The wrong way to make a no-budget feature film.

I made a successful first film, but my next movie was a failure. Don't make the same mistakes on YOUR films.
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About me:
I've been making short films for 20 years, starting at age 11. I directed my first feature film, Bad is Bad, in 2010. Made for only $6,000, the film went on to reach over 7 million views and garner critical acclaim. More recently, my short film, Will "The Machine", screened and won awards at film festivals around the world. Released online in 2019, it reached over 1 million views in just a month. I also work as a video editor, cutting ads for clients such as Apple, Netflix, and Beats by Dre.
DISCLAIMER: Links in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

[@StandardStoryCo]

Also watch the video about why my other no budget feature succeeded and you will have all my best Do's and Don'ts for no-budget filmmaking- kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqCydnl9lq6JmJY Any questions I didn't answer? Ask here!

[@professionalidiot07]

Is there anywhere we can view the film?

[@amityadav8125]

sir we want to watch this movie, please upload. I'm ready to pay for this film

[@jasonroth3967]

Would love to watch this film, hope you put it back out there sometime soon.

[@neskyz4259]

90% of my soon to be shot feature takes place in about 100 cubic feet of space....think "Buried" with a bigger "box". Only 2 on-screen actors, only one of which speaks. Very few props. A camera man/DP and one sound guy and me. No need for permission to shoot since it's out in the woods. Hoping to get in the can for less than $10k. Post another $10-12k. My biggest question is...for distributors like Gravitas, Breaking Glass, etc, do you simply reach out once the film production is complete? Should you reach out prior to? Who has success stories with distribution? Thanks!!

[@richardharrison1910]

You need an award for being so honest! I've had similar experiences. Well done for sharing this (UK)

[@ArtistEnclave]

mee tooo

[@walkerwhited]

I just released my first film, “By Night’s End,” got distro during the pandemic. We did the whole movie in my house (broke some walls and stuff but worth it), wrote for the actors I knew and loved, and there’s only 3 main cast members. Wrote for what I had and who I knew, all the crew were people Ive met along the way who needed/wanted a feature in the role they were in. All worked well thankfully. The distro side is another story unfortunately.

[@Nulify-jc4fs]

WHAT! I just went away from watching a kurt yue video about by nights end and then I saw this! Im gonna watch the movie when I get the chance!

[@walkerwhited]

@@Nulify-jc4fs That’s awesome, Kurt’s great, thanks for checking it out!

[@seanward]

Make a video about that

[@kierenstreet3826]

It’s actually pretty brilliant man ngl

[@walkerwhited]

@@seanward took your advice, ended up making a video about things I learned after dealing with distribution on a no budget feature 🤘

[@mjgfromdallas]

This is a great lesson for those who have done a film already, short or feature. The next idea should be enhanced story wise, creative wise. Enhancing with scale when money and support is still minimal is a bad idea. Stick with what worked first and add the lessons learned from the recent film. Thanks for sharing!

[@VincentStevenStudio]

I felt this way with the last short film I made. I thought to myself that this was it. This was the film that would get me some attention, it was going to blow up and kickstart a career. It was going to be amazing. Fast forward and it was a total failure lol. It ended up not being the film I envisioned due to countless production hurdles. But what I did get from it was experience and I learned where I failed and why it failed. Hopefully the next one will be better as I avoid those mistakes.

[@REKFilmsMontana]

Appreciate the honesty. As a no budget film maker myself, I have learned the value of keeping things simple.

[@stillgotit9770]

It's called ambition and you got it bro. Thank you for your insight.

[@richardwhittaker2879]

Involving the actors part, in all frankness pay the actors well and shoot for experience and ease of working with them. I usually spend about a third of my budget on actors but have gotten away with a whole multitude of mistakes elsewhere without the general audience really caring.

[@yannberte8291]

"Duel" Steven Spielberg; all the lessons are inside, the script, the locations, the pre-production, of course shot by shot (one idea per shot and one per connection between shots) ... He had reinvented the wheel in the art of cinema and then it becomes its own wheel ! No budget means great ideas and before that means real masters. This director like others (less numerous) served the art of cinema by freely enslaving this art. He has not abused his own freedom(very human) but on the contrary he has adapted it to reality (the multiple constraints ...) and has not adapted reality to the idea that he had in fact. He was therefore rational as a good manager while letting himself be inspired by something other than his ego which he had to abandon / sacrifice on the altar of art and this is paradoxically how he turned out to be an artist ! Complicated perhaps; to disappear the better to appear such would be the principle? Thank you for sharing your experience with us; we need an example and a counterexample to progress. If I understood your approach and your thinking correctly, your first film was an example, the second was a counter-example so in conclusion you have the whole future in front of you ;-)

[@JosephJMcAllister]

Yeah. It's shouldn't be this hard to film a movie... but unfortunately it is. I shot an 8min short down town, and we got the cops called on us like 20 times, and had to leave before they caught up with us. Oh no! There are 2 men with a camera. Get SWAT! In Riverside for that matter. I have been to at least 20 movie shoots where the entire cast ghosted us, after telling us they would be there the night before. And locations wanting $2000 or they won't even talk to us... again Riverside. Every empty patch of land has barbwire fencing and no trespassing signs for 65 miles. The only place I can film out here is literally the Whitewater Body Dump 75 miles from my house in the middle of nowhere on a windmill service road, because nobody would be dumb enough to go there in the middle of the night except myself. I'm feeling that the less people, the better. I'm the entire crew & post production, and 2-6 actors. 2-3 locations. People are the real nightmare. It seems to be the entire worlds goal to stop people from making a movie, and they will do anything to ruin or stop your project. It there an anti-movie cult I don't know about? People are nuts. And the actors are ready leave the second the arriver. How long will this take 2-3 min?

[@TwoTonePictures]

Kudos to you for being able admit to your flaws and mistakes. Not many indie filmmakers have that sense of self-awareness and reflection. Good luck on your next one!

[@MakaMuseTv]

Thanks for sharing. These experiences are invaluable. For you and everyone you share your story with. Much appricated.

[@zallesproductions]

Such a helpful video coming from someone who has practically prepared for half my life to make a feature film.

[@JonMorlow]

This video and your honesty are so valuable. It saves many people, like me, so much time, money and energy. Thank you so much for sharing. Btw, I can relate to you as a creator not wanting to put out the work that you feel is not up to your personal standards yet. What I'm trying to tell myself (but failing, lol) is that 1. there may be people who will see my "crappy" work differently than I do, and may even actually like it (happens all the time it seems, with other people's works that I personally find crappy, anyway) 2. putting your work out there regardless may allow it to find its own path that nobody may have foreseen, and who knows, might turn out to be a positive plot twist. New sub here, excited to learn more from your journey. More power to you!

[@1949AKN]

I have recently made those mistakes. Although it is a strait forward drama, there are many locations and many supporting characters. We did 7 days shooting, non stop at 5 locations. I had chest pain and visited emergency room at St. Theresa Hospital. I slept non-stop for two days out of exaustion from previous week's activity. Then we sat for a review. Realization dawned. Many shortcomings came to light. This was five days ago. Everyone said, " go on a vacation and resume after the vacation" because I am 75.

[@Supremmo]

I wish I could travel eleven years in time and show my past self this video! I so could relate to all the problems you went through.

[@StandardStoryCo]

Nice to know I’m not alone! Thanks for watching.

[@drewnoirfilmz]

Thank you sooo much for posting this video!! Coming from someone who has been part of over a dozen micro budget features (not all my own), I can’t stress enough about keeping your film ideas simple!! The two better movies I worked on were mostly one location and a handful of characters! Production was smoother, the actors became more comfortable with each other and their chemistry was stronger, there was no wasting time tearing down and moving to a new location!! The ones I broke away from that formula were nightmares!!!

[@lammbo-2]

I liked it lol You've come a long way since then bro!

[@TomZolyomiFilmproduktion]

Awesome, that you're beeing so honest what failed on that project and what you've learned from it. i always felt bad when i had to tell people i've spent a whole year in post because we've shot our first short for a very long time and things of course went also down. This really takes off some pressure from doing not good enough for the period of time we are doing this film thingy.. Thanks man!!

[@Cert116]

While filming on the front steps at the borough hall in small town Pennsylvania on a Saturday afternoon when it was closed, a cop came around twice checking to make sure we weren't vandalizing the place. The second time he came around just seconds after a good take. Had he come in a few earlier he would have ruined the shot completely. Moral of the story is even in a no name small town some people have a major stick up their ass when it comes to filmmaking.

[@RichardTomson]

I feel you. Thanks for sharing. Keep filming. 👍

[@TwistedFilm]

So far I've watched up to the trailer, and based on the trailer alone I would definitely watch this film. Now I know that the rest of the video is going to teach me something, what to do and what not to do so I'm definitely gonna finish watching this video.

[@jibernish]

Congrats on getting it done. That's just how it goes. Appreciate the honesty.

[@Aasifrangrez057]

The Honesty And Acceptance Just Won My Heart... Thank You and Love you brother, it really help a lot

[@darekdylo8993]

So relatable. I’m happy you made this because I thought I was the only one who went through this

[@wisefactoring]

Honest and very insightful video. Thanks for sharing. They say experience is something get just after you needed it! I’m sure this will have been an amazing learning experience when you look back at it. I‘ve just started writing my first low budget feature which I’m filming next year, I’ve learnt a lot from this video so thank you and keep going!

[@misufilms]

No pressure, but please put the movie online again! I think it looks really interesting and even if it might have its flaws I'd still really enjoy it. But again, don't do anything you're not comfortable with.

[@bauerfilms4832]

Its cool that you shared your growing pains man. So much of social med is people posing and making things look cool and like everything goes just swimmingly alllll the time. I like stories like this as well as ur success stories. Good shit

[@NickMichalak]

I made a feature film many years ago where we faced nearly every production setback known to man. It took 18 months to get it all shot, and then, several long years trying to assemble the right soundtrack for it. Granted, I learned more and more about how to edit video and audio to better refine it over time. However, it took so long to get this standard def 95 minute film completed that I couldn't even realistically try the festival circuit. Nobody was going to bother with a standard def feature in 2019. I had it out on Amazon Prime DVD & Video for about a year and a half before it got pulled off Prime Video for low analytics and their Media on Demand service shut down. We were learning as we went along, had next to no crew aside from me and the multiple DPs I had on it, and literally no money for anything. We got it done, and that was an accomplishment. I had a few failed projects after that where logistics, personnel, and scheduling just ruined everything, but my very next project went very smoothly as a half hour short where everything came out better and more professionally. Definitely learn from the errors. We all get over ambitious.

[@kaushiqpradeep7774]

Name of the movie bro ?

[@estigiapro1110]

I understand you perfectly... we went through similar problems on our first project... We have learned a lot from the mistakes made, and we also learn a lot from filmmakers like you, who take the time to share their experiences... The planning and the Being realistic is something that sometimes goes over our heads due to enthusiasm XD

[@pipecatcherfilmsltd.2581]

Thanks for this. We’re embarking on this journey and these insights are invaluable!

[@aliensoup2420]

You can never pre-plan too much. Make most of your creative and technical decisions before you arrive on location with crew and equipment. Take a still camera or phone video camera to location and block out all your shots with stand-in actors, then create a storyboard with that, then stick to it. Take your actors to sensitive locations without equipment to block and rehearse the scene so you don't waste time doing it during the shoot.

[@sonu3258]

Bro hard luck for your movie. You are working on your dream which put you way ahead from the day dreamers. Grt video of sharing your experience. Thanks Man.

[@tayawalter4741]

Mmmmaaaannnn oooohhhh mmmaaannn did number 5 hit me hard. Definitely did that on my first POS feature. My friend was like “whatever happened to that horror film I liked” and I had to bite my tongue so hard to be like “it wasn’t a horror.” 🙃

[@salvadorponce2009]

Thanks and I wish you the best in future projects

[@film_magician]

Glad I found this channel. I did the same thing. For even less than your budget. Got it on amazon prime, but nothing really came of it. Have to shoot another feature soon. Good for you on your films. They look great

[@mikaelrothofficial]

I can really relate to what you are saying in this video. I actually started out as an actor and one day I wanted to make my very first short film as a director, screenwriter and director of photography. So I wrote a 30 min short film in 5 days and then I casted some actors that I knew. I ordered my first DSLR camera and I didn't know how to use it by that time and I had no lamps, microphones and I didn't know how to use the the camera so I shot the whole film on auto- mode and I also had to do everything myself. I didn't even had some extra batteries so the result was shit. But I learned a lot and today I have made some awarded short films and I keep making movies,learning and study other movies and videos like this one. I also wanna say that you are a huge inspiration to me as a filmmaker. Your videos are so good and I really learn a lot. You explain everything so good and you are also very entertaining to watch. Keep up the amazing work!!

[@unseen.pixels]

YEP. Relate hard to lots of these points. Thanks for sharing!

[@JonathanEBoyd]

Very well articulated No Budget Filmmaking can be really tough I've made all of these mistakes in probably a way worse way .hopefully I can try again another day

[@martykrzywonos6140]

I love your candor. Lots of learning points.

[@MargueriteFairProductions]

I appreciate your honesty. This is a good learning tool.

[@MarkMash17]

Thanks for the honesty man

[@StandardStoryCo]

Always!

[@thomasnegovanonline]

Thank you for your words of wisdom!

[@oneinchpunched3661]

Thanks for sharing this story. You rock.

[@ray-mc-l]

great video, appreciate the honesty

[@elijahmaier8633]

This is one of the most actually helpful videos on film KZbin

[@emmagrove6491]

It takes a big person to own up to their mistakes. There really IS something to be said for looking at anything you create as a learning tool to help with your NEXT project. Gotta love the quote from the ED WOOD film: "Worst thing you ever saw? Well, the next one will be better!" Gotta love that optimism and ability to keep moving forward.

[@guksack]

Not a downer at all, if anything an inspiration. Everyone should have the chance to fuck up and learn from their mistakes! And now you've taught us some extra things. Great video.

[@TheRobpralgo]

Love the channel man.

[@jaspercapalad]

BAHAHAHAH I LITERALLY DID ALL 5 OF THESE BY ACCIDENT BUT I got it done :’) omfg I related to EVERY SINGLE thing you experienced. Huge learning experience for the both of us and other filmmakers😭😭😭💀💀💀

[@lanceevans1689]

Just found your channel and totally enjoying it.

[@troylamont]

Needed this. Thanks!

[@BobEckhard]

Thanks- some really useful insights.

[@Ivan94film]

thank you, these are really good tips!

[@wannabefilmy]

only having 1 short film on my belt there was one thing you mentioned i was supper shocked by in my experience . you had a feature and you said it took you a year in post to finish that makes sense considering you were all alone. for me i had help on the score and it still took me 4 months to finish the edit on a 5 minute film. just really shocking to see the lengths it takes to make a usable project. especially if you're as picky on yourself as i am.

[@seanward]

Great info. I've been a successful KZbinr for almost a decade and I'm about to do my first feature. This video gave me lots to remember and keep in mind as I go.

[@MariWakocha]

When you feel you have a strong enough name to yourself, letting people watch that movie will be a great way to show that even the big ones have less good projects. I've always been overly ambitious with projects, because you kinda want to be like Tarantino with 10 movies to your name that all are good, no failures. But I've noticed it isn't possible and I've had to make something that's not that good to get better. My graduation project movie that I directed is probably the worst cr@p ever produced by anyone, and I feel ashamed for the actor's sake that I let something they gave so much energy to become so bad. It's worse than movies a made as a kid, probably because i wasn't trying so hard and it was more about having fun, but I guess that's a lesson too. I really liked this video, and I hope we'll get to see that movie at some point in the future!

[@matro7655]

This is a good video. Thanks for the insights

[@TwistVisuals]

As a filmmaker myself, I tried making a feature length zombie film in high school. Ended with only 15 minutes of usable footage for the story to work after 2 years of hard work. It took a while to fully get out of that and make films again. Now I've made two feature films. Both of them are super low budget and had very minimal locations and cast (except for the second one which was more of an experimental silent animated film) It's too often I see indie filmmakers trying to make their films look like Hollywood when they should really be focused on characters and concepts. The scale can come later when they got more experience and money. Best advice is to make a film in a single location with just one or two actors and get creative.

[@Swashbucklerstudio]

you are awesome brother!

[@crookedrooffilms]

I really liked The Hands You Shake especially the kitchen sink scene

[@wdb_hb]

You should post the Handshake movie back up again. Every director has an off film, but it looked good/interesting based on what you showed and would inspire other filmmakers

[@lexmax08]

Thanks. The this is just as helpful as your video on a successful project. It will make your next project better.

[@StandardStoryCo]

So glad to hear that! I wish more filmmakers would talk about why their less successful projects failed, it's a little painful but I think it helps everyone.

[@Film-maker842]

Thanks for all that great information I actually am a independent filmmaker and Working on my first feature film

[@gamingguru4U]

I definitely want to see this film

[@linuskentrevtorp]

From my first big project I can definitely say that you really need to have everyone on the same page, even if it takes you a lot of explanation and even some presentations to get your point across. Everything needs to be on the table for everyone involved, which is harder to do than you'd expect when a lot of people overestimate their own enthusiasm in the moment, or simply not fully understand the scope of what you're trying to do. Never make any rash decisions in picking, always let people sleep on it and always have the meetings on Zoom or face to face so you can clearly read the person. People always write off the creatives as an easy job, but hell, it is hard! And also, don't forget to drink your daily juice everybody

[@negvey]

I’m not even a filmmaker but damn these insights are great

[@randomstuff5221]

i tried making a movie with a bunch of my peers. we faced so so many issues but the main worst issue that we faced was the lead actor. he begged me to be on the movie but is one of the most unprofessional people ever. didnt show up on time, never bothered to care for the movie. it was a chaos. but we move and we learn...

[@richardadesmond]

Very honest, thank you for that feedback from what you learned. Your video scared me though...that poster on the wall..."My life in weeks." That's nightmare fuel. lol.

[@juju10683]

I just made my first short. I won’t show it to anyone but I learned so much!

[@patrickgamble9014]

Hi Recently subscribed and enjoying the info - wondering how long your first film and this second film ran for - I hear you refer to them both as features and I wonder if your aim was to make a full 90 minute film. Would it be better to make a 15 or 30 minute short film for your first few films. Wondering what your thoughts are on film length and whether it is better to make a 10 minute short with fewer locals and fewer actors. My son is always pushing me to film a feature on my own but I reckon if I need to make a compelling short before I attempt a feature. Anyway happy to have found this channel as I have attempted to make a few short films on my own and I am getting a lot of great advice cheers

[@jarelllevingston7882]

Thanks! I will learn from your mistakes.

[@EijiSalvador]

Keep going never give up

[@MrMarkhensley]

Great video about what not to do.

[@skysedgeproductions6170]

2 weeks to go to make my first microbudget movie. I have made ALL the "mistakes" you have mentioned. Many locations, 26 characters, mix up of many genres...😂😂😂. Still will do my best to pull it off.

[@saiprasad8001]

Such honesty and the generosity in sharing such valuable information! Thank you so much for the video. Do you think you could share those sheets with me that appear at 04: 28 to download? And do you have a Facebook page for channel?

[@StandardStoryCo]

Thanks! No Facebook yet but will do a Facebook group in the future. You can sign up for the email newsletter in the description to stay posted. I’ll also be releasing things like budget and scheduling templates there.

[@GustavLjungdahl]

i can 100% relate to this

[@SlugfestWizard]

Very informative. I’ve been there.

[@jamesmathews243]

Made my first no-budget feature in L.A. twenty years ago. Supernatural thriller that took place in a forest. Made with the first prosumer digital camera, the Sony VX100. We guerrilla filmed all over Los Angeles National Forest and Sequoyah National Park. We got busted all the time. Not a bad movie, but I chose a "inconclusive ending" which was the style at that time. I've always hated that decision. But like you said, I learned a lot.

[@NUCLEARDASH]

Very helpful, greetings from Brazil. Here we either do the film for really NO money at all or dont make the film

[@BobbyWashingtonvlog]

I want to see the film. Please put it out, Hollywood have many worst im sure

[@CinemaGatesPictures]

Baby steps!!! go small before you go big and never give up.

[@violetviverson8340]

Not much to do with the video, but the guy from the clip in the beginning sitting at a table is Chris fornatero, who not only does movie stuff, he is also a fantastic oil painter

[@CapitalFProductions]

The only thing I’d semi disagree with is on locations. 40 locations is probably too many but is also the biggest thing that can make a movie feel like it has scope. I’ve seen some filmmakers pivot to just making a movie in one location because they can afford it but can make your job twice as hard to make it interesting. Not impossible but it’s one of the biggest tells that you have no money

[@mattgray9297]

40 locations!!! Wow!!

[@StandardStoryCo]

I know... I honestly have no idea what I was thinking trying to make this for $12k!

[@ljcross7096]

Don’t beat yourself up, there’s always the temptation to be over ambitious after a success. This project was an achievement in itself. Any tips on achieving professional sound design on a no budget feature?

[@Edits95436]

awesome

[@ImnotChuck.]

I want to see it.

[@neumarkt21]

Omg I feel like I am so walking into this 😂

[@jespersichlau4343]

"My Life in Weeks" has got to be the most depressing poster I've ever seen.

[@ArtistEnclave]

bro I am starting my feature film and just jumped into your video and these mistakes which you mentioned are all which I am thinking for my film.....now I dont know what to do

[@flamingocupproductions5329]

pls do a vid on the 40 plot point structure

[@justinroberts3699]

Fight on!

[@securityg]

Streamline! Streamline! Streamline! In all facets of a production and you will learn to EVOLVE and learn how to do things that you didn't think you had to do before AND draw up a basic CONTRACT that states if there is pay or that is no pay and the cast and crew might receive a different type of compensation in lieu of a financial payment, BUT make that clear upfront. Believe me, been there, done that. - James D. Watkins, artistic director of PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS.

[@Danimally]

Do you think that a DIT job is crucial for any film? Or you can skip that position and save some bucks?

[@1949AKN]

Thanks for sharing your horrible experience.. Losing 20 pounds and spending two years. Great ! You have survived all that !

[@fulloffame]

Where can I watch?

[@moviegeek1111]

simple here is keep it simple logistically mainly

[@drsjamesserra]

Where can I see the movie?

[@vesuvianvomit]

a few years ago I was paying way too much money& had like every tier of cable... All the showtime, hbo, etc.. I spent all my time watching every movie on this thing called "streampix".. I was looking up all the film's on imdb while I was watching them & surprised to find some of my faves were made with budgets of 20 to 40k.. real eye opener.. was then I realized I love Indy film! anyway imdb doesn't include as much information as they did back in those days.. at least for free.. maybe it's still being the imdb pro paywall...

[@StandardStoryCo]

One advantage of a tiny budget is lots of creative freedom!