Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

Every filmmaker dreams of submitting their indie film to Sundance, winning the festival and landing a major directing gig. Our guest this week - Carter Smith - didn’t just dream of doing it, he pulled it off.After his short film Bugcrush (2006) won the Sundance film festival, he was given the opportunity to pitch on a major Hollywood feature called The Ruins. After getting the seal of approval from Steven Spielberg himself, Carter’s debut feature film was underway. Since then, he’s returned to his indie roots with the 2014 feature Jamie Marks is Dead, and most recently a Hulu/Blumhouse picture called Midnight Kiss (2019).Throughout the episode, we discuss Carter’s unique career trajectory, his experience in the studio system, why he’s revisiting independent productions, and so much more.Links from the show- Carter On InstagramFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Smartphones have truly become a viable camera option for filmmakers on a budget. They provide more freedom, flexibility and anonymity than any traditional cinema camera, which gives them some major advantages… But in order to reap the rewards, you need to be able to work around some substantial technological limitations. Joining me this week to discuss all of this and more is filmmaker, colorist, and mobile cinematography expert Richard Lackey. We get in depth about the benefits and drawbacks of shooting on a phone, maximizing image quality by understanding your technical constraints, the future of iPhone filmmaking and so much more. This is a great introduction for anyone even considering using their phone for professional use.Links from the show:Richard on YouTubeRichard on TwitterRichard on InstagramFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week on the show, filmmaker Shaun Colón takes us on a deep dive into the world of documentary filmmaking. We chat at length about his debut documentary feature: A Fat Wreck - a 3 year long DIY project that found incredible success with film festivals and fans alike, even generating interest from the Sundance Institute. Building off of this success, Shaun moved into production on his second documentary feature (Age Of Audio), which features interviews with Kevin Smith, Ira Glass and other monumental voices in the podcasting space. Over the course of our discussion, Shaun outlines his process for financing, producing, and releasing his documentaries using his own DIY tactics, and shares a roadmap for how others can do the same.Links from the show:A Fat Wreck - WebsiteA Fat Wreck - FacebookA Fat Wreck - TwitterA Fat Wreck - InstagramA Fat Wreck - Sundance Institute ArticleAge Of Audio - WebsiteAge Of Audio - InstagramAge Of Audio - TwitterFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Returning to the show this week is Alex Ferrari of the Indie Film Hustle podcast. Alex has been educating filmmakers for years through a multitude of platforms, and has just written a new book that truly takes things to the next level: Rise of the Filmtrepreneur.The film industry has gone through a massive change over the past few years and most filmmakers are not prepared to make a living with their work in this new ecosystem. Alex's new book brilliantly outlines an approach and system that can serve as an antidote to this issue, arming filmmakers with the tactics needed to build a profitable career. We discuss all this and much more in today's episode.Links from the show -https://www.filmbizbook.comFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week, my guest is Brad Raider - a fellow LA based filmmaker who made his debut feature Kensho at the Bedfellow on a budget of $250,000.Over the course of our chat, Brad speaks at length about his fundraising process which uniquely leveraged his meditation community to bring his vision to life. We also talk about his challenging production process that spanned 30 locations and 29 shooting days. Other topics covered include: The importance of creating space for your creativity, distribution options for micro-budget features and much more.Links from the show:kenshofilm.comreddogsquadron.commdt8.combradraider.comFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week, I’m joined by Alrik Bursell - co-host of the very popular Making Movies Is Hard Podcast. Alrik is currently in the midst of fundraising for his upcoming feature film - The Alternate - an ambitious sci-fi film he’s been developing for 5 years.Over the course of our interview, Alrik and I talk about the fundraising process at length. Topics covered include: Securing initial seed money, approaching investors, attending film markets, crowdfunding and much more. This is a must listen for anyone looking to raise money for their movie.Links from the show -Seed & Spark CampaignThe Alternate On FacebookThe Alternate On InstagramThe Alternate On TwitterMaking Movies Is Hard PodcastFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Most indie filmmakers are guilty of overlooking the importance of sound, but my guest this week - Woody Woodhall - is here to change that. Woody is an acclaimed post-audio engineer, owner of LAPPG and Allied Post, and has played an instrumental role in hundreds of television and film projects.Over the course of our discussion, Woody outlines the most pressing sound-related issues known to plague independent filmmakers, and shares insight on how to avoid them entirely. We also touch on a whole host of other topics including: career advice, tips for on set audio production, workflow considerations, and much more.Links from the show:Allied PostLAPPGWoody's book on Amazon  For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week my guest is Zach Lipovsky, the co-director of the theatrically released feature film Freaks, which stars Emile Hirsch and Bruce Dern. Zach and his partner Adam were able to successfully raise financing for their script, attach A-list actors, land a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and sell their movie for $2,000,000.Over the course of this episode, we walk through the A to Z of this process - from the beginning stages of raising private equity to production, film festivals, and theatrical distribution. Zach shares an incredible amount of tactical advice on the business side of things, which can surely serve as a blueprint for other filmmakers with big screen aspirations. Links from the show -https://twitter.com/zachlipovskyhttps://instagram.com/zach.lipovskyhttps://www.freaks.movieGet a free copy of the shotlister app by emailing showdonttell@shotlister.comFor more content like this visit https://noamkroll.com

One of the most prolific indie filmmakers in recent years is undoubtedly Joe Swanberg. He’s best known for his feature film Drinking Buddies, but has made dozens of other features - including a string of 7 that he produced and directed in just one year.Back in 2016 Joe delivered an amazing Keynote at SXSW that focuses on the business of making and selling truly independent feature films. In this week’s episode, I distilled my 8 biggest takeaways from his keynote and shared some of my own thoughts on each point. Topics covered include: Why working with no money can be better than some money, when to invest in your own films, how shooting 25 pages can yield great results, why you should spend as little as possible on production, and much more.You can watch Joe’s full SXSW keynote here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=hNDMo0ax17EFor more content like this visit https://www.noamkroll.com

More feature films are being made than ever before, and as a result the market is completely saturated with content. This has made it harder than ever for indie filmmakers to make a living with their work, or to turn any sort of profit... But with the right approach to the process - specifically during pre-production - you can lay the groundwork for a more sellable and marketable film, which will ultimately translate to financial success.In this episode, I address this challenge at length, sharing 5 of the most crucial pre-production considerations that all filmmakers should take into account. These lessons are extracted from my Feature Filmmaking Masterclass and are a must-listen for any filmmaker looking to create a viable final product that can help launch their career.Learn more about the Feature Filmmaking Masterclass here: https://noamkroll.com/the-ultimate-micro-budget-feature-filmmaking-masterclass-is-coming-exclusive-pre-order-available-for-a-limited-time/And visit https://www.noamkroll.com for more content like this.