No Budget Shorts - The Big Ask
Short films are arguably the purest form of filmmaking. They’re projects of unbridled and uncompromised imagination, wrapped in passion and ingenuity, created almost entirely out of sheer will. They’re also incredibly difficult to fund.
Written by Mark Brennan
With a commercial return on a short film practically impossible, funding options for short films are notoriously limited. The most common avenues for funding are private investment, crowdfunding, or highly competitive funding schemes. However, not everyone has the means to fund their own films, nor a network of friends, family, and peers to sustain a crowdfund, and the chances of successfully securing a public funding grant are always slim. So where does that leave filmmakers with a story they’re desperate to tell?
Well, with all attempts to secure funding exhausted, the only answer left is to make a ‘no budget’ short.
Now, there are some reading this screaming that there is no such thing as a ‘no budget’ short – and they’re right. Every film, no matter how simply made, will have unavoidable costs. There is value in the time that you will spend writing the script and preparing the production, in the time your cast and crew will spend on set, and in whatever equipment you will use to capture and create the film.
Most importantly, no one should ever be expected to work for free. Everyone has bills to pay, and the sad truth is most cast and crew working in independent films will have stories of their time and talents being exploited without remuneration or having to go to great lengths to be paid as promised. So, it’s entirely understandable that experienced professionals will either not jump at the chance to help a ‘no budget’ short, or even scoff at being asked.
Having said that, as the old expression goes, ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’. What choice do you have if you don’t have a budget? If you don’t have personal connections to call upon, there are public forums on which you can post details of your project and the roles you need to fill. Be respectful, clear, and honest about what you’re asking for and what value, beyond financial, you’re able to offer. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea - and some may even let you know it - but there is every chance people out there will be interested.
That’s because for some there is still value to be had working on a ‘no budget’ short. It’s an opportunity for young filmmakers to learn and hone their craft, to head a department for the first time, or gain experience in another. It’s also a chance to network and to be part of a project that may go on to have a successful festival run.
However, it does help to weigh up the ask versus the value on offer.
A two-day short film shoot set in one location is very different to a four-night shoot in the woods in winter. Make sure your short film asks as little as possible of those willing to help, and that taking part in the film won’t cost them anything from their own pocket. At the very least, cover travel expenses, feed everyone well, and make sure everyone has access to the footage/finished film afterwards. Also, keep everyone informed about any festival success the film may go on to enjoy, so that hopefully, you can all enjoy it together.
Everyone wants to fully fund their short films and pay people what they deserve, but that shouldn’t mean that only those in that fortunate position are allowed to make short films. The real issue is that it shouldn’t be so difficult for filmmakers to fund their short films in the first place.
The film and TV industry relies on a never-ending influx of new professionals and it’s short films that give so many the experience and opportunity they need to step up. So, it’s up to the industry & funding bodies to recognise the value in shorts and to make funding more readily available… only then will we be able to make no budget shorts a thing of the past.
You may also like:
How to approach making a no/low budget short
Advice from filmmakers of low-budget short films