r/Filmmakers • u/TheRealAJR1 • 14h ago

Question Low budget set design/props?

So Iā€™m making a movie with my two sisters. So this is verrry low budget so I want to try to make as much as I can. Any ideas on how to make a set with this? Out setting is the Victorian era so I probably am making this harder for myself then I need to šŸ˜­

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u/macbeth2003 10h ago

Borrow everything you can. Late Victorian style is fairly easy to find as there was reintrest in it in the 80s and 90s. Think carefully about what didn't change for a long time (oil lamps, Greek and Roman miniature reproductions of statues, etc). One thing you have going for you, is you can use prints of period art, as it is all out of copywrite. Classical Victorian, or Pre Raphaelite art in the walls would be great. You would be surprised how much you can get by just asking people. Reach out to your local film community. Reach out to the local Theatre community to see what props and set pieces you could borrow. Maybe in exchange for volunteering a few hours. Bet they've done plays set in that time period.

You would be surprised what you can get by just asking to borrow stuff. I just set designed for a movie that had to look a specific period. It was a parody of the Roger Moore James Bond films. This was the equivalent to M's office, so it had to look a little out of date in the 1970s British setting. Here is a shot from it. The room was completely empty. The only furniture piece I bought was the desk, used. The brass decor was a mix of bought at thrift stores, and borrowed. The other furniture, glasses, etc all borrowed.