Cheap Movie Tricks

How to Make a Movie on a Tight BudgetToday's indie film market is growing by leaps and bounds and filmmaker Rickey Bird and screenwriter and novelist Al Guevara are on a mission to help indie moviemakers everywhere.

Bird and Guevara want to show aspiring filmmakers how to overcome common movie and video production problems:

• Not enough money for crews
• Over budget and likely making the wrong movie
• Can't get the attention of an indie studio
• Should have started with a short film to gain attention

Amateur Movie & Video Production. Thousands of aspiring filmmakers are learning how to use cheaper, widely available filmmaking technology, and the craft of making movies from books pulled from bookstore and library shelves. Their work is totally DIY and they are the most creative people you will ever meet. Rickey Bird's Hectic Films is a Southern California enterprise building a filmmaking empire on a budget. His short films, feature films, micro docs and tutorials have landed in some of the biggest American film festivals and been seen online worldwide. The result? Millions of views worth of exposure from films online, in festivals and creative marketing literally on the street. His many projects have seen leading B actors like Hulk Hogan and Vernon Wells (Mad Max Road Warrior), make-up artists from the TV show Grimm, and stuntmen from the Call of Duty games.

What you'll learn in this book:

• How planning and shooting a short film today can lead to a feature-length project tomorrow
• Everything you need to know about writing a movie project on a burger budget
• Tips on how to find locations and not get arrested
• Shooting tips galore for building exciting scenes
• Sound and film editing tips and all kinds of special effects wizardry, including puppetry
• Screenings, promotions, and juicy tips on film festival strategy

If you liked books such as How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck, The Filmmaker's Handbook, or Rebel Without a Crew, you'll love Cheap Movie Tricks.

Auteur

Rickey Bird of Hectic Films is building a filmmaking empire on a budget. His short films, feature films, micro docs and tutorials have landed in some of the biggest American film festivals and been seen online throughout the world. The result? Millions of views worth of exposure from films online, in festivals and creative marketing literally on the street. His many projects have seen leading B actors like Hulk Hogan and Vernon Wells (Mad Max Road Warrior), make-up artists from the TV show Grimm, and stuntmen from the Call of Duty games.

Contenu

1. Introduction To Short Films: Big Tricks, Small Packages Get your ass off the couch! Did you know small ideas turn into big ideas? Short films are the way to get noticed! Callout: Figuring Out Your Short Film End Goal Callout: Short Films Made Into Indie Features 2. The Location Situation: Staying Out Of Jail Aha! You thought it was the script that came first. Not in low budget cinema. The real trick is how not to get arrested. Callout: Some Of Our Favorite Location Cheats 3. Stories That Don't Suck: Help Me Think, Please Most ideas suck. So we're starting with some basic yesses and no-nos. What is a story? What are its parts? What is conflict? Callout: A Brief History Of Stories Callout: Why Horror Matters Callout: Why Drama Matters Callout: Why Action Matters Callout: What Makes A Good Character 4 4. No Room For Shitty Scripts: Filmmaker Revision Made Simple How do I write a script that fits my budget and doesn't sacrifice story? The secret? Creative filmmaking early in the writing process. Callout: Tarantino-Style Heroes Journey Callout: Working With A Team Of Writers 5. Um . . . Money: Planning & Budget Made Easy We will show you how to plan your shoot and raise the funds without robbing convenience stores. Well that's kinda our plan . . . Callout: Easy Planning Spreadsheet Set-Up Callout: Easy Budget Spreadsheet Set-Up 6. This Movie Needs Style! Set & Costume Themes Believe it or not your movie needs a look and feel. We're going to help you with style points. Callout: Sexy Style Tips Via Color Filters 7. All Aboard! Talent And Crew On A Journey Together This is the heart and soul of any film production. Even if your crew only consists of you and three other people, we're going to show you how to make it happen. Callout: How To Get Name-Brand Talent 8. Action! Shot Planning & Filming Figure out your shots and then execute . . . Doesn't that sound easy? Callout: Make A Shot List 9. What If My Movie Needs A Puppet Baby? Special Effects & Make-Up At Hectic Films we do practical effects as much as possible because we appreciate the art form and because CGI Developers ain't cheap. Ain't cheap at all . . . Callout: How To Do Blood Hits Callout: How To Make Guns Look Real Callout: Bullets, Sounds, Lights & Muzzle Flashes 5 Callout: Punching & Kicking Made Easy Callout: Prosthetics Are For Everything Callout: CGI Do's And Don'ts 10. Shoot Days And Pick-Up Shots: The Mini Guide To Panic Attack Prevention What might foul up a shoot? Oh, just about anything and everything. We'll break down some of the biggest potential panic attacks so you can refer back here and do some filmmaking yoga. Callout: How To Pull Off Pick-Up Shots By Yourself 11. The Experience Of Sensory Detail: In Other Words, Light & Sound Believe it or not you actually need to care about light and sound if you're going to have a career as even a novice filmmaker. We'll help you figure out the basics. Callout: Lighting Comparisons Callout: Lighting Graph Callout: Sound Effects Made Simple 12. Editing & Color: What If Nothing Looks Right, Ever? Editing and color correction requires skill and patience. Don't worry, we're here to kick you when you scream for help. Callout: Our Top Five Edits Callout: Our Top Five Uses of Color 13. Sound Edits, Music, and Score These are things that you may have to trust others to do. Done incorrectly and your film might be better off sent to the trash bin. So pay attention. Callout: Free Music Checklist 14. Your Marketing History Matters: Kick-Ass Movie Posters & Other Artwork Tips If you want people to watch your movie then you need a poster so eye-poppingly cool that they have to see your film. Think about it: Would you eat a cupcake that looks like a turd? Callout: Comic Book Style Callout: Hectic Films Poster Collection 6 15. Screenings & Promotions When you make it this far you may feel like you're done-you're not. This is the time to start promoting your film. You do want people to watch it, don't you? Callout: How To Get Theaters For Cheap 16. Film Festivals There are many film festivals out there. What should you look for? We can show you how to avoid the circle-jerk festivals. You know, where the judges only pick their friends? Callout: Keys To A Good Film Festival 17. And Now For The Big-Time, Baby: Getting A Feature Deal It's time to truly get prepared. What if someone sees your short film and asks, "Do you have a feature-length script for this?" Are you ready? Are you really ready? Callout: Brainstorming A Longer Story Callout: Don't Be a Douchebag. Ever