BONUS EPISODE: Big Budget Indie Films and Creative Freedom with Neill Blomkamp

BONUS EPISODE: Big Budget Indie Films and Creative Freedom with Neill Blomkamp

Ever since I saw District 9 and learned of all the mythical stories behind the short film becoming a feature, I have been a massive fan of today’s guest, Neill Blomkamp. Though Neill is here today to talk about his new sci-fi horror fiction film, Demonic, we also chatted up about his other films that have been successful over the years.

Released in August 2021, Demonic follows a young woman who unleashes terrifying demons when supernatural forces at the root of a decades-old rift between mother and daughter are ruthlessly revealed.

Neill is a South African Canadian film director, producer, screenwriter, and animator, best known for writing and directing multiple-award-winning films such as Chappie, Elysium, and the iconic District 9, along with a plethora of short films, commercials, and special effect credits.

If you have seen a few of Neill’s works already, you would already know and admire his dystopian, action, and sci-fi style of writing and filmmaking. He depicts the short film in documentary style, with xenophobic social segregation themes.

In 2009 Neill and his wife, Canadian screenwriter Terri Tatchell, co-wrote a short film titled, Alive in Joburg, which later became his feature film debut, District 9. Neill received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture for this $210.8 million-grossing film from a $30 million budget.

District 9 was a critically acclaimed splash, earning multiple awards, including the Bafta, the Academy, Golden Globes, etc., for its visual effects, editing, screenplay, and picture. And a 90% on rotten tomato. But the success of this film is truly in the story it tells and the inspiration that drove it.

In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor.

In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, was contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new 'Prawn' friends.

As you will hear in our conversation, this project was inspired by parts of Johannesburg in South Africa's history Neill was learning. His journey involved gaining awareness of xenophobia from relatively poor South Africans against immigrants from Mozambique, Nigeria, and Malawi --- a sentiment is still prevalent with some South Africans to this day.

The initial short film, Alive In Joburg that preceded District 9, had a socio-political theme shot in realism-based style paired with sci-fi but of performers sharing real-life experiences of illegal aliens/immigrants in South Africa.

By the time he had to adapt the script for the feature, District 9, Neill had moved into an interest of South Africa’s history, including apartheid, and precisely its border war period in the 1980s.

As mentioned earlier, Neill started his career in this industry through visual effects and animation in commercials. When he moved to Canada at 18 years old, the pathway opened up for him to finally pursue his childhood dream of working in the film industry.

He did Ads animation for some years while closely following the works of film directors who had gone the commercials to film directing route. One of his most prominent commercials to date, which was shelved by the clients based on creative differences, was a short film Superbowl ad for Nike.

Even though he spent a short time doing commercials, Neill has held on to all the transferable lessons and tips to his filmmaking and screenwriting.

IN 2015, Neill released his third feature film, dystopian sci-fi action fiction, Chappie, co-written with his wife, Tatchell --- starring Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, and Hugh Jackman. Chappie became a massive success at the box office with a gross of from a $49 million budget.

Chappie, an artificial general intelligence law enforcement robot, is captured during a patrol and reprogrammed by gangsters after being stolen. He becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.

Not to give too much away, let's dig into my interview with our incredible guest, Neill Blomkamp.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

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IFH 688: What They Don't Tell Filmmakers about Making an Indie Film with Jeremy Gardener

IFH 688: What They Don't Tell Filmmakers about Making an Indie Film with Jeremy Gardener

Jeremy Gardner is an American actor, writer, and director known for his work in the independent horror film "The Battery." He wrote, directed, and starred in the movie, which was released in 2012."The Battery" is a post-apocalyptic zombie film that gained critical acclaim for its character-driven approach and low-budget yet effective storytelling. Since then, Jeremy Gardner has continued to work in the film industry, both in front of and behind the camera.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

1 Kesä 20231h 53min

IFH 687: Skipping First-Time Screenwriting Mistakes with Naomi Beaty

IFH 687: Skipping First-Time Screenwriting Mistakes with Naomi Beaty

Today on the show we have former studio executive turned screenwriting teacher and screenplay consultant Naomi Beaty. She is essentially an on-call development partner to screenwriters, producers, and directors at all levels. From those just starting out, to those firmly established and working in the industry today.She lived and worked in L.A. for over a decade, read thousands of scripts, and worked with hundreds of writers through one-on-one consulting, creating the Idea to Outline workshop, and teaching story structure for Save the Cat. I’ve worked with producers internationally and consulted on the 2016 Raindance Film Festival “Indie Film of the Year” winner, Selling Isobel.As a former development exec-in-training at Madonna and Guy Oseary’s Maverick Films, she worked on projects like Twilight, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, and The Stanford Prison Experiment.In this episode, we get into the weeds about mistakes screenwriters make and what studios are looking for.Enjoy my talk with Naomi Beaty.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

30 Touko 202353min

MONDAY MOTIVATION!: The Art Of Breaking The Rules

MONDAY MOTIVATION!: The Art Of Breaking The Rules

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

29 Touko 20233min

IFH 686: How to Get Things Done with David Allen

IFH 686: How to Get Things Done with David Allen

David Allen is a productivity consultant and the author of the book "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity." He is widely recognized for his expertise in personal and organizational productivity and has developed the GTD (Getting Things Done) methodology.In his book, "Getting Things Done," Allen presents a system for managing and organizing tasks and projects to increase productivity and reduce stress. The GTD methodology focuses on capturing all tasks and commitments into an external system, clarifying their meaning and desired outcomes, organizing them effectively, reviewing and updating regularly, and taking appropriate actions. The book has gained significant popularity and has become a widely implemented system for personal and professional productivity.David Allen has been involved in coaching, training, and consulting with various individuals and organizations, including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. He continues to speak and conduct workshops on productivity and personal development, sharing his insights and strategies to help individuals and teams enhance their effectiveness and achieve their goals.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

25 Touko 202348min

IFH 685: Learning Screenwriting Story Structure with John Bucher

IFH 685: Learning Screenwriting Story Structure with John Bucher

Today on the show, we have storytelling guru John Bucher, who is a renowned strategist, communicator, and cultural mythologist based out of Hollywood, California. Disruptor named him one of the top 25 influencers in Virtual Reality in 2018.“John Bucher is an influencer. He’s one of our most prolific contributors.” — HBOHe is the author of six books, including the best-selling Storytelling for Virtual Reality, named by BookAuthority as one of the best storytelling books of all time. John has worked with companies including HBO, DC Comics, The History Channel, A24 Films, and The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation and served as a consultant and writer for numerous film, television, and Virtual Reality projects. Currently, he teaches writing and story courses as part of the Joseph Campbell Writers Room at Studio School in Los Angeles and at the LA Film Studies Center. He has spoken on five continents about using the power of story to reframe how products, individuals, organizations, cultures, and nations are viewed.John is a prolific writer.STORYTELLING FOR VIRTUAL REALITYStorytelling for Virtual Reality serves as a bridge between students of new media and professionals working between the emerging world of VR technology and the art form of classical storytelling. Rather than examining purely the technical, the text focuses on the narrative and how stories can best be structured, created, and then told in virtual immersive spaces. Author John Bucher examines the timeless principles of storytelling and how they are being applied, transformed, and transcended in Virtual Reality. Interviews, conversations, and case studies with both pioneers and innovators in VR storytelling are featured, including industry leaders at LucasFilm, 20th Century Fox, Oculus, Insomniac Games, and Google.A BEST PRACTICE GUIDE TO SEX AND STORYTELLINGA great deal of storytelling in film and television involves narratives that include sexual situations and nudity. The increased amount of online and streaming content outlets has, in turn, increased the number of narratives that involve these once-taboo subjects. Often, even though directors and producers desire to handle such issues with professionalism, sets become awkward when producing these scenes. A Best Practice Guide to Sex and Storytelling serves as a helpful tool for guiding creators through these waters.MASTER OF THE CINEMATIC UNIVERSEMaster of the Cinematic Universe is a guide to the future of transmedia storytelling. Content creators of every flavor are constantly needing to expand the mediums they can work in. This volume serves as a resource for using the timeless truths of story structure to craft established as well as up-and-coming short-form media formats.STORYTELLING BY THE NUMBERSStorytelling By The Numbers is a collection of essays and articles that John Bucher has written for LA Screenwriter and a variety of other outlets. All are meant to strengthen storytellers and scriptwriters. Bucher examines trends and tropes found in current film and television and uses these examples to demonstrate how and why they work as storytelling devices. Writers from any genre, working with any type of narrative, can find jewels of wisdom and applicable nuggets for their own ideas. The collection also features ten powerful writing prompts to assist writers in creating or developing a script idea from a single character.Enjoy my conversation with John Bucher.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

23 Touko 20231h 20min

IFH 684: How to Make a Kick-Ass Low-Budget Zombie Film with Eric England

IFH 684: How to Make a Kick-Ass Low-Budget Zombie Film with Eric England

Eric England is an American film director, writer, and producer. He is best known for his work in the horror genre, particularly for his 2013 film "Contracted." The film follows a young woman who contracts a mysterious sexually transmitted disease that begins to ravage her body in horrifying ways.In addition to "Contracted," England has directed several other horror films, including "Madison County" and "Josie." He has also directed episodes of the television series "Surviving Jack" and "The Rookie." England's work often explores themes of isolation, psychological trauma, and bodily horror, and he is known for his stylish visual approach to genre filmmaking.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

18 Touko 20231h 37min

IFH 683: Crash, Boom, Bang! How to Write Action Movies with Michael Lucker

IFH 683: Crash, Boom, Bang! How to Write Action Movies with Michael Lucker

Today on the show we have screenwriter, Michael Lucker. Michael is a writer, director, and producer with twenty years of experience creating film, television, animation and digital media. He began his career writing and directing television commercials while earning his undergraduate degree in broadcasting and film at Boston University’s College of Communication.Soon after he landed in Los Angeles working in production on series and specials for ABC, NBC, CBS and HBO before taking a job as assistant to Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment on feature films Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade, Arachnophobia, Joe Vs. The Volcano, Always, Back To The Future II & III and Jurassic Park.He went onto serve in creative affairs at Hollywood Pictures where he worked on such movies as Crimson Tide, Terminal Velocity, Taking Care of Business and Straight Talk. Michael then embarked on a career as a screenwriter, helping pen more than twenty feature screenplays for Paramount, Disney, DreamWorks, Fox, and Universal, including Vampire In Brooklyn, Home On The Range, Good Intentions and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2002 as best animated feature.“You don’t have to be a writer of action films to benefit from Michael Lucker’s rock-solid screenwriting advice, but if you are an action writer… it is essential.” — John Baldecchi, Producer: Point Break, The Mexican, Conan the BarbarianHe also served as screenwriter on the animated sequels to Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Emperor’s New Groove and 101 Dalmatians. An opportunity to serve as a creative consultant to Turner Entertainment took him home to Atlanta in 2007.He went onto work as a writer, director and executive producer with non-fiction production houses Encyclomedia, Shed Media, Crazy Legs Productions and Trailblazer Studios before launching his own production company, Lucky Dog Filmworks, which now serves as his home for creating film, television, and commercial content. In television, Michael has worked with Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, History, Discovery, NBC, TBS, TLC, OWN, DIY, MSNBC, and A&E.His new book Crash! Boom! Bang! How to Write Action Movies. A fun, insightful insider’s look at the nuts and bolts of writing action movies, from concept to completion, by a professional screenwriter and professor of screenwriting. Full of witty anecdotes from the front lines (and tricks of the trade from between the lines), Crash! Boom! Bang! promises an enjoyable and educational read for writers and students of all levels. Although bullets and bloodshed abound in cinema, the lessons within will benefit screenwriters of all kinds of movies.Enjoy my conversation with Michael Lucker.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

16 Touko 202355min

MONDAY MOTIVATION!: Balance

MONDAY MOTIVATION!: Balance

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

15 Touko 20232min

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