IFH 553: How to Build a Production Company with Michael D. Ratner

How a Screenwriter Becomes a First Time Director with Kelly Fremon CraigI'm asked all the time"How does a screenwriter get the opportunity to direct one of their screenplays?"That is the question. In Hollywood, more times than not, writers don't have the power or ability to direct their own material. It took a few screenplays before Quentin Tarantino got the shot with Reservoir Dogs. Today's guest is writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig. She got her shot to director her own screenplay on the 2016 critical darling Edge of Seventeen.Kelly's adventures through Hollyweird is inspiring to say the least. Enjoy my conversation with Kelly Fremon Craig.LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEBuy This is Meg on iTunesKelly Fremon Craig - TwitterKelly Fremon Craig - InstagramINDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking CommunityBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

25 Jul 201747min

How to Make Money Renting Your Film Gear with ShareGrid's Brent BarbanoHave you ever wanted to make a little extra cash with that film gear sitting in your closet? Have you ever wanted o rent that new Arri ALEXA but were afraid you couldn't afford it? Well, I came across the solution for both problems, it's call ShareGrid.ShareGrid is a per to per community, think Airbnb for filmmakers, that allows list film gear for rental or rent gear directly from other filmmakers with instant insurance. I reached out to Brent Barbano, co-founder of Sharegrid to discuss how he built this community up, talk about how to be a working cinematographer and just talk shop.Heres a couple of videos explain what ShareGrid is all about.  Enjoy my conversation with ShareGrid Co-Founder Brent Barbano.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

20 Jul 20171h 4min

How To Be Creative - The War of Art & Turning ProHow to be creative? This is a question that surprisingly has a simple answer. DO THE WORK! In this episode, I'll be going over a remarkable book I've read that has truly changed the way I think about life, the creative process and making films. The book is [easyazon_link identifier="1936891026" locale="US" tag="whatisbroke-20"]The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles[/easyazon_link] by Steven Pressfield.If you have writer's block, can't break through the fear or just want some tips on how to be creative this is the episode you need to hear. I'm also running the FIRST EVER Indie Film Hustle Contest. Steve Pressfield sent me a bounty of books to give away to the tribe. All you have to do to enter is "mail me", not email, but actually mail me a letter or video telling me your break through story, when you decided to do the work and stopped being afraid of following that dreamWinner's story will be read on an episode of the IFH Podcast. You can send letters or videos to:Indie Film Hustle Contest - Pressfieldc/o Alex Ferrari531-A North Hollywood Way #257Burbank, CA 91505I can't wait to read your stories. So stop reading this and listen to the podcast already.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

19 Jul 201722min

How to Make $3 Million Selling Your Indie Film on iTunes & Amazon w/ with Nick Palmisciano of Range 15We all hear that self-distribution is the future for indie filmmakers. Build an audience and make a film for that audience but finding real world examples of a "true" indie film breaking $1,000,000+ using that model is tough. Well, I'm happy to introduce you to Range 15, the indie film that not only made $1 million selling on iTunes and Amazon but they have made $3 million+ to date, and growing.Today's guest is Nick Palmisciano, one of the writers, producers, and actors in Range 15. His story of how this film came into the world is truly inspiring.Nick and Mat Best, his co-producer/writer/lead of Range 15, had a crazy idea to create a feature film for the communities they had built up over the years. They are both military veterans and own military themed apparel companies Ranger up Article 15, respectively.They wanted to make a film that the military community would enjoy and they did just that. Check out the fun trailer below. They crowdfunded $1.2 million to make the film. Their goal was $350,000 but they made that in the first 30 hours of the campaign. With the extra cash, they were able to get William Shatner, Keith David, Sean Astin and Danny Trejo in the film. Check out the crowdfunding video below. As you can tell from the videos above Nick and the gang don't take themselves too seriously but what is serious is how much dinero Range 15 has pulled in. For an indie film with no studio and no distributer to break $3 million bucks is a miracle. My hats off to Range 15.Enjoy my inspirational conversation with Nick Palmisciano.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

13 Jul 20171h 15min

Independent Film Self Distribution & Marketing Blueprint with This is MegOver the past 6 months or so I've been getting an enormous amount of emails and messages asking me the same question:What is your distribution and marketing plan for This is Meg?I hear you IFH Tribe, so I decide to put this podcast together and lay out the marketing and distribution blueprint I created to get This is Megout into the world.In this episode, I break down:Why I didn't go through a traditional distributorWhy I didn't do a theatrical run through TUGGHow I will be self-distributing This is MegWhat platforms I'll be selling on and whyWhat my marketing strategy isThis is Meg has been a giant experiment to see what happens and I wanted to share the ride with you, the IFH Tribe. Thank you for all the support. Take a listen and keep on hustlin'.Right click here to download the MP3Download on iTunes DirectWatch on IFH YouTube ChannelBelow you can check out some of the marketing I'm doing to promote This is Meg and content I'm giving my cast so they can push the film on their platforms.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

12 Jul 201725min

Why Creating Systems is Better Than Setting GoalsWe've all been taught that creating goals is important and they are but creating systems is even more powerful. How many times have you lost weight just to gain it back? How many half-written screenplays do you have sitting on your computer? When your focus is only the goal then what happens after you achieve that goal? In this episode, I discuss how to create systems that will get you to your goals faster and keep you motivated along the way. Shameless plug: This is Meg is now available for pre-order on iTunes at an early bird discount $9.99. Just go to www.thisismeg.com/itunes. I have a ton of content coming on how we are releasing the film so stay tuned.LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEBuy This is Meg on iTunesIFH TV - YouTube ChannelSPONSORSFilmConvert - (10% OFF - CODE: HUSTLE)Hollywood Film & Television Directing Masterclass (EXCLUSIVE 50% OFF)Directing Actors Master Course – (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE)Get Your Film on Netflix, Hulu & Amazon & Keep 100% off the Revenue - DistribberHollywood Camera Work: Mastering High-End Blocking and Staging (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE)Werner Herzog's Filmmaking MasterClassAaron Sorkin Screenwriting Master ClassFreeFilmBook.com (Download Your FREE Filmmaking Audio Book)KILLER RESOURCES!!!INDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking CommunityIFH's Online Film SchoolSix Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE!To share your thoughts:Leave a note in the comment section below.Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.To help the show:Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes,  Stitcher, Soundcloud or via RSSBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

5 Jul 201714min

Vintage Lenses for Indie Filmmakers MasterClass w/ Alan BesedinOne of the main goals of Indie Film Hustle is to give real world knowledge and resources to indie filmmakers so they can make a living doing what they love. Film gear is a big part of that equation. I always am on the lookout for the best bang for the buck when it comes to film gear.I recently began to dip my toes into the world of vintage lenses. Vintages lenses are exactly that, vintage. You may be asking"Alex, why would I but a 50-year-old lens that has color redition issues or is soft on the corners when the lenses of today are perfect, clean and more advanced?"The main reason I've fallen in love with vintage lenses is exactly for that reason, they are not perfect. Years ago lenses were made by hand. Each lens had its own personality. Many of them have beautiful mistakes that made them stand out.Case in point Stanley Kubrick. If you watch A Clockwork Orange you'll notice a wide shot as the doorbell rings about 20min into the film. The crazy wide shot was filmed with a Kinoptik 9.8 F2.3. The lens is far from perfect but it has character. Kubrick was more focused in achieving an interesting shot rather than a perfect one. This coming from a legendary perfectionist.Kubrick lenses collection was made up of most vintage lenses. He would buy 10 copies of the same lenses, test them all and pick the best of the bunch and return the rest.Using vintages lenses can also take the "digital bite" off of modern day camera sensors. The best thing about getting into vintage glass is the cost. You can get a beautiful "nifty 50mm" for between $20-$80. They're literally thousands of lens you can choose from, each one special in its own way.  Vintage lenses can truly give your film a unique look and make you stand out from the crowd.Today's guest Alan Besedin has been running in the filmmaking trenches for years and runs my go-to resource for vintages lenses VintageLensesforVideo.com. I've watched every video and read every article on the site. It's a wealth of info.So enjoy my conversation with Alan Besedin from VintageLensesforVideo.com.Right click here to download the MP3Download on iTunes DirectWatch on IFH YouTube ChannelBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

4 Jul 20172h 1min

Why Indie Filmmakers Need to Break the RulesIn this episode, I discuss breaking the rules. why it is important to your career as an indie filmmaker and how it can make you stand out from the crowd. I share examples on rule breakers in throughout Hollywood history and the impact it had on their careers. So get ready to break some mutha f'**kin rules!Also, I have some HUGE news. This is Meg is now available for pre-order on iTunes at an early bird discount $9.99. Just go to www.thisismeg.com/itunes. I have a ton of content coming on how we are releasing the film so stay tuned. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

27 Jun 201719min