How-To Make An Independent Film On The Cheap (Part I)

OK, consider this “Part I” of an on-going group of postings, here at MarylandFilms.com, on how-to make an independent film on the cheap. Believe it or not, you don’t need to go to a four year film college to learn how to make an independent film. A film college most likely won’t be offering you a film class on “film finance – the art of producing a feature film”. It also won’t offer you the know-how on making an entire film from scratch. A Film College is there to teach you how to do things, but the classes are often designed for big budget films. They also often teach you the use of film software that will be outdated by next year, with more emphasis on the software than on the ability to do the work with proper knowledge.

For instance, when teaching about editing a film, there needs to be an emphasis on the how-to’s of editing, so much more than on the specifics of a Non-Linear Editor (NLE) like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere. A person can take the general knowledge of editing and apply it no matter what program they use. Software programs are a dime a dozen – proper editing techniques are priceless.

But, enough with talking about film college and film software… You’re here to learn how to make an independent film on the cheap.

The very first thing to do? Think about what kind of movie you’d like to make. Comedy? Zombie Thriller? Drama? It’s all good. Get some ideas flowing through your head and write them all down on a piece of paper. Keep that paper handy (in your wallet or purse) and whenever another idea strikes you, pull it out and write it down immediately (lest you forget).

The next step: Watch a few of your favorite films – preferably (but not necessarily) ones close to the genre you have chosen. After watching them, go into the “special features” section and turn on the director’s commentary. Watch them again. Take notes – serious notes. Write down information the director talks about on specific scenes you find intriguing.

OK, on to the next part of this one horse pony show: hire a writer or write it yourself… Let’s call it “part 2“.

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