Film props are an important part of any movie set, and finding them can sometimes feel like a nightmare. With tons to track down and a limited budget, how can you find the props you need without compromising on quality or wasting tons of money? Let’s take a look at where to find cheap film props!
What Are Film Props & Why Are They Important?
Film props are objects that fill up a scene, are used by characters or add to the authenticity of the scene. They are important to the story, and translate ideas, themes and even twists to the film, telling us more about its characters or the world we are immersed in.
What would Star Wars be without lightsabers? Or Cast Away without Wilson? Some film props become iconic, and all of them are essential to telling the story. They help to flesh out the world you’ve created and make it believable to audiences, creating an immersive experience. Having good quality props will raise the production value of your film, and create authenticity and intrigue for your viewers.
Where Can I Get Cheap Film Props?
Looking to find great quality film props for your upcoming creation? Let’s take a look at your options!
Film Prop Rental Houses
Prop Houses are a great option for finding cheap film props because you can rent instead of buying. You’ll be able to find a good range in one place, too! The only downside of Prop Houses is that it depends on where you live, as you’ll be limited to those in your local area. This can affect price, quality and so on, so do your research beforehand!
Thrift Stores & Yard Sales
Thrift Stores and Yard Sales can be a great way to find some real steals on vintage items. If your film is set in the 1920s, you may be able to find some props that match the aesthetic of your film and work within the era. On the flip side, if your film is fairly modern, you’ll be able to find tons of brilliant, modern props and costumes at a Yard Sale. Yard Sales and Thrift Stores can be an absolute gold mine if you have the time to comb a few for goodies.
eBay & Amazon
eBay may seem like a risky option, but the selection is awesome. If you can find props that can be purchased via ‘Buy It Now’, you can also save yourself the time of bidding. eBay is filled with tons of vintage, retro and antique items that work perfectly as authentic film props. Amazon is super simple to order from, and also has a wide range of props (although, you’re less likely to find antiques here!)
Movie Prop Rentals
Movie Prop Rentals is a site that offers set design, set builds, custom props, lighting design, prop rentals and more! Other alternatives include Granger Hertzog and more.
Props Props Props
Think of Props Props Props as a way to search tons of Prop companies from one place. All you need to do is search for a prop or company, view the gallery and choose what you want to hire!
Entertainment Earth
Entertainment Earth is a fantastic resource for finding prop replicas at affordable prices, and is great for recreating famous scenes or parodying existing films. This site works best for comedy sketches, film parodies and music videos and less so for everyday props.
Borrowing / Posting On Social Media
If you’re in need of specific items (or even everyday items) and have people nearby that can lend them, you won’t have to pay anything! You could post social media statuses, posts or Tweets asking for specific props that you need, and maybe offer to feature people’s names in the credits as a thank-you. If you never ask, you never know!
Create Your Own
If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, you can try and make some yourself! From painting toy guns to recycling old pieces of furniture, for a lot of props, you can create them yourself. Don’t forget to test them out on camera to make sure they look well done and realistic before you begin filming!
How Audiosocket Can Help
We hope that this article has given you some resources to find great cheap props for films. Audiosocket always want to help filmmakers in any way we can, such as licensing music for your films, trailers, websites and more!
If you are looking for authentic, top-quality music for your films, why not check out Audiosocket? Your content deserves the best, so sign up today and access tens of thousands of songs to bring your vision to life! You can access Audiosocket’s music catalog for just $10 a month as a Personal creator. Not only that, but this allows you to license an unlimited number of tracks at no additional cost. Talk about win-win!
For more tips, check out our articles on Making A Documentary On A Budget, Female Filmmakers, Foley Sound Effects and Top Movie Soundtracks!
