Show Don't Tell: Micro-budget Filmmaking

Joining me this week is none other than Dan Mirvish, co-founder of the iconic Slamdance Film Festival and the director behind indie features like Open House, Between Us (Julia Stiles, Taye Diggs, Melissa George), Bernard and Huey, and 18 1/2.Throughout our discussion we get into the nitty gritty of what it takes to get an indie film made and distributed, covering everything from raising seed money and working with a casting director to landing a coveted festival slot at Slamdance. This episode is a must listen for any filmmaker looking for a blueprint to get their next movie off the ground.Links from the show:The Cheerful Subversive's Guide to Independent FilmmakingDan's WebsiteDan on TwitterFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Today I am thrilled to be joined by writer/director/actor Chelsea Devantez, whose 3 minute film Basic was programmed this year at SXSW, Santa Barbara International Film Festival and many others.Chelsea is a case-in-point for what's possible when you embrace your limitations to create meaningful content that can reach a wide audience. Basic may have been crafted using minimal resources, crew and gear, but that didn't stop the film from beating out thousands of others to land a coveted festival slot. Throughout the interview we talk all about how the film was pulled off, what made it work critically, how filmmakers can beat the odds with their own work, and much more. We even touch on Chelsea's background as a writer working with comedian Jon Stewart and on shows like Bless This Mess.Links from the show:Basic - Short FilmChelsea's WebsiteChelsea on TwitterChelsea on Instagram

Last year I had the fortune of interviewing Hannah Black & Megan Petersen all about their feature film Drought for Episode 64 of the podcast. As a refresher, this is the creative duo whose debut feature was crowdfunded on Seed & Spark before landing a $50K investment from the Duplass Bros, the film’s Executive Producers.While our first interview was centered around the origin story of this feature film, this time around we talk all about the project’s “second act.” We go into detail on the creative finishing work that went into this movie, the unique challenges of navigating film festivals during these uncertain times, release intentions and strategies for the film, and much more!Links from the show-Drought - TwitterDrought - FacebookDrought - InstagramDrought - Seed & SparkFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

My guests this week are co-directors Rebecca Kahn and Abishek Prasad, whose short film Who Among Us was programmed at SXSW 2020 and gained distribution through DUST.Over the course of our chat, we cover a lot of ground - talking all about what it takes to get a short programmed at SXSW, tips for financing and producing your next short, how to navigate feedback and post-production, and so much more. We also talk about distribution options for short films, tactics for filmmakers looking to increase their creative output while balancing other work, and other critical advice for filmmakers looking to grow their careers.Who Among Us - InstagramWho Among Us - TwitterWho Among Us - FacebookWho Among Us - YouTubePudu ProductionsFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

Today I am very excited to share my interview with Stephanie Pearson, who is not only the star of my feature film Psychosynthesis, but an incredibly talented producer in her own right. Stephanie has spent years on both sides of the camera, and joins us today to share her words of wisdom on all things filmmaking. Using our recent feature film collaboration as a launching off point, we discuss the unique dynamics of an indie film set, what the challenges are from an actor's perspective, the importance of clear directorial communication, and so much more. We also talk about the state of the industry right now, why it's crucial to produce your own material, and best practices for taking control over your destiny as an artist. Links from the show: Psychosynthesis on Amazon PrimeRecovery on Amazon PrimeDownrange on Amazon PrimeStephanie on InstagramStephanie on Twitter For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com   

On this episode I am joined by writer/director Rick Caplan who recently completed and released his feature film Mr. Misfortune. This micro-budget production was shot for under $10,000 in just 10 shooting days, and was brought to life in a truly unique way. As Rick outlines over the course of our chat, he had to wear a lot of hats on this production to make it a reality. Not only did he write and direct the project, but also shot the film and handled all the post-production himself - including music composition and color correction. Throughout the discussion, we get into the nitty gritty on each of these steps, critical lessons learned along the way and much more! Links from the show: Mr. Misfortune on AmazonRick Caplan on Twitter For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Joining me this week on the show is filmmaker turned author Josh Folan. Over the course of his career, Josh has not only produced 3 micro-budget features (each of which have a budget under $250K), but most recently wrote a book about his endeavors called: Still Filmmaking The Hard Way. Over the course of our discussion, Josh outlines how any filmmaker can make their passion project a reality, without any upfront financial backing from traditional production companies or studios. He also shares a ton of practical advice about sales and distribution, providing invaluable lessons for filmmakers seeking to go down a similar path. Links from the show: www.nyehentertainment.com For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

To celebrate the release of my feature film PSYCHOSYNTHESIS on Amazon Prime, today I am sharing a behind the scenes look at our entire process on this micro-budget indie. The film itself was made for only $25,000 in just 9 shooting days, which resulted in a highly unconventional workflow both on set and in the editing room.Throughout the episode I outline every practical step that we took to bring this film to life - starting in the very early days of concept development, all the way through to casting, prep, production, and of course post-production, distribution and beyond. While I have shared some anecdotes about the film on my blog at noamkroll.com - I get into much more depth on each phase of the process here on today's episode, providing a blueprint for other filmmakers looking to bootstrap a feature film of their own.Watch PSYCHOSYNTHESIS On Amazon Prime In The USOr search "Psychosynthesis" on Amazon Prime Video in your countryPlease don't forget to rate and review the film on Amazon and IMDB to help u

This week, I'm honored to be joined by my guests Richard and Colleen Halsey - a prolific husband and wife editing duo who are collectively responsible for editing countless iconic feature films over the years. Their credits include movies like Edward Scissorhands, Beaches, So I Married An Axe Murderer, Sister Act and Rocky - the latter of which Richard won an Oscar for.Throughout our discussion we chat about each of these films in some detail, outlining the unique creative process behind them. Richard and Colleen also generously share their perspective on how the industry has changed from both a business and creative standpoint, how aspiring editors can break into Hollywood, and loads more.Links from the show -Richard Halsey On IMDB            Colleen Halsey On IMDB                            For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com                                                                                                                                                                          

This week on the show, I'm excited to be joined by Tessa Markle and Carolina Alvarez - known for their awesome podcast: Femme Regard. I was fortunate enough to be a guest on their show last year and had a blast, and this time around they're joining me on Show, Don't Tell to discuss all things indie film.I really wanted to hear about Tessa and Carolina's experience building an online brand. This is a path that is becoming increasingly critical for filmmakers to explore in order to have autonomy over their work and careers. Over the course of our discussion we talk about this topic at length, outlining how every filmmaker can leverage original content as a means to grow their brand.Links from the show:Femme Regard ProductionsFemme Regard On InstagramFemme Regard On TwitterFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Returning to the show this week is Joshua Caldwell, here to talk all about his latest feature film INFAMOUS, which stars Bella Thorne and Jake Manley. The story follows a reckless woman and her new boyfriend as they become social media sensations when she streams their cross-country robberies online.Throughout our interview, Joshua outlines the A to Z of his journey with this feature, contrasting it to some of his earlier micro-budget productions. We talk all about the casting process, production, post, and distribution at length, gaining insight on how Joshua made the transition from his smaller scale DIY projects to this much larger, more traditionally produced narrative feature.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Joining me this week on the show is director Josh David Jordan, here to talk all about his debut feature film This World Won’t Break. This unique DIY feature was shot on and off over the course of a year, before securing 14 festival screenings and 13 awards, including best narrative feature at the Dallas International Film Festival.Over the course of our chat, Josh walks us through the specific process that went into making this film a reality, and the unconventional production strategies that were utilized throughout. We talk at length about his development process, his ability to wear multiple hats on set, what it was like to work with his son as a co-editor, how he navigated the festival circuit, and tons more!Links from the show:This World Won't Break - WebsiteThis World Won't Break - InstagramWhiskey Beard Films - InstagramJosh David Jordan On VimeoFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

I’m very excited to be joined once again on the show by writer/director Marcus Mizelle, whose upcoming feature film Chameleon is about to be released everywhere on VOD, Cable and DVD (May 19, 2020).With a production budget of just $6800, Marcus was able to create an incredibly dynamic feature that breaks many of the rules of micro-budget filmmaking, while finding success at festivals and landing nationwide distribution. Throughout this episode, we walk through each step of the process and explore critical lessons learned along the way.Links from the show:Chameleon - Film WebsiteChameleon Trailer

To celebrate the 100th episode of Show, Don’t Tell I held my first ever live Q & A session last week on YouTube. Today, I’m republishing it here for those who didn’t catch it live.Throughout this discussion I took questions on the business aspects of filmmaking - addressing many of the most pressing issues for filmmakers looking to build long term career sustainability. Topics covered include: Getting your movie produced, building a personal brand, DIY distribution options in 2020, the importance of owning your audience and much more.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

My guests this week - David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg - have an amazing track record of success with their feature length documentaries. From their debut feature The Immortalists which premiered at SXSW to their follow up feature Bill Nye: Science Guy to their latest project We Are As Gods, their films have been making a massive impact for years.Throughout our discussion, David and Jason speak to each one of these feature films in detail, outlining the specific steps they took to bring them to life. They also speak at length about why they've infused science into virtually all of their creative work, what it's like to collaborate remotely as co-directors, how they achieve amazing production value (often without any additional crew), and loads more!Links from the show:Structure Films WebsiteWe Are As Gods WebsiteFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

MUBI has quickly become one of the most popular streaming services for filmmakers and cinephiles alike, thanks to its incredibly unique collection of independent and arthouse films. Joining me this week to discuss the platform at length is Daniel Kasman, MUBI's Vice President of Content.Based out of MUBI’s New York office and one of the first to join the company over 12 years ago, Daniel spearheads MUBI’s global content acquisitions and programming. He also supports the U.S. team in developing partnerships with organizations such as Film at Lincoln Center, New York Film Festival, International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, among others.Throughout our discussion Daniel outlines the philosophy behind MUBI, how filmmakers can utilize the platform as an educational tool, the intricacies of their curation process and much more.Links from the show:MUBI's WebsiteMUBI's "Notebook" Magazine

This week, I am joined by the filmmakers behind the 2020 SXSW Grand Jury winning documentary An Elephant In The Room. This incredible feature length doc was directed by Katrine Philp and DP'd by her husband Adam Philp, both of whom were able to take part in the discussion.Throughout our chat, Katrine and Adam share invaluable insight into the making of their award winning film - from fundraising to execution to post-production and beyond. Topics covered include: Developing the project, working as a two-person team, technical/gear setup, the editorial process, winning the coveted award at SXSW and so much more.Links from the show:An Elephant In The Room - WebsiteAdam's portfolio

This week I’m continuing my SXSW coverage with Lynn Chen, whose debut feature film I Will Make You Mine was set to premiere at the festival this year. Over the course of the interview, we take a deep dive into the process of making this film from front to back - outlining each step Lynn took to bring her vision to life and ultimately land a coveted premiere at South By South West. We talk all about her crowdfunding success, unconventional screenwriting process, creative approach on set, editorial timeline, festival strategy and so much more.Links from the show:I Will Make You Mine WebsiteFor more content like this visit https://noamkroll.com 

I’m kicking off my SXSW interview series with Kevin Ford - a prolific documentary and narrative filmmaker whose latest feature film The Pushback was programmed at SXSW 2020.Kevin’s list of credits is incredibly impressive. His films have screened at major film festivals like Tribeca, Slamdance, Berlin, SXSW and even at the Nobel Peace Awards Ceremony in 2017. What’s even more impressive, is that Kevin has achieved all this success by bootstrapping his projects, and crafting them in a truly DIY fashion. Over the course of this interview we talk all about his latest film, previous works, his tactical approach to making movies, and much more.Links from the show:Kevin's WebsiteThe Pushback FilmFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

In practically no time, the coronavirus has forced the world to nearly grind to a halt, and filmmakers of all types are being affected in countless ways. Whether you work as a freelancer, an employee or you own a production company, this crisis is surely already taking a toll.But despite productions shutting down left and right among other turmoil, many new opportunities are arising that we could all benefit from. Throughout the episode I expand on these potential growth areas, using new changes in my own business model as a template for navigating this new terrain.Links from the show:Micro-Budget Weekly Newsletter"I Need A Corporate Producer" Facebook Group