I’m producing a low-budget feature called CONCRETE RIVER, written and directed by Maris Lidaka.

We have our first rehearsal Monday with our two leads.

One has solid network TV experience. The other has only done one short, but has a strong social following and a lot of natural presence.

Good problem to have.

Rehearsal on an indie feature is rare. Usually the schedule is tight, the money is tighter, and rehearsal starts looking like a luxury.

On this movie, the central relationship \*is\* the movie.

If that doesn’t work, we’re dead. Doesn’t matter how good the locations are. Doesn’t matter how much the city gives us. Doesn’t matter how pretty the light is while the film quietly collapses.

So I’m curious how people here use limited rehearsal time.

Table work? Character history? Relationship dynamics? Improv? Problem scenes? Just letting the actors get comfortable with each other before production starts chewing through the day?

I’m especially interested in working with two actors who have very different levels of experience. I don’t want us to over-direct them. I also don’t want to waste the one room where we can actually slow down.

For people who’ve done low-budget features:

What helped in rehearsal?

What felt useful but didn’t translate?

And what do you wish you’d figured out before day one?

How do you use rehearsal time on a low-budget feature when you barely get any?