Low – or no – budgets are fact of life for makers of indie TV and film. Here are some tips on how to rise above your bank account:
by Noam Kroll
It’s tempting for many filmmakers to write scripts that take place in a completely different time period. After all,period pieces open up so many possibilities for telling new stories that just wouldn’t be relevant or possible when set in modern times. Unfortunately, many of these same filmmakers are hit with a big wake-up call when it comes time to actually produce their film, as they realize just how expensive it’s going to be.
When you’re crafting a period piece, everything is more expensive. Not only do your hard costs skyrocket (wardrobe, locations, set dec, etc.), but a lot more time and effort is needed in other areas of the production as well. During pre-production for example, you (and probably your art director/production designer) will need to thoroughly research the time period in which your film is set in so that you can portray it accurately.