Guerrilla filmmaking refers to a form ofindependent filmmaking characterized by ultra-low micro budgets, skeleton crews, and limited props using whatever resources, locations and equipment is available. The genre is named in reference toguerrilla warfare due to these techniques typically being used to shoot quickly inreal locations without obtainingfilming permits or providing any other sort of warning.
Independent filmmakers typically resort to guerrilla filmmaking because they do not have the budget or time to obtain permits, rent out locations, or build expensive sets. Larger and more "mainstream" film studios tend to avoid guerrilla filmmaking tactics because of the risk of being sued, fined or having their reputation damaged due to negative publicity.
According to Yukon Film Commission Manager Mark Hill, "guerrilla filmmaking is driven by passion with whatever means at hand".[1]
Janet Maslin ofThe New York Times characterized cultB-movie filmmakerEd Wood as a guerrilla filmmaker. As depicted in the biopicEd Wood, Wood stole a fake octopus for one of the scenes in his low budget films.[2]
Film criticRoger Ebert describedSweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, directed byMelvin Van Peebles, as "a textbook on guerrilla filmmaking" in his review ofBaadasssss!, abiopic about the making ofSweet Sweetback.[3] Ben Sisario ofThe New York Times called Van Peebles "a hero of guerrilla filmmaking" who has suffered for his uncompromising vision.[4]
Spike Lee'sShe's Gotta Have It was a guerrilla film on a budget of $175,000 which made $7,137,502 at the box office.[5] It was Spike Lee's first feature-length film and inspired him to write the bookSpike Lee's Gotta Have It: Inside Guerrilla Filmmaking.[6]
New Queer Cinema directorGregg Araki shot his first two films,Three Bewildered People in the Night (1987) andThe Long Weekend (O' Despair) (1989) using a spring-woundBolex camera and scrap film stock, on a budget of $5,000 each.[7]
Robert Rodriguez shot the action filmEl Mariachi in Spanish.El Mariachi, which was shot for around $7,000 with money partially raised by volunteering in medical research studies, won the Audience Award at theSundance Film Festival in 1992. The film, originally intended for the Spanish-language low-budget home-video market, was distributed byColumbia Pictures in theUnited States. Rodriguez described his experiences making the film in his bookRebel Without a Crew. The book and film would inspire other filmmakers to pick up cameras and make no-budget movies.[8]
Pi, directed byDarren Aronofsky,[9] was made on a budget of $68,000. It proved to be a financial success at the box office ($4.6 million gross worldwide).[10] Aronofsky raised money for the project by selling $100 shares in the film to family and friends, and was able to pay them all back with a $50 profit per-share when the film was sold to Artisan.[citation needed]
Troma Entertainment is afilm production anddistribution company founded byLloyd Kaufman andMichael Herz in 1974. The company produces low-budget independent films, many of which have developedcult followings. Kaufman has been outspoken about their use ofguerrilla marketing and tolerance of piracy, and he has written the booksAll I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from The Toxic Avenger andMake Your Own Damn Movie!, which outline his philosophy of quick and inexpensive independent film.[11]
Paranormal Activity, directed by first time directorOren Peli, was shot for approximately $10,000.Michael Cieply ofThe New York Times described the production and release as "guerrilla style". After being well received at film festivals, Paramount put the film on a tour where fans could request a screening.[12]
Escape from Tomorrow, made for $650,000, was "shot in a guerrilla-style manner atWalt Disney World andDisneyland without the permission of the parks," according to Jason Guerrasio ofIndiewire. The film was originally expected not to be released due to fears of a lawsuit from Disney, but it was released onvideo on demand in October 2013.[13]
Clark: A Gonzomentary was a 2012gonzo journalism-styled mockumentary about an amateur filmmaker documenting aPhiladelphian eccentric artist and his creative process. The guerrilla-style techniques implemented were used as part of the story itself, to represent the amateur production within the story. It was shot with a budget of less than $3,000 with aCanon XL2 and aPanasonic AG-DVX100. The director opted out of using asteadicam purposefully to achieve more shakiness. It was awarded Outstanding Lead Actor in a comedy or mockumentary by The 2013LA Web Series Festival and deemed "a gonzomentary truly realized" by Mark Bell ofFilm Threat.[14]
Super Demetrios (2011), the firstGreeksuperhero film, made on a budget of €2,000, won the audience award at the 52ndThessaloniki International Film Festival with the highest number of votes in the history of the festival and became an instant cult classic,[15] "proving that Greek guerrilla cinema can survive without state funding injections" according to Giannis Zoumboulakis ofTo Vima newspaper.[16]
In his debut, filmmakerTony Olmos made the crime thriller filmSouth of 8 (2016) with a budget of $9,000.[17] The guerrilla style production took over a year[18] and the film won a screenplay award when it premiered at theDowntown Los Angeles Film Festival.[19]
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