Beautiful cinematography can be achieved on almost any narrative film – even those made with absolutely no budget. But to maximize production value when working on a small scale, you have to accept your limitations.
In this article, I’ll detail my methods for achieving the best final product on a no-budget production.
Many of the techniques outlined here were inspired by my Latest dramasI not only served as director, but also as director of photography and sound engineer.
This way of working forces me to think outside the box about production workflows and technical strategies. Today I share with you all my findings.
Here’s everything I think you need to know to capture great results on camera on a no-budget production.
Remember, if you have Some Since you have a budget behind your film, these guidelines may not apply to you. My advice is for projects shot without any financing.
Camera selection
For no-budget cinematography, camera choice is crucial. Not because you need the highest end camera, but because you need the right camera that can perform in your specific situation.
On a low-budget/no-budget production, your lighting needs, on-set workflow, and shooting style are much different than on a full-budget production. It’s tempting to shoot with the “best” camera you have available, but most high-end cinema cameras aren’t suitable for no-budget productions.
Despite having an Arri Alexa, I decided to shoot my latest feature film on an Arri Alexa Fuji X-T4 for this reason. By most technical measures, its camera quality is objectively lower than Alexa’s. But that doesn’t mean it’s not the right tool for the job.
On our no-budget film, we had no crew (except myself) and we had a short production time to capture a lot of footage. This is true of many similar bootstrapping narratives.
Large cameras, heavy gear, or anything that requires additional support can slow down a no-budget production and severely limit shooting opportunities.
With this in mind, the key to choosing a great camera on a no-budget production is to focus on your most critical needs.
Do you need great low-light performance? Small size? Image stabilization?
Most cameras these days can do a few things, but no one can do it all. Understand the challenges you face in a practical sense and choose a camera that excels in the areas that matter most to you.
If in doubt, consider shooting with a camera you already own. Whether it is an iPhone or loaded Movie Pro Or a digital SLR camera – there can be some huge benefits to using your own gear (even if it’s outdated).
There’s something to be said about working with a camera you’re familiar with. You instinctively know the camera’s limitations, its strengths and weaknesses. Plus, you can always work faster and increase the frequency and quantity of your shots using familiar tools.
Choose tools that allow you to capture film with minimal resistance rather than maximum resolution.
No budget lighting
When working on a true no-budget level, I have one main tip for lighting:
Use only natural and available light.
This applies even if you have experience with lighting.
Lighting made on a no-budget basis isn’t just for aesthetics. It has to prioritize what’s best for the project on a more fundamental level, not just what creates the cleanest final image.
Perfect studio lighting is a huge plus for big budget productions. However, overemphasizing lighting on a no-budget film will almost always force you to make sacrifices in other (more important) areas. Using traditional film lighting meant more downtime between sets and less material captured overall.
The last thing you want is a perfectly lit movie but not enough footage to properly cover a sequence.
That said, you certainly still want high-quality visuals. Even without traditional film lighting, there’s no reason you can’t achieve stunning results in camera.
natural light is the most beautiful source (in my opinion), provided it is properly shaped and modified on site. The same goes for available lights, such as a utility lamp in a motel room or a buzzing sign in an alley. These types of sources have their own charm and add a truly unique feel to the final product.
I wrote a whole article about films shot using only natural or available light – read it here .
Of course, there are some caveats to using natural light. Exposure can be a challenge, as can mixing color temperatures. Not to mention that when shooting during the day, the sun will be a constantly moving target, which can cause continuity issues.
But in the right hands, using natural or available light can provide the best of both worlds for no-budget productions.
It helps you move quickly by eliminating the setup time between shots, while also delivering a realistic, natural look that can be further stylized in post.
If you absolutely must use a traditional light source, I recommend using one lamp at most.
An LED panel or a porcelain ball may be enough to give your talents an extra boost. More lights = more complexity, more shadows and less time. When in doubt, keep it simple.
block
When using natural or available light, occlusion can affect your results. Since you can’t move lights to suit your talents, you have to position your talents so that they can best take advantage of the available lighting in the space.
Say, for example, you are photographing an indoor scene in a darkroom. Imagine a large window on the back wall, but no windows or light coming in from any other side.
One option is to point your flair against a window, creating a strong silhouette effect.
Or you can do the exact opposite. Place your camera in front of a window and shoot into the room. This will allow you to take advantage of the light from your windows and showcase your talents more evenly. Two very different looks that both work.
It is beyond the scope of this article to outline every possible lighting scenario you may encounter. But I will share a rule of thumb:
When in doubt, adjust your talent so that the key light is opposite the camera.
This will create more exposure separation between your talent and background. If the key light is in front of the actor, you will usually get a flatter image with less depth.
Below are two examples of scenes from my latest feature film. In both cases, the key light is a practical lamp placed on the other side of the actor (farthest from the camera).
These shots are ungraded but will give you an idea of the final look –
Keep in mind that each shot and scene always requires its own strategy, so the techniques I share here are just a starting point. Always evaluate each shot individually and determine which method is appropriate for the task.
framing
With no-budget cinematography, you’re limited in many ways – less ability to control lighting, less opportunity for complex camera moves, etc.
But there is one tool that is always at your disposal that can help increase the value of your production: frame.
A good photo frame can add sparkle to your final image. Conversely, even the most perfectly lit image won’t look good if it’s not composed properly.
I recommend spending time in pre-production developing a strong framing style. Set some rules or guidelines that can be followed in different scenarios and stick to them.
Try to establish a unique visual language for your film – whether that’s using lots of negative space, employing extreme close-ups, or trying any other appropriate technique.
The right framework costs absolutely nothing, yet it’s often overlooked. Your film will benefit from paying extra attention during preparation and production.
Lens and focus pull
Assuming you’re working without a team (or a small one), you most likely need to avoid focus pulls. This can be both a challenge and an opportunity.
Having trouble concentrating means you need to:
- Trust a camera with great autofocus
- Never focus on any shot
Option #1 is great for movies that have a lot of action but don’t have a dedicated follow focus. In these cases, you may want to use a mirrorless camera with powerful autofocus, such as the A7S III. This will of course also help determine your lens choice, as your glass will need to be compatible with Sony AF.
Option #2 might work for a film that needs less coverage or more dialogue-driven. In these films you can avoid concentrating entirely – which is what I did in my latest feature.
In my feature, I avoid pulling focus by locking the focal plane and moving the actor in and out of it. This certainly had an impact on my blocking (and the overall style of my film), but it worked well aesthetically and streamlined my technical setup.
Best of all, there’s no need to pull focus, and a variety of lens options are available. For example, a cine lens isn’t necessary because I don’t have to worry about the length of the focal length, or how smooth the pull looks.
Cine lenses are still an option, but so are DSLR glass lenses or vintage lenses that haven’t been remounted. In my movie I exclusively use Leica R 50mm lens and very happy with the results.
On-site production workflow
I think there are some more general rules of thumb that can benefit any no-budget production.
First, if you’re having trouble covering the motion in any given scene, break the scene into smaller chunks.
Even with sturdy gear and powerful autofocus, moving the camera without proper crew support is always a challenge. If you can’t completely capture a scene in one shot (like you probably want to), don’t hesitate to break it into several smaller shots. Counterintuitively, adding more shots speeds things up – because each individual shot becomes less complex.
It’s also important to match your coverage angle well.
You may have great lighting and beautiful framing, but if your shots don’t have unity, they’ll feel disjointed. When working quickly, you’re more likely to overlook inconsistencies in coverage – for example, accidentally capturing one close-up center frame while another has a lot of negative space. Have some guidelines in place beforehand to make sure all the angles match up and cut together nicely.
Most importantly, take advantage of the freedom that comes with this way of working.
You may not be able to experiment with the most complex lighting setups or camera moves on a no-budget production, but you can benefit from greater coverage, a faster pace, and the benefits of working with spontaneity.
Improvise and be open to new ideas. Get extra shots. Try new angles. That’s what this way of working is all about – turning your limitations into creative opportunities.
And don’t forget how much power you have in post to stylize and perfect your image Color grading tools, film grain, and more.
Hope this helps anyone working on no-budget narrative production!
I elaborate on no-budget cinematography in my book The blueprint for a no-budget feature film. Here’s a practical guide on how anyone can make their own feature film with no money and a full-time job.
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