8 Great Films Made On A Shoestring Budget

Before he was one of the biggest directors on the planet, Christopher Nolan released his debut picture, Following, on a meager $6000 budget. In order to cut down on costs, Nolan wrote, filmed, produced and edited the film himself, and used natural light throughout because he couldn't afford the necessary equipment.

Because of the budget constraints and difficulty getting the correct shots, Nolan spent a year making the film, opting to make it in black and white in order to cut down production costs. He didn't have enough money for reshoots.

The film's plot revolves around a man (Jeremy Theobald) who follows people around London, looking for inspiration for his first novel. Things take a deadly turn when he copies a criminal and stages a number of break-ins, taking pleasure in his past-time and finding some great material for his book.

Despite the budget issues, Following is a dark and fast-paced neo-noir crime thriller. Though already a great film in its own right, Nolan would go from strength after its release, releasing the likes of Memento (2000), The Dark Knight (2008) and more in the following years, earning over five billion dollars at the box office for his work.