It’s entirely possible to make a feature film in a single production day.  

We’ve seen it pulled off many times before, including on indies like VICTORIA, which was shot in just 12 hours. 

The real question is why would you want to do it? And what would you have to sacrifice in the process? 

The main benefit of course, is that it can save you a ton of money. Shooting a movie in 1 day as opposed to 20 would clearly cost less from a crew/gear / logistics perspective. 

This makes single day feature films accessible to virtually anyone with an idea and an iPhone. But it also means productions that have more of a budget can allocate their funds in innovative ways. 

Perhaps you are running a more traditional production that can’t afford the well known actor you want for the lead. But what if they only need to be on set for 1 day instead of 3 weeks? 

Feature filmmaking becomes that much more accessible when you consider this model. 

But there are of course drawbacks too… 

Very few films can (or should) be produced in a single day. Most wouldn’t work, would be too complicated, or would end up boring the audience. 

Even those that do work, face an uphill battle in pre-production. The less time you have on set, the more critical it is to rehearse like a stage play, prep your gear to the last detail, and ensure there is no margin for error. 

Still, there are films that can not only work but thrive under these conditions. They usually involve scriptments, actors that are good with improv, and concepts that work best in real-time.  

For the right idea, a single-day production can be incredibly liberating. It can mean working with gear, crew, and talent that you couldn’t otherwise pull off.  

Not to mention, it saves an insane amount of time in post production, as you have no choice but to shoot very little (if any coverage). 

Most single-day features are produced using one of these methods: 

1. Single camera and single take, shot real time without any cuts. 

2. Single camera, master shots of each scene, 1 – 2 takes each. 

3. Multi-camera, running into a control board for live editing. 

There is no right or wrong way to do it. It’s just about whatever suits your needs, story, and resources. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about this strategy since releasing my last few feature films on YouTube (watch my latest here).  

Between the organic performance, I’ve seen on YT (with no promotion) and the profits the films have turned on platforms like Tubi and elsewhere, it’s made me want to experiment more. 

Even as I develop larger feature films that are taking a more traditional path, I am almost more excited about the prospect of making a film under these conditions.  

For one, it is a fantastic creative exercise. But practically speaking, it’s a wonderful way to build a lucrative body of work. 

In theory, a filmmaker could make several of these 1-day productions per year. One a month, if they are ambitious enough. 

And before long, they will have a body of work that generates revenue every day via YouTube, Tubi, and other AVOD channels. 

This strategy is certainly experimental and not for everyone. 

But for those looking to break the mold, try something new, and be on the forefront of where micro-budget filmmaking is heading – this is one model to consider. 

I’ll be sure to report back soon as I dig deeper into this experiment 🙂 

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