Let's pretend like you don't have a million dollars just lying around, but you still want to give your production some big-budget value. Successful Guerrilla Filmmakers know how maximize their resources!

First, don't overlook the things you may have around your job or house. Everyone has a few material possessions they're proud of because they're different. Every time I go into another person's house, I see something weird. To them it's nothing because they see it every day. But the rest of the world hasn't!

Next, Check out your local "thrift" and "second hand" stores. Look for out-of-the-ordinary things. Seems like every conceivable thing known to man will pop up on the rack somewhere, sometime. It's like a huge garage sale or a small swap meet. Speaking of which, check out garage sales and swap meets. That's how you acquire unique items and costumes CHEAP!

"Listen." You say. "Anyone can tell me that I'll find cheap stuff at a garage sale. But, I'm making an action movie! I need GUNS!”

DO NOT USE REAL GUNS, BLANK FIRING WEAPONS OR SQUIBS! As a matter of fact, unless you're insured out your ass and working with professionals, don't use any pyrotechnics at all! (Damn, I just took all the fun out of that. Didn't I?)

"So what am I supposed to do?" You ask. "...Film my shoot-outs with squirt-guns?”

Actually, That's not a bad idea. I could hold up a convenience store with half the squirt guns I've converted. They're usually pink or florescent green in the store. If you find the "full sized" ones, drill out the barrel and paint them dark gray, black or silver, they can look pretty damn real. You wouldn't want to brandish them in public. There are also many spring-air replicas available on-line at a reasonable price.

To get them to fire, we rig each prop gun with a small plastic tube that runs from the back of the handle, into the barrel. A long rubber tube is concealed on the shooter and hidden from camera view. The tube runs from the handle of the gun to a source of compressed air and an air-release trigger. With a little baby powder, the compressed air blast looks just like gunfire. Bullet hits are created in a similar way. Later we add a simple digital flash effect and loop in a gunfire sound effect. Believe me, it looks great!

As for the really odd things, like rotting corpses, I suggest you learn the fine art of papier-mache'. With a little patience and creativity, you can create almost anything with papier-mache'. Including sets.

Asta