I know in music there are tons of free or dirt cheap applications for creation. The difference between them and the big, expensive ones is usually that you have to use one program for recording, another for mixing, another for post-production, etc instead of one suite doing it all. I expect movie making is probably pretty similar. Yes there will be some financial outlay for some equipment, camera, some mics, etc but it doesn't have to be a ton. The big ones are going to be the camera (buy second hand ones from schools and such for cheaper prices) and the PC (which you may already have just that it might take a lot longer to render or need a new hard drive). Hell a GoPro may be a great investment to film with to keep the number of people involved down.
Keep going. Look for grants and things that may help you. Look for investors. Kickstart something.
[–] Jasoman 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
yes and no, I would say money makes it go faster, but anything can be done with few people. I think Film making is like video game making, there are indie game and AAA games, but they are both games does the indie game take more time and usually look like a B move is ta a AAA movie maybe sometimes, but there are some really fun indie games that are really popular just like there have been some really low budget films like Primer in 2004 with a budget of $7,000 they made over 1/2 a million and it became a cult classic.
[–] toats ago
Clerks had a very low budget as well.
Money lets you increase production value and technical quality but the core of the movie is artistic in nature and that requires an artist with a vision. Money doesn't affect the quality of artistic ideas.
[–] klauskinski 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
the one thing that has not been addressed here is that most above the line people did come from a wealthy (as in, not ever having to work for a living) background, which allowed them to concentrate on their craft without the distractions the rest of the world has.
even if someone is piss poor at whichever role they have chosen, they can continue to keep making motion picture until they do get good and their name gets known.
as a side note, i would only say that you need a camera if you want to be a dp. most dps have their own low end cameras that are perfectly reasonable for a low budget whatever.
an editing program may be inescapable unless you are looking at being the writer or the producer.
film schools are a great talent pool, simply because, as you have learned, many of the students are wealthy and will work for an unlivable wage (or even free) just for the experience.
think of it like architecture. you can get a degree as an architect, but unless you already have the wealth behind you, you are likely to get stuck with a job at a firm (or in the motion picture world, as a technician ie "below the line") unless you get very, very lucky.
my final words of advice: if you do go down this path, be wary of low budget producers. there are very, very many who are better at talking a good game (and talking investors out of their money) than there are truly good low budget producers (otherwise they wouldn't be low budget.)