Is there a president for really great films being made on a shoe string budget?

Question

My theory is that all you need is a camera lighting and willing participents.

Answer 1

Yes..."The Blair Witch Project", "Big Night", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"...there are plenty of good and great films that have been made without big actors, big budgets and big effects. But all good films need a good story, but that is free as long as you write it yourself.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Check out SunDance Film Festival. Some of the most "impactful" , valid pieces of celluloid, are attained on minimal budgets, though they may not be highly regarded or touted. In part that isn't at all about the piece, but the participants.

I'm not a movie goer persay, and have a hard time digesting the spending of multi millions of dollars on what goes to the box office, but obviously our society often pays back the costs ten fold.

Beyond that, certainly the STORY is as valuable as what gets blown up, or how elaborate a set might be, but again, our society wants to be "entertained" in LARGE measure, and a Docudrama, using obscure, or lesser known actors, might not be widely viewed. Does that strictly matter to the "AUTHOR" of that story? Hard to say.

The passion is in the expression, and if one can engage and involve an audience in a smallish theater, with a 6 figure budget film, and touches even ONE other, perhaps they have accomplished their goal.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

Jaws megastar Wars close Encounters of the third type Alien Superman the movie The "Godfather" series Saturday night Fever The Omen The Exorcist the side The Deer Hunter Annie corridor Grease Jonathan LIvingston Seagull Willy Wonka and the Chocolate production facility The Rescuers enter the Dragon phantasm Rocky Horror photograph coach Friday the thirteenth Carrie

Answer 4

There have been some great films made with very low budgets by Hollywood standards. Quentin Tarantino's debut feature "Reservoir Dogs" had a budget of around $2 million. Steven Sodebergh had only $1.2 million to spend on "Sex, Lies and Videotape".

But those two seem like big-budget blockbusters compared to "Clerks" and "El Mariachi." $27,575 was all it cost writer and director Kevin Smith to make "Clerks", and Robert Rodriguez made "El Mariachi" for just $7,000.

Answer 5

"President?" Probably no "presidents" but precedents.
Check "My big fat Greek wedding".