Adventure films are very popular.
Whether you are making a short film or a full-length feature, one of the most popular film genres is action and adventure. Making a movie is itself an exciting adventure. From the moment you develop a premise for a film through the process of writing and rewriting your script to actually filming your project, you may feel that you are in a battle to complete your film on time and on budget.
Nature Adventure
Several filmmakers have explored themes that place characters in a battle with nature to survive. Take a look at a film such as "128 Hours" to get a better sense of what goes into the making of a successful nature adventure film. At the center of these types of films that so engage the audience is the human drive to survive, no matter the odds. Don't assume you can't make a successful adventure film on a low-budget since with a strong story and good actors, you can produce a film that gets noticed in film festivals and beyond.
Road Trip Adventure
Some of the best stories are those that feature an unlikely hero who embarks on a journey, be it by hopping a train to escape an unpleasant past or someone taking to the road after a lifetime dreaming of freedom. Road movies that explore the process of dealing with some type of personal struggle or challenge can become very successful films, both in terms of cinematic recognition and box office earnings. This type of story usually requires the protagonist to go through something difficult and come out on the other side of his struggle changed, often redeemed. The open road is used as a metaphor of the internal journey that one or more of your characters are going through. For example, your character may have just experienced a great loss and decides to take journey back home. On the way, he encounters various quirky characters.
Film-making on a Budget
While you can buy or rent professional film-making equipment, if you are working with a limited budget you may want to consider using a semi-professional HD camera with a quality lens. You can find filming equipment, such as a jib and lights, through online auction sites like eBay. You can even make your own. There are plans available online for making a steadycam for less than $20 that would otherwise cost many times more. Purchase editing software, such as Adobe Premier Pro, or for Mac users, Final Cut Pro. Alternatively, download a free movie editing program such as MovieMaker.
Animated Adventure Project
If you want to create an adventure film but don't have a huge budget for sets or exotic locations, consider doing an entirely animated adventure film. There are several relatively inexpensive programs, such as Poser Pro and Vue Infinite, that can be used separately or together to create very impressive animated sequences with 3D poseable characters. There is even a freeware program called Daz Studio you can use for this purpose.
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