Top 10 Hugely Successful Movies That Took No Time To Make

#10: “Birdman” (2014)

Shot In 30 Days

“Birdman” is shot to look like one continuous take with characters constantly on the go. As such, production was anything but sluggish. Business Insider and The Hollywood Reporter claim it was a 30-day shoot, although producer John Lesher says it was more like 29. Either way, the turnaround was quick, but the movie wasn’t mapped out overnight. Each action had to be meticulously staged with every participant, from the cinematographer to the actors, in sync. If you flubbed a line or missed a step, it’d ruin the whole shot. The filmmakers spent months blueprinting and blocking the film while the cast had ample time to rehearse. That’s not to say the shoot went flawlessly, but the careful planning paid off with a Best Picture Oscar.

#9: “Rocky” (1976)

Shot In 28 Days

Struggling to find work, Sylvester Stallone wrote himself the role of a lifetime. Fuelled by Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner’s championship match, Stallone scribed the first draft for “Rocky” in about three days. The script evolved over time, but it wasn’t long until “Rocky” was being shopped around. Stallone had one demand: he would play the titular boxer. Although United Artists wanted an established actor like Robert Redford, the studio ultimately agreed to Stallone’s terms. Without a bankable star, “Rocky” was given a budget of barely $1 million and filmed in 28 days - what Stallone described as “The gestation time for a water bug.” The underdog movie went the distance, becoming 1976’s highest-grossing release, winning Best Picture, and starting a franchise that’s still going strong.

#8: “Moonlight” (2016)

Shot In 25 Days

The genesis of “Moonlight” traces to 2003 when Tarell Alvin McCraney wrote a semi-autobiographical play. About a decade later, Barry Jenkins used the play as a basis for his script, incorporating many of his life experiences. Although “Moonlight” spent years coming to fruition, the shoot lasted 25 days. André Holland, who plays the adult Kevin, had five days to film his scenes. Naomie Harris had even less time, shooting her scenes as Chiron’s mother in three days. The most iconic moment where Mahershala Ali’s Juan teaches Chiron to swim wrapped after 90 minutes due to unforeseen stormy weather. Like Chiron, “Moonlight” went a long way in a relatively short period, winning Best Picture and making back over 40 times its $1.5 million budget.

#7: “Get Out” (2017)

Shot In 23 Days

Jordan Peele’s evolution from comedian to master of horror began with “Get Out,” which showed how the two genres are closer than we assume. Unable to take advantage of a California tax rebate, Peele moved production to Alabama where principal photography occurred over 23 days. Peele spent more time crafting the screenplay than he did behind the camera. The idea came to him almost a decade earlier while watching the democratic primaries. He spent the next five years fleshing out the story. It wasn’t until he met producer Sean McKittrick in 2013 that Peele was commissioned to write a script, finishing the first draft in two months. The final script won Peele an Oscar while “Get Out” grossed over $250 million on $4.5 million.

#6: “Clerks” (1994)

Shot In 21 Days

“Clerks” was shot in black and white on an initial budget of $27,575. Writer/director Kevin Smith didn’t have to spend much time location scouting, using the convenience store he worked at as the main backdrop. So, it’s not surprising that Smith wrapped the shoot in 21 days (plus two extra for minor additional footage). Smith probably could’ve finished the film even quicker if it weren’t for an exhausting schedule. Since the Quick Stop was open during the day, Smith could only shoot there between 10:30 pm and 5:30 am. Smith had to be back at work by 3:00 pm, giving him a narrow window to sleep. Yet, “Clerks” was a cultural awakening for every aspiring filmmaker with limited resources.

#5: “Halloween” (1978)

Shot In 20 Days

Before becoming a decade-spanning franchise, “Halloween” was a scrappy little production. It had no established stars, although newcomer Jamie Lee Curtis wasn’t a stranger to Hollywood royalty. The film cost roughly $300,000. $1.98 of that budget went toward a Captain Kirk mask for Michael Myers. John Carpenter had four weeks to complete principal photography, shooting for 20 days. The film’s opening from Michael’s POV would be the last scene they shot. It was also possibly the hardest to shoot with the crew doing nearly 20 takes over 16 hours. They likely would’ve done more if the sun didn’t come up. While the sun had set on production, a new era of horror was rising with “Halloween” still being the gold standard for slashers.

#4: “Whiplash” (2014)

Shot In 19 Days

Everything about “Whiplash” goes together harmoniously, from Damien Chazelle’s direction, to Tom Cross’ editing, to the pitch-perfect performances. We can’t imagine the film without J. K. Simmons or Miles Teller. Neither could Chazelle, but because of Teller’s tight schedule, they’d only have 19 shooting days. This gave Teller little time to learn the drums. The cast and crew made the most of their 18-hour work days. Nothing would slow Chazelle down, including a car accident that gave him a possible concussion. Even after shooting, the filmmakers had just about a month to edit “Whiplash” if it was going to meet the deadline for Sundance submissions. As stressful as the production was, the $3.3 million film made it to Sundance and eventually the Oscars.

#3: “Once” (2007)

Shot In 17 Days

“Once” is about as humble as movies get. Just as the central characters are trying to make beautiful music with what little they have, something similar could be said about the filmmakers. With a $150,000 budget, director John Carney invested some of his own money and even forwent a salary to pay the leads. The only thing tighter than costs was the 17-day shooting schedule. Carney said, “Everybody was putting all they’ve learned over the years into those 17 days.” This shines through in the finished film, which is equally intimate and passionate. The little movie went far, showing a profit of almost $20 million at the box office, receiving Oscar gold for the song “Falling Slowly,” and inspiring a Tony-winning stage musical.

#2: “My Dinner with Andre” (1981)

Shot In 16 Days

For many audiences in 1981, this $475,000 arthouse film redefined what cinema can be. The film is essentially a long conversation between two people. Sometimes, it’s not even that with the titular Andre doing most of the talking as Wally nods along, hanging on every word. According to director Louis Malle, the film took 16 days to shoot, but the actors spent six months rehearsing. Even with all this prep time, shooting days could take up to 12 hours with every scene being done multiple times. By the day’s conclusion, actor André Gregory says he was hyperventilating from all that talking. The film also sparked numerous conversations, receiving critical acclaim, grossing over $5 million, and ushering in a new age of experimental storytelling.

#1: “Paranormal Activity” (2007)

Shot In 7 Days

When people think of found footage, “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity” immediately come to mind. Both proved that this genre could not only be extremely profitable, but these movies could be produced in a snap. “Blair Witch” was shot in eight days. “Paranormal Activity” beat it by one. For a week, stars Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat basically lived at director Oren Peli’s house with the crew. While shooting, Peli also kept busy editing and developing the special effects. Although the actors returned for additional shoots, the bulk of the film was shot in those seven days. It’d be a couple of years until “Paranormal Activity” received a wide release, but once it did, the $15,000 film exploded into a phenomenon.

Can you think of any other successful movies with rapid production periods? Waste no time telling us in the comments.