It All Starts with a Damn Good Story

If you’re an indie filmmaker, you probably don’t have shit for a budget.

No money for shootouts.

No money for explosions.

No money for car chases.

Hell, sometimes you barely have money to feed the crew.

So what does that mean?

You need a small, tight, character-driven story that can be filmed in one or two locations without your whole life collapsing. And here’s the real kicker: the story has to actually hold the viewer’s attention. That’s where conflict comes in.

Now listen—conflict isn’t just people yelling, throwing shit, crying, or doing simple-ass fart jokes.

Conflict stems from what your main character and their nemesis need. It’s a question that needs to be answered. And if you're an indie filmmaker with no money or no experience, start with the basics.

There are only three primary types of conflict you need to master:

1. Person vs. Themselves

This is internal conflict—something they want, something they hate, something they’re ashamed of, something they want to change. Whatever it is, that shit has to show up in words and actions, not just vibes.

Rocky is a perfect classic example.

2. Person vs. Person

The traditional “good guy vs. bad guy” setup—but don’t be basic. What if neither one is fully good or bad? What if both of them are gray as hell? That’s where the storytelling starts cooking.

This conflict works in drama, comedy, thrillers—pretty much everything.

3. Person vs. Society

This is when your character is up against the world, the system, the establishment, or the culture around them. Sometimes they win. A lot of times they don’t.

Fruitvale Station is a heavy, real-world example of this.

Here’s my two cents:

If you’re an indie filmmaker start writing scenes from EACH of these conflict types. See what shakes loose. See what feels natural. See what hits.

To be honest, the cheapest shit you can produce is drama and comedy—because the stories are character-driven, not effect-driven. You don’t need elaborate sets or helicopters or a ten-man stunt team. You need people, truth, tension, and intention.

And to get better at creating that?

Do yourself a favor and pick up Writing Your First Play (2nd Edition) by Roger A. Hall. I took his course in the 1990s, and those lessons turned me into a conflict-driven storyteller over 16 weeks. Clear instructions, straightforward exercises, no fluff. Just craft.

This is your first real step. Learn the craft. Learn conflict. Because even if your movie looks a little janky—because you didn’t have money or experience—a damn good story will still grab people by the throat.

Now go write. It's doesn't cost you anything but time.

And I’ll keep blogging about my journey into film production—the good, the bad, the ugly—and all the insights I’m learning about how to save time, money, and sanity along the way.