Any horror stories about shooting war films, I'm thinking of investing in one and translating a short story I did into script/film (well video). It wouldn't be heavy on effects like explosions, troops, guns, etc. but mainly focus on one person - with the abovementioned going on around him in a seemingly fixed location.

War films can definitely be a pain for a student filmmaker or a very low- to no-budget filmmaker. We are planning to shoot a short this summer about the second world war.

You mentioned earlier that you wouldn't be using a lot of troops etc. That of course is, the main problem. Still, if you are shooting a short with few resources, you'll still need some stuff that is sometimes hard to come by, like a decent uniform, weapons, and other props.

Another big problem is location, because you'll have to find a suitable location for a War film and they are hard to come by these days as you will probably be using a landscape filled with meadows and forrests, for which you'll praobly need permission.

Shooting with a gun can be quite pain as well. If you don't use live ammunition rounds (and I bet you don't, because you need a license for that) it'll take a lot of computer work to get all of those shots finished.

Hope this helps a bit...

gotan

It's funny that you mention it cause i'm actually writing a war movie now. It's in Norwegian though.

1. Minimize the number of actors. This means no large-scale D-Day assaults, etc.

2. Costumes are cheap: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com
Look in the government surplus section.

3. Locations are easy too. Just look for isolated, unmolested wilderness areas. You don't really need permission, especially if it's public or pseudo-public land. Don't shoot in the backyard of a guy with a shotgun, though. Much easier than trying to shoot in a restaurant or something, IMO, and you don't have to do any set dressing. I love shooting outdoors.

4. You can also make a war film without any guns (not that easy) or without firing a single shot (not that hard).

My next project after my 16mm B&W horror short is going to be about a starving Japanese soldier in the Philippines in WW2.

Mine is based in Nam, the main character doesn't really use a gun, of fight for that matter... his attackers of offscreen

Keys to a good war film without a lot of money:
-good costumes(these and weapons are the hardest part)
- rich soundtrack( no war is silent)
- smoke( gunpowder gives off smoke and if there's a lot of shooting, you'll need a lot of smoke, note that will make lighting a tad more difficult)
- and last but certainly not least, is a good story, 'cause i'm sick and tired of seeing no budget war films that are just shot after shot of people yelling, shooting, and cussing. Give us a real story with characters that actually have some depth and the world will thank you.
Have fun and good luck.

sorry 'bout double posting but i forgot to mention someting.
- Camera work, in a war film your camera angles can really add to the drama, for instance if your character is doing something heroic and bit larger than life, you might show him from a lower angle making him seem more imposing, where as if he's feeling alone or inferior you might shoot him from above, making him seem smaller or less important.
there you go, now i'm done.

^ Good advice. All of those points should actually apply to any genre of film! Well... maybe not the one about the smoke.

Heh, smoke improves any film. It also makes lighting easier There are several '70s SF films by a Polish director named Szulkin that are literally some of the most smoke-heavy films I've seen. Every shot is saturated in greyish-blue smoke that completely diffuses the background and any light sources. Cool effect - almost like Blade Runner's lighting scheme taken to the final conclusion.

I've just finished helping out with a WW2 movie and the director just went around asking ppl at his work and at church if they would like to be in it. all the costumes he borrowed off war collectors same as a motorcycle and side-cart. He also managed to get his hands on a 1930's Roll's Royce (he asked the guy as he was sitting at traffic lights). So yeah, it doesnt hurt just to ASK people tell them they can come along and watch (or be apart of it if they want) and they'll get a credit at the end of the movie

Make sure you reherse. Not with every single person in the movie necessarily, but the main people be sure to. Make sure they want and let them give you some feedback. You don't want to have to waste time on set trying to figure out what you want, and then have the inconsistencies that will most likely occur when the actor doesn't know his character well.