Every micro-budget filmmaker needs to study the work of Hong Sang-soo. He's directed 27 feature films in just 26 years. And 16 of those movies were made in the last decade alone. He regularly premieres two movies in a single year at major festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and others. And he's done it with budgets in the $50K - $100K range, by innovating across all areas - writing, financing, production, and beyond. Here are a few of the ways Hong's method stands out: 1. Wearing more hats with each film While most filmmakers take on fewer production roles as they become more established, Hong has done the exact opposite. On his last 5 movies, he served as: Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Editor, and Composer among other roles. This undoubtably gives him the control he wants over his films, but also affords him the freedom to work extremely quickly and with very limited means. This aspect of his process resonates with me personally, particularly after making a recent feature as a one person crew. 2. Embracing spontaneity Hong is also a master at harnessing the power of spontaneity and improvisation. He often waits to write his scripts until he has already found locations and actors (a traditional micro-budget tactic). But these scripts are seemingly written very loosely, as he is also known for arriving on set without any pages at all, aiming to develop scenes day by day with the actors. He’s also said that he “loves when weather changes on a shoot”. He sees opportunity in situations that other filmmakers would be devastated by. This attitude is at the heart of every great DIY movie. 3. Speed of production & post Hong’s feature film “Grass” which premiered at the Berlin film festival, was shot in just 3 days. Many other features he’s made have been shot on similar timelines, and that has clearly been an integral part of his workflow. By working quickly (and improvising), Hong has to use the majority of the footage he shoots in his finished films. This means his films are sometimes fully edited in as little as 1 - 3 days. That is pretty astounding, considering many features take many months if not upwards of a year + to finish in post. 4. Short runtimes Some of Hong Sang-soo’s films have more traditional 90 minute feature film runtimes, but he is not scared of making a shorter feature film when the project calls for it. The feature film “Grass” I mentioned above, has a runtime of just 66 minutes. By being open to making films that are under the traditional 90 minute length, he is likely able to work faster, more cost effectively, and embrace stories that might not otherwise be told. 5. Self Financing Despite his success, Hong Sang-soo self finances all of his films. They range in budget, but on average are produced for about $50K - $100K. While conventional wisdom tells you not to invest in your own films (something I very much disagree with), Hong Sang-soo makes the ultimate counterpoint. Self-financing has allowed him to be prolific with his work, while also imposing constraints on his projects that have resulted in his unique aesthetic and tone. While his exact model might not apply to more traditionally minded filmmakers, I do think everyone can learn something from his approach. Ultimately it’s up to every filmmaker to carve their own path and find the right method for themselves. But if nothing else, this is more evidence that there is no wrong way to make a movie, and you can find success under so many different circumstances.