Micro-Budget Methods of Cinematic Storytelling

A Practical Guide to Making Narrative Media with Minimal Means

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by Jake Mahaffy

Type: Didactic
Subject: Economics
Keywords: economics, finance
Publishing date: 2025 (April 23, 2025) (Upcoming)
Publisher: Routledge
Collection: A Focal Press Book
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 312 pages
5 ½ x 8 ½ inches (14 x 21.5 cm)

ISBN

978-1-032-73737-9

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Book Presentation:
This accessible handbook is a practical guide to the concepts and techniques of micro-budget, cinematic storytelling. It’s written to be useful and efficient, packed with lessons, examples and practices from the Author’s extensive filmmaking experience and decades of teaching students all over the world.

Demystifying the complex creative process involved in filmmaking, this text provides concrete, detailed and specific steps to develop innovative concepts and execute effective films with micro-budget methods. With a wide range of references, instruction, and illustrations, the reader will learn how to make the most of powerful cinematic tools under budgetary constraints. The focus on cinematic storytelling addresses the fundamentals of understanding principles in all creative practices in any genre, platform, style or duration of any narrative art. The information and lessons here are foundational, presenting a new perspective on the creative process for beginners and experienced alike.

This book is the go-to resource for beginners and students entering today’s industry, as well as those micro-budget and low-budget filmmakers looking for expert inspiration and insight.

About the Author:
Jake Mahaffy’s micro-budget, self-made films have screened around the world at film festivals and independent venues such as Venice (winning the Orizzonti Best Film Prize/2012, 2015, 2016), Sundance (2004/05/06/08/09/15), SXSW (winning the Narrative Grand Jury Prize/2008, 2016), Rotterdam, Leeds, AFI, Stockholm, Edinburgh, Moscow, Ljubljana, Boston MFA, MoMA (NY), and many others. He founded, developed and led filmmaking programs at several universities as an Associate Professor and has mentored and consulted on projects around the world.

Press Reviews:
"Mahaffy has staked out a quiet reputation as one of our most accomplished and necessary independent auteurs."Filmmaker Magazine

"A must-read for all writer-directors, whether you’re about to make your first short or have already directed three features. This book is written by a low-budget warrior who’s been to the front lines and returned full of battle-born insight and strategic concepts that can’t be found in any other book."Mike Ryan, Producer (Junebug, The Turin Horse, Fay Grim, The Comedy, Old Joy, Choke, Palindromes)

"Jake Mahaffy is one of very, very few people I'd trust to write this book. Unlike most writers who hawk their filmmaking philosophies, he's actually put extraordinary work up on the screen. And unlike most legit filmmakers (who tend to be a little insane), he's got the patience and trust to communicate clearly what he's learned over his decades in the microbudget trenches. I envy the next generation of artists having this book as a resource and inspiration..."
Andrew Bujalski, Director (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation, Computer Chess, Results, There There)

"For years Jake Mahaffy has forged very unique paths to making modest in scale but high form works of World Cinema… Lucky for those eager to make films, Jake has thoughtfully detailed his approach in a way that is both very structured and open to filmmaker's for their own use. Mahaffy gets into the core principles of his approach, backed up with a broad set of references that illustrate how others have used similar tactics to make great films with limited means."Michael Bowes, Executive Producer of the Oscar-winning film American Fiction, John and the Hole, Rubberneck, Far From Afghanistan

"… Mahaffy has created multiple shorts and features that are distinctive, with powerful stories told in a way that is truly independent. He has turned limited resources into his unique style and poetry, you don't forget his imagery. Plus he has taught filmmaking for decades, so why not learn low budget filmmaking straight from the source?"Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival

"Mahaffy has put into words things that I didn’t know how to express and provided simple tools I can’t believe I overlooked. I’ve not read another book on filmmaking that’s both accessible and profoundly rich."
Gabe McCauley, Director of the Emmy-winning series Reconnecting Roots

See the publisher website: Routledge

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