What makes Clerks a low budget film?

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Elements of low budget filming that are evident in Clerks are;
  • No special effects or editing added post filming
  • No variation in location/setting (all filmed around a few specific areas i.e. the store or the video shop, where director Kevin Smith actually worked)
  • Pre-existing setting
  • No well known actors have been use
  • Basic cut transitions
  • Occasionally bad lighting caused by natural light (no studio lighting used)
  • Very frequent swearing/sexual references
Clerks, a 1994 black-and-white comedy written and directed by Kevin Smith, was shot for a total of $27,575, thus considering it a low budget film. Although the budget wasn't as high as some Hollywood blockbusters, I personally like the gritty, raw feel of it, and I also think that the witty back and forth dialogue and often surprisingly intellectual language more than compensate for the lack of fancy set and famous faces used. Clerks is proof that a sky-high budget is not needed to create a memorable and humorous film. Kevin Smith cleverly manages to balance both hilarity and plain obscenity to create characters that his audience can relate to.
Image result for clerks quotes
This film is primarily aimed towards an audience around the same ages as the characters (roughly late teens - mid twenties), and I feel that the basic set, relatable characters, memorable quotes and lively script accurately reflect that.
Image result for clerks quotes





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