Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

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

This week, DP Evin Grant joins me on the show to discuss his cinema camera shootout - a comparison of 9 of the most prominent full frame digital cinema cameras on the market:Arri Alexa Mini LFCanon Eos C500mIIRed MonstroSigma FPSony FX9 (S-Cinetone)Sony FX9 (S-Log3)Sony VeniceRed GeminiRed HeliumOver the course of our discussion, Evin details his findings at length, touching on everything from autofocus capabilities to dynamic range, color science to compression, and everything in between. This is a must listen for any full frame shooter looking to deepen their understanding of the current market.Links from the show:The Full Frame Cine Shootout On VimeoEvin's Website

Joining me this week is fellow LA based filmmaker Marcus Mizelle, a true DIY auteur in his own right and the brains behind The Micro Film Tournament: "A 16 film, 4 round tournament dedicated to micro-budget filmmakers who’ve made the most with the least."Throughout the course of the episode, we discuss Marcus' unique career path, the benefits of working within the constraints of a micro-budget, film festival experiences, and of course his brand new tournament - which is currently open for submissions. Enjoy!Links from the show:Marcus' WebsiteMarcus on InstagramChameleon Film WebsiteActor For Hire Film WebsiteThe Micro Film TournamentFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Many commercial directors want to make the leap to directing features films, but don’t know where to start. Our guest this week - Cody Stokes - successfully made that transition after raising just under $500K for his debut feature The Ghost Who Walks.Using the film as a case study, Cody walks us through every step in his process from building out the concept to fundraising to post-production and beyond. Cody’s story shows us that you don’t need industry connections or easy access to financing in order to make your movie a reality.Links from the show:Cody's WebsiteThe Ghost Who WalksFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com