If you want to make a movie, and a movie on a limited budget, choose a story that takes place in a single location. Why? Every time you move to a new location, you need to pay for transport, and hire a new location. Essentially you are looking for a stage play. But filming a stage play is one of the leading cures for insomnia, unless you expand the boundaries of the story.
What is interesting about single location movies is that they are often the movies that launch the careers of filmmakers. Some of these were made with minimal budgets, others with significant budgets.
1. The Breakfast Club 1985 – Director: John Hughes
Set in a High School library where 5 teenagers were sent to detention.
2. 12 Angry Men 1957 – Director: Sidney Lumet
3. 10 Cloverfield Lane 2016 – Director: Dan Trachtenberg
4. Knock at the Cabin 2015 – Director: M. Night Shyamalan
5. The Hateful Eight 2015 – Director: Quentin Tarantino
6. Room 2015 – Director: Lenny Abrahamson
7. Bullet Train 2022 – Director: David Leitch
8. Clue 1985 – Director: Jonathan Lynn
9. All Is Lost 2013 – Director: J.C. Chandor
10. 127 Hours 2010 – Director: Danny Boyle
11. Buried 2010 Rodrigo Cortés
An entire movie set in a coffin. You can’t get more minimal than that!
12. My Dinner with Andre 1981 Louis Malle
Set in Café des Artistes.
13. Cube 1997 Vincenzo Natali
Set in a large unidentified cube
14. Exam 2009 Stuart Hazeldine
Set in an exam hall *Played at Raindance
15. Clerks 1994 Kevin Smith
Set in a convenience store.
16. Locke 2013 Steven Knight
17. Reservoir Dogs
Set in a warehouse with the restaurant and flat just a few minutes walk from the warehouse.
18. Tape 2001 Richard Linklater
19 The Following Christopher Nolan
20. Deadly Virtues 2013 – Ate de Jong
Shot in a renovated student house in North Lon don in 10 days. Showed at Raindance
Hitchcock
The master of suspense regularly made films with limitrd locations.
Have a look at Rope 1948 and Dial M For Murder 1954
Fade Out
Making a single location movie is not new. What makes it work is how you take your story and modify it in a way
The Raindance Film School pathway
A taster evening; 99 Minute Film School – a single evening explaining how the film industry works.
A taster One Day Masterclass: Saturday Film School – discover the ins-and-outs of writing, directing and producing a film in an information pacted and entertaining day
The Raindance 2 year Higher National Degree: a students entry point to Higher Education
Study filmmaking or acting over 2 years at one of our 3 international campus’s! This is a full-time University level course. Through Raindance, students will have the opportunity to attend renowned courses delivered by industry professionals and attend our networking events to develop further opportunities.
The Raindance BA in Filmmaking or Performance: The Raindance Film School Top-Up BA (Hons) in Film and Performing Arts Practices is a one year practical course. It’s been designed to provide aspiring, and existing, Film and Performing Arts practitioners the opportunity to develop their existing academic or professional experience up to BA level in a chosen pathway or pathways (producing, directing, screenwriting or acting).
The Raindance MA: Study your MA in Filmmaking or Screenwriting at Raindance Film School (accredited by De Montfort University). They are 21st-century degrees for filmmakers, entrepreneurs, creatives and future academics wishing to upskill or transition into the film and digital media industry. These programmes provides a unique opportunity for you to benefit from the experience of Industry Experts across the world, whilst developing your personal professional practice, as well as your research and independent study skills.
Sienna is currently a film student in the U.S. where she is planning on completing her bachelor’s degree. She has been involved with film for almost 8 years now and has had a love for film from a very young age. One day, she hopes to work on a movie set and help in any way she can. In 2019 she won the NATAS Mid-Atlantic Chapter Emmy Award for Outstanding Magazine Program for her high school TV show which she produced. She is forever grateful for the opportunity to intern here and thanks the entire staff for making her feel at home.
