The $5 Movie

{{Infobox film

| director = Devin Scott

| producer = Jeanne Scott

| starring = {{Plainlist|

Christian Badami
J.D. Black
Brien Perry
LeAnna Campbell
Suzana Norberg

}}

| cinematography = Jim Orr

| music = Greg Youtsey

| runtime = 16 minutes

}}

The $5 Movie is a 2001 American short film directed by Devin Scott.

Plot

A Spielbergian kid directs his way into Hollywood.

Cast

{{cast listing|

Christian Badami as Lead
J.D. Black as Charlie
Brien Perry as Brian
LeAnna Campbell as Heather
Suzana Norberg as Mother
Loren Nancarrow as Father}}

Production

The idea of the film stemmed from a discussion of filmmakers at a festival.{{Cite news |last=Dunn |first=Reed |date=2001-08-03 |title=Independents Day: Hardacre film fest expands Tipton's horizons |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/iowa-city-press-citizen-independents-day/168553195/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=Iowa City Press-Citizen |pages=16 |via=Newspapers.com}} Principal photography lasted three days, post production took nine months and Wally Schlotter was the executive producer.{{Cite news |last=Redshaw |first=Rebecca |date=2001-08-07 |title=The story behind filmmaking |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-desert-sun-the-story-behind-filmmaki/166478405/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=The Desert Sun |pages=23 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Release

In 2001, the film screened at Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films, Newport Beach Film Festival,{{Cite web |date=2001-03-29 |title=Newport Beach Film Festival |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-xpm-2001-03-29-export50519-story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250323181918/https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-xpm-2001-03-29-export50519-story.html |archive-date=2025-03-23 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Los Angeles Times}} held its New England premiere at Rhode Island International Film Festival,{{Cite web |date=2001 |title=RIIFF 2001 ALPHA LISTING |url=http://www.film-festival.org/pdf/2001AlphaListingRIIFFFilms.pdf |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Rhode Island International Film Festival}} and commercially debuted for Moulin Rouge! at a theater in Del Mar, California.{{Cite news |last=Elliott |first=David |last2=Peterson |first2=Karla |last3=Jones |first3=Welton |author-link3=Welton Jones |date=2001-06-01 |title=Local short subject bows today at Del Mar theater |work=San Diego Union Tribune |id={{ProQuest|271841378}}}} In 2002, Scott represented the film at Creative Cafe on KOCT.{{Cite news |date=2002-11-08 |title=KOCT's 'Creative Cafe' announces November guests |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-county-times-kocts-creative-cafe/166478478/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=North County Times |pages=16 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Reception

Josh Board at San Diego Reader called the film "hysterical" saying "it was a blast watching this little kid direct."{{Cite web |last=Board |first=Josh |date=2005-03-17 |title=And the Candy Bar Goes to... |url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2005/mar/17/and-candy-bar-goes/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=San Diego Reader |language=en}}