Get financing. Shooting an independent movie means shooting a movie with a limited budget, not shooting one with no budget at all. Finance your movie by approaching independent production companies, angel investors or family and friends. Present a well thought out business plan for the film so you can get as much money in the bank as possible before you begin shooting.
Decide on your means of shooting. The big question these days is whether to shoot on film or digital media. Film is extremely expensive and can eat away the better part of your budget. Digital video, while cheap, has a noticeably different look than film. Speak with a cinematographer to decide what's best for your movie.
Cast unknown actors. For years, independent movie makers like Tarantino in his early days and the French director Leos Carax have been discovering new talent by casting previously unknown actors. While this might challenge the director's skills, using unknown actors will save tons of money and give the audience a fresh set of faces to watch.
Get an excellent producer. Independent film directors might cringe at the idea that a producer is just as important as a director on the set of an independent movie shoot. However, without the backing of truckloads of Hollywood money, you need a skilled producer who can keep the cast and crew in order and swing seemingly impossible feats of logistics to get the film done on time and on budget.