. So your doing a low budget or no budget film. Doesn't matter if its a short or a feature the same rules apply. When you have a budget it takes for ever to get something going...there is a very long planning period. When you don't have a budget or a small one the length of planning (before pre-production) is even longer. You need to give cast and crew as much time as possible to plan for shoot dates and the post production cycle. Even if your not paying there still needs to be something in in for the person participating. Respecting their contribution by giving them plenty of notice is one of the first things you do to establish that respect.

Its a short tip today...I will next discuss what I do in pre-production.

"My Mind is Just a Twitter"

I have been overwhelmed lately by this whole concept of Social Media. The marketing of the future is now...So lets start, you all of a sudden, have something that needs to be know, a product that has to be seen, information that must be shared...Post it on your blog, add photos and video...and a link to Facebook, which in turn links to YouTube, with a way to connect to your website, which sends you e-mails on every hit. But how will people know you do all this? Simple, you tweet them. They in turn will hopefully retweet your stuff to their list of friends who will hopefully then re-re tweet and so on and so on...Its truly amazing, its mind numbing, it is original and unique...no wait, hmmm isn't it just word of mouth?

Could Social Media be just that simple, or am I missing something? "I am slowly twittering away the hours"...the new adage for 2010.