Making the Extreme No-Budget Film Workshop DVD

In 2002 Kelley sent 100 letters to 100 Friends asking for $100 to fund Kicking Bird. He raised $6000 and shot for 18 days.

In this 2 ½ hour workshop Kelley will walk participants through the entire process from scripting through post production. How to get the most for very limited resources, asking the right questions to get free stuff, and working in an atmosphere where people share your vision and put in very long hours for no money, and enjoy it!

I am constantly being asked questions about the pre-production process. These questions lead me to believe that a lot of filmmakers don’t really understand the process, and how it can save them time and money while they’re making their film.

Stuff happens during production that causes changes to the way you had planned to tell your story. Deal with it.

When you have finished shooting it’s time to look at what you have. It’s at this stage that many features fall apart. .

You can just throw this thing together and be done with it, or you can take your time and do it right.

When you are doing five things at once and have a dozen people asking you questions at the same time you can easily lose focus. The things in this workshop are a lot of common sense things that most filmmakers easily forget about. I know I have.

“There is nothing worse than watching a film and seeing mistakes that I know are avoidable. There is this attitude that, unless you are “on the set”, you’re not really making a movie. In reality, the most important part of the filmmaking process is the pre-production stage. If you haven’t prepped everything correctly during pre-production, then making your film is going to be a lot harder.” – - Kelley Baker

“When it comes to independent filmmaking Kelley Baker is the real thing. His experience, observations and practical advice reveals the raw truth about an important art form that has been hijacked, over-romanticized and betrayed by everyone from the mainstream media to its very own champions.
- – Brian Johnson, author, screenwriter, and director

No-Budget Workshop Disc #1

Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Who is this Guy?
Chapter 3 – You’ll Change
Chapter 4 – Pre-Production
Chapter 5 – Stolen Toyota
Chapter 6 – Learning Your Craft
Chapter 7 – Location Sound
Chapter 8 – Don’t Ask. Don’t Get.

No-Budget Workshop Disc #2

Chapter 1 – Low Budget Examples
Chapter 2 – The Gas Café
Chapter 3 – Kicking Bird
Chapter 4 – What Can You Do For $6000
Chapter 5 – School Scene – - Kicking Bird
Chapter 6 – What About Music?
Chapter 7 – Ending

$19.95 + $5.00 S&H

No Budget Work Book

This is the companion book to Kelley’s No-Budget Filmmaking Workshop

What I have tried to do here is to take what I consider the most important things to remember when making a film and put them here in one place. I’ve even given you room in this book to make your own notes. Write down things you think are important, things you need to get done, and come up with tips of your own.

I am constantly being asked questions about the pre-production process. These questions lead me to believe that a lot of filmmakers don’t really understand the process, and how it can save them time and money while they’re making their film.

Stuff happens during production that causes changes to the way you had planned to tell your story. Deal with it. If you are more concerned about pretty shots or special effects, then you shouldn’t be directing.

When you have finished shooting it’s time to look at what you have. It’s at this stage that many features fall apart. You’ve worked really hard up to this point and now you’re exhausted. You look at your footage and all you see are mistakes.

You can just throw this thing together and be done with it, or you can take your time and do it right. A lot of the mistakes you made in production can be fixed here. And what can’t be fixed can be cut around, hopefully. Now is the time to concentrate and see what you can do with this material.

When you are doing five things at once and have a dozen people asking you questions at the same time you can easily lose focus. The things in this book are a lot of common sense things that most filmmakers easily forget about. I know I have.

I want you to road test this book. Scribble on it, spill coffee on it, fold it, smash it, get it wet when you’re checking locations, and generally beat the hell out of it.

If you rush through any stage of filmmaking you’re not doing your movie any favors. Or your cast and crew. Slow down, and put this movie together to the best of your ability.

$10.00 + $4 S&H

Combo (DVD and Workbook) $21.95 + 5.00 S&H

Sound Design for Independent Films

As the Sound Designer on Gus Van Sant’s films, as well as animated features, network television specials and his own features, Kelley Baker has a unique approach to the Art of Sound Design. Whether you’re working with a huge budget, or a non-existent one, sound is the one area of filmmaking that always gets little attention, until the very end. “We’ll fix it in the mix…” is an often heard expression, but what does that mean?

As a sound designer it usually means you’re in trouble. There’s never enough money or time to do sound right. So what do you do?

Do you mix in digital? Dolby? How many formats are there and which one is going to give you the most options? Kelley will share his insights, and show you creative solutions to many sound problems. He’ll also discuss what to do when you have no budget, and how to blow a lot of money when you do have it.

One of the most important things in any movie is sound. And the most important sound? It’s the dialog, stupid! If you can’t hear or understand the dialog, then you’re hosed. You’ve got nothing. It doesn’t matter how pretty your pictures are, how good the acting is, what a terrific music score you have, or how clever you think you are. If you can’t hear or understand the dialog, you’ve got NOTHING!

A film can look like crap, and people will think it’s arty. Look at the Blair Witch Project or the Dogma film, The Celebration. They both look like crap. One was a huge award-winner and the other made lots of money. The thing about both of those movies is you can hear and understand all of the dialog.

DVD Chapters

Sound Design Disc # 1

Chapter 1 – Intro
Chapter 2 – What does a SD do?
Chapter 3 – Location Sound
Chapter 4 – What is Sound Design?
Chapter 5 – Finding Forrester
Chapter 6 – Good Will Hunting
Chapter 7 – Psycho
Chapter 8 – Other Films
Chapter 9 – Kicking Bird
Chapter 10 – Birddog
Chapter 11 – Once Upon A Time
Chapter 12 – Software is Over-rated
Chapter 13 – Sound Libraries & Foley

Sound Design Disc #2

Chapter 1 – Far From Heaven
Chapter 2 – Mixing for Theatrical
Chapter 3 – Party Scene – - Kicking Bird
Chapter 4 – Street Scene – - Kicking Bird
Chapter 5 – Bar Scene – - Kicking Bird
Chapter 6 – 3 Variations on The Gas Café

$19.95 + $5.00 S&H

Sound Design Work book

One of the most important things in any movie is sound. And the most important sound? It’s the dialog, stupid! If you can’t hear or understand the dialog, then you’re hosed. You’ve got nothing. It doesn’t matter how pretty your pictures are, how good the acting is, what a terrific music score you have, or how clever you think you are. If you can’t hear or understand the dialog, you’ve got NOTHING!

A film can look like crap, and people will think it’s arty. Look at the Blair Witch Project or the Dogma film, The Celebration. They both look like crap. One was a huge award-winner and the other made lots of money. The thing about both of those movies is you can hear and understand all of the dialog.

I am constantly being asked questions about Sound Design. These questions lead me to believe that a lot of filmmakers don’t really understand the best ways to use sound and how sound can help move your story along.

The location sound people always get the short end! How come it can take a day to dress a set, five hours to light a scene, and another hour to get the camera move right, but everyone screams at the sound people if they want a rehearsal for level check? And half the time, it’s the damn camera crew that’s doing the yelling.

When you get in to editing that’s when people learn they should have taken more care with the sound. And fixing it becomes your job.

What I have tried to do is to take what I consider the most important things to remember when working with sound and put them here in one place. I’ve even given you room in this book to make your own notes. Write down things you think are important, things you need to get done, and come up with tips of your own.

I want you to road test this book. Scribble on it, spill coffee on it, fold it, smash it and generally beat the hell out of it.

$10.00 + $4 S&H

Combo (DVD and Workbook) $21.95 + 5.00 S&H