So, you put together enough money, plastic or collateral to make your independent film. There are ways to get around the necessary task of feeding cast and crew without spending too much in this category. Here are 7 Breakfast Ideas Under $10 for Film Productions:
Pop Tarts work for low Budget films
This is a favorite breakfast choice for children AND adults, so this may save you time and money looking for different breakfast items for each age group. A small box of eight Pop Tarts (Equal to four people working on your film) costs $2.99. When Pop Tarts are on sale, you can find them for as low as $1.99 per box. These breakfast favorites are also available in a larger box of twelve (equal to six people on your film set). You can stock up on at least five boxes of pop tarts when they are on sale and possibly save even more money using coupons. They come in a variety of flavors including cherry, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, whole grain and cheese danish.
There are so many different flavors that it can take up to 20 minutes going through all of them. Survey your cast and crew to see what they like OR just buy the main flavors. Make sure to purchase the frosted versions unless a film staff members requests otherwise. There are generic alternatives to pop tarts that are usually placed right next to the Kellogg's brand. DO NOT purchase generic pop tarts. They do not taste even close to the real thing. I have not met many adults who like generic pop tarts but have met some who tolerate them. I have not met a child who would take generic pop tarts over the real ones.
Serving Toaster Strudel on a film Set
While this is one of the top competitors of Pop Tarts, you can still serve Toaster Strudel on your film sets. This will take about $3 out of your film budget but there is a way to get more for your money. Toaster Strudel is on sale frequently at 2 for $5 and sometimes even 3 for $5. That can help filmmakers to cover their breakfast on set for at least two days. Toaster Strudel is more filling than Pop Tarts so choosing this option may hold your cast and crew over longer until lunchtime.
Cereal for everyone on low budget films
Times are a-changing and cereal is not as cheap as it used to be. However, you can still save money on your film budget when purchasing this breakfast food item. Most cereal products cost between $3.99 and $4.99. Some even come in two or three different sizes, which helps for people who are shopping on a low budget. If possible, get the largest box of cereal if most of your film staff likes the same brand.
You may find that after surveying cast and crew, everybody likes different cereal and possibly even the weird ones that no one pays attention to on the grocery store shelf. Select three of the most favored cereals and buy them. Three boxes might bring you up to $10 which is not good because you still need milk. You have two options here and they are to borrow milk from family, friends or neighbors OR bring your grocery store bill down by finding sale prices for your cereal choices and using related coupons. To be really savvy, compare your cast and crew survey results to the sales flyers from a few grocery stores and only buy the cereal that is on sale and that also matches your cast and crew requests.
Cereal Bars meets low budget filmmaking
Quaker Oats, Nutri-Grain, Sunbelt and Entenmann’s are a few companies that makes cereal bars. This is one of the cheapest items that can be served for breakfast on a low budget film set. They are covered with grains and have a fruit filled center. You can also mix these up with granola bars so that cast and crews members are not eating the same breakfast every day. Many popular cereal bars and granola bars (like Quaker brand cereal bars) can cost around $4.99 for a box of 8. However, you can get boxes of granola bars for $1.99 and less if you compare brands and shop around.
Working with Toast on a low budget film set
This should be an obvious option for many low budget filmmakers who are running a production that includes morning hours but have no money to even cover transportation to central film locations. One loaf of bread will cost you $2 at the lowest and $4 on the higher end if you go for those fancy big name brands. You can save even more on your film budget by purchasing the cheapest bread as possible OR buying whatever is on sale. Grocery stores usually have sales that are "2 for $5" or "$1.99" of those "good" packages of bread. It does not matter if you buy store brand bread or popular bread.......it's all the same when put in a toaster.
Add some butter, margarine, strawberry and grape spreads and you'll be good to go. Jelly will cost you around $3 but you can find those on sale too and you don't even have to go to the grocery store to get them. Walmart, Target, Drug stores and even convenience stores carry jelly.
Getting Fancy:
If serving regular toast to cast and crew makes you feel like a cheap filmmaker who is making some lame movie that will never amount to anything, upgrade to cinnamon bread or cinnamon-raisin bread. Pepperidge Farm makes a good selection of these products but it is not the only "Cinnamon Raisin" brand available. Being fancy with this option will cost you a few dollars more, as it is not rare for cinnamon-raisin bread to cost nearly $5 for one loaf. If you have a medium sized crew, this could easily put you over the $10 mark since a loaf of cinnamon bread is much smaller than regular bread. To stay under a Low Film Food budget of $10, try and get donations of jelly and butter from your friends, family or associates. They may be more inclined to give you a stick of butter or a jar of jam than giving money.
Serving Bagels and film scripts
All products in the Bagels category are not made equal. Some brands require no extra maintenance and are good so long as you serve them by the expiration date listed on the package. Other Bagel brands (Lender's Bagels are known for this) are good as long as you freeze or refrigerate them. Now to be fair, Lender's bagels do produce a few bagel products that are fresh and can be left out of the refrigerator or freezer. I just have not found them, even after visiting at least five different grocery stores in five different geographical regions.
I HAVE however, found those refrigerated ones. There are many brands of bagels that give you lots of options when it comes to breakfast during filming. One bag of six bagels will cost around $4 but you can find them on sale at 2 for $5 if you go through newspapers, grocery store websites and weekly circulars. It's much cheaper than paying $1.79 for a Bagel with Cream Cheese at Dunkin' Donuts. Everyone does not enjoy bagels in the same fashion so you will still need butter and jelly. Make sure to have cream cheese available to those who enjoy bagels this way. Cream cheese will cost you less than $3.
Have you served breakfast on a film production before? If so, what was the experience like? What did you have?
If you could pick something off of this list of
7 Low Budget Film Food Tips: Breakfast under $10 to have on your next film set, what would it be?
Leave Your Comments Below!
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Get to work in the Kitchen
If you do not know how to prepare meals, your film can end up costing more than you can afford. This isn’t because you have to feed the cast and crew but because you will be depending on someone else to do it whether it is a film caterer, McDonalds or Betty Crocker. Consider the expenses that fast-food or other professionally prepared food will reqire. A large pizza costs around $15 OR maybe you can get that "3 for $5" deal that Dominoes, Pizza Hut, or some othe popular restaurant is promoting. A professional film caterer or even an experienced caterer who has not worked on films could cost you $300 at the minimum....and that's just to feed a small film crew.
Taking these numbers into account, cooking food for your cast and crew members can save you between $15 and $300. Just think about all of the film festivals you can enter into OR all of the extra postcards you can get printed to promote your movie!
Be a Coupon-clipping filmmaker
You know those coupons that come in the newspaper with display ads that say "Save 30 cents off of this when you buy two" and "Save 50 cents off of this and that"? Well, the time has come to start collecting them in order to save money on your film. This concept may seem corny and a waste of time to many filmmakers. Of course, you have other cool, enjoyable or otherwise more important tasks to complete during production such as call sheets, movie script changes, Mapquest directions to backup locations and pre-ordering coffee to keep you awake overnight so that a rough-cut of the film can be edited before Sundance rolls around. STILL, coupons can help you save money on your film throughout the entire production schedule. Those cents and dollars add up and it would be much better to have a grocery bill of $77 instead of $112 when you are at the check-out counter.
Adjust Your Shooting Schedule
Everyone may not have to be on your film set at the same time. Do you really need ALL of the main actors, extras, their friends, boyfriends, family members and that weird guy who cleans your lighting kit on the weekends at your 8a.m. shoot for one schoolyard scene? The answer is clearly no. If you reference the script, that scene probably has only four characters in it, which requires ONLY the four actors who are playing those characters and whoever else is actually WORKING on your film. By working, I mean contributing some sort of technical or creative skill to the project, which is obviously needed or else you wouldn't have hired him or her in the first place. I'll get to the point here by letting you know one key move that will save you at least $50 on your film:
Only schedule the people who are actually IN or WORKING on a particular scene.
So you want to be like hot indie directors who shoot like 100 setups per day? That's fine too, but everyone still does not have to be on your set at once. Scheduling a few actors and crew members to arrive one hour later than originally called for will have a nice impact on your film budget. Why serve pancakes to people who are still going to sit around for hours until their scene is actually being setup and then (and ONLY then) they will contribute to your film and be worth those $5 pancakes that you bought from McDonalds. Changing the call sheet for certain cast and crew members can significantly lower your production budget in the food category.
When I started this post, the list was counted at 5. I am tired and do not feel like figuring out what the other two were. So, chew on this for the time being and more ways to save money on your film catering budget will be posted in the near future.
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This is a very popular dessert that can be served on an indie film set. Banana Pudding does not cost a lot of money to make. It can be prepared using vanilla wafer cookies, instant Jello pudding and fresh chopped bananas. Some people top this dessert with any leftover vanilla wafer cookies and fruit. The topping chosen for the banana pudding will be up to you.
Another great topping idea is to crush a few vanilla wafer cookies with a spoon or fork and use it as the topping. This dessert is served cold can be made in a large bowl. Filmmakers do not have to be an experienced chef to make banana pudding. It is one of the easiest desserts that you can serve on an indie film set. There are tons of banana pudding recipes available online if needed.
Homemade Peach Cobbler
While blueberries are a favorite among many people, they can get stuck in your teeth. This will cause one to have an unattractive and potentially embarrassing time during work hours. Peach cobbler can be made in a glass baking dish, but aluminum pans will be sufficient if the production is taking place in a rented facility. This dessert idea is served warm and can be accompanied by vanilla ice cream.
Betty Crocker “Ultimate Fudge” Brownies
One of the best aspects of many food manufacturers is their instant baking product line. You do not have to be skillful in making brownies from scratch. The cook time for this dessert idea is 2 hours. While this may sound like a long time, consider the fact that your prep time is cut down significantly thanks to the ease of Betty Crocker products. Pick up a box of Betty Crocker “Ultimate Fudge” Brownies from your local grocery store. This item is made with Hershey fudge, making it a very flavorsome dessert. You can serve this dessert idea for less than $5 and have money left over to buy more film stock.
Strawberry Cheesecake
I still am very curious about how to make a great strawberry cheesecake. While the dessert itself is very popular, all cheesecakes are not created equal. It is very important to keep this in mind when choosing to serve it as dessert during an indie film production. If you are good in the kitchen, it will not be difficult to prepare a strawberry cheesecake. However, filmmakers who do not want to bake this dessert can pick up one from companies that specialize in desserts. Doing so will cost you from $15.99 up to $30 depending on where the strawberry cheesecake is purchased. No matter what is decided, cast and crew members on your indie film set will enjoy this dessert idea.
Photo by Ren
Copyright:Morguefile.com
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Choosing good food for an indie film production is not an easy task. This can actually be a daunting task if you want to get away from providing the standard pizza and Pepsi meal. This choice of lunch and dinner has dominated the independent filmmaking community for years. While there is nothing wrong with serving an easy fast food dish to cast and crew members, indie film producers have more choices. By making small adjustments to the mealtime on your film set, you can add more variety and momentum to an indie film production. Here is a list of great chicken ideas for filmmakers. They are easy to prepare and can add be of value to the cast and crew meal selection process.
Chicken Fingers
This is an easy dish that can be prepared with little to no hassle. You do not have to be an experienced cook like Rachel Ray to be able to make chicken fingers. They can be baked, fried or grilled. Most people usually prefer fried chicken fingers, so this is the best way to go. Get a pack of boneless and skinless chicken breasts from your local grocery store. In addition to the poultry, get a container of Mrs. Dash seasoning, all-purpose flour and vegetable oil.
Cut the chicken into medium sized strips. Mix the flour and seasoning in a large bowl or plastic storage bag. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or stockpot on an oven. Only fill your pot or pan with enough oil to cover a few strips. Drop each strip into the flour mixture and then remove. Make sure to remove any excess flour from the chicken. Place each strip into the heated oil and remove when the chicken is golden brown. This is a great alternative to pizza and will not cause a messy environment on your indie film production.
Fried Chicken Wings
For those who prefer to have larger rations, fried wings are a good choice. This chicken idea is not as messy as barbeque wings. The latter is a favorite for summer indie film productions, but can be a nuisance on any movie set. You can make this easily by following the same instructions listed for chicken fingers earlier in this article. Instead of getting the boneless breasts, pick up a bag of chicken wings. However, there is no reason to learn a new way if you have your own favorite recipe for fried chicken wings. To save some production and preparation time, you can enlist an experienced friend or relative who will prepare great friend wings for cast and crew members.
Chicken Shish Kabobs
These items are typically in style when it comes to selecting food for an indie film production. Chicken shish kabobs can be prepared in 30 minutes and save you money on side dishes. Cut up boneless and skinless chicken breasts into cubed chunks. Also, cut green, yellow and red peppers into medium sized pieces. Add chunks of pineapple, peach or apple wedges. Once you have all of the pieces cut, thread them onto bamboo skewers. You should have enough room to add three or four pieces of chicken.
The chicken pieces should be separated by the pepper and fruit mixture. You can also add two bacon slices in between this mixture for a nice shish kabob twist. Marinate the skewers with teriyaki or sweet ‘n’ sour sauce. Brush marinade sauce over the skewers or use a spoon to spread it. Drain it and lay the skewers onto a medium heated grille. Remove your delicious skewers once the meat is cooked through. Chicken Shish Kabobs can be prepared on either an outdoor or tabletop grill.
Extra items for Cast and Crew Meals
It is important to have additional items for your indie film production meal. There are standard condiments that go with these easy chicken ideas. Hot sauce and ketchup may be desired for the fried chicken wings. If you are serving chicken fingers, barbeque and honey mustard sauce are must-have items. These easy chicken ideas are all inexpensive and can be used repeatedly. In fact, you can use all of these ideas throughout your entire indie film production schedule. Cast and crew members will enjoy the variety and time away from everyday pizza.
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Fruit Salad
This is a great idea for quick meals during an indie film production. Fruit salad is a healthier choice than greasy pizza and potato chips. You can make this dish on your own or purchase it from a local grocery store. It may be more cost effective to prepare a fruit salad at home. Large portions can last for days on end and save you a lot of money on your indie film production.
Fruit salad is also one if the easiest dishes to make. It can be prepared by cutting up chunks of apples, pears, pineapple and oranges into a large bowl. You can also add pieces of banana and seedless grapes to this mixture. Some people may be allergic to these items. Therefore, it is best to survey your cast and crew members before serving a fruit salad with certain ingredients. To spice this dish up a little, add cinnamon and coconut. Fruit salad can be served for breakfast, lunch or dessert. This adds more flexibility to the meal choices of your indie film production. You can also add almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds or favorite nuts of your choice to the fruit salad served on your film set.
Pasta Salad with Shrimp
This is an easy salad idea to pull off. One of the great aspects of pasta salad with shrimp is there is no need for additional side items. A main course, vegetables and starch is all wrapped up into one central serving. There are many recipes available online for pasta salad with shrimp. It is best to browse several different recipes and choose one that fits your preference. An easy way to prepare this food is to purchase small pre-cooked shrimp and add it to a large pasta salad.
Cook tri-colored rotini pasta by the packaged directions. Add your favorite salad dressing and vegetables to the pasta. These items can include carrots, black olives, peppers, tomatoes and onions. You can also add bacon bits to the food for extra flare. This will complete your pasta salad. One large portion can feed an entire set of cast and crew members. You will only need to add beverages to top of the mealtime for an indie film production. This salad idea is not messy and will not ruin your equipment or location.
Macaroni Salad
While many people enjoy this food, it can be messy if one is not paying attention. Therefore, it is best to announce rules of etiquette before serving macaroni salad. This indie film production salad idea is usually prepared with tuna. However, it can be made without the seafood if desired. Recipes can be found online at Allrecipes or The Food Network. Macaroni salad can also be purchased from local grocery stores. You can serve this with cold cut sandwiches and beat the need to order the same old and common meals. This will add value to an indie film production that is operating on a low budget.
Photo by Bianca Meyer geb. Bollmeier
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Welcome to Food for Films - The Low-Budget Filmmaker’s Solution to Film Catering!
Here are some things to keep in mind and get updated on the purpose of this blog.
1. The Food for Films blog was created to provide independent filmmakers with low-cost options for better food and catering on their film sets.
2. All are welcome to read the content on this blog and use the tips and suggestions in such content for their own film, television or video productions. This includes video professionals who may not produce short or feature films, but make corporate videos and other media. All use of any content on the Food for Films blog can be used only under the condition that such use abides by this blog's Term’s of Service.
3. By visiting and/or subscribing to the Food for Films Blog, you will find inexpensive ways to provide food for cast and crew members that can be served under various working conditions. In addition to the catering information, you will also learn how to move beyond the typical independent film set menu that includes pizza, soda, chips and donuts. While the previously mentioned bill of fare may be an appetizing choice for many people, there are a lot of other catering options to consider when planning a film production.
4. The main goal here is to provide enough catering tips that will cover the widespread needs of filmmakers nationwide. This includes giving you additional information on how to prepare food, store it for later use and also take care of the diet needs and conditions that may take place on every individual film set. Since all productions are different, the catering style and choices will vary as well.
5. This Food for Films Blog can make it so that filmmakers like YOU worry less about what to feed a hungry group of cast and crew members and more about completing the scenes that take place in your production.
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Enjoy!
- Nicole
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1. You have produced at least one film or video. This can include commercials, film school assignments or online videos that feature multiple cast members. Your production does not have to be feature length. Short film productions qualify; if you have not yet produced a video, you have at least completed or acquired a screenplay with plans to turn it into a motion picture.
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