One of my current feature film projects is a micro-budget thriller called canyonproduction just started this week. My approach to this film is completely different from my previous films, and so far the experiment has been a success.
Instead of trying to go big on scale with this film this time (like I’ve done with every one of my previous films), I took the complete opposite approach. I take “micro” to its extreme to reap the rewards of working on smaller canvases.
Today I’m going to share my approach to making this film, from improvisational elements to shooting the film myself.
become smaller
When starting any new project, I always have one main goal in mind. With this film, my goal was not only to make a great film, but to reinvent the way I make it on this level.
With two completed micro-budget features (and another in development), I’ve learned a lot about how best to operate and what can make or break a film like this.
If there is a lesson, it is this:
If you’re going to be small, be as small as possible.
Many of my best projects over the years have been small films shot without a crew. The severe limitations you face when shooting this way force you to get creative in new ways.
Not to mention, if you don’t look like a film crew, you can shoot anywhere and for as long as you want. This can greatly improve your production value, which is why some $10,000 movies look better than many $100,000 movies.
The benefits of going (truly) micro are obvious. But despite knowing this, I have never scaled down a feature to an extreme.
Most of my feature films are made with at least a skeleton crew of 8 to 10 people. This setting has its own merits, but it’s just a different experience. More like any other large set.
At the same time, having a more traditional crew (one that doesn’t have the budget to operate like a larger crew) can have significant disadvantages. Fewer days, less coverage, more fees…it’s highly counterintuitive that all of these things can negatively impact your production value.
With all this in mind, I wanted to push my limits and make this film in the most minimalist way possible. This is an experiment I’ve always wanted to try. With bigger budget projects on the horizon, the time to implement is now.
But in order for it to work, I had to completely rethink how the film was made every step of the way.
writing process
Typically, I like to work on my scripts for a few months and only go into production once things are really fine-tuned. This is of course the standard workflow for most functions at all levels.
But again, the point is to try new workflows.
I’ve always been inspired by filmmakers who have made wonderful films without a traditional script, often using treatments or “scripts” to allow for more story flexibility. When done well, these films are unpredictable, uniquely creative, born of a constant state of evolution.
I wanted to capitalize on this spontaneity in my new film while adding my own touch.
The writing process begins with a lengthy essay covering various disciplines story beats. I was tempted to accept the treatment and be on camera, but decided to write the first scene in script form first.
By writing the first act (and only the first act) in its entirety, I had enough solid material to lay out the first round of production. But without the other acts written into the script, I would have to stop shooting after the first act and revisit the story. This is largely by design.
My plan is to edit the material for each scene before writing/shooting the next.
Doing so creates a best-of-both-worlds scenario. It gives me as much (or more) flexibility to change the story as a completely improvised film, without sacrificing the benefits of using a traditional script.
But in order for this to work, it all depends on the timeline.
Scheduling
My schedule is based on multiple shooting blocks – each scene of the movie (Acts 1, 2A, 2B, 3).
Overall, I estimate each scene would take 3 to 4 days to shoot, with a 3-week break between takes.
A few weeks off will be used to rough cut all previously shot footage. During this time I will also be writing/discussing the content below and handling any necessary pre-production work for the next shoot date.
It has made the production process much easier so far. It felt like I was just planning a series of short films over the course of 4 months, rather than completing a large feature film in a few weeks.
Not to mention, post-production isn’t that daunting. I only had to edit a few scenes at a time rather than the entire feature length film. A different world.
Best of all, by the time the final block of shooting is complete, the rough edit is almost complete. I just had to cut the last scene and lock the frame.
This type of scheduling method doesn’t work for every movie. But if you write a film with this design in mind, it can be liberating in many ways.
Director, Director of Photography and Sound
Another key choice I made on this film was directing, DP and sound recording myself. There will be many days where I will be the whole crew.
I’ve wanted to direct/doP at the same time for years, but was often advised against it. Some filmmakers believe that taking on too many tasks spreads your energy too thinly.
This is a valid argument, but it really depends on your strengths/comfort zone as a filmmaker.
My background is in cameras and color, and I’m comfortable shooting my own films while also directing talent. I understand why a lot of people don’t want to work this way, but at this scale of production I actually prefer it.
I’m also comfortable recording my own audio, but mainly chose this route for more flexibility in location. As a “one man band” the possibilities of where and how we shoot are endless.
If necessary, I may sometimes bring in additional crew members to shoot more complex scenes. But those days will be the exception.
So far, recording my own audio has been a breeze. I connect the Rode Wireless Lavalier Microphone directly into my camera or zoom recorder, depending on the situation. With the right mic placement, I’ve gotten some really good results – even without booms.
To be on the safe side, I also record wild lines for each scene after shooting. I will record all dialogue using my boom mic (usually in the car). This ensures I have 100% sound coverage, even if there are issues with the wireless feed.
This way of working may seem challenging, but I assure you it’s very intuitive.
Yesterday we shot 12 hours of footage in a 5-hour day. We used more locations that were inaccessible to staff. We got tons of bonus shots because there was very little downtime between setups.
Exclusive video shoot Natural and available light Also helped speed things up in a significant way.
Camera Kit: Fuji X-T4
I went back and forth for a long time, trying to figure out what to do with this movie. I considered all my options Ari Alex arrive iPhone.
It became clear early on that Alexa was too overkill. I might get image quality that would impair my ability to run and shoot spontaneously.
Going to the other extreme, shooting with an iPhone presents different problems. Of course, this will be the easiest camera to shoot with, but there will be some compromises in image quality.
Ultimately, I decided to shoot this video with a Fujifilm X-T4. I wrote about settings in this article For those who are interested.
For me, the X-T4 is a perfect happy medium. It’s good enough to give me the manual control and ease of use I’m looking for. But it’s not big enough to attract attention and doesn’t serve my goal of keeping a small footprint.
Plus, it has some amazing color science and is fun to use.
Single lens: Leica 50mm F2
I wanted to put creative constraints on the visuals of the film, so I decided to shoot the entire film with a single 50mm lens – one of mine Favorite focal length.
I considered using two 50mm lenses – the TT Artisan F1.2 and the Leica R F2. Both are very small and very light, which is exactly what I needed. Traditional cine lenses are too bulky, which defeats my goal of reducing the footprint.
I tested two lenses In the end I chose Leica. It’s not as fast as the TT Artisan, but the quality is undeniable. It also has a really cool retro aesthetic that I love.
The entire movie was shot handheld, with a 50mm lens length being about what you’d use without a tripod. Thankfully, the Fujifilm X-T4 has excellent internal stabilization, so even if things get a little shaky, the footage still looks great.
In some situations (such as shooting in a car), the 50mm focal length is longer than what I would normally choose. That said, working within these parameters was an amazing creative challenge. The shots I get tend to be more interesting because they can’t help but become unconventional.
screenshot
Here are some screenshots of actor Josh Pavchak from our first day of filming. You’ll find out they’ve all been framed 1.66:1 aspect ratioanother experiment in this film.
We’ve just started production, so there’s more to come in the coming months.
I’ll be sharing more footage, as well as updates on the creative process…if there’s anything specific you’d like to know about, leave a comment below!
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