Stocking Film Studios: A High-Cost-Performance Method Made Possible by Special Effects Films

What Can Be Reused and What Cannot

Imagine planning a new film project. Even if it has a different story and characters than past works, the settings might end up looking similar—simply because the same creator thought of them.

This isn’t necessarily a limitation of your creativity. Instead, it can be considered part of your unique artistic style.

Settings are like visual symbols; a certain number of ideas can be combined in countless ways to create new stories.

For example, say your first film used a specific “trick” as its standout feature. That trick can’t realistically be reused since doing so would lessen its impact.

However, elements like a parlor set, initially used for a friendly chat scene between comrades, could easily be repurposed:

• A parlor for secretive discussions of wrongdoing.
• A parlor where a blackmail call is being recorded.

Such reuse wouldn’t diminish the film’s overall appeal.

Approaching Settings with Efficiency

As indie filmmakers, we often feel the need to avoid reusing past locations or sets to visually differentiate each project. However, most settings don’t need to be painstakingly original. All they need to do is “fit the atmosphere.”

While creating original, highly detailed sets for every project is ideal, the real question is: can your resources handle it? Personally, I know mine can’t.

Let’s take Kyoto’s Toei Uzumasa Studio as an example. It’s equipped with bridges, houses, and more for period dramas, but those sets are heavily reused across productions.

The key takeaway? Reused settings don’t detract from a film’s entertainment value. Indie filmmakers can adopt the same mindset, albeit on a smaller scale.

Experiencing a Grand Studio on a Smaller Budget

Professional studios provide the luxury of filming multiple scenes within their confined spaces, essentially becoming a “film workshop.”

On the other hand, low-budget indie films often rely on real-world locations and outdoor shoots.

But with what I call the “green-screen filmmaking approach,” you can enjoy the same creative freedom as a studio—on an even smaller budget—by using miniature sets.

• A police interrogation room can become a reusable symbolic set.
• An office workspace can be reduced to a few iconic patterns.

By filming these miniatures as “background footage,” you can integrate them into new scenes as needed. Over time, your library of reusable sets grows, further improving the cost-effectiveness of your projects. If shared among filmmaker friends, this effect amplifies.

Combining Models and Filmmaking Fun

Intricately designed miniature sets are enjoyable in themselves. A green-screen film brings together the charm of model-building or dollhouse hobbies with the creativity of filmmaking.

Reused backgrounds may also become a hidden gem for viewers to discover:

• “Ah, this scene’s background is the same as in that other film!”

For creators, it invites playful challenges:

• “Let’s rearrange the lighting or props so the same set isn’t easily noticeable.”

To some, this method may seem like “cheating” in filmmaking. But if you see it as an entertaining activity, I hope this article provides inspiration!