IFH 724: What is Maximum Screenwriting with Jeff Schimmel

Sean Baker: 'Tangerine' How to Shoot a Sundance Hit on Your iPhoneI've recently been looking and studying alternative shoot methods to shoot a feature film. One name that keeps coming up is Sean Baker. His ground-breaking film Tangerine made more noise at the Sundance Film Festival  than the winner that year. The film was also produced by the indie film legends, Jay and Mark Duplass.Tangerine was shot completely on an iPhone. Yes, an iPhone. The great thing was that after his Sundance screening no one in the audience or at the film festival knew that the film was shot on an iPhone.What I respect about Sean Baker as a filmmaker is that he didn't focus on the technology when promoting his film, he let the story, actors and film speak for itself. If you haven't seen Tangerine you are missing out. Take a look at the RED BAND trailer below.I wanted to put together a post that highlighted what can be done with minimal filmmaking tech and a great story. Sean Baker has definitely what can be done in today's filmmaking world.Below are a ton of videos explaining the process Sean Baker and his director of photography Radium Cheung, HKSC went through making Tangerine, as well as a bunch of video explaining tips and tricks on how to turn your something you shot on an iPhone into cinematic gold. Enjoy my conversation with Sean Baker.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

2 Nov 20161h 20min

Today we have on the show the very talented writer/director Benjamin Cox. He is the founder of Red Square Pictures, a New York-based film production company. As creative head, Mr. Cox oversees all aspects of the company's development, production, and content-related activities. A producer, writer, and director, his Red Square Pictures projects include work for a wide range of commercial/fashion clients as well as narrative work in both television and feature films.A feature film that Mr. Cox produced, wrote and directed, NYC dating comedy Better Off Single starring Aaron Tveit, Abby Elliott, Lauren Miller Rogen, Kal Penn, Chris Elliott, Lewis Black, Shane McRae, Kelen Coleman and Annaleigh Ashford, is set for its theatrical release in the fall of 2016. Another of Mr. Cox’s feature projects, an untitled ethereal dramedy starring Mary Beth Hurt, Aidan Quinn, Olympia Dukakis, Macy Gray, Peter Gerety, Emmet Walsh and Rachel Brosnahan, has recently completedAnother of Mr. Cox’s feature projects, an untitled ethereal dramedy starring Mary Beth Hurt, Aidan Quinn, Olympia Dukakis, Macy Gray, Peter Gerety, Emmet Walsh and Rachel Brosnahan, has recently completed post-production and was produced by Mr. Cox, directed by Dianne Dreyer and executive produced by Kevin Spacey. Take a look at Ben's stylish short film Bionda Castana:Check out his current film Better Off Single:A new film from Red Square Pictures and writer/director Benjamin Cox, Better Off Single is the NYC dating comedy that follows one man’s hallucination-fueled, post-breakup quest to find new love… and himself.  Better Off Single stars Aaron Tveit, Abby Elliott, Lauren Miller Rogen, Kal Penn, Chris Elliott, Lewis Black, Shane McRae, Kelen Coleman and Annaleigh Ashford.Doing the Hustle with Better Off Single Director Benjamin CoxToday we have on the show the very talented writer/director Benjamin Cox. He is the founder of Red Square Pictures, a New York-based film production company. As creative head, Mr. Cox oversees all aspects of the company's development, production, and content-related activities. A producer, writer, and director, his Red Square Pictures projects include work for a wide range of commercial/fashion clients as well as narrative work in both television and feature films.A feature film that Mr. Cox produced, wrote and directed, NYC dating comedy Better Off Single starring Aaron Tveit, Abby Elliott, Lauren Miller Rogen, Kal Penn, Chris Elliott, Lewis Black, Shane McRae, Kelen Coleman and Annaleigh Ashford, is set for its theatrical release in the fall of 2016. Another of Mr. Cox’s feature projects, an untitled ethereal dramedy starring Mary Beth Hurt, Aidan Quinn, Olympia Dukakis, Macy Gray, Peter Gerety, Emmet Walsh and Rachel Brosnahan, has recently completedAnother of Mr. Cox’s feature projects, an untitled ethereal dramedy starring Mary Beth Hurt, Aidan Quinn, Olympia Dukakis, Macy Gray, Peter Gerety, Emmet Walsh and Rachel Brosnahan, has recently completed post-production and was produced by Mr. Cox, directed by Dianne Dreyer and executive produced by Kevin Spacey. Take a look at Ben's stylish short film Bionda Castana:Check out his current film Better Off Single:A new film from Red Square Pictures and writer/director Benjamin Cox, Better Off Single is the NYC dating comedy that follows one man’s hallucination-fueled, post-breakup quest to find new love… and himself.  Better Off Single stars Aaron Tveit, Abby Elliott, Lauren Miller Rogen, Kal Penn, Chris Elliott, Lewis Black, Shane McRae, Kelen Coleman and Annaleigh Ashford.When Charlie Carroll quits his job and his girlfriend on the same day, it seems as though he’s finally found freedom. But after a quick dip in the dark waters of the NYC dating pool, Charlie begins to wonder if he’s made a mistake. He’s not equipped for single life. In fact, Charlie might not be equipped for life inBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

27 Okt 201650min

Film Distribution: Top 10 Rules for SuccessWhen filmmakers go out into the world to try to sell their indie film it can be a bit dangerous. The shark infested waters that make up film distribution can be brutal. Since I'm now going down the same dangerous road with my film This is Meg, I decided to write up a few rules I found useful over the years when it comes to film distribution.Split Up Your RightsThe Bigger the Deal the Less Control You HaveCap Your Film Distribution ExpensesThe Middle Men - Beware of the DealNothing is GuaranteedCost vs Sale or R.O.I.Film Festivals Help...SometimesBeware of Exclusive 5 Year Distribution ContractDon't get caught with your pants down in Post ProductionE/O Insurance...gotta have itI go into great detail about the list below in the podcast episode so take a listen. I hope to have the transcript for this episode up by next week. Happy selling.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

25 Okt 201634min

Special Edition: Thought I’d bring this episode back since the new season of The Walking Dead premiered yesterday and it was a brutal one.  The Walking Dead – Working on the Dead SetIf you are a Walking Dead fan you are going to LOVE this episode. If you ever wanted to know what an assistant director does on set you are going to LOVE this episode.On today’s episode, we have a long time friend Vince Gonzales. Vince has been working in the film industry for over top decades. His IMDB page is pretty crazy. He’s worked on 90 classics like The Sandlot, Speed, and What Dreams May Come. Now after 2000 his credits start to heat up: Pearl Harbor, Six Feet Under, Charmed, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, Transformers: Age of Extinction and of course The Walking Dead.I wanted to bring Vince on the show to discuss his time on The Walking Dead but also what it takes to be an assistant director on both small and “monstrous” sets. Don’t listen to this episode in the dark.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

24 Okt 201648min

This week we have Rafael Diaz Wagner, co-writer, and producer of the new Cult Classic "Attack of the Killer Donuts." Yes, that is really the name of the film and it's glorious. He started making films with a Beta Camera when he was 10 years old. Since then Rafael has written or co-written over 15 screenplaysI wanted to find out how this film was made, marketed and sold. It's a wonderful case study. Check out the trailer below and get ready to laugh.Here a quote from the Hollywood Report review of the :"If John Waters and George Romero dropped acid together and then spent the night at their local Krispy Kreme, they might have concocted something like Attack of the Killer Donuts. But the fact that such a film actually exists, and is exactly what it claims to be about, is something that even the best drugs can’t help explain."And here is the poster that got me interested in  speaking to Rafael. They knew who their market was and marketed directly to them.Enjoy my conversation with writer/producer Rafael Diaz Wagner.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

20 Okt 20161h 11min

How to Shoot Super 16mm Film with Egon Stephen Jr.So you want to be a filmmaker. You want to put the FILM back into FILMmaking. Well this episode is for you. Film is not dead. It has been quietly working in the background of the industry.Some of the productions that shooting film these days are:Mad Max: Fury RoadNoahThe AvengersThe Bourne LegacyCaptain America: The First AvengerIron Man 2The Magnificent SevenWestworldThe Girl on the TrainThe Walking DeadJack ReacherBatman vs SupermanStar Wars: The Force AwakensStar Wars: Rogue OneSpectreThe Hateful EightJurassic WorldWonder WomanAmerican Horror StoryStar TrekThe knowledge to shoot film is dying. There's nowhere online where you can take a course on how to shoot Super 16mm film. The "workshops" available are extremely expensive and don't really give you practical knowledge from someone who has actually shot in the field.I wanted to put together an online course to preserve that knowledge for future filmmakers. Today's guest, Director of Photography Egon Stephen Jr, and I got together and shot The Definitive Super 16 mm Film Masterclass.So in today's show Egon and I drop some knowledge bombs on shooting film. So if you ever wanted to know if shoot "real" was an option for your indie feature or short film then perk up those ears. Enjoy my conversation with Egon Stephen Jr.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

17 Okt 20161h 24min

Directing Actors & How to Become an Actor’s Director with Per HolmesDirecting actors can be one of the most difficult parts of wearing the director's hat. Actors speak a language that a director must understand if they are to pull and nurture an amazing performance. Unfortunately film schools do not teach this must need "foreign language" course.I've worked with every kind of actor there is. From Oscar® Nominated to fresh out of acting class. Pulling a good performance can be tough and I would get very frustrated sometimes because I couldn't speak there language.Then I met Per Holmes. Per created a gaming change course years ago called "Hollywood Camera Work: Mastering High-End Blocking and Staging." I loved this course and it's a must for any filmmaker.When I heard he was creating a "Directing Actors" course I was in. I was able to take the course right before I shot my first feature film "This is Meg" and it helped me immensely. I was able to speak the actor's language and nurture the performance I needed for the story.I asked Per Holmes to be a guest on the show because I've never taken a course where the instructor was so detailed, thought out and passionate about the subject. Directing Actors is INSANE.  Here's a bit on the course.Years in the making, Directing Actors is the most comprehensive acting and directing training in the world. Created by Per Holmes, the course teaches a better way to be a Director, by having extremely strong technique, and the right philosophy and personality on the set.Through almost a thousand examples, we cover literally every acting and directing technique, every interaction between Actor and Director, and we cast, rehearse and shoot 9 scenes.Directing Actors is the result of Per Holmes' personal obsession with resolving once and for all the best way to work with Actors. Every known technique has been tested, and the results are surprising, sometimes shocking. Directing Actors has involved almost 150 people through 7 years of development and 3 years of shooting and editing, including almost a hundred talented Actors who have gracefully allowed us to show the process without any filters.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

13 Okt 20161h 40min

Secrets of Indie Film Producing with Suzanne LyonsThis week on the show we have a returning guest, Indie Film Producing guru Suzaane Lyons.Suzanne Lyons is president/producer of Snowfall Films, Inc. and to date has produced or exec produced twelve feature films with budgets that range from $200,000 to $10 million.  Suzanne has worked with talent that including Brenda Blethyn, Christopher Walken, Naomi Watts, Alfred Molina, James Caan, Dean Cain, Ariel Winter, Susan Sarandon, Donald Sutherland, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Tilly, Jon Lovitz, Asia Argento, Winona Ryder, Peter Fonda, Ed Begley, Jr. and more. Suzanne’s films have won a gamut of awards and festivals from the prestigious BAFTA award, a premier at the Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, best picture at Shockerfest, the UK Horror Fest and acceptance into the Toronto, Berlin. LA and Montreal Film Festivals.  In addition to her work as a film producer, Suzanne designed and ran the film school, Flash Forward Institute, with a focus on marketing oneself in the industry. She has guest lectured at over 60 industry events, guilds and organization. In 2012 she published her book through Focal Press (Taylor and Francis) called “Indie Film Producing: The Craft of Low Budget Filmmaking.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

10 Okt 20161h 17min