No budget film
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A no budget film is an extremely cheaply produced film using very little or no money.
Young directors starting out in filmmaking commonly use this method because there are few other options available to them at that point. All the actors and technicians are employed without remuneration. The film is largely non-profit and is usually shown at film festivals, at DIY screenings, or on the internet,
Usually the director works alone on such films using a very minimum "crew" of volunteers to assist him/her on such projects that require no money to create at all (not including elements directly related to the production of the film itself). Many experimental films have been made in this manner. In the 1950's, filmmaker Jack Smith used discarded color reversal film stock to make his no budget film classic Flaming Creatures. Some directors' early works, such as John Waters' 1964 black and white film Hag in a Black Leather Jacket, which cost $30.00 to make, are no budget films. Craig Baldwin's Flick Skin is entirely made from discarded film, or found footage as it is known as, retrieved from a projectionist's booth. Most of the films featured in Miranda July's film anthologies Joanie4Jackie, which were first released in 1996 and are still ongoing, are made with no budget. Filming is often done on location without permission, similar to Guerrilla filmmaking, or in the home of the filmmaker or their friends, or in the backyard. The cost of a no budget film is generally that of the film, and the film processing, itself.
It is rare that a no budget film manages to receive recognition; few achieve any level of acclaim, but it has happened. They sometimes arise from subcultures existing outside of the mainstream and so also become important documents of the various movements and scenes that they originated from. While generally ignored by the commercial film sector, they can, on occasion, garner recognition in the world of alternative culture and arts.
[edit] Examples of No budget films
- Flaming Creatures by Jack Smith (1961)
- Flick Skin by Craig Baldwin (1997)
- Hag in a Black Leather Jacket by John Waters (1964)
- They Eat Scum by Nick Zedd (1979)
- The Yo-Yo Gang by G.B. Jones (1992)
