Indie Film Hustle® Podcast: Filmmaking | Screenwriting | Cinematography | Film School | Film Production | Independent Film

How NOT to Shoot a $50,000 Short FilmSo as filmmakers we all want to make the best films we can. Sometimes filmmakers think that a bigger budget is the answer, that bigger is better. This is what I thought when I went down the road and create my short film Red Princess Blues. After going down this road once before with my first short film BROKEN, I thought bigger had to be better. If $8000 was good (budget of BROKEN) then with $50,000 I could blow everyone away.BROKEN opened a ton of doors for me as a filmmaker. I was contacted by studios, executives, producers, agent, you name it. BROKEN was an ambitious short film, to say the least. You can listen to that story here: How I Made Over $90,000 Selling my Short Film + Video Tutorials. In this episode, I discuss the mistakes I made when I made a $50,000+ short film. Mistakes withBudgetCrew ChoicesSize of Crew and CastProduction DesignDistribution PlanROI (Return on Investment)Who is the end user (audience I'm trying to reach)Here's more on the short film:ZOE, a

Lessons Learned from Running Indie Film HustleI wanted to put together this episode to share with the IFH Tribe the amazing lessons I've learned over the past year and a half running both IndieFilmHustle.com and the IFH Podcast. I wanted to show you how these lessons can be applied to your filmmaking or screenwriting journey. When I started IFH I really had no end game. I knew I wanted to reach as many filmmakers and artists as I could but that was it. The key for me was just focusing on the day to day tasks and not the monstrous mountain I wanted to get to the top of. BTW, I'm nowhere near the top of that mountain, I'm still at the bottom at base camp =)In this episodes I go into the 5 Lessons I used every day in my creative, professional and personal life. These are: ConsistencyLearningHow to React and AdjustPatienceHustleI break down each lesson and go deep down the rabbit hole on how you can apply these to you filmmaking and creative life. Enjoy and keep on hustlin' Right click here to download the MP3Dow

Turbo Kid & How to Create an Indie Film Ecosystem with Shaked BerensonI speak a lot on IFH on how filmmakers should create their own ecosystem and revenue streams, today's guest has done just that. Shaked Berenson is Co-Founder of Epic Pictures Group, a film financing, production, and international/domestic sales company based in Beverly Hills, CA.Shaked has produced films like the cult hit  Turbo Kid, Sundance Film Festival Selection Entertainment and the animated film Space Dogs: Adventure to the Moon. What is great about Shaked is that he has created his own ecosystem. From financing to production to distribution, all under one umbrella. This way he cuts out the middle man and he can keep more of the profits. Shaked came to my attention when I found out he produced the internet darling Turbo Kid. The way that film was marketed, sold and distributed is something all filmmakers should study. We go deep down the rabbit hole all things Turbo Kid, indie filmmakers, building your own revenue streams and much

6 Mistakes To Avoid Your First Day On a Film Set1. Arriving LateIf you’re not early, you’re late. I aim to get to work at least 15 minutes early each day on a film set. This gives me time to setup, read my call sheet and sides, cram in some extra breakfast and make my boss a coffee. If you are late on day one you instantly create a bad reputation for yourself and this industry is built on reputation and relationships. Set your alarm early for the first day, pick out what you need to wear the night before and make sure you’ve had a look at where you need to get to so you don’t get lost.2. Forgetting NamesNo one will remember your name but don’t let that be an excuse to forget theirs. It’s great if you can remember as many names as possible on your first day on a film set, at least those in your department. This will make you stand out and give you the best chance of them remembering you. I sometimes even write down people’s names in a notebook or phone when they aren’t looking so you can refer back to it. Alte

Why I Edited My Feature Film on DaVinci ResolveI've been editing features, shorts, commercial, and everything else shot on film or video for over 20 years. Editing on almost every non-linear editing system you can imagine I know what I want and like in an NLE. When it came time to edit my directorial feature film debut, This is Meg, I knew my good old Final Cut Pro 7 wouldn't cut it. So I decide to give Davinci Resolve 12.5 a try. I've been color grading on Resolve for years and always jumped over the "edit tab" on my way to the color tab. Once version 12 came out I was blown away. So powerful, so intuitive and it just plain worked! I have to tell you,"DaVinci Resolve is what all Final Cut X should've been."The good folks over at Blackmagic Design invited me to speak at the Slamdance Film Festival 2017 to discuss my experience editing, color grading and finishing on Davinci Resolve. Enjoy!Right click here to download the MP3Download on iTunes DirectLINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODELearn how to edi

How to Sell Your Idea to Television with Agent Matthew DoyleSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastToday's guest cracked open a door to a part of the industry I had no idea about, television. Matthew Doyle is a television lit agent at the Verve Talent and Literary Agency. He's an up and comer in the industry and definitely a hustler. My co-host Sebastian Twardos and I wanted to get an "in the trenches" perceptive on the television market and Matthew delivered. He tells a great story on how he got promoted to an agent with a prank by the partners at Verve. Here's a bit on Matthew Doyle:Doyle joined in January as Verve’s first off-desk TV lit coordinator. He implemented a new system for information flow and tracking, redesigned current grids, and helped lead Verve to its most successful staffing season ever, with 80% of clients staffed on broadcast and cable shows. He has been an aggressive recruiter, interviewing and training new employees. Worked with up-and-coming clients such as Arkasha St

Jason Michael Berman - Producing 5 Sundance Films & Making it in HollywoodSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastI had the honor of speaking to Jason Michael Berman at Sundance this year. He's a Sundance vet. He has premiered 5 features at Sundance over the years and has the record for the highest selling film at Sundance ever, The Birth of a Nation which sold for $17.5 million. Crazy! This year he premiered the remarkable film Burning Sands at the festival. The film is about the intensifying violence of underground hazing on a college campus.Jason dropped some great knowledge bombs in our interview with my co-host Sebastian Twardosz. Here's a bit on Jason Michael Berman:Jason Michael Berman is the Vice President of Mandalay Pictures, where he is responsible for developing and structuring financing for Mandalay's slate of independent films, in addition to packaging projects.Berman has produced feature films that have debuted at premiere film festivals around the globe, including the Sund

How to Break into the Film Industry with Stage 32's RB BottoSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastOne of my most downloaded episodes ever was my interview with Film Industry vet and CEO of Stage32.com, RB Botto (Click here to listen to that interview). Ever since then I've been wanting to bring him back on to the show. The stars aligned at Sundance and I didn't just get him on the podcast but I also recorded the interview for the IFH YouTube Channel.Here's a bit on our guest:Stage 32 is a US-based social network and educational site for creative professionals who work in film industry, television and theater. Stage 32 links professionals in the entertainment industry including directors, writers, actors and entertainment staff.It caters to film industry professionals with featured bloggers, online education taught by industry professionals, news from Hollywood and filming locations around the world, Stage 32 meetups page, an online lounge and a film business jobs page that allows members to

Disrupting Sundance & Helping Filmmakers with Slamdance Co-Founder Dan MirvishSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastIn our journeys through the Sundance Film Festival, we ran into the David to the Sundance Goliath, Slamdance Co-Founder Dan Mirvish.  Dan has been a rebel, author, filmmaker, disruptor, festival creator, and true indie film hustler. This interview is one of the most entertaining I've ever done. Dan Mirvish tells stories of how he challenged the Oscars, had Robert Redford call him "a parasite" and why the best deals are done in a hot tub. Here's a bit on Dan Mirvish:A co-founder of the upstart Slamdance Film Festival, Dan Mirvish is also an active director, screenwriter, and producer. Labeled a "cheerful subversive" by The New York Times, and "Hollywood's Bad Boy" by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Mirvish has been named as one of Variety's Top 50 Creatives to Watch, as well as one of Film Festival Today's Top 25 Most Influential People in Independent Film.Dan also has just wr

Chasing Sly and the Family Stone Documentary for 12 years with Michael RubenstoneSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastWe all hear stories of filmmakers working on films for years and years. Well, I don't know about you but I've never met one until now. In my journeys at Sundance and Slamdance I met one of these crazy and passionate filmmakers, his name is Michael Rubenstone. Michael the director of the documentary On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone, which premiered at this year's Slamdance Film Festival. When I heard his crazy story I had to have him on the show. Michael has been chasing Sly from Sly and the Family Stones for over 12 years. The stories he told us in the interview were insane. Talk about passion. We can all learn something about dedication, persistence and just plain nuts.Check out some teasers of the film below:Here's a bit about the film: Director and super-fan Michael Rubenstone sets out in search of long-time reclusive funk legend, Sly Stone. Along the way, he me

Sydney Freeland: Working with Netflix & Maintain Creative FreedomSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastI ran into many filmmakers while fighting the blizzard at this year's Sundance Film Festival but one of the most impressive of the bunch was director Sydney Freeland. Sydney has had a challenging journey to become a director and her story is inspiring, to say the least.Prior to making her first feature-length film, Sundance darling Drunktown's Finest, Sydney Freeland previously worked as a production assistant, as a writer, and as a camera intern. Freeland worked in a number of areas, including; National Geographic, Walt Disney, The Food Network and Comedy Central. Freeland garnered her first taste of success with the six-minute short film, Hoverboard, utilizing Kickstarter to help fund the short. The film was inspired by her love of Back to the Future Part II.Drunktown's Finest is her second venture into filmmaking. The 95-minute long film is a coming-of-age story about the complex is

Rebel in the Rye & How to Become a Producer with Jason ShumanSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastEvery once in a while we get a real Hollywood producer on the show. Jason Shuman is a producer and director, known for Lone Survivor (2013), Role Models (2008) and Bangkok Dangerous (2008) and this year's Sundance hit Rebel in the Rye (2017), written and directed by Danny Strong. Now not only is Jason a very accomplished producer but man is he a nice guy.He was so generous with his time and knowledge. He was dropping knowledge bombs left and right. Jason Shuman started producing with indie films like one of my faves, Comic Book Villains (2002) and moved quickly up to studio films with horror classic Darkness Falls (2003) (based on a short film). Check out the Darkness Falls short below:Get ready to have an inside look at what it takes to become a Hollywood producer.  Thanks to Jason Shuman for taking the time to do the interview. All of these Sundance Series episodes will be co-hosted by S

Inside the Spec Script Market with Agent David BoxerbaumSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastWe all have heard about screenwriter selling a spec script for seven figures (see Max Landis) but who is the power brokers who are helping that process along? Enter Paradigm Literary Agent David Boxerbaum.David is a senior agent at Paradigm, and his impressive client roster includes the likes of David Guggenheim, writer of Safehouse; Ken Marino, writer/producer of Wanderlust and writer of Role Models; Maria Maggenti, writer of MTV’s Finding Carter; and Ransom Riggs, writer/co-executive producer of the upcoming supernatural horror thriller, Black River.At the age of 26, David was listed as one of the Hollywood Reporter’s “Next Generation 35 Under 35,” making him one of the youngest people ever to make the list. He is known for his impeccable taste and his strong industry relationships which help him garner six- and seven-figure sales for his clients in a shrinking spec marketplace.What is an agent l

Creating a Brand & Making Killer Films with Elijah Wood and the SpectreVision TeamSPECIAL SUNDANCE EDITION of the Indie Film Hustle PodcastI wanted to do something special for the Indie Film Hustle Tribe this year. I'm in Park City, UT interview some AMAZING filmmakers, producers, agents and actors. In celebration of Sundance I'll be releasing a podcast a day during the week.I wanted to launch this special Sundance Film Festival series with a bang. In this episode I speak to indie film favorite and all around amazing human being Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings, Sin City) and his remarkable partners Josh Waller, Daniel Noah and Lisa Whalen (Company X) over at their company SpectreVision.I have to say that this is by far one of my favorite interviews I've ever done. It was part filmmaking masterclass, branding lesson, James Lipton interview and party. I learned a ton from the gang and really felt the passion these friends and partners have for making the kind of films they want to see.All of these Sundance S

5 Rules to Make Money Selling Indie FilmsI feel that one of the reasons I was put on this earth was to help filmmakers and artist make money selling their films and art. There's no reason why filmmakers shouldn't be able to make a steady income from their films. You can here my inspiration rant on this topic here: Why Filmmakers are Always So Damn Broke & What They Can Do to Change It. So I came up with these 5 rules on how to make money selling indie films. I outline what I discuss in the podcast below. If you are going to listen to an episode of the IFH Podcast then this one and #88 (Why Filmmakers are Always So Damn Broke) are two episode you should listen too. Check out the outline below and then listen to the episode. I also go into other areas and core concepts that are not in the list below.1. Understand the initial cost of creating the factory that will build your productBuying gearBuilding a teamPost Production infrastructureDeliverables2. Understand the cost of creating your product vs the retur

No Budget Filmmaking with Mark StolaroffI've been trying to get today's guest on the show for months. Mark Stolaroff is a No Budget Filmmaking maestro. Here's a bit about our guest.Mark Stolaroff is an independent producer and a founding partner of Antic Pictures, an LA-based production company producing a slate of low-budget, high-quality digital features. He recently finished principal photography on DriverX, his 5th collaboration with award-winning writer/director Henry Barrial.DriverX stars Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul), Desmin Borges (You're The Worst), Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and many other talented actors.Stolaroff and Barrial's previous feature, The House That Jack Built, which premiered at the 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival, played theatrically in December 2015 and is now currently streaming on Netflix and other digital platforms.Mark produced Barrial's third feature, the micro-budget sci-fi film Pig, which was an official selection at over 35 film festivals worldwide, winning 10 awar

Should You Own Your Own Film Gear?Happy New Year IFH Tribe! We are now in 2017 and this will be ana amazing, creative and monumental year for us all. I wanted to start off the year with an "Ask Alex" episode. On this episode I answer the follow tribe member questions:Though I plan on hiring a DP for my movies, I'd like to invest in my very own camera equipment and lights. (Was thinking about investing in that BlackMagic Cinema you keep raving about.)However, I'm being advised NOT to buy my own camera and lights! I was told that unless I'm planning on being a DP myself, and unless I plan on keeping up with all the new models of cameras coming out (which can be expensive), that buying camera equipment makes no sense.What say you? Shouldn't an independent filmmaker seek to have his or her own filmmaking arsenal, just in case? Shouldn't directors at least try to go out, shoot, get a feel for the camera, etc., so that they are better directors, even if they'll never be DPs? What advice would you give someone worki

Inspiration in 2017 & What I've LearnedCan you believe we've arrived at out last episode of 2016?The Indie Film Hustle Podcast has had some amazing interviews this year, so before the new year arrives, I wanted to review some of the highlights of 2016.I wanted to thank the IFH Tribe for all the support, well wishes, emails, messages and overall good mojo. 2016 has been a remarkable year for Indie Film Hustle, the Indie Film Syndicate, and the IFH Podcast. I do what I do for you guys. Have a Happy and Productive 2017 everyone. If you need some inspiration for the coming year, I'd take a listen to this episode. Also, watch the video below...Right click here to download the MP3Download on iTunes DirectLINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEIFH 088: Why Filmmakers are Always So Damn Broke & What They Can Do to Change ItThis is Meg - Feature FilmINDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking Community (1st Month FREE) End Jan 8th, 2017SPONSORSVideoBlocks.com - (IFH Discount SAVE $50)Directing Actors Course – (30% O

What is Your Film Really Worth?So you are thinking of making an indie film or you've just finished making one...now what? When filmmakers go on the long journey of making a feature film they rarely ask the question that could make or break the success of the movie,"What is my film worth in the marketplace?"Before you begin the process of making your film ask the following questions?What is your film worth?Who is your market?Is it in a genre that can sell itself without stars?Do your actors have any market value overseas or domestically?Does the budget justify all of the above?What’s the tipping point as far as the budget is concerned for a drama or comedy with no stars?What is your distribution plan?Have you spoken to a distributor yet to see what they are looking for?In this episode, I discuss the questions that most filmmakers don't want to ask themselves but knowing the answer is imperative.

What is Cinematic Virtual Reality with Jason DiamondIs Virtual Reality the next big step in visual storytelling? Steven Spielberg said:“I think we’re moving into a dangerous medium with virtual reality. The only reason I say it is dangerous is because it gives the viewer a lot of latitude not to take direction from the storytellers but make their own choices of where to look. I just hope it doesn’t forget the story when it starts enveloping us in a world that we can see all around us and make our own choices to look at"I wanted to understand more about Virtual Reality and what impact it could have (or is having) on the world of cinema. This week I have Virtual Reality expert Jason Diamond from SuperSphere VR on the show.  The Diamond Brothers, Josh and Jason Diamond, own SUPERSPHERE VR a virtual reality production company based in Los Angeles. They build VR rigs for a number of clients from Fortune 500 companies to major studios and independent films. They follow the projects through from planning to shooting