$15,000 DIY, NYC Feature Scores IFC Deal

Here is a piece from the NY Times that highlights something that many of us do every few months already - produce a $15,000 or less feature film digitally, and shoot it entirely on location in NYC. This feat still manages to make news and its surprising to me. Why? Well because we know many people, besides our own company, that do this at least once a year. Same budget, same methods, in some cases some even have a cast member that has some sort of recognition. Yet, without a top tier festival birth, and of course the obligatory IFC deal (or another primarily service deal-concentrated distribution company), you wont hear about it in The Times.

Gotta give it up however, to the spirit of the no-budget-indie, no matter what. Its another victory for the little guys, especially in this genre. Here is the story of another breakout feature made for 15 grand called Breaking Upwards (really diggin the poster by the way):

THERE are low-budget films, there are micro-budget films, and then there is “Breaking Upwards.” It may be hard to imagine how someone could make a feature-length romantic comedy in New York City for just under $15,000, but Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones managed to do it.

The making of “Breaking Upwards,” which opens Friday both at the IFC Center and on cable through video on demand, is almost a tutorial in how a do-it-yourself ethos can overcome the tough economics of the movie business. And that is not simply because the couple collaborated on the script, played the lead roles and produced the film together, with him also directing and her in charge of tasks ranging from writing the lyrics for the songs to cooking meals for cast and crew.

Most members of that small, young crew was recruited from Craigslist and worked free. PVC tubes were adapted to make a track for their camera dolly, and when Ms. Lister-Jones was given a red carpet as a joke birthday gift, that was also used to help steady the camera. Their director of photography, Alex Bergman, used an inheritance from his grandmother, meant to enable him to go to film school, to buy top-of-the-line equipment instead.

Insurance was obtained by piggybacking on the policy of another production, thereby saving thousands of dollars, and because the movie was shot digitally, Mr. Wein was able to edit it in his living room, using a flat-screen television. The couple was also able to get the veteran Broadway actors Julie White, Peter Friedman and Andrea Martin to join the cast, along with their friend Olivia Thirlby from HBO’s “Bored to Death.”

Read the full article HERE.

Here is the trailer:

Breaking Upwards Movie Trailer from Breaking Upwards on Vimeo.