Proper budgeting is important during a recession. If you can spend $70 for groceries instead of $115, you’re doing well. But spending $70 to make a film that has drawn the interest of feature film distributors worldwide is another matter entirely.

No paydayloan or money loans were used in the making of “Colin,” a zombie film that has taken the Cannes Film Festival by storm. Amazingly, the British production was made for only $70!

Tom Foster reports for CNN that young English director Marc Price is tasting the fruits of success and a possible distribution deal for his urban zombie thriller. Made in guerrilla style with the help of online social media, the movie is currently in negotiations for release by a Japanese distributor. American distributors are also interested.

“We were almost fainting”

“We were almost fainting at the list of people who were coming [to the final market screening of the film],” said Helen Grace of Left Films. Left is publicizing “Colin” at the Cannes Film Festival, a yearly homage to film culture in France.

“When we say it’s a low budget film, people presume a couple of hundred thousand [dollars]. People can’t figure out how it’s possible (at $70). What Marc’s achieved has left people astonished,” she said.

How did Price pull this off?

First came the ads on Facebook for production help. Then Price obtained leftover makeup from film studios and learned how to do special effects on his own at very low cost.

“The approach was to say to people, ‘OK guys, we don’t have any money, so bring your own equipment,’” the 30-year-old director said.

With help from friends and volunteers, Price shot and edited the zombie movie “Colin.” It is a zombie story told from the perspective of the zombie. The online social networking was invaluable for creating buzz and getting free (or cheap) help.

“We went on Facebook and MySpace and said ‘Who wants to be a zombie? We managed to get 50 brilliantly made up zombies and stuff them into a living room.” The $70 cost was for “a crowbar and a couple of tapes, and I think some tea and coffee,” said Price.

No budget, no problem

Price made “Colin” because he wanted to see if it could be done.

“A couple of friends were round a few years ago watching Romero’s ‘Dawn of the Dead,’ he recalled. “And we were lamenting the fact that we could never make a zombie film — we wouldn’t be able to acquire a budget.”

Then the idea of telling a story from the zombie’s perspective hit him. The end result is “Colin,” a zombie film “with a heart,” Price says. Zombie fan Web site zombiefriends.com called it “as original, compelling and thought provoking as [George] Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead.’” SCARS, a horror magazine, claims it will “revolutionize zombie cinema.”

Next time, Price would like to increase his production budget… to at least £100. Seriously, Mr. Price hopes this will kick start a successful film making career. Considering the studios that are interested, he likely won’t need the help of a paydayloan or money loans.

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