Low Budget Productions

Low Budget ProductionMaking programmes out of thin

air

“We don’t have money but we do see life”

Quaint Scottish proverb

Who is this guy?

BBC CameramanLondon and Bristol UK1969 to 1985

Director of ProgrammesChristian Television Assn

1985 to date

What is ‘Low Budget’?

‘working with constraints and limitations that would not exist had a

realistic budget been available’

Myth buster

To make ‘good’ or ‘successful’ programmes requires big budgets

• Big budgets always bring success

• Low Budget equates to low production values and standards

The essentials are NOT budget dependent

Your own creativity and skill (if you don’t have it you will have to buy it

in)

Story, Idea

Involvement

‘Blessings’ of low budget:

Stimulates creativity

Develops ‘style’

Forces you to plan

Prevents indulgence

Gets you on your knees!

Helpful attitudes

Willing to improvise

Willing to make the most of what’s available

Willing to adapt

Don’t be ‘precious’

Modern Technology

Cheaper equipment

‘Better’ quality

Smaller crews

Multi Skilling Less union demarkation

Multi skilling is ‘fashionable’

(because it saves money!)

Bottom line for Low Budget

Photography Audio Editing

Writing (story)

Directing Performance

Working with a low budget

Choose appropriate material

Multi camera shoots can save money

How to save money . .

Plan carefully

Use a small multi skilled team

Learn some new skills

Do you really need the latest stuff?

Negotiate fees

Now what do you do?

Don’t invest in advertising – write an article

Find a distributor

Get it shown on Christian TV