🎬 The “Staff Meal” Approach to Filmmaking: Creating Films from Leftover Footage

🍳 Cooking and Filmmaking—More Similar Than You Think

I’ve long believed that cooking and filmmaking share a surprising number of similarities. Neither follows rigid rules, but both involve:

• Preparing ingredients
• Processing them in the right order
• Completing the dish (or film)
• Enjoying the final product

This structure applies to both crafts.

There are two types of skilled cooks:

1. Those who follow recipes precisely and produce delicious meals
2. Those who improvise with leftover ingredients in the fridge

In restaurants, the second type is responsible for “staff meals”—dishes made from surplus ingredients for the team. These meals are often prepared by apprentice chefs as part of their training. And more often than not, they’re delicious.

🎥 Applying the “Staff Meal” Mentality to Filmmaking

In filmmaking, the norm is to plan meticulously—like following a recipe. You gather all the materials, follow the steps, and produce a polished work.

But I believe there’s room for a looser, more spontaneous approach. Just like a staff meal, using leftover footage creatively can lead to surprisingly compelling results.

🧠 Do You Really Need a Theme from the Start?

One reason this “staff meal” style of filmmaking isn’t more common is that many people treat filmmaking as a lofty pursuit. There’s an assumption that every film must express a deep personal theme or message.

But that mindset can be self-centered. Not every film needs to be a high-concept art piece. There’s value in creating works that simply entertain.

I believe it’s perfectly fine to say, “Here’s something we threw together—what do you think?” If it’s fun, it’s valid.

Interestingly, even films made without a clear theme can end up revealing one. A piece created with dark humor might unintentionally satirize a current social issue. That accidental resonance is part of the magic.

It’s similar to the appeal of urban legends. People with a “conspiracy brain” tend to connect unrelated events and invent causal relationships. These connections are fictional—but they feel satisfying to the audience.

That said, urban legends can be dangerous. People who don’t think critically may mistake them for truth, sometimes with serious consequences. So we must tread carefully.

Still, the idea stands: you can build a film loosely, and discover its theme later. Then, you can retroactively reinforce that theme.

📦 Ideas for Using Stock Footage

Let’s talk about practical ways to use leftover material.

• Bruce Lee’s Game of Death famously stitched together footage he shot before his death to complete the film.
• Producer Roger Corman reused scenes from previous horror films to create new ones.

In indie filmmaking, we often have unfinished projects. Why not repurpose that footage into something new?

Travel footage is another great resource. Personally, I often shoot with the thought, “Could this be used in a film someday?”

Of course, travel footage wasn’t shot with cinematic intent. It may look rough or handheld. You can either:

• Smooth it out and blend it naturally
• Use it as-is with a narrative justification (e.g., “This was filmed during a trip”)

In horror films, for example, you could say, “Something strange appeared in this travel footage,” and the shaky camera becomes part of the story.

Alternatively, use it as a flashback. The visual contrast won’t feel out of place.

Another option is to use it as a background for green-screened actors. It’s more complex, but it works.

In short, you can combine existing materials and cook up a film like a staff meal—resourceful, satisfying, and surprisingly effective.

🌐 Building a Footage-Sharing Network

To make this work, you need variety and volume. A few scenic shots from a trip won’t be enough.

It helps to build a stock footage library. Better yet, share footage among friends and collaborators.

Some people may prefer not to share their work. But others might enjoy seeing their footage credited as “visual contributor” in a finished film.

If you know someone who dives and shoots underwater videos, ask to use their footage—it could add something magical.

🎯 Why Bother with This Approach?

You might ask, “Why go to all this trouble to make low-budget, patchwork films if it’s not for profit?”

There’s a clear reason: to improve your technical skills.

The best way to grow is through repetition. Even if the films are flawed or unconventional, making more of them will raise your level.

Filmmaking requires not just creativity, but technical mastery. And that only comes with practice.

Marketing expert Dan Kennedy once said, “Quantity beats quality.” Baseball legend Katsuya Nomura echoed the same idea.

“Quality over quantity” is advice for those who’ve already done the work. Most of us simply haven’t created enough.

I don’t have boundless talent or energy. Starting from scratch every time slows me down. So I use every trick I can to reduce effort and increase output.

As a result, I can produce reasonably solid films more quickly—and that means more fun for me and my audience.

Hope this inspires you to try your own “staff meal” style filmmaking.

Would you like help turning this into a guide, workshop outline, or collaborative project pitch? I’d love to help you shape it further.