Missy Greenberg on Micro-Budget Film

Film Title: The Doula

Budget: $2500-$3000

Status: Wold Premiere at the Austin Film Festival on October 29th, 2025

Logline: A new mom gets more than what she bargained for from her doula.

No matter how experienced a filmmaker is, it seems there is always more to learn! Writer/Director Missy Greenberg shares her experience shooting her latest micro-budget short, which is set to premiere at the Austin Film Festival later this month.

How did you fund this micro-budget film? 

[Missy Greenberg] I personally funded the project, but that is a very loose term. I wasn't sure how much money I had to really shoot the short film due to my personal situation and during the crew/cast interview process, I was very transparent with everyone that they would not get rich doing this project. I was so grateful that the cast and crew wanted to be a part of it, regardless. And we all got along really well.

Did you have funding in place before writing, or get funding together after you wrote the script? 

[MG] Since I was going to have to pay for it myself, I wrote the script (and adjusted certain scenes) to make it as micro-budget friendly as possible.

What are some of the pros about funding a micro-budget film this way? The cons? 

[MG] That's the beauty of being the writer and director, you can find a cheaper or free solution to make the scene work or adjust it on set. The cons are probably not being able to do exactly what you had envisioned and compromising in some way to get the film done.

What is your long-term vision for the project?  

[MG] I don't have a particular long term vision for The Doula yet. My goal was to shoot in a thriller genre and work with camera and sound effects to drive emotion. I hope to use it as a stepping stool to shoot a thriller/horror feature next year.

Did you learn anything when it comes to funding and budgeting that you will do differently on your next project? 

[MG] I learned so much making the last two micro-budget short films. I learned that asking for help costs nothing and the worst they can say is no. But most people want to help in some way if they can. I also write as if I'm already directing it so I can write with a very limited budget in mind. The Doula, which is 9 minutes long, was the smallest budget yet.

Were there any areas where you were able to call in favors/save money? What were those areas?

[MG] I basically asked the cast and crew to work for free, they got paid but it was so insignificant compared to how much they invested into the film/on set. I did promise to give them the best crafty on set (asked them for specific snack requests to have on hand). But the free location was imperative. My friend was kind enough to offer her master bedroom and allow ten strangers to roam her house for over 13 hours. That saved a ton of money.

Did you get any budget or expense surprises that you weren’t expecting? 

[MG] Every tiny expense, that seems like nothing, adds up! From an Amazon baby doll, another pack of water, to extra bandages for a scene. I didn't factor in post-production in the budget so I called in major favors for that too.

Any fun anecdotes you'd like to share? 

[MG] I found this crazy-realistic newborn looking baby doll from Amazon and it ended up being the set mascot. Everyone wanted a picture with it. Unfortunately, I forgot to include that actual doll's face in the film.

What do you think people will be interested in knowing that I haven't asked?

[MG] Every short film that I've directed, I've learned more from my mistakes than what I did right. It's better than film school. :)

Thanks for sharing, Missy! Can't wait to see your upcoming horror feature film.

About Missy Greenberg

Missy Greenberg, a former stay-at-home mom, wrote and directed her first short film Slut in Training in LA then turned it into a podcast with the same name and shot two other short films within the next year.

Her most recent short film, a thriller, will be playing at the Austin Film Festival at the end of October.