{"id":93633,"date":"2017-08-10T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-10T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=93633"},"modified":"2017-08-04T14:47:07","modified_gmt":"2017-08-04T19:47:07","slug":"5-tips-low-budget-filmmaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/5-tips-low-budget-filmmaking\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Tenets of Low-Budget Southern Gothic Filmmaking"},"content":{"rendered":"

Channel your inner southern goth and embrace the tenants of this DIY-friendly filmmaking style.<\/h2>\n

Cover image via<\/em>\u00a0Shotgun Stories\u00a0(Multicom Entertainment)<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re aware of the genre\u00a0<\/strong>or not, the southern gothic style<\/strong> has become a favorite in\u00a0film and television<\/strong>. From True Detective<\/em><\/a> to the recent Ozark<\/em><\/a>\u00a0to the entire filmography of Jeff Nichols<\/a>, Southern Gothic stories resonate with audiences for their taboo subjects and gritty stylings<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 and with filmmakers for their sparse locales and DIY-friendly production elements<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Here are the five basic tenets of what every southern gothic project should try to include<\/strong>. Secret Satanic cults and decayed cow skulls are also always a plus.<\/p>\n

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1. Forces of Nature: Good vs. Evil<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"The
\n<\/a>Image from <\/em>Killer Joe (LD Entertainment)<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the underlying themes<\/strong> throughout all southern gothic works is the eternal battle between good and evil<\/strong>. The characters, like the land they inhabit, are aware of how these two forces are at work<\/strong> in everything around them. Cinematic techniques like framing and juxtaposition of characters in their environment<\/strong>\u00a0can help stack these elements starkly against each other.<\/p>\n

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2. Deep South Location<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"The
\n<\/a>Image from <\/em>True Detective (HBO)<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Perhaps none more iconic than the Louisiana bayous<\/strong> in True Detectiv<\/em>e, the landscapes of the American south<\/strong> (from Texas to Florida) feature heavily\u00a0in the most popular s<\/strong>outhern gothic films<\/strong> and shows. This may be due, in part, to states<\/a> like Louisiana<\/a> and Georgia<\/a>\u00a0that maintain\u00a0film tax incentives<\/strong> to lure production. Regardless, as long as the lush fields and dark waterways are prevalent, filmmakers as far away as Australia<\/a> can find the same great-looking locations.<\/p>\n

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3. Stark Color Temperature and Contrasts<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"The
\n<\/a>Image via <\/em>Ozark (Netflix)<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Most notable in the recent Netflix show Ozark<\/em>, color temperatures can create a style and a mood that resonates throughout a film or television series<\/strong>.\u00a0Here’s a great interview with Ozark<\/em>‘s director of photography\u00a0Pepe Avila del Pino at NoFilmSchool<\/a> where he talks about\u00a0subconscious visual genre stylization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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4. Family vs. Family Themes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"The
\n<\/a>Image from <\/em>Shotgun Stories (Multicom Entertainment)<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

From the Hatfields to the McCoys, southern gothic families commonly\u00a0hold grudges<\/strong>. As you can see in examples like Jeff Nichols’s\u00a0Shotgun Stories<\/em><\/a>, bloodlines against bloodlines are common plot elements<\/strong>\u00a0that can create simple, direct conflicts \u2014 and quite often with very tragic\u00a0and bloody results<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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5. Religious Imagery and Taboo Sins<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"The
\n<\/a>Image from <\/em>Wise Blood (New Line)<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the American south, religion plays a large part in the regional culture<\/strong>, casting its shadow on everything from small-town politics to local\u00a0architecture<\/strong>. It also has deep roots in slavery<\/strong> and the original colonization doctrines<\/strong>. As such, southern gothic works<\/strong> make great use of religious imagery and iconography<\/strong> as something deeply tied with sinister acts and taboo sins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Looking to try out your own southern gothic project? Check out some of these resources.<\/strong><\/p>\n