Creating movies often involves striking a balance between your vision as a filmmaker and the resources you have at your disposal. Cars are a good example here. Vehicles may be essential to the plot of the film and perhaps involve stunts. Even if they’re not central to the plot, any narrative set in the past century that doesn’t have at least background cars can feel a little strange.
The good news is, you don’t have to blow your budget on new vehicles. Older used cars that are barely roadworthy — often called junkers or clunkers — can be part of your solution to creating magic with lower costs.
Obtaining Filmable Junk Vehicles
Gaining a vehicle for your film isn’t always quite as simple as just picking up the first or cheapest cars you can find. As with any project, you need to take a strategic approach to get the most value from your budget.
Some keys to obtaining a filmable junk vehicle include:
Identify your needs
The first step in the process is to get a good understanding of what you’re looking for in a junker or clunker. By having clarity here, you can direct your search in a more targeted fashion.
This may include the level of functionality. How often will you drive it? Is its entire purpose to be collateral damage for a stunt scene? You may also want to consider the aesthetic elements. If your film takes place during a certain time period, you may require vehicles with a production date before a certain year.
Explore junkyards
Obviously, the most direct route to gaining junkers and clunkers is by heading to junkyards. Don’t just think locally, you can get bargains by going further afield. Jersey City, NJ, and Anchorage, AK are considered the best places to buy used clunkers. Try not to rush into anything. You may find you can discover real gems by taking the time to explore each junkyard you visit. Even if you don’t always find full vehicles, you may find components or accessories that enable you to “dress” another vehicle to achieve the right aesthetic.
Ensuring Crew Safety
One of the key concerns surrounding utilizing old vehicles for filmmaking is that of safety. The last thing you want to do is put your cast or crew at risk.
Some elements you should consider include:
Conducting thorough inspections
Before you purchase any junkyard gems for your production, you need to conduct a thorough inspection of the vehicles. If you’re not a qualified mechanic, seek the assistance of an experienced assessor to accompany you on purchasing trips. Importantly, you need to continue performing these inspections through the production process to ensure safety and to identify areas for repairs before they become problematic.
Reviewing safety expectations and requirements
You may not already know what the safety expectations and regulations are either about the cars themselves or your crew’s interactions with these. It’s important, then, to take the time to review the standards that unions and agencies set, as this can help you to establish the steps you need to take to meet or go beyond safety requirements.
Alongside cast members and technical staff, your crew may include those who are classified as being in hazardous professions, such as stunt performers. There are a range of federal regulators that protect high-risk workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) set guidelines for ensuring injury prevention and they enforce violations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) also outlines vehicle maintenance requirements for professional drivers. It’s important, then, to check in with these agencies to ensure your vehicle conditions are compliant in ways that keep your valuable crew members safe.
You should also make sure all staff that ends up driving the vehicles practices safe driving habits. Although some may think safe driving habits only need to be used on the road, the set can be equally distracting and potentially even more dangerous. Since distracted driving is one of the top causes of vehicle accidents, it’s best to make sure everyone responsible for driving cars on set is safe, focused, and sober.
Selling to Reduce the Budget Impact
Purchasing a car — even a junkyard gem — for a movie can seem like it might stretch the budget too far. This is a particular consideration for independent and low-budget filmmaking. However, one way you can mitigate the financial impact is by selling the vehicle afterward.
Some solid ways to approach this include:
Prepare for sale online
Offering vehicles via marketplaces, like Craigslist, is one of the most accessible approaches. Selling cars effectively on Craigslist requires some preparation and strategy. This should include making certain all the ownership paperwork — including a bill of sale template — is organized to ensure transactions go smoothly. Taking a little extra time to clean and make reasonable repairs to the car may also make it more saleable.
Leveraging Behind-the-scenes Content
One of the good things about selling a film-used car is it can add a little extra cache to its profile. Wherever possible, utilize behind-the-scenes content in support of the sale. Perhaps utilize clips of its use in the sales listing. Post images with key cast members or stunt crew on social media channels and mention that the car is for sale.
Conclusion
You may not always have access to junkers or clunkers that exactly fit your needs, so be open to finding creative solutions, particularly if it means you keep your costs low. After all, the best filmmakers in the world have created convincing illusions throughout the history of the art form.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
