In this climate, low budget filmmaking is the way to keep making. 

It’s how my filmmaking partner and I, Tom Levesque (writer & director), have always made stuff. No-8-wire until you figure out a way.  We tried it with our debut feature film Shut Eye (NZIFF 2022, MIFF, 2023) and very recently Notes from a Fish, which is playing in this year's Whanau Mārama NZ International Film Festival.

 It is often the case that budgetary limitations lead to some of the best compromises - a creative challenge that we fully lean into. 

It forces you to think differently, innovate, move fast and work efficiently with minimal setups to nail a tight schedule. Making films on a shoestring is an audaciously ambitious endeavour - made possible only by the generosity of the people who help bring it to life. 

Filmmaking is, at its heart, a community effort. 

Of course, it would be much easier if we had more money to work with, but raising finance takes a lot of time - often years - where the whole project could topple over at any point while we get grey. 

The average NZ Film Commission-funded film takes 3-7 years from development to production. So whilst our bigger budget projects are simmering, we try to keep making, keep exercising that creative muscle and keep learning.

Globally, film financing is under stress and enduring a string of contractions. Steps forward are blown back by more fiascos. 

Over the past 5 years, the market has dealt with a global pandemic, upheaval in the revenue model from theatres to home streaming and the death of TV, major writer and actor strikes, threats of US film tariffs, outbreak of wars and global economic uncertainty, collapse of major studios and budgetary cuts to government film funding (alongside tightened compliance towards “NZ stories”). 

All of which has spooked investors and generally dwindled film financing opportunities. 

But it’s our ethos - and that of every producer across the arts - that there is always a way! We just have to find it. Good stories can be created anywhere...it’s just a matter of how.   

 With Notes from a Fish, we pivoted after a year of setbacks trying to finance a larger project. Instead, Tom wrote something smaller, faster and entirely our own - rallying collaborators including co-director Romy Hooper, calling in favours and producing the film on a shoestring budget of just NZD$10,000. We shot it over 10 days in January 2025 - a testament to resourceful filmmaking.  

 After putting down the camera, Tom picked up the edit before submitting a rough cut to NZIFF. When we were lucky enough to be selected, we met the criteria to apply to NZFC for Finishing Funds. Massive shoutout to NZFC Dev team who swooped in to help us finish post production! 

 The biggest takeaway we’d like to impart is to encourage talented up-and-comers to not wait for the world's permission to create. For the funding that might never come. You can get started with a camera, rallying some mates and making something cool.  

 For budding filmmakers out there, here’s a few things we’ve learnt along the way. 

Walk before you run 

Know your stuff before making a big investment, especially if it’s your own precious funds. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, or something like that! 

Tom and I spent over 10 years making screen content before our first feature film. From documentary, music video, short film and commercials - these were years spent honing our craft, experimenting and finding our style. In Tom’s case as a writer-director, he spent a lot of time developing quality scripts which hit the top of The Black List and other top screenwriting comps. 

Test the quality of your work with feedback from respected practitioners and legit competitions, festivals or rankings to make sure you’ve got something special. It might sound rough to say, but there isn’t room for mediocrity in the film industry (and the higher the budget, the higher the stakes). Otherwise... it’s a very expensive hobby.  

Make something that you can pull off really well 

It may seem obvious, but be strategic about what you can achieve while staying authentic to the film’s cinematic world. Don’t try to make something that is beyond your expertise or resources, as chances are it will look ropey, and won’t be taken seriously. 

Look around you and see what stories you can find that are worth telling. When you have a little, condense your vision into a compressed story with minimal actors, set pieces and locations - this is a great test as a filmmaker. 

Genre filmmaking (horror, thriller, gore) is a sweet spot for low-budget filmmaking as audiences turn up for it regardless of cast, provided it is high quality and the concept is fresh and compelling. 

Work out your ROI 

What is your goal that will take you to the next level? 

For Shut Eye, we were ready to back ourselves and make a film to showcase our capability. For us, this was all about profile and portfolio building. 

We applied to festivals we realistically thought we had a chance with (not all the heavy hitters), which included Melbourne International Film Festival and affiliate 37°S market where it got into Breakthru Screenings. All the attending sales agents and financiers watched it, ultimately leading to a distribution deal with Gravitas Ventures. 

Target specific festivals that feel like a match. The cost of submissions really add up, so be cautious about which festivals you invest in. They should be of a respected calibre - it’s pointless to cover your poster with laurels that don’t add any value. 

Audience building and professional branding might be another specific goal, harnessing social media and Youtube to build a profile, much like the Philippou brothers did with their RackaRacka channel, or local TikTok talent Theo Shakes.  

Make use of what’s around 

Cut out anything you don’t truly need. 

Seek out locations that are close to ideal, reducing time-consuming set up and dressing prep. Work with a nimble skeleton crew, with a team that’s skilled and resourceful (wearing many hats). 

When I can’t offer much up front, I offer backend points, which are essentially shares in the film. This means the team comes on board with a genuine shared ownership - if the film makes money then we all do, so we’re all in the same boat together. 

For Tom and I, we crafted a documentary-style verité approach, where we capture scenes with natural daylight or night light city/urban ambiance, reducing the need for hefty lighting setups and speeding the whole thing up. We do a lot of detailed pre-production (including thorough actor rehearsals) to make sure we’re ready to fly through a tight schedule. 

Use lean equipment - it’s not what you have but how you use it. We shot both our feature films with just a SonyFX6 and some nice glass. Sean Baker shot Tangerine on an iPhone! 

Ask for help 

Often by opening yourself up to the world by taking a leap, you will be caught by the universe and so many helping hands in the pursuit of art and telling great stories. 

One of the coolest things I’ve learnt producing is that if you’re genuine in your passion - and are honest about what you have and what you're trying to do - people will often help you on your mission. It’s also true that people are particularly generous towards your first or early works, so make sure you’re ready to fully maximise the favours. And of course, offer in return what you can do for them. 

For Notes from a Fish, we needed an aquarium, and there’s only a handful in Auckland. After a series of rejections it came down to the very last enquiry where we found a couple of solid gold legends, Bryce and Vicky from Mt Roskill Hollywood Fish Farm (shoutout!). We made these guys a promo video as a thank you for using their space and their beautiful fish, as we couldn’t have made this film without them.

Thank you to the army of incredible helpers who get behind arts projects in Aotearoa - we owe it all to this incredible community.  

Notes from a Fish is playing as part of Whanau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival 2025. The film's premiere has sold out, with NZIFF setting up an encore screening on 12 August at The Bridgeway. Check out the NZIFF programme for screenings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.