Stop Planning, Start Filming

Everyone has a screenplay they want to get made. There are a lot of different ways to get that made. While you are waiting for the big picture, I believe in taking proactive approaches in small steps to move the big film forward.

You don't need to shoot your entire feature film right now. You don't even need to shoot a full short film. What you need is to take action, and I've got a challenge that will help you do exactly that: The $1,000 Movie Challenge.

There’s a plethora of good that can come from this. It helps you try out your voice and vision for the film. It allows you to test if a scene is working. It helps you stay inspired and motivated. What I think is the biggest is that you have something tangible you can use to help get your film moving forward.

It can be used as a proof of concept. You can use it has marketing material to grow your audience and community across your social media accounts. It can be used in a crowdfunding campaign down the line. Or even used to show local investors or sponsors when raising money.

The challenge

Here's how the challenge works. You pick a scene from your screenplay that can show off your unique vision. It should be able to be filmed in 1 or at most 2 locations. Its best to work with no more than 3 actors. The scene should also help demonstrated the tone and style of your larger film. Best if this scene can stand alone as its own compelling micro-short film. Who knows, maybe you decide it worth submitting to festivals too.

If it’s a list, it would look like this:

• Show off your unique vision

• Be filmed in 1-2 locations

• Work with 2-3 actors maximum

• Demonstrate the tone and style of your larger film

• Stand alone as a compelling micro-short

Don't pick your most complicated scene. Pick something manageable but meaningful. Remember, this isn't just about making a scene, it's about creating a proof-of-concept that can help sell your larger vision in various different ways.

Why one scene

One scene can do a lot. You can show investors or sponsors your vision. It’s also important to test out your directing style. Directing, creating a film in general, is an art form. Like any good art, the more you practice at it, the better you get. That helps you figure out what works and doesn’t work, with that scene but then also that may echo through for the whole film.
It’s nice to have something to show people, especially when you are talking about your project in person or online. When you break the cycle of planning, it can be very inspiring for you. Sometimes we can find our selves in a rut of planning and just aren’t feeling inspired or motivated, but don’t know why. Executing, stops the rut cycle.

When you share the project online or use it as a proof of concept for crowdfunding, you of course can build an audience and community around that, but also it can potentially get the attention of indie studios or indie distributors.

The pre production phase

I won’t go to deep into this, but I will say that I believe it is utterly important to just block an Option A weekend and an Option B weekend out in your calendar a couple months ahead of time. Since the goal is to use very few locations and cast, it should be possible to book what you need in either of your option weekends. The reason why this is important, is because if you don’t give your self a weekend then you don’t give your self a deadline and you can find yourself just planning constantly but never actually filming.

Do this a few weeks or months before the set weekend:

• Lock the shooting script for your scene

• Locations scouted and secured

• Cast confirmed

• Key crew committed

• Equipment arranged

• Shot list prepared

• Budget allocated

The $1,000 Budget Breakdown

We haven’t talked about it yet, but why a $1,000. One its a nice round number that you can aim for. Most people, if they put in the effort can raise a $1,000. It may mean saving a little extra of your own money. It could mean asking friends and family for less than a $100 each. It could mean doing a little side hustle/extra work on the weekends. A $1,000 is possible to raise. Also its very good practice to make a movie for as little as possible. If you successfully make the scene for $1,000 then hypothetically if you have 125 scenes in your feature screenplay, then you could make your feature for $125,000. That’s all a film is, a collection of scenes woven together.

Here's how I would approach the budget.

• $300-400 for actor payments

• $200-300 for location costs

• $200 for crew stipends

• $100-200 for food and craft services

• $100 contingency

If you need equipment, try to borrow or call in favors. Remember, this is about getting it done, not making it perfect. Also, it’s not too hard to get free locations, depending on what they are, which means maybe you can shift some of that money somewhere else.

The weekend shoot

This is where the magic happens. You've got Saturday and Sunday to film your scene. Here's why the weekend deadline matters:

• Creates urgency and focus

• Forces decisive decision-making

• Ensures everyone shows up when scheduled

• Prevents the project from dragging on

Think of it like a micro-version of the 48 Hour Film Project, but you're only shooting one scene and you've had time to prepare.

Post-Production

After your weekend shoot, give yourself a strict deadline for post-production. Two weeks maximum. Why? Because this isn't about crafting the perfect edit, it's about having something to show people.

Now you have a proof of concept and here's where this challenge really pays off. Your finished scene becomes a marketing tool for potential investors. This is really great when you are looking for local investors for your film. As mentioned above it also becomes proof you can execute your vision, and if it feels like your vision didn’t go the way you had hoped, now you have learned some lessons you can take with you when making the feature.

Outside of investors, you also have something concrete to show producers. If you really love your single filmed scene, it could stand along as it’s own short film and that is something you can submit to film festivals, gaining even further traction for the project and for yourself.

Remember, Spielberg shot his first film over a weekend with $700. Lucas made THX on a shoestring budget. Everyone starts somewhere, but the key is that they started.

Don't let another year go by just planning.

Pick your scene.

Set your weekend.

Make your movie.

Ready to take the challenge? Pick your shooting weekend right now. Put it in your calendar. Then start your pre-production checklist. In a month from now, you could have something real to show people instead of just a screenplay to talk about.

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