Josh Jacobs invites everyone on No Film School to Learn all the behind-the-scenes secrets of [t]his $4,000 short.

He begins:

“Hi, I’m Josh, an LA-based filmmaker. I work as a writers’ assistant and script coordinator on TV shows, and I direct my own short films. By far, the most valuable thing I’ve learned about storytelling from big-budget shows and indie projects alike is that just two elements—the actors and the script—are way more important than everything else.”

Here’s my list of his important things to consider for indie filmmakers:

1. The actors.
2. The script.
3. Don’t over-crew; have some crew do two jobs.
4. No walkie talkies.
5. Keep insurance costs in check.
6. Be willing to walk away from too-expensive crew or locations.
7. Some cities have cheaper gear than others.
8. Join a writers group for feedback on your drafts.
9. Devise films with locations that you have or can secure easily.
10. Write for actors you personally know.
11. Use costumes you have.
12. Use equipment you have or can rent cheaply.
13. Buy your crafty at Cosco.
14. Save your costumes in case you need to shoot pickups.

Josh’s one day plus pickups shoot cost him $4,343.06 and he kindly shows the full breakdown.

My take: Thanks for sharing, Josh! One thing to note is that post-production actually cost more than double production. Oh, and nice short too!