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Producing A Low Budget Short Film | Independent Film Blog

50 POSTS ABOUT INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING

We filmed The Climb over a weekend in May 2010 for about $300.  It was the first project we developed after I launched this blog so there was a ton of coverage here.

There are posts about every topic including budgets, screenwriting, stories from the set, post-production, marketing, promotion, trailers, posters and more.

Now that the film is completed I thought it would be useful to gather every post in one place.  So check out the entire story of how we produced The Climb.

WATCH THE ENTIRE FILM HERE

Pre-Production

Low Budget Filmmaking: The Climb’s Budget

The Climb’s 1st Location Scout

Screenwriting: Rewriting The Climb

Meet The Cast Of The Climb

Storyboarding When You Can’t Draw

Designing The Tattoos

The Director Of Photography

First Tattoo Sketches And Tests

No Budget Filmmaking: Producing A Short Film

The Need To Edit A Movie

Improving The Screenplay

Pre-Production Day

Final Make-Up Tests

Wardrobe And Props

Rehearsing A Short Film

Tweaking Your Screenplay

Directing Short Films: The Calm Before The Storm

Making Progress

Making A Short Film: The Little Details

Final Location Scouts

It Begins!

Production

Technical Specs

Can’t Complain About Early Call Times

I Dislike People Who Honk During Filming

Destiny’s Tattoos

I Don’t Like To Hold The Camera

Rushing To Capture Footage

A Computer, Some Footage And Me

How The Weather Almost Killed Our Short Film

Directing Short Films: Playing Through vs The Climb

That’s A Wrap!

Post-Production

Editing A Short Film: Little Moments

How a dialogue heavy script became a quiet movie

Short Film Editing: Is This Scene Boring?

Tough Cuts: Letting go of a scene

Taking on the opening scene

Editing a short film you directed: The Annoying Part

Editing a short film: You have to start somewhere

I got stuck editing my short film

We Have Picture Lock

Marketing & Promotion

Short Films, After Effects & Video Copilot

The Climb’ Trailer

Planning The Trailer

A new poster for The Climb has arrived

First official still from The Climb

Does this poster sell my independent short film?

The Climb’s poster is here

Commentaries

The Climb: A Journey Ends

The Climb is finished

The Climb: One Year Later

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Playing Through Now Available Online! | Independent Short Film

Playing Through is finally up on YouTube!

The film tells the story of Brandon & Nathan. Two friends playing a round of golf terribly. While Brandon does his best to distract his friend, every thought Nathan has rests on a looming phone call. A call that will reveal whether or not he has been diagnosed with cancer.

The film stars John Steptoe, Michael Clarke & Alyssa LaPlume.  It was written and directed by Jason McKinnon and produced by Eric Gamache.

Playing Through Short Film Festivals & Awards | 17 West Productions

I had an absolute blast making Playing Through.  It was the first film I directed with a professional crew and it was also the first film I edited using Final Cut Pro.  Software I purchased along with a sweet new iMac in order to complete the film.  I’m extremely proud of the work our cast in crew poured into the short.  I also have to thank Clear Springs Golf course in North Bay, Ontario for allowing us to make this film on their course.  It was a gorgeous week I’ll never forget.  I’m extremely happy it didn’t rain!

Hope you enjoy the film!  Pass it along.

There is still one more giant announcement to come regarding this movie in 2012 so stay tuned.

Playing Through independent short film 17 west productions

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17 West Productions In 2012 | Independent Film Toronto

While 17 West Productions didn’t produce any new films in 2011, it was still a busy year.   I have a several big announcements to make:

17WEST.CA Relaunch!

The last time I updated 17 West site, it was purely to upgrade the look and integrate The Athletic Nerd a little more.  I’ve been blogging online for over 2 years now and I’ve learned a lot about search engines and what it takes to attract an audience.  Now it’s time to put that knowledge to good use.

A whole new look has arrived but this time it’s a fully functional WordPress powered site.

A NEW SHORT FILM RELEASED!

The new site just happens to coincide with the release of The Climb.  Our new short film which will be up VERY SOON!

PLAYING THROUGH FINALLY ONLINE!

Playing Through is now on YouTube.

WHAT’S NEXT

On a sad note, Strings has officially been cancelled.  The film was in pre-production for over a year but after a couple hitches we’ve decided to move forward with some new ideas.  17 West Productions is now actively developing our next project which will be directed by Eric Gamache.  There aren’t any timelines yet but updates will come fast both here and on the new 17west.ca.

Enjoy the new movies!

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17 Interviews With Indie Filmmakers, Screenwriters & More!

In 2010, I began interviewing fellow independent filmmakers, screenwriters, editors and passionate film fans.  In 2011, I created an entire section on this site dedicated to these interviews.  Below you’ll find all 17 2011 interviews covering everything from writing to promoting your finished film.  You’ll meet dedicated and talented people with a ton of great wisdom to share.

I’m still learning about the interview process and I’m eager to meet and share more fantastic stories with you.

Thanks again to everyone for the great interviews!

Ron Suppa: Author, Screenwriter & Teacher

Get Your Short Film Into Major Film Festivals

Art of the Guillotine: Creating A Film Editing Community

Feature Film Focus: Producing Cody Fitz

Producing A Web Series & Becoming A Regular

7, Rue de L’Arbalete & One Shot Short Films

A Filmmaking Addict

Cyber Punk Meets Sci Fi In The Short Film: There Are No Heroes

Discover The Voice Inside

From Ontario to Los Angeles: An Actresses Journey

Damn Your Eyes: Making The Most of your Budget

Standing Out Amongst The Crowd: Pitching A Short Film

Junko’s Shamisen: From Vision To Reality

No Short Cuts: An Editor’s Tale

Finding Your Voice: An Independent Filmmaker Profile

Write A Slasher Movie & Get It Made

Finding Your Muse: Creating A Short Film

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The Climb Is Finished!

January 11th, 2012 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Filmmaking | The Climb - (0 Comments)

The Climb: A Journey Ends

SHORT FILM WILL BE RELEASED ONLINE FEBRUARY 2012

It’s official!

Today, I finished authoring a DVD and started gearing up for the release of The Climb.  The newest short film from 17 West Productions.  The drama is just under 14 minutes long and stars Michael Clarke and Alyssa LaPlume as two people struggling with life on the streets and the meaning of hope.

Check out the film’s trailer below and stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks!

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