Why I believed I could make a no budget film – and others should too

Sometimes naivety can be your friend, but tread carefully. 

Why did I believe that I could make a feature film without any budget? 

Because I didn’t know that I couldn’t. 

Of course, that is simplifying it all to its absolute extremity, but I genuinely believe the overall point of it to be true. 

Prior to me deciding to write my debut feature length film in 2015, Electrician, and ultimately committing myself to that road until its completion of a final film at the end of 2020, I had never set foot on a single feature film set of any kind. 

Although I don’t particularly consider the film I made to have been a ‘traditional’ film set, it was far from it. 

I also knew it would be very hard to pull off, hence the five years it took. 

There is a lot to be said about not being pre-exposed to the gravity of something, especially the complexity and weight of a feature film, before attempting it. 

You tend to just drastically simplify everything and not become too overwhelmed heading into it all, by all the moving parts you are unaware even exist, which can lead to a sense of confidence, even cockiness. 

That is not to say I thought it would be a walk in the park, it was anything but, and I also knew it would be very hard to pull off, hence the five years it took. 

Leading up to 2015, I had already been making films for several years. This involved creating a range of content, including short fictional films, interviews with diverse individuals, corporate projects, and trying to earn a living by making promotional videos for local businesses. My focus was primarily on producing short-form online content, and often I operated as a one-man-band. 

I knew my way around a camera, how to shoot footage, including capturing sound, and how to edit. This knowledge obviously motivated me even more and it reduced my reliance on others to oversee those specific areas as I ventured into taking on a no-budget film. 

One thing I knew for absolute certain was, that I didn’t want to look back on my life and regret not making, or at least attempting to make, a feature film in some way, shape or form. I knew that would bother me forever, and it was the entire reason why I wanted to make films in the first place. 

I also know how easy it is to keep kicking the things you really want to do further down the road, while waiting for that “perfect” time to come along before trying, including waiting on the right amount of money to show up. 

I did not see the opportunity being presented to me by someone else anytime soon. 

Right from the off I had convinced myself, for a variety of reasons, there would be no budget, including the belief that a filmmaker with no previous track record of making a feature film, such as myself, just wouldn’t be seen as a good financial investment. 

It would also be fair to say that a lot of it also came down to my lack of education with money, particularly in the realm of finding funds for film financing. I had never ventured down that road before, nor did I know anyone who had. 

Bottom line, I did not see the opportunity being presented to me by someone else anytime soon. 

Which I had no problem with, and completely accepted and understood.   

For me, the answer was to build a film with what I had around me instead, and with the filmmaking tools I had available to me at the time. 

Rather than resisting my surroundings, the limited options available to me, and damning them, I should run towards them and embrace them, and create something that fits in keeping with them all. 

Just as importantly, to focus more on what I could do rather than what I can’t do, and then try to excel in just those few areas alone. 

Of course, that same naivety that spurred me on undoubtedly caused me to overlook some things that I should have paid closer attention to before embarking on this journey. This tough learning curve included aspects that ultimately led me to write a book to hopefully help other aspiring filmmakers. 

Things such as, but certainly not limited to, marketing and building an audience, and distribution. 

Whenever I speak to others now who have ambitions to make their own film, with little to no budget involved, and they are unsure of where to begin, or if it can be done, I always start off by saying look at what you have available around you and build from there. 

Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to be for a feature-length film, in fact, I would encourage starting with short films initially. 

While funding can obviously bring great benefits, and is probably easier to acquire for short films, you still have enough resources around you to make a film without any. 

Maybe it won’t be the exact vision you have in your head, but something can still be achieved. 

To find a balance between not being afraid to ask for help and not letting too much control slip from your hands, by that I mean ensure you keep moving forward even if that help doesn’t arrive. 

Yes, it’s scary, but what is the fear of not ever making your film in comparison to trying to make it?  

Do I Need a Professional-Grade Cinema Camera to Make a Film? 

Like most dedicated filmmakers, I shared similar equipment concerns when I set out on my journey to create my first feature-length film. This topic is a common point of discussion among fellow creators. Dive deeper into equipment considerations by downloading my free, concise 4-page PDF guide, available here. 

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Original Blog Post at: SteveConwayFilms.com