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Geek Culture / Indie No-Budget Sci Fi? Is that possible?

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Fallout
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 18:49
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I was just reading the AvP2 thread, and it got me thinking. Recently I bought a professional camcorder for filming a new Zombie movie series thing that I'm making (or planning to), but I see no harm in thinking about other projects.

So my question is, do you guys reckon it's possible to film a Sci-Fi film on a tiny budget? Obviously you can't have amazing space scenes, or massive spacestation sets etc. but Sci-Fi films could be based on a barren alien world, or in a futuristic Earth.

What do you need to make a good Sci-Fi movie, and how could you achieve it with little money and a reasonable grasp of DIY?

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DJ Almix
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 19:01
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*sigh* a zombie movie how original and new

Though you would probably not need that much to make people look dead. You can Google up these tutorials as I have seens tons of things that tell you how to get zombie make-up: http://www.wikihow.com/Look-Like-a-Zombie. For the sci-fi movie it all depends on what your movie will be about. http://www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/general-discussion/22506-making-star-trek-props-home.html Has a discustion about creating star trek props I didn't read it, but you should really just google this stuff, I saw some videos to this exact topic, one even titled "zero budget sci fi props" (have not watched to don't know what to expect).

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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 19:10
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All you need is a green screen, a 3D rendering program to make backgrounds for the green screen, some costumes, some props, and a script. There are several groups that have made Star Trek like shows using only what I mentioned.

http://www.hiddenfrontier.com/

The only thing about low budget shows like the link above is how it sometimes makes funny mistakes that they think are ok. I remember watching one where the doctor was using a tricorder to find life signs on another ship. He looked at the tricorder and said "This way." to the person standing next to him and motioned forward using the tricorder. Then without moving at all he extends his hands to help up a person sitting right in front of him.

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Nickydude
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 22:31 Edited at: 21st Oct 2009 22:31
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Quote: "Indie No-Budget Sci Fi? Is that possible?"


Yes, it is (although not really sci fi but this was done on a low budget): http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=158418&b=2.



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Insert Name Here
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 22:32
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Everyone look up the £45 film colin.

(I hope it is colin, typing this in a hurry)

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Drew Cameron
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 22:45
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Quote: "What do you need to make a good Sci-Fi movie"


A script, above and beyond anything else.

I also strongly advise against green screen. The results never looks good. Think practical, think outside the box!

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 21st Oct 2009 23:36
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Or rather in the box...cardboard box that is.

Ed Wood managed to do flying saucers with paper plates.


I think it'd have to be well written, of course, in writing you've got to be economical. You probably can use existing scenery, but it'd depend on the sci-fi. If you could utilise existing environments, I think it'd really work. Some stuff can be done in CG, though I wouldn't use too much of it, it could come off lame in places.

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Tom J
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 00:11
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If you want something futuristic, then you could look for places with modern/contemporary architecture; you could always set something around or inside such a building, it would make everything look spacey; and cost nothing as long as the owners don't care.
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Herakles
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 00:56
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This stuff is hilarious:

http://www.starwreck.com/

It says how they did it all somwhere on the site.

I'm working on Swordfight again! Come tell me what you think!
http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=158681&b=19
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Libervurto
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 04:18
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Location is very important if you have "no budget", it can do a lot for you if you find a good place to shoot.
For a Sci-Fi film I'd try an army training place, they're always baron and have lots of dips. There's always going to be some sort of plant life so if you want a baron planet feel you're going to have to be clever with camera angles.
Don't try and do big budget things like have someone walk out of a spaceship, you can't fake a spaceship with papermache and poster paint.
It definately can be done, you just have to be very smart with how you make the film.

There was an indie MGS fan film posted on here that was very impressive, I don't know what their budget was.

TGC Forum - converting error messages into sarcasm since 2002.
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puppyofkosh
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 04:37
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@Herakles: Oh yeah that was a funny as hell movie.
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Diggsey
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 12:29
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Quote: "you would probably not need that much to make people look dead"


You just have to look at my school photo to see how true that is


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Van B
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 13:15 Edited at: 22nd Oct 2009 13:16
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Remember the 80's?

We had movies like Bladerunner, and countless cold-war panic movies - these were set in cruddy old buildings and mostly looked great. I mean consider the house that Bladerunner's Sebastian lives in, grand in it's day but dilapidated, leaking, and a general unpleasant setting. Thing is that you could probably find excellent places to film a futuristic thriller without spending a lot of money. If you can't afford something - then it just makes it more bleak. Even these days the saw movies show that you don't need much more than some painfull looking machinery, old factories etc.

Maybe you should just combine your ideas, have a zombie invasion, but then have the plot revolve around what happens to the survivors after a long time, they have to settle down and find some sort of normality for the human race to survive. Perhaps there's a bespoke police system, sheriff's if you like, which gives a great base for characters etc - even having very young people as police officers would be justifiable.

There's an Australian series called Tribes, basically all the adults die, leaving kids to form gangs and run riot - it was an awesome series from the outset but I lost interest after the first season. Anyway that is the sort of thing that could work - something interesting for a cast to get into, and have fun with, and more importantly stick with. I said in the AVP2 thread that I think indi horror movies will become more and more popular, as Hollywood dilutes the horror genre into the mainstream, you have the opportunity to get back to basics and make a movie that die-hard fans would like to see.


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borngamer
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 15:44
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Along with a good script you need someone who knows how to use a camera and people who can act.

I purchased a pile of equipment from a High Def digital camcorder, green screen, lighting, decent editing software and a blu-ray burner to do some advertising for my business.

When all was said and done I found that my employees just didn't know how to use a camera. It's not as simple as point and shoot. You need to have an eye for things such as whether the lighting is right and if the subject you are filming is positioned correctly to get the best shot.

John
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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 19:29
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Quote: "Maybe you should just combine your ideas"


When I read that the first movie to come to mind was Plan 9 From Outer Space... where aliens come to Earth and reanimate some zombies to fight the humans. It's a cult classic B-Movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBi14L7jHLM&feature=fvw

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Fallout
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 22:25
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Ahh, I forgot I'd even made this thread! Curse work!

Some interesting thoughts here. I think I agree with the "think outside the box" approach, and write for a good real setting, rather than arse around with green screening. I guess the options (as mentioned above by Van and others):
-Modern architecture areas to simulate a prosperous future
-Knackered old building to simulate a poor future
-Barren quarries/deserts/newly plowed fields etc. to simulate a properly apocalyptic setting

Other settings that could exist in an earth based future:
- Any countryside areas -> forests, mountains, wilderness
- Purely indoor locations. No outdoor shots. A script based around only a few rooms.
- Night time. If the film is based on some sort of solar black-out, you could film everything at night (obviously with good lighting considerations), to minimize the concerns for scenery.

What I was thinking though is, the more technology you remove, to make it easier to be convincing, the more "sci-fi" feeling you take out. I wonder how you'd get around there, or what sci-fi things you could do easily on a small budget.

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gamerboots
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Posted: 24th Oct 2009 09:03
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A lot of the computer graphics for star wars was done using nothing but computer generated graphics and if I recall they were using very arcaic(capital SLOW) processor speeds compared to todays standards. I think with a little work its not only totally be possible but would probably prove to be an interesting project. The only thing you'll probably be short on is actors

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 24th Oct 2009 11:50
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Quote: "When I read that the first movie to come to mind was Plan 9 From Outer Space... where aliens come to Earth and reanimate some zombies to fight the humans. It's a cult classic B-Movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBi14L7jHLM&feature=fvw"


No...just no. Period.

Still, Plan 9 From Outer Space was so good I had to watch it twice...sadly I can't stomach a third.

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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 25th Oct 2009 09:37
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I can handle it about 15 times.

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Herakles
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Posted: 25th Oct 2009 23:49
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I couldn't handle "Plan 9 From Outer Space" once...

I'm working on Swordfight again! Come tell me what you think!
http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=158681&b=19
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Mnemonix
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Posted: 26th Oct 2009 23:57 Edited at: 27th Oct 2009 00:12
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I am also hoping to launch a film project at one stage. I think the most important element in any such project is a good script, but I think that thinking about budgetary requirements when writing a script would be somewhat counter productive, but in our cases we don't really have a choice. You will need to consider what locations, resources etc. will be at your disposal when you are filming and when you are happy with a script you will probably want to storyboard the whole thing, so you can plan every shot and work out how you are going to achieve it with a miniscule budget ahead of time and you will be able to see if the shot will work. Plan out what you need to rent/buy and ensure you have the money to do it and find some creative people who are looking for something fun to do, but for no money.

Quote: "I also strongly advise against green screen. The results never looks good. Think practical, think outside the box!"


I agree with this. I think chroma key can work for some things, but my philosophy is to attempt to make whatever you are trying to film, happen within the camera shot, so you are filming an actual event taking place (regardless of whether you are using smoke and mirrors, miniatures or whatever visual effects). I think it works much better that way because its easier to maintain suspension of disbelief if it is done properly. Lighting isn't screwed up, there are no Matte lines (I don't know if they are called that) an the whole thing looks more realistic.

I have been doing research into the topic of filmaking for quite some time, so if anybody is thinking of doing it, contact me on MSN and we can exchange tips.

Also don't fall into the trap of thinking that the amount of tech you have defines the movie you can make. Whilst in some cases this is true. Look at a film like The Exorcist and a film like AVP2. One is laced with CG visual effects, a terrible script and terrible acting, and the other is The Exorcist. Visual effects can't fix a bad film, but used correctly they can make a great film even better, but you don't need to have them to make a great film is the point i'm making.

In terms of matching a script to fit a budget, I am trying to think of some concepts that can be set mainly in a forest because my house is 2 minutes away from a forest and it has plenty of nice scenery.

Rant over
[EDIT] What camcorder did you buy, and what does it offer?[/EDIT]

Mnemonix
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 28th Oct 2009 11:35
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I've been thinking about this for a while now. I've got a story ready. I don't think that live acting is the way to go, though. The special effects, however good, won't be good enough, and amateur acting is often sub par. I watched some of that Star Trek Helena and it was unbearable. It was like a skit at a Trek convention made by some very dedicated nerds. That woman's horse face was unbearable too.

Personally I'd approach it as a Flash movie, with cartoon 3D special effects thrown in. I think that could be a winning formula.


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Fallout
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Posted: 28th Oct 2009 11:39
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But that'd also be difficult Cash. Good looking Flash movies take a certain flare with flash, and a lot of time and effort. I guess there's no easy way to do it. Good luck if you give it a bash though.

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Van B
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Posted: 28th Oct 2009 12:17
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Someone needs to provide a good machinima solution. Hell, it could be done in DBPro - just needs done.

I'd probably get into that much more than any other film technique - I always wanted a stop motion setup as a kid, as it just fascinated me. A machinima system would be a bit like that - setting up scenes and animating, moving along a timeline. Sometimes you would let physics take over, sometimes you'd be meticulous. I just remember looking forward to The Movies, then getting it and finding a pretty decent strategy game with very little movie making options.
YouTube is crying out for such a thing.


Health, Ammo, and bacon and eggs!
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