The average cost for a British feature film in 2006 was £1.5million, but that's a small fortune in comparison to the budgets on offer for the filmmakers in Film London's Microwave scheme. Microwave challenges directors to make a feature for a mere £75,000 (with an additional £25,000 allowable from other sources), and 71 applications were received for the initial round of funding in 2006/7.

The first movie to emerge from the scheme is the bloody horror pic Mum & Dad, written and directed by first-time feature director Steven Sheil. The director - who is also collaborating with Chris Cooke (One For The Road) on the wrestling feature World Of Pain - calls his horror movie "the Heathrow Airport Chain Saw Massacre", and it's an unflinching portrayal of a sado-masochistic family living in the shadows of Heathrow's runways.

Mum & Dad has received additional funding from EM Media, and the film shot on location predominantly at a large vacant property in Nottingham (within spitting distance of the local prison, appropriately enough).

In the video we go behind the scenes on the set and find out how you make a movie for £100,000.

Adrian Hennigan | Published 19 July 07

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