1. The dream, taking a leap -- 2. The script, if it ain't on the page... -- The basics -- Story -- The three-act structure -- Writing for a tiny budget -- Creating unique characters -- Mystery -- Twists -- Dramatic tension -- Building drama or comedy -- Testing your story -- Number of characters -- Number of locations -- Write what you own -- Night vs. day & big vs. small -- Other constraints -- Finding the write stuff -- 3. The budget, and how to budge it -- Essentials -- Almost-essentials -- Luxuries -- The budget -- Four budget options -- Pinching the pennies (until Abraham yells) -- Squeezing the budget -- Screenplay and rights -- Cast and crew -- Set construction -- Model building -- Wardrobe -- Makeup and hair -- Lighting and lighting supplies -- Camera equipment -- Sound equipment -- Vehicles -- Meals -- Locations -- Tape stock -- Digital still camera and production stills -- Storage vault rental -- Non-linear edit system -- Editing software -- Film-look software -- Video dubs -- Music recording -- Sound effects, foley, dialogue looping -- Titles -- Sneak preview -- Final output and preview DVDs -- Publicity photos and packets -- Photocopying scripts, miscellaneous photocopying -- Postage for publicity and preview DVDs -- Video-to-film transfer -- How to shoot it for less --
4. The business, Ultra-Low Budget, Inc. -- Business decisions -- Money -- Professional help -- Insurance -- Employees -- Rights -- Legal liability -- Business structure -- Liability waivers -- Copyright -- Tax obligations -- 5. The money, "hello, Uncle Burt? You don't remember me, but..." -- Investors -- Credit cards -- Scrimping -- Grants -- Favors -- Found money -- 6. Preproduction, "being compulsive is not a bad thing. I know. I double checked" -- Digital or film -- Video format -- Shooting ratio -- Publicity -- Time for a breakdown -- Step 1 : marking script segments -- Step 2 : script breakdown pages -- Step 3 : making the strips and the production board -- Step 4 : sorting the strips -- Step 5 : laying out the shooting days -- Props, action props, locations, and assistance -- Choosing a look -- Technical preparation -- 7. Casting the cast, to be or not to be for free -- Finding actors -- Talent agencies -- Local theaters -- Open auditions (a.k.a. cattle calls) -- Auditioning actors -- A place to audition -- A traffic manager -- Sides -- A schedule-conflict sheet -- Video camera and operator -- The audition -- The ten commandments of auditions -- Casting the cast -- Asking people to "work for free" --
8. Corralling the crew, assembling the dream team -- Finding crew people -- Interviewing the crew -- Desired characteristics and attitudes -- Specialized skills or attitudes -- Choosing the crew -- Selecting a director and producer -- Letting your crew do its best -- 9. Production, lights, camera, chaos! -- Training -- Twenty (thousand) questions -- The big lie -- Read-through and rehearsals -- Shot lists -- Long takes -- Abandoning your shot list -- Continuity -- Touchups -- Where to begin... and where to end -- The geography lesson -- Directors vs. producers -- Sound advice -- You've been framed -- Shooting for a film look -- Feeding the masses -- Extra! Extra! -- Photo opportunity -- Action and stunts -- Intimate scenes -- Viewing dailies -- 10. Special effects, please pass the construction paper -- Miniatures -- Mini-sets -- Replacement shots and continuity tricks -- Poor-person's process shots -- Specialty costumes -- Specialty props -- Animation and in-camera effects -- Titles -- Camera rigs and effects gear -- Chemistry and science effects -- Don't-try-this-at-home effects -- 11. Postproduction, the light at the end of the tunnel : completion or oncoming train? -- Editing -- Finding your editor -- Editing equipment -- Working with your editor -- Editing for a film look -- The rough cut or first cut -- The fine cut -- Sound-effects editing -- Dialogue looping -- Music -- Using existing music -- Finding a composer -- What to give your composer -- Working with your composer -- The final output -- Keeping in touch --
12. Distribution, meet the new boss. same as the old boss
When should you approach distributors?
How to find distributors / how to be found
Getting someone else to do it
What you'll need to provide
Self-distribution & self-flagellation : how to tell them apart
Sample menus for weekend film shoots
Press kit : sample synopsis
Press kit : sample credit list
Press kit : sample production notes
Independent feature film project offices
Videotape, CD, DVD suppliers
Where to buy movie scripts
Copyright and script registration
