[Deep Dive] DIY Filmmaking: How We Shot a $250 Short Film in 10 Hours

How do you shoot a short film on a $250 budget? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, Victoria (writer/director of Dive) and Chuck (location sound mixer/sound designer) are joined by cinematographer and colorist Daniel Klamerus to break down the production process of their micro-budget short film.

From scheduling nightmares to surprise gas station construction, this honest (and occasionally chaotic) conversation covers:

• Shooting 25 shots in 10 hours across two nights

• Using anamorphic lenses on a budget

• Capturing on-set foley and navigating loud restaurant fridges

• Split toning in post-production (we’ll touch back on that next week!)

• A near-injury while filming in the back of a moving truck

• Lessons learned from minimal crew, zero margin for error, and max creativity

Plus, they talk about what went wrong, what they’d do differently, and the tiny details that make a short film truly cinematic—even on a virtually non-existent budget.

Dive was made for a festival with a 4-month deadline and won awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress!

Subscribe for more behind-the-scenes looks at making indie films with real budgets, real problems, and real lessons.

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