Clik here to view.
Sam Raimi and 'The Evil Dead' Provide a Blueprint for Indie Filmmakers
The story of Sam Raimi's gory masterpiece should inspire all filmmakers. I love horror. My office is a veritable shrine to Hitchcock, Cronenberg, and Carpenter. So when I stumbled across a video about...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How I Got the Russo Brothers to Award My Film
It’s crazy to think that sometimes all it takes is 48 hours to go from an independent filmmaker flying under the radar to having two of the biggest directors on the planet award your film and share it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tips for Making a Microbudget Film Actually Work
Here's how one actor, producer, writer, and director has created successful microbudget productions. This post was written by Zanah Thirus. Named one of Diversity in Cannes' Top 10 Filmmakers of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Francis Ford Coppola Is Prepared to Pay $100 Million of His Own Money to Get...
We're big fans of self-financing, but this is wild. Francis Ford Coppola is a visionary. He's shaped worlds, taken risks, and now, to complete his passion project, he's talking about staking his...
View ArticleClik here to view.
An Indie Film Legend Shares His Secrets
Ed Burns has been on the indie scene since it was born in the mid 90s. Today he shared a lot of what he's learned. There simply aren't a lot of filmmakers who have done what Ed Burns has done. He's...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How This Team Made a Rotoscope Animated Film Totally Over Zoom
We made an award-winning animated short without meeting in person. Here’s how. This post was written by Quincy Ledbetter. In April of 2020 film productions, festivals, and theaters were shutting down...
View ArticleClik here to view.
This Small Team Shows How Treating Your Crew Well Pays Off
This filmmaking team discusses the value of aiming high and going for it, as well as considering your crew in decision-making. This post was written by the team from The One You're With. Many teams...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Joe Russo Wants to See More Indie Movies in Theaters
When was the last time you saw a true indie movie in theaters? While the Russo brothers are known mostly for their work in the Marvel world, and maybe on Arrested Development, they are passionate fans...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How We Made a $5,000 Film and Got It on Amazon Prime
Writing, directing, producing, scoring, and starring in a film that was released on Amazon Prime was never the plan. I just wanted to write my first screenplay. This post was written by Ryan Silva. I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How We Shot Our First Feature Film in 10 Days for $2,500
And got it screened at Comic-Con International and on Prime Video. This post was written by Greg Pope. “Write it this winter. Shoot it over the summer. Release it in the fall. Rinse and repeat!” My...
View ArticleClik here to view.
From Big-Budget to Micro-Budget: How We Hustled to Make It Happen
Learn how a first-time feature director dealt with the day-to-day challenges in the filmmaking process. This post was written by Adam Ethan Crow. My name is Adam Ethan Crow, and Lair was my first time...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Have You Seen the 2022 Sundance Lineup?
Check out the prestigious films that will play at Sundance this year. Sundance is one of our favorite festivals around here—very few events create such amazing platforms to connect with diverse...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Embracing the Suck—Making a Short Film in the COVID Age
These filmmakers didn't let the pandemic get in their way. This post was written by Chris Donaldson. Read More
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sundance Film Festival Cancels In-Person Program (Again)
It looks like we are back to virtual events... The Sundance Film Festival had all of us excited to return to an in-person gathering to celebrate independent filmmaking. After two years in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Two Very Different Paths Led to Filmmaking Careers
Talia Lugacy (writer/director of indie film This is Not a War Story) and Chad Galster (editor of Yellowstone and 1883) demonstrate how there is no right or wrong way. Success is hard to gauge. In...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How I Persevered for 17 Years to Get My Movie Released
Don't give up. Don't ever give up. This post was written by Seth Landau. “How can I help you?” was the first thing the late Gary Winick ever said to me. We were introduced by family in the early...
View ArticleClik here to view.
I Made a Sci-Fi Short by Myself—Here Are Creative Tips for Any Solo Project
Alone, quarantined with a dog on an abandoned sci-fi set. Could you shoot a short film all by yourself? This post was written by Jason Skeen. We all had plans. Some of us were planning amazing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Making My Documentary with "a Dead Camera on Top of a Bloody Tripod"
How ethnographic filmmaking played a part in the IDFA and SBIFF documentary Eat Your Catfish. This post was written by Noah Arjomand. In 2014 I was 26, living with my parents in a chaotic Harlem...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Think You Can't Shoot on Film with a Low Budget? The 16mm Short 'We Won't...
It's possible to shoot a cinematic short on film with limited time and budget. We Won't Forget is a super-16mm film with raw, intense, naturalistic acting and a subtle study of contemporary social...
View ArticleClik here to view.
This Terrifying Movie Just Broke the Horror Kickstarter Funding Record
There's a new king of horror on Kickstarter. Horror is one of the most reliable genres when it comes to a fervent audience. People are always excited to sit down and be part of the roller coaster of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Pivoting from Fiction to Documentary Filmmaking Could Be the Right Choice...
Should you give documentary films a try? This Emmy-winning director says yes. From 2008 to 2019 I wrote and directed three micro-budget feature films. They were all creatively rewarding but also very...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How This Indie Filmmaker Surpassed the Bechdel Test
Is there a way we can pass and surpass the Bechdel Test? This post was written by Dastan Khalili. The Bechdel Test, named for American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, is a measure of the representation of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
8 Years, 5 Countries, 0 Producers, Many Friends—How This Indie Feature Got Made
This filmmaker explains this international project in their own words. This post was written by Olivier Wright. Over eight years, first-time filmmaker Olivier Wright made a feature film on free will...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Did Two First-Time Filmmakers Make a Period Film (and Get Distribution)?
These two filmmakers took a giant leap of faith. This post was written by Leslie Goyette. How do two middle-aged women with no film experience, who live in different states and barely know each other,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Power of the Ask—And Other Things I Learned Making My First Sci-Fi...
It was August 2021, and the time that every film student awaits was close: senior year, when we got to direct our thesis films. This post was written by Linda Paola Varela. I had spent the summer...
View ArticleClik here to view.
These Films Featuring Tokyo and Its Charms Are Free to Watch Now
Wanna watch some creative forces in action? Enjoy these short films from the Cinematic Tokyo Program via Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia! We always love to support filmmakers around the world,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Do Movie Stars Still Matter for Indie Filmmakers?
Is Tom Cruise the last movie star? We're not buying it. In this episode, we talk about… Defining what it means to really be a "movie star"Whether franchise movies mean less power for actors Letting...
View ArticleClik here to view.
These Jurors Are Ready to Find the Best Smartphone Short Film at SSFF & ASIA
We are in the era of smartphone cinematography, and these jurors' expertise will help define the new visual expression unique to smartphones. Not only do we love supporting filmmakers around the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Want to Make Big-Budget Movies? Start with Horror
There is no other genre that will allow you to flex your creative muscle like horror. It’s every filmmaker’s dream to make the film that they want without any budgetary constraints. The dream only...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Colin Trevorrow Is Worried for Indie Films—Here's Why
It's a production problem 65 million years in the making. Colin Trevorrow cut his teeth, so to speak, in the indie world, with the movie Safety Not Guaranteed. That little movie vaulted him into the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
5 Quotes from Sofia Coppola That Can Make You a Better Filmmaker
There is a lot to learn from one of the most influential women of modern filmmaking. Sofia Coppola is a filmmaker that emphasizes the quiet and delicate nature of the world around us. Although she is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
After 50 Years, John Waters''Pink Flamingos' Is Still Banned in Parts of Long...
John Waters has always enjoyed ruffling feathers. It's hard to believe that John Waters' 1972 movie would have anyone still upset, but here we are. The film stars drag queen Divine as a notorious...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What This Filmmaker Learned While Shooting a Feature on an iPhone Over Five...
Shooting a whole movie with your phone is no longer impossible. This post was written by Anthony Natoli. Not too long ago, shooting a feature-length film felt somewhat unattainable for the common...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How This Short Film Uses Low-Budget VFX and Sound Design to Dive into the...
Sticking with the process and making it work—for a dark vision of the future. This post was written by Sean Yopchick. I was traveling cross country from Los Angeles to Boston when I landed in a small...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Deepfake Technology Could Help You Change Inappropriate Dialogue in Post
Move over, dubbing. "Vubbing" is all the rage now. What do you do when you have to reshoot scenes but don’t have the budget? The filmmakers behind the indie action-thriller Fall were facing this issue...
View ArticleClik here to view.
From Start to Finish, How I Filmed an Indie Feature in 14 Days
It starts with an idea, then you write a script, then you find your team, then start production, then finish principal photography, put all the pieces together, and show it to the world—if only it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Writer-Director Vera Drew Says 'The People's Joker'"Will Screen Again"
Writer-Director Vera Drew isn't going to let an angry letter stop her from showing her film to the world. If you haven't heard the news, Vera Drew's The People's Joker was pulled from future TIFF...
View Article--- Article Not Found! ---
*** *** *** RSSing Note: Article is missing! We don't know where we put it!!. *** ***
View Article--- Article Not Found! ---
*** *** *** RSSing Note: Article is missing! We don't know where we put it!!. *** ***
View ArticleClik here to view.
How I Turned 'Shrek' into a Live-Action Horror Film
"Why are you trying to ruin my childhood?" This post was written by Andy Chen. A lot of YouTube comments seem to either love or hate the idea of there being a horror version of everyone’s beloved...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A "Prime" Example of No-Budget Filmmaking
I couldn’t make a feature film and work a traditional job at the same time, so I bet on my dreams instead. This post was written by S. Roy Saringo. My dream was always to be in the director’s chair....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Check Out All of the Acquired Films from Sundance 2023
Was this a good year for acquisitions at Sundance? Sundance is one of the biggest and best indie film festivals for several reasons, but one of the most exciting reasons is the opportunity to have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Production Designer James Bartol Got Involved With SXSW Movie 'Late...
How did a NYC-based production designer find his way onto an indie film? This post was written by James Bartol. I got involved with Late Bloomers whendirector Lisa Steen and writer Anna Greenfield...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Movies Do Theaters Say Save the Box Office?
What movie will be known as the savior of theaters across the U.S.? The box office hasn't returned to pre-COVID-19 numbers at all. While big hits like Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Do You Make Your Indie Film the "Golden Elevator" Way?
How can a truly independent film find success at the big film festivals? How does one manage to get well-known actors to star in your film? The answer is simple, yet laborious. In today’s episode, No...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Free Production Management Software? You Gotta Try Saturation
The actual only production management software you need. Tell me if this has happened to you. You have a script for a short or a feature, but you’re trying to figure out how much it’s going to cost....
View ArticleClik here to view.
I Made My First Feature and Got It Into Kevin Smith's Festival
From inspiration to distribution, this is how the Run, Rabbit team made their feature debut dreams come true. This post was written by Christopher Studenka. We had a vision and a belief. Fresh off...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Indie Film for the Masses: Lessons We Learned Making a Movie for TikTok
What can you learn from creating a film on TikTok? This post was written by Jacob Seltzer and Benjy Steinberg. When we created Mountain Murder Tapes, our scripted TikTok horror film, we wanted to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Movies Have Always Been Made to Sell - We Want Movies To Share
Home Free is the stoner college comedy designed to start a movement! This post was written by Lenny Barszap and Aaron Brown, filmmakers of 'Home Free.' In 1997, as sophomores at the University of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Learn This Indie Icon's Roadmap to Hollywood for Filmmakers Like You
Looking back on The Watermelon Woman 27 years later, indie and queer filmmaking royalty Cheryl Dunye reflects on narrative, form, and making your own history in cinema. Queer cinema has been a...
View Article
