Show Don't Tell: Micro-budget Filmmaking

Filmmakers often ask me how to get a competitive edge with their freelancing career or production business, and I almost always give them the same advice:It's not about the gear you have or how big your client list is. It's not even really about your demo reel. Those things may get your foot in the door, but what builds long lasting careers is the client experience. If you can get that right, business growth and opportunity tends to take care of itself.This and much more covered in today's show.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Many filmmakers were told early on in their careers to specialize in only one field and to master a single skill. But as the landscape of content creation continues to evolve, creative generalists - especially those who emphasize post production - are proving that this theory may no longer hold the same weight.In this episode, I make a case for embracing a generalist approach to filmmaking, outlining how it allows DIY filmmakers to make better movies for less money, and in less time than ever before. Topics covered include: Breaking the "jack of all trades" stigma, the financial benefits of mastering post production, educating yourself on fundamental editorial/finishing skills, when you should (or shouldn't) hire outside help, and loads more.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week, I’m excited to have Alex Ferrari of Indie Film Hustle back on the show. Alex was last on the podcast back on Episode 44, when we chatted about his film This Is Meg, and his process developing and producing his DIY film which eventually sold to Hulu.Today, Alex has returned to chat about his latest book: Shooting For The Mob. The book is based on Alex’s real life experience getting hired by the mob at age 26 to make a movie for them. He outlines the story behind the story, how he adapted this real life experience into a novel, and why it was absolutely critical for him to tell this story. Over the course of the interview, we also delve into many other topics, including: tackling the creative process as a whole, finding your way as a filmmaker, and achieving success on the business side of show business. Links from the show:IFH on Facebook - www.Facebook.com/indiefilmhustleIFH on Twitter - www.Twitter.com/indiefilmhustleIFH on Instagram - www.Instagram.com/ifilmhustleIFHTV - www.IFHTV.comShooting For

On this week’s episode, I interview two amazing filmmakers - Hannah Black and Megan Petersen - who are in post-production for their $50K micro-budget feature Drought. Having never made a feature before, they were able to write an incredible script, raise $25K in crowdfunding through Seed & Spark, and an additional $25K through the Duplass Brothers who are Executive Producers on the project.Over the course of the interview we cover their entire process from A to Z - From the development of their first screenplay draft to shooting the movie in 18 days, and pushing through post-production with their sights set on a festival run - Not letting anything stop them along the way, including a massive hurricane that hit in the middle of production!Links from the show:Mark Duplass SXSW Keynote - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZeWOAliA6YHannah on Facebook - http://facebook.com/hannahblackHannah on Instagram - http://instagram.com/hannahfrazelleblackMegan on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/megan.petersen.545Mega

In this episode, I sit down with Matteo Bertoli - the incredibly talented DP who shot my latest feature film White Crow. Despite working under tremendous time constraints, Matteo, myself, and the rest of our team were able to shoot nearly 90 pages of script in only 9 days. Over the course of our chat, we explain how we pulled it off without sacrificing quality.Other topics covered include: Camera choice, shooting minimal coverage, the importance of prep, developing a visual style, finding synergy on set, workflow issues, handling creative problems in production, and much more. This is a great listen for any director or DP working in the micro-budget realm.Links from the show:Matteo's Website - https://www.matteobertoli.meMatteo on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/matteobertoliMatteo on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOYko5i4zMPwmS-68hnhIOwMatteo on Twitter - https://twitter.com/matteobertoliFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Many filmmakers fall into the freelancing trap - They develop a relatively specialized skill, get great at their craft, gain lots of clients, but inevitably find themselves buried in work. Ultimately, this leaves them unable to focus on their passion projects (such as original feature films or new business ventures), as they are anchored to their client work day in and day out. Some people find themselves stuck in this situation for their entire careers, but all of us have the ability to choose a different path.In this episode, I outline how you can use passively generated income to avoid this problem entirely, by becoming far less reliant on a single revenue stream. The goal is to stop trading your time for money.Putting systems in place that will ultimately make money while you sleep is not easy, but it is possible. And once that goal is achieved, you will have infinitely more flexibility with how you spend your time. This means more time spent being creative, working on the projects you want to be working

Over the years, I've learned that having too much time to work on any creative project can be a bad thing, but that having too little time can actually be helpful in some ways... So naturally, when it came time to edit my latest feature film (White Crow) I decided to give myself only 3 weeks to edit down a 23+ hour mountain of footage into a 90 minute assembly. While it may seem counter-intuitive to work this quickly, in my case it was actually a huge asset to the process.In this episode, I outline exactly how I used aggressive deadlines and other self-imposed time constraints to tap into my gut instincts, and turn around a great first cut in record time. I also touch on applying these principles to our work consciously, to reach an ideal state of creative flow every time we sit down to work.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

In today’s episode, I interview Gabe Reiter - an incredibly accomplished commercial producer who has now entered the world of independent content creation with his new series “Bunkheads”. The series (which is now available on Amazon Prime) is a hilarious sitcom set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse, following four survivors as they not only attempt to survive the zombies outside, but also eachother.Coming from a background in high end commercial production, Gabe has produced million dollar + spots for brands like UPS, Levi’s, Tide, Hallmark, Nationwide, and countless others. Over the course of this interview, Gabe shares his philosophy on production, how he was able to utilize his expertise in the commercial realm to produce a DIY project with a tremendous amount of production value, and much more. Links from the show: Bunkheads on Amazon Prime -  https://www.amazon.com/Bunkheads/dp/B07K8TQCRCBunkheads Official Trailer - https://youtu.be/NZ1AoacIXQABunkheads Website -  https://www.bunkheads.net/ Bun

Succeeding in film takes far more than a basic understanding of the craft. While technical skills are undeniably important for any filmmaker to master, they alone will not equate to any type of artistic or commercial success. The degree to which any filmmaker succeeds has far more to do with their psychology and tenacity than it does their skill...For instance - Many of us understand the importance of goal setting and strategizing for our film careers, but few of us are able to actually follow through and deliver. This is usually a result of poor motivation, or self-limiting beliefs, which result in a lack of true effort and persistence when the going gets tough. I would argue that these issues - not skill - are responsible for the thousands of film ideas every year that never get off the ground.In this episode, I address this issue head on, discussing specific methods for setting and achieving your filmmaking goals, and using the concept of "obsession" to stay motivated even under the most difficult circumst

Filmmakers are commonly taught to focus on story structure, plot, and formula while screenwriting, with scene writing usually falling into the background of the discussion. This lack of attention can lead to scenes that are underwritten or underdeveloped, and that ultimately won’t serve the story as a whole. In this weeks episode, we shift the focus away from general screenwriting theory, and discuss the granular principles of scene writing - Constructs that are not only designed to push the story forward, but more importantly to illicit an emotional response in the audience. Topics covered include: introducing conflict, writing with theme in mind, creating emotional undercurrents, and much more. Shadows On The Road - https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/shadows-on-the-road/id1436104543 For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Before a film is even written, its success can be determined by the strength of the concept alone. Without a great concept, it can be extremely difficult to attract talent, producers, or investors to your project, and just as hard to market and sell the film once its done. In many respects, the concept development phase is the single most important part of the process, and one that can never be rushed.In today's episode, I outline my entire concept development process from start to finish, using my upcoming feature film WHITE CROW as a case study. Topics covered include: Picking the right idea, development tactics, using the logline as DNA for the screenplay, iterating & revising the core concept, and much more.To follow along with my upcoming feature film WHITE CROW, be sure to follow us on social media using the links below:http://www.instagram.com/whitecrowmoviehttp://www.twitter.com/whitecrowmoviehttp://www.facebook.com/whitecrowmovieAnd for more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

In 2018, the art of marketing a feature film is just as critical for independent filmmakers to know as the craft itself. No one knows this better than today’s guest, Kyle Prohaska, who is not only an incredible DIY filmmaker in his own right, but also an expert on marketing independent features.Kyle and his company (Prohaska Studios) have successfully marketed countless feature films including: Asperger’s Are Us, Drive Play Sleep, Standing Firm, and Love Covers All, just to name a few. Over the course of this interview, Kyle shares his expertise on the art of marketing, outlining exactly what DIY filmmakers today need to know in order to successfully sell and market their films online.Links from the show:Prohaska Studios - www.prohaskastudios.comKyle on Twitter - https://twitter.com/kyleprohaska?lang=enKyle on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kyleprohaskaKyle on IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2700024/For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

For this week's interview, Jason Brubaker of Distribber joins me to share his wealth of knowledge on all things marketing & distribution. Distribber is one of the largest and most prominent aggregators for independent films out there, giving filmmakers without traditional distribution deals the ability to sell their content globally, through iTunes, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and countless other platforms.During the interview, Jason outlines exactly what it takes to turn a profit with an indepdent film while working with an aggregator like Distribber. Using case studies and real world examples, Jason outlines a bulletproof method for setting sales targets for any indie film, and reaching those targets through purposeful marketing. Topics covered include: the importance of using a "windowed" release strategy, the differences between popular TVOD, SVOD, & AVOD platforms, how to use grassroots marketing to drive your film up the charts, what Netflix is looking for when licensing independent content, and much

This week, Jim Cummings - Director of THUNDER ROAD - joins me on the show to demystify the process behind his massive success in filmmaking over the past few years. Jim won Sundance in 2016 with his short version of Thunder Road,and went on to win SXSW in 2018 with his full length feature adaptation of the film.Over the course of this hour long interview, Jim shares his creative process at length, touching on every key aspect - development, screenwriting, directing, performance, editorial, and even self-distribution. He also speaks passionatley about his biggest advice for filmmakers - just getting out there and making a movie - and the importance of building a sustainable career in today’s indie film landscape.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

In this week’s episode, I interview Don Hardy - an extremely accomplished documentary filmmaker whose most recent feature film, Pick Of The Litter, is being released theatrically by IFC films later this month.Don and his co-director (Dana Nachman) have an incredible track record of finding success with their feature docs, beginning with their film “Witch Hunt” in 2008 - A complete DIY project that was able to secure Sean Penn as a narrator, and premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.Over the course of the interview, Don outlines his approach to the art and business of documentary filmmaking, detailing his process for taking an idea from concept to completion, and securing theatrical distribution along the way. Links from the show:Don’s production company - http://ktffilms.comDon on Twitter - https://twitter.com/IamDonHardyDon on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/don.hardy1Pick of the litter trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW7GVR2c80k For more content like this visit www.no

One of the most essential ingredients for success in today’s filmmaking landscape, is the ability to build an online community that is supportive of your work. Many of the most successful filmmakers, artists, and other creative entrepreneurs have been able to thrive artistically and financially, simply by harnessing the power of community engagement.While building a sustainable community around your passion, interests, and abilities has never been easier, it is still no easy feat. It takes a tremendous amount of time, dedication, and sweat equity, but those who are willing to put in the legwork are rewarded massively over the course of their careers. In this episode, we discuss the fundamental building blocks of any strong creative community, and how you can build one of your own that is based around your unique skills and abilities.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Last month my feature film - Shadows On The Road premiered at Dances With Films here in Los Angeles. Using my festival experience as a case study, in this episode I detail exactly what to expect after you get your acceptance letter.Topics covered include: Deliverables, DCPs, Press Kits, Publicity/PR, Festival screenings, Distribution, and much more.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

Filmmaking is one of the toughest businesses to work in, as there is no clear path to success and a tremendous amount of competition. The amount of turnover in the industry is staggering, and many aspiring filmmakers only make one or two films before they call it quits.In order to succeed in film, it's clear you need to play the long game. It can take years to develop the right skills, cultivate mutually beneficial relationships, and build a body of work that can ultimately serve as the foundation for a successful career. And with that, this episode focuses on 5 of the most crucial factors that all filmmakers need to take into account in order to beat the odds, and stay afloat in what can be a grueling industry.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

As a filmmaker, understanding how to find work, land bigger and better projects, and actually make a living while freelancing is as important (if not more) than learning the craft itself. No one knows that better than today’s guest - Cole Walliser - an acclaimed commercial and music video Director based in Los Angeles, who went from shooting skateboarding videos with friends to directing content for Katy Perry, Pink, Miley Cyrus, and countless other artists and brands.Over the course of the interview, Cole shares his unique journey as a filmmaker, outlining each step he took to develop his passion for filmmaking into a thriving and sustainable career. Topics covered include: how to get started as a director, whether or not owning gear is essential, how to know when to take unpaid work, landing large clients, working with the DGA, the importance of social media, and much more.To check out more of Cole’s work, use the links below:www.colewalliser.comwww.instagram.com/colewalliserwww.youtube.com/ColeWalliserwww.

The film festival submission process can be extremely daunting for filmmakers, especially those that have no experience on the festival circuit. Many filmmakers neglect to understand what festivals are truly looking for with their submissions, and don’t give themselves the best chance possible to get programmed.In today’s episode, Karolyne Sosa, Programming Director for DTLAFF, sheds light on the programming process - sharing inside info from behind the scenes, outlining exactly what goes into creating a festival slate. Topics discussed include: programming blind submissions vs. curated films, optimizing communication with festivals, what the programming process entails, how to pre-market your work, what happens after getting programmed, and much more.To submit your film for free to DTLAFF, be one of the first 10 listeners to e-mail: info@DTLAFF.com with the subject: DTLAFF & Noam KrollFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com