Stop Waiting. Start Making.
What £45 films, phone-shot art, and convenience store chaos can teach us about making your own
In our latest Substack article, Preparing for the 20th of May, Emily Pearce shares three unlikely but inspiring stories of low-budget brilliance — from a zombie feature made for £45 (Colin), to a Turner Prize-winning film shot entirely on an iPhone (Bridget), to Kevin Smith maxing out his credit cards to make Clerks.
Each story proves the same thing: it's not about the gear or the budget. It's about the will to make something.
That’s exactly the spirit behind our next course:
From No Budget to No Excuses
A hands-on, 4-week course where you’ll learn to plan, shoot, and edit a short film — using what you’ve already got.
✅ Script, shoot and plan your project across 4 focused sessions
✅ Practical templates included: Shot lists, breakdowns, edit guides — yours to keep
✅ No fancy kit or big crew required
✅ Collaborate locally with other filmmakers
✅ Walk away with a clear plan — and momentum
🗓 Starts: Tuesday 20 May 2025
📍 Electric Palace, Hastings
💷 £99 for 4 x Tuesday evenings, 7–9 PM
Focal Point: Bill Fellows (Free Session!)
An evening with one of the UK’s most recognisable character actors
He’s been in Ted Lasso, Downton Abbey, Coronation Street, Broadchurch, This Time with Alan Partridge… and now he’s coming to Lewes.
Join us for a special Focal Point session at Depot, where we’ll sit down with Bill Fellows to talk shop — career highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, and advice for actors and filmmakers alike.
🗓 Monday 26th May
📍 Depot, Lewes
🕖 7:00 PM start
📣 Join the Made in Sussex Programming Team
Help shape next year’s festival as a volunteer selector.
After an incredible debut, Made in Sussex Film Festival is growing — and we’re now inviting expressions of interest to join our volunteer Programming Team for the 2026 edition.
This is your chance to help curate one of the South East’s most exciting new cultural events.
As a selector, you’ll be part of the core team shaping the programme:
🔸 Watching submissions
🔸 Spotting standout work
🔸 Helping define the creative direction of the 2026 festival
We’re looking for people who love film and care about stories made in and around Sussex. No formal experience is required — just a commitment to fairness, creativity, and regional storytelling. Whether you’re a filmmaker, student, or devoted cinephile, we want to hear from you.
To apply:
Send a short paragraph about yourself and why you’d like to join to matt@madeinsussex.org by 30th June 2025.
Your Films Are Who You Make Them With
by Calieb Thresher
Okay, maybe that’s not true, but it’s a catchy title, isn’t it?
When you make a film, remember it’s really important to feel comfortable with who you’re making the film with. Somebody that you can feel comfortable being open with, directing, and voicing every concern with, without the fear of offending them or making things awkward. Same for the other way around: find someone you wouldn’t mind being directed by, etc.
There are a million ways to communicate with somebody, and so far, I know about two or three of them, so I’m not an expert in that regard, but I do know it’s important that you feel comfortable with someone. So find that person you say yes and no to and vice versa, or your film will be tainted in resentment residual. And if you have one or two people like that, it’s easier to make a film with people you may not know very well. But that’s another rabbit hole.
Be sensitive, but open.
Film can be nice.
Film can be anything.
Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.
Best wishes,
The Film Sussex Team
— PS Our next email will be arriving Monday.