{"id":80253,"date":"2016-09-07T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T12:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=80253"},"modified":"2016-09-28T04:01:44","modified_gmt":"2016-09-28T09:01:44","slug":"making-a-short-film-with-little-to-no-crew-can-it-be-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/making-a-short-film-with-little-to-no-crew-can-it-be-done\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a Short Film With Little to No Crew: Can It Be Done?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Filmmaking is a collaborative process, but what happens when you can\u2019t collaborate? Is it still worth the effort?<\/h2>\n

Top image via\u00a0Kotcheff & Leder<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Why do we want to tell stories? The idea of entertaining through visual imagery<\/strong> has been around since the dawn of humankind. Some of us take to the written word, others need to express through images, be they still or moving. One of the more common (maybe even easiest) methods to bring a visual story<\/strong> to life is with a short film.<\/strong> Short<\/em> being the key word. Vimeo<\/a> and YouTube<\/a> are inundated with short films<\/strong> each month, and a good majority of them tell a superb story given their short length.<\/p>\n

Short films<\/strong> can often be a tiresome and thankless process. Grasping at whatever freebies you can attain, working at all hours for little or no pay, the list goes on. Filmmaking,<\/strong> of course, is a collaborative process, but what happens when you can\u2019t collaborate? Perhaps it\u2019s because of the location you live in. You may live in a rural town where there\u2019s no other aspiring filmmakers<\/strong> or people interested in helping you. Or maybe you just don\u2019t have the funds to hire people.<\/p>\n

Shooting a short film<\/strong> for free when you’re younger is a lot easier than when you work with film or media. When you work in media, the people around you have their jobs because they’re good at what they do. You can\u2019t expect them to give up their weekends for a cheap sandwich and a few cans of beer<\/strong> at the end of the shoot.<\/p>\n

\"AlexandraImage via CinemaWomyn<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If you want to make a short film,<\/strong> but for whatever reason can’t seem to get a crew assembled, what other options can you exhaust? What about making one by yourself? Or at least with a minimal crew of three to four people?<\/p>\n

It sounds like a ridiculous notion, but two women are currently in the process of making a feature (and history) solely by themselves, and they are doing an excellent job at it. Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder<\/a>\u00a0are two filmmakers who successfully raised $27,561 on\u00a0Kickstarter<\/a> to fund their film,\u00a0The Planters<\/span><\/em>. Not just a short film, but a feature film!<\/p>\n

To the best of our knowledge (and after much Googling), what we are doing here has never been done before. Two women, making a feature film, doing EVERYTHING (Writing, Directing, Cinematography, Sound, Costumes, Make-up, Props, Coffee, etc.have). We have heard of a few examples (very few) of a two-person crew making a narrative film. But none of those two primary crew members were ALSO starring in the film. The two of us are literally the only people who touch the equipment. And to the chagrin of one of our other actors, we won\u2019t let him carry or help with anything on set. The purpose of this film is to make it ENTIRELY with our four hands and we won\u2019t stop until this film has been seen by YOU!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

https:\/\/pbblogassets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2016\/08\/video-633179-h264_high.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

I imagine there is a somewhat social stigma behind the idea of making a film without a crew. It does on the exterior seem like a frivolous exertion. However, when push comes to shove, it is on you to make your film happen.<\/p>\n

I have been working on a short film<\/strong> with a minimal cast and crew, and while it has so far been a strenuous path, there are a few pointers I can offer those who are going to take the same journey. One of the most important aspects which will make or break this undertaking: Was your film written to cater specifically to a minimal crew, or are you trying to make a movie which realistically should be done by more than two people?<\/strong> A car chase between a thief and police officer in a city street? It\u2019s not going to happen. A foot chase between a thief and a police officer in a forest? Very possible to achieve. Create to your limit<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Story<\/h3>\n

\"SCRIPT\"<\/a>Image via Shutterstock<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s incredibly hard to go into a challenging story with a limited crew.<\/strong> It’s easier to build the story from scratch and\u00a0tailor to the needs of a small team. Fewer locations, fewer actors, less action, more character focused and with an emotion driven story. This is the premise for The Planters.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Planters<\/em> is a dark comedy set in a small, desert town. It\u2019s a lonely place for lonely people like Martha Plant, a reclusive young woman, who spends her days telemarketing and “planting.” As a “planter,” Martha buries stolen items in the desert and receives donations in return from whoever digs them up \u2014 the “receiver.” Martha finds her world turned upside down when another woman, Sadie Mayflower, literally runs into her while on one of her “planting” excursions. When she discovers that Sadie is homeless, Martha takes her in. She quickly learns that Sadie has multiple personalities, and the ever solitary Martha begins to find three friends in one.<\/span><\/p>\n

If this were the blurb for a review or the information on a cinema screening, you (as an audience member) would expect that the film isn’t going to be populated with hundreds of cast members on a bustling city street. It’s a great premise for a film that has a limited team<\/strong> as the story itself is limited in cast and locations.<\/p>\n

Writing for a singular location is an essential element of making a short with a limited crew<\/strong>. Take a look at the short film below,\u00a0Nothing about Nothing<\/em><\/a> by Daniel Levi<\/a>. Within the eight-minute duration of the short, we are only introduced to two characters. We don\u2019t know who they are, nor their history, there is only handful of dialogue, and it all takes place in a single location.<\/p>\n

Without the information that’s usually provided by a feature, you still become connected to the characters and the situation. \u00a0You come to wonder what the outcome <\/em>of the situation<\/strong> will be. The credits do however list around twenty people in total made the film. With careful planning and logistical thinking, this could be done by a small cast and crew. It might not be as good, but you don’t know unless you try. These short films that take place in a singular location\u00a0while\u00a0focusing on the outcome of a situation are a great opportunity for a minimal crew.<\/p>\n