THROWBACK FRIDAY: How to Direct the Character, Not the Actor with Mark Travis

Submitting to film festivals is a torture. Did I get in? Did the programmer watch it yet? When will I know? How much to submit? You wait by your email to see if Sundance or SXSW accepted you? Wouldn't be amazing if you had some insight to the film festival process? Maybe even some torture Film Festival Secrets?On the show today I have one of the leading authorities on film festivals, Chris Holland from Film Festival Secrets.com. The man literally wrote the book on the subject, Film Festival Secrets: A Handbook For Independent Filmmakers.So enjoy my conversation with Chris Holland.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

21 Apr 20161h 1min

This is a question I've been asked many times."What is an Independent Film?"Is George Lucas an independent filmmaker? He did make all his films outside the studio system and paid for them all out of his pocket. Is the $8000 horror feature created to with the sole purpose to be sold an independent film? Is the five million dollar film starring a major movie star that worked for scale an independent film?Take a listenBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

19 Apr 201611min

What can I say about Lloyd Kaufman? Director. Writer. Producer. Indie Filmmaker. Innovator. Nice guy. Pain in the ass of main stream media. I believe all of those statements are true and then some. Lloyd Kaufman is one the original indie filmmakers going back to the 1970's. The Troma Universe was born in 1974 with a series of highly original, raunchy comedies such as Squeeze Play!, Stuck On You!, Waitress!, and other film titles ending with an exclamation point.In my favorite decade, the 80's, is where Lloyd Kaufman really made a name for himself. His 1984 sleeper hit The Toxic Avenger launched his career and his production company Troma Entertainment. Creating his own brand of independent films, Lloyd Kaufman discovered there was a market for his "unique type" of films. The success of The Toxic Avenger was followed by a string of commercial and artistic triumphs in a similar vein, blending fantasy, comedy, bad ass action, and a bit of eroticism in a style that can only be described as “Tromatic”.To say this was an enjoyable and entertaining interview would be an understatement. Enjoy my conversation with the one and only Lloyd Kaufman.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

14 Apr 20161h 20min

No One Gives a CRAP What You Shoot Your Film On!OK, so before I get bombarded with hate email please hear me out. I was speaking to my filmmaker inner circle the other day and the topic of format and camera came up. I'm a huge tech head. I love gear as much as the next filmmaker.Hell, you can't make movies without gear. Advances in filmmaking technology has liberated a generation of storytellers, filmmakers and content creators. Now does the audience give a SH*T about what camera you used to make your movie...NO!If you want to know what it really takes to be a successful filmmaker in today's world take a listen to this short podcast.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

12 Apr 201613min

IFH 063: 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.

6 Apr 201648min

Top 5 Film Festival SCAMS Filmmakers Need to Be Aware Of!I've been at a fair share of film festivals in my life and I've submitted to many more than I've been accepts to. With that said I have seen many less than honorable film festival organizers throughout the process. Now not all film festivals are run by grifters and con men but you need to be aware of the signs that a film festival you are submitting to may just be in existence to remove you from you hard earned cash and not to celebrate amazing independent film and filmmakers. I put together a few warning signs you should look out for when submitting to film festivals. Stay safe out there everyone!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

5 Apr 201613min

If you have seen Star Wars then you know Joseph Campbell's work. If you ever have seen The Lion King then you have seen one of Campbell's best student's, Chris Vogler, work.Chris Vogler wrote the game changing book  The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. I read this book over 20 years ago and it changed the way I look at story. Chris studied the work and principles of the late master Joseph Campbell. His book The Hero with a Thousand Faces was the bases for Star Wars as well as almost every other Hollywood feature film in the past 60 years. What Chris Vogler did so well is that he translated Campbell's work and applied it to movies. The Writer's Journey explores the powerful relationship between mythology and storytelling in a clear, concise style that's made it required reading for movie executives, screenwriters, playwrights, scholars, and fans of pop culture all over the world. He has influenced the screenplays of movies from THE LION KING to FIGHT CLUB to BLACK SWAN to NOAH."I teach sometimes, and always say that Chris Vogler is the first book that everyone's got to read." -- Darren Aronofsky , Oscar-nominated Screenwriter/Director, Noah, Black Swan, The WrestlePretty high praised from one of the best filmmakers working today. In this episode I ask Chris to breakdown a bunch of concepts of the Hero's Journey, why it resinates with people around the world and what makes an amazing hero and villain. Enjoy my conversation with Chris Vogler.Screenwriting & Story Blueprint: The Hero's Two JourneysThe Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd EditionMyth & the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable FilmsThe Hero with a Thousand Faces (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)Memo from the Story Department: Secrets of Structure and CharacterThe Million Dollar ScreenplayBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

31 Mars 20161h 12min

A Indie Film Hustle Tribe member recently asked me"Should You Work for Deferred Payment or Back End Points?"Believe it or not I get this question A LOT! So I decided to dedicate a podcast episode to the question. There are times I would say yes definitely work for deferred payment or back end points. I heard a story of a screenwriter that was asked to do a rush job, write an entire screenplay in two week over Christmas vacation. He really didn't want to do it but the agent said he could get him paid and get him back end points. The screenwriter took the gig, the producer love the script and the movie went on to gross $500,000,000 world wide. He took home over $20 million. Not bad.So yes there is a time to make that deal but alas there are times you should never work for deferred. Take a listen to when to and when not to work for deferred payments or back end points. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

29 Mars 20166min