Making a movie is something that most people only dream about doing but the reality of it is, anyone can make a movie with the right mindset and a little bit of money to play around with. Sure, it may take you a few months (or a few years) to get everything together that you need but if you’re serious about making a movie, the time and effort will be well worth it. Now, are you ready to learn a few cheap tricks when it comes to making your very own movie? Good! Because we’re ready to spill the beans and teach you how.

Use Friends

The first tip we have when it comes to making a low budget movie, is to use your friends. They don’t have to be on screen but you can always use a good grip, assistant director, script supervisor, and numerous other positions. If you’re friends aren’t available or don’t want to help, try to find local talent. Visit local film schools, theaters, and wherever else.

Go Digital

The day and age of actual film is long gone. The future is in digital cameras. In particular, we think that DSLRs are the way to go. You know, those big and bulky cameras that you see photographers carrying around? Yeah, those are DSLRs. We recommend something like the Canon 7D or 5D (one is over 1K and the other is over 3K). If you can’t afford that, get your hands on a cheaper model such as the Canon T2i and save up for better lenses.

Edit It Yourself

You can save a ton of money by familiarizing yourself with a good editing program such as Final Cut. Hiring an actual film editor that is capable of putting together a completed film the way you want it will cost you a pretty penny. In fact, the cheapest that we have ever seen someone edit a feature length film for was around $500. For $500, you can get a good DSLR that will be more than capable of doing anything that you would ever need it to do.

Raise Money

Finally, to cut down on the costs of making a low budget movie, you can raise money for the shoot. There are a ton of crowd funding platforms out there now including Kickstarter and Indie GoGo. Both of them are good in their own sense but you also have the option of approaching potential investors individually. Back in the golden days of film, people would (and probably still do) literally approach lawyers, doctors, etc and ask for some money.

Either way, the opportunities are out there for you to make a low budget movie. You just have to work hard, have some confidence, and hope that luck is on your side. We just hope that our list has motivated you to finally make it happen. Now, let’s get this party started and make your dreams come true. Gather up some money and go shoot your film!