Any die-hard film fan will know that some of the best and most popular movies and programmes have been filmed on a shoestring and there are even Hollywood books dedicated to the subject of how this or that director made some of the hottest movies on a budget of under ten thousand dollars.
After all, film finance is notoriously hard to secure and unless you are the most famous of movie makers you will have problems finding adequate funding for your project. Some of the best debut films have been made with the producer's best friend stepping in to do the acting for peanuts.
But does it really make a difference to the quality of the film? Many say yes, as there is no way that you can achieve some of the best special effects, hire the best actors or use the best locations for your films unless you have millions backing it.
And yet others believe that the most important thing in the success of a film is the plot and the acting – and that the actors do not have to be the most famous, just the best.
It is so difficult for aspiring young film makers to get their foot on the movie ladder and they are becoming ever more inventive on how to do it – after all you have to stand out from the rest to make a real impact.