[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]
Film Courage: Why do you encourage filmmakers to make their first feature film for $1,000? Wouldn’t most people say that’s sort of ridiculous?
Jake Jalbert, Cinematographer/Filmmaker: Yeah, I mean I feel like $1,000, anybody can do it. You can work as a server and go get a thousand bucks and make a film.
We did ours for $3,000. With the quality of cameras now you should be able to do it for a thousand.
We did one film called Terror Talk in one location, one house, one actor. We kept it so simple, with the computer that we spent and then paying the actor and obviously the same type of thing we did, we did that for $5,000.
Terror Talk that’s actually out, you can check it out, it’s on YouTube for free. I think it got like 30,000 views, got good reviews. One location, one actor in a room like this now (you guys can’t see this room, but it’s a small room) and yeah, we just went and made it.
So you could do it on 10 if you have 10 [thousand], if you have more money, do it for 10 but just get started and just do something and see what you can come up with and what you can make for a thousand. If you can make something pretty good for a thousand, what can you make when somebody’s willing to give you $10,000 or $50,000 or $500,000?
If you’re making films, you’ll get there. If you’re passionate and you’re not willing to stop and you make sure you keep honing and sharpening your knife, you’ll get there for sure.
Film Courage: And so that goes back to when we were talking about getting an email or whatever Hey, I’m going to need half a million to make this movie. I have this great idea. Have I ever made a movie before? No, I haven’t but this idea is going to be the one that I’m going to start with.
Jake: Right, exactly. So if you reach out to me and you’re like Yo, I need $500,000 to make a movie. I’m going to say Well, what is your recent film like? What have you done…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).
About:
Jake Jalbert began his journey into producing and cinematography 14 years ago, shooting his first feature film, *House Guest Massacre* (2013), starring Alex Vincent from the *Child’s Play* franchise (as Andy Barclay). Over the years, he’s worked his way up by contributing to numerous films and TV shows, collaborating with actors such as Burt Reynolds, Amy Smart, Sean Astin, Michael Shannon, Alexander Ludwig, and Charles Melton. From 2020 to 2024, Jake served as Director of Photography on several films, beginning with *Mind Games*, starring A-list talents Robert LaSardo, Jim Fitzpatrick, and Michael Paré, as well as *Soulmates*.
Jake was later hired to shoot two studio films, *Megaboa* and *Shark Waters*, both of which had small theatrical releases through The Asylum, the studio behind the *Sharknado* franchise. In addition, Jake was the cinematographer for the Tubi original film *DC Down*, directed by Geoff Meed and starring Eric Roberts and Sean Young.
In 2023, Jake produced and shot his most ambitious project to date, *Off Rip* (Sports/Drama), directed by and starring Jadon Cal, which is currently in post-production.
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