Screenwriting For Micro Budget Films

Screenwriting for micro-budget films can present its own challenges and this book takes the reader through all the considerations that need to be made to write an effective screenplay for a low-budget film. Drawing on his own experience, case studies from films such as Primer, Coherence and Reservoir Dogs, as well as the perspectives of working screenwriters such as Joe Swanberg and Alex Ross-Perry, Greenberg explores common pitfalls screenwriters face and suggests practical solutions. This book lays the groundworks of the realities of low-budget filmmaking and also talks through the practical aspects, such as story structure and genre considerations. Greenberg makes the process of writing a screenplay for a low-budget film accessible and creative, allowing student and independent filmmakers to tailor their writing for their films. This book is ideal for aspiring screenwriters, independent filmmakers and students of screenwriting.

Write Your Screenplay with the Help of Top Screenwriters! It’s like taking a Master Class in screenwriting … all in one book! Discover the pitfalls of writing to fit a budget from screenwriters who have successfully navigated these waters already. Learn from their mistakes and improve your script with their expert advice. "I wish I'd read this book before I made Re-Animator." Stuart Gordon, Director, Re-Animator, Castle Freak, From Beyond John Gaspard has directed half a dozen low-budget features, as well as written for TV, movies, novels and the stage. The book covers (among other topics): Academy-Award Winner Dan Futterman (“Capote”) on writing real stories Tom DiCillio (“Living In Oblivion”) on turning a short into a feature Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”) on writing for a different time period George Romero (“Martin”) on writing horror on a budget Rebecca Miller (“Personal Velocity”) on adapting short stories Stuart Gordon (“Re-Animator”) on adaptations Academy-Award Nominee Whit Stillman (“Metropolitan”) on cheap ways to make it look expensive Miranda July (“Me and You and Everyone We Know”) on making your writing spontaneous Alex Cox (“Repo Man”) on scaling the script to meet a budget Joan Micklin Silver (“Hester Street”) on writing history on a budget Bob Clark (“Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things”) on mixing humor and horror Amy Holden Jones (“Love Letters”) on writing romance on a budget Henry Jaglom (“Venice/Venice”) on mixing improvisation with scripting L.M. Kit Carson (“Paris, Texas”) on re-writing while shooting Academy-Award Winner Kenneth Lonergan (“You Can Count on Me”) on script editing Roger Nygard (“Suckers”) on mixing genres This is the book for anyone who’s serious about writing a screenplay that can get produced! Grab it today! ★★★★★ "A perfect read for anyone who wants to write a film script or for anyone who just enjoys watching movies." Fred Willard, Actor, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman "This volume is packed full of useful little nuggets of information." Jonathan Lynn, Director, My Cousin Vinny, Clue, Nuns on the Run, The Whole Nine Yards “Packed with war stories and savvy advice for beginning screenwriters.” Larry Gross, Screenwriter, 48 hrs., Streets of Fire, True Crime

Named One of The Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Greatest Film Books of All Time” Famed independent screenwriter and director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids, Machete) discloses all the unique strategies and original techniques he used to make his remarkable debut film El Mariachi on a shoestring budget. This is both one man's remarkable story and an essential guide for anyone who has a celluloid story to tell and the dreams and determination to see it through. Part production diary, part how-to manual, Rodriguez unveils how he was able to make his influential first film on only a $7,000 budget. Also included is the appendix, "The Ten Minute Film Course,” a tell-all on how to save thousands of dollars on film school and teach yourself the ropes of film production, directing, and screenwriting. A perfect gift for the aspiring filmmaker.

Selling Your Screenplay is a step-by-step guide to getting your screenplay sold and produced. Learn how to get your script into the hands of the producers and directors who can turn your story into a movie.

Most books about film production assume that you have an idea and a script to shoot. Most screenwriting books are geared to how to write a script that you can sell to Hollywood (as though the authors of these books had the slightest clue) and do not take into consideration that you might be shooting the script yourself, possibly with your own money. This book is about how to write a script properly that you can rationally shoot, how to shoot it, how to finish it, how to sell it, and also how to get it shown.

Provides advice for aspiring screenwriters on how to write scripts for television and motion pictures, including what topics are popular, how to rework scenes, and how to sell screenplays in Hollywood.

Acclaimed independent filmmaker Ed Burns shares the story of his remarkable career and offers a candid, instructive account of the ins-and-outs of making great movies without the backing of Hollywood. As the second of three children from a working-class Long Island family, Ed Burns thought a career in filmmaking was a pipe dream. When his first film, The Brothers McMullen, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, he proved himself to be one of the most distinctive and tenacious filmmakers of our time. Since then he has gone on to star in major Hollywood films while remaining dedicated to his true passion: making small films that he believes in. Sharing the lengths he's gone to in order to write, direct, cast, produce, shoot, and edit films on a shoestring budget, Burns uses stories from his life and career to illustrate what it takes to make it as an indie filmmaker. His extreme focus and drive prove that passion and hard work can pay off, and he urges students and aspiring filmmakers to embrace and learn from their failures—and continue to pursue their goals. A gripping, inspirational story about forging your own path, Independent Ed is a must-read for casual movie fans, serious film students, and any creative person searching for a bit of inspiration.

A professional screenwriter’s master class in writing the most critical and challenging script element―the individual scene.

"With today's proliferation of nine-figure film budgets, filmmaking may seem more out of reach than ever for the average person. In fact, making a movie for next to nothing has never been easier. In Movies Without Baggage, longtime filmmakers Alain Silver, Obren Bokich, and sundry others recount their experiences in the micro-budget arena and detail how 21st-century technology makes it possible to produce high-quality, full-length features for less than $50,000, $25,000, or even $10,000. Through this book's in-the-trenches tales detailing the making of a dozen micro-budget features, all aspects of making movies without baggage are covered: finding/creating the right script, budgeting, casting, deal-making with actors and crew, scheduling, shooting, post-production, and finally marketing and securing distribution. This entertainingly illustrated volume also includes samples of the paperwork from five of the ultra-low-budget films it profiles"--

With todays proliferation of nine-figure film budgets, filmmaking may seem more out of reach than ever for the average person. In fact, producing a feature-length movie for next to nothing has never been easier. In MOVIES WITHOUT BAGGAGE, long-time filmmakers Alain Silver, Obren Bokich, and sundry others recount their experiences in the micro-budget arena and detail how 21st-century technology makes it possible to create high-quality, full-length features for less than $30,000 or $15,000 or even $7,500. Through in-the-trenches tales detailing the making of a dozen micro-budget features, this book covers all aspects of making movies without baggage: finding/creating the right script, budgeting, casting, dealmaking with actors and crew, scheduling, shooting, post-production, and finally marketing and securing distribution. This entertainingly illustrated volume also includes samples of the paperwork from five of the ultra-low-budget films it profiles. This is the ultimate guide for the aspiring guerrilla filmmaker. Never before has a book like this come from filmmakers with such varied experience and with credits that include features ranging in budget from over $10 million to under $5,000.