Make Your Own Feature-length Movie for Under $500

With digital video it is possible for anyone with a few like-minded friends (and a bit of hard work) to make their own feature-length (i.e. over 70 minutes) movie for less than the cost of a holiday. So what equipment will you need to get started. As a ‘no-budget’ film, maker I would recommend the following items to help you on your way, in the order that you will need them.

Creative thinking (Reinhold management science series) by Charles Whiting. An old book but one that really explains where ideas come from, and gives some great exercises for generating lots of ideas. Perfect for coming up with your Killer Concept.

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting, by Syd Field. A step-by-step guide from concept to finished script. Turn your brilliant idea into a proper movie script using Syd’s magic template.

Sony DVM 60PR - Premium - Mini DV tape - 10 x 60min - Metal BIAS. If you don’t have your own camcorder, you can borrow or rent one. 10 mini DV tapes is 10 hours of footage, which should cut down to a nice 90-minute movie.

How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, by Roger Corman. Now you’ve got your filmstock read this book to make sure you make the most of your remaining budget.

Permacell Gaffer Tape 25 Yards x 2"- Black. Millions of uses when you are filming, from sticking up a green screen to marking up where the actors should walk

Smith Victor Pinnacle Series P920 Tripod with a 3-Way Fluid Head, Maximum Load 6 Lbs.. For silky smooth moves. Stick it on an office chair and you can make moving shots, hold it up in the air for swooping crane shots.

Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Movie Making: Cloth Book (Applause Acting Series) by (the!) Michael Caine. Whether you are acting in your film or will just be working with Actors, this very readable book describes how to give a great screen performance.

The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook (All New American Edition) by Genevieve Jolliffe. Another book, but one that really tells you everything on the filmmaking process, makes you feel like an industry insider.

Special Effects Make-up (Special Effects) by Janus Vinther. Remember, any film can be made better with some juicy special gore effects. Even ‘Gone with the Wind’ could be improved with a few exploding heads.

Adobe Premiere Elements 4. So you’ve shot all your scenes, that was fun, right? Now you are ready for the real work: Editing. As long as your PC is less than 3 years old it should be up to the task, although you will need lots of hard drive space to fit all that video on. (For Mac i hear that Final Cut Express 4 is good, but i haven't personally used it)

In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition, by Walter Murch. A lovely book that is crammed with great tips of the nature of cutting a film together. No technical jargon here, just good sense and inspiration.

Maxtor Basics Personal Storage 3200 160 GB External Hard Drive. For storing all your footage.

Memorex 16X DVD-R (100-Pack Spindle). You’ve finished your film, so make a 100 copies to: give to your cast and crew; Send to film festivals; Send to the film studios; Send to TV companies; Send to Film review websites; Hey, and send me copy!

So all that stuff should get you started (until Part 2 of this guide is published), and while your shopping, you can see my own no-budget movie too:

Horror! - Gold Edition. This is the comedy film that I made for $100. I am currently editing my second feature, "Capitalism – The Movie"