10 Movies Made With Shockingly Low Budgets

When people think back on Mel Gibson's career and the movies that launched him to become one of the most successful actor/directors in Hollywood, they often land on Mad Max and the three films that make up the franchise (prior to the reboot).

Mad Max was an incredibly successful Australian independent film that did so well in its native country, it helped to launch the star to international acclaim, but it wasn't made for nothing... it was just made for next to nothing! The movie's budget came in at only $300,000 making it one of the least expensive, yet hugely successful action movies ever made.

The movie ended up earning over $8.75 million in Australia and more than $100 million after it received a worldwide distribution, which earned it a Guinness World Record for the most profitable film ever made; a distinction it held for more than 20 years.

Ultimately, the film benefited from a lack of requirements when it came to post-production, which was done in the director's friend's apartment on a home-built machine. The vehicles and props used in the movie were the most demanding in terms of costs, but the true savings came from the setting. Post-apocalyptic Australia was a wasteland, which cost very little to film given the vast deserts within the continent.