i have a short that i want to do that takes place in an all white room with only filling cabinets. Any ideas on how to do a good looking inexpensive background?
Find a room paint it white.
Find a room and hang a white backdrop
Find a room and blow out the background using light, be careful not to go beyond 100 IRE in your lighting.
Find a white room and just light accordingly.
What you do, is going to depend on what you want your final outcome to be. Do you want to see detail as in woodwork, doors windows, knobs. trim etc., or you want it to look like it was shot on a white cyc?
Once you know that you will know which option works best or find one that works for you.