IFH 692: How I Wrote Erin Brockovich with Susannah Grant

Want to hear a crazy story on how one filmmaker used a hybrid distribution and marketing strategy to sell his film Bomb It. May I introduce Jon Reiss.  After hearing his story I had to have him on the show so he can tell his story to the IFH Tribe.Jon Reiss was named one of “10 Digital Directors to Watch” by Daily Variety, Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker whose experience releasing his documentary feature, Bomb It with a hybrid distribution and marketing strategy.This strategy inspired him writing Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution and Marketing for the Digital Era, the first step-by-step guide for filmmakers to distribute and market their films. Two years ago he co-wrote Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul and last year co-wrote Selling Your Film Outside the U.S.: Digital Distribution in Europe.Jon Reiss teaches in the Film Directing Program at California Institute of the Arts. He created the course "Real World Survival Skills: Everything I Wish I Had Been Taught in Film School" which covers the practical/business aspects of filmmaking from fundraising through distribution.Jon is a very interesting filmmaker. When I spoke to him he brought the heat and shared a ton of film marketing and distribution knowledge.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

21 Jan 201655min

Social media is a mystery to most filmmakers. It's really easy to get lost in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Youtube, Snap Chat, Periscope, Meerkat, or any of the hundreds of other social media platforms available online.With so many choices and platforms to learn many of us just don't even bother but for those that take the time to educate themselves on social media and it's power the rewards can be HUGE.Marketing an indie film today without including social media is crazy. To watch how Star Wars: The Force Awakens leveraged social media in their marketing campaign was like watching Bobby Fisher play chess...masterful.In this episode I give you a few tips on how to use social media to build your brand, sell your product or promote your film.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

19 Jan 201614min

The Indie Film Hustle Podcast has been around for five short months. I have not had the same guest on twice, until now. Paddy Bird from Inside the Edit. Last time he was on Paddy Bird dropped some major post production knowledge on the IFH Tribe. I had to have him back.Just as a refresher, Paddy Bird  is one of television’s most prolific and accomplished editors. For the past fifteen years he has edited dozens of prime time documentary, entertainment and reality TV shows for British and American television. He has even worked in war zones, spending time editing news stories on location in Iraq.He also created Inside the Edit, the world's best course on creative editing...period. You can get more info on Inside the Edit and listen to our last podcast here: IFH 013: Inside the Edit.This time around we discuss how to build a career as an editor and a freelancer. Paddy goes into a ton of detail and as always delivers the goods. You may need to listen to this episode more than once. Enjoy my conversation with Paddy Bird!If you're interested in checking out his master editing course click here: Inside the EditTO GET 10% OFF USE THE PROMO CODE: IFHCREATIVEBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

14 Jan 20161h 41min

So I know working in the film industry can be tough. Breaking in is even tougher. Many people tell you you have to work for free or intern somewhere to get a foot in the door. Now those people aren't totally wrong. The question is when do you work for free? When is trading your time, energy and effort really worth it? In this episode I break down when you should work for free or cheap and when you need to stand your ground and get paid. This episode is not just for film students. I tell you my story of when I got to Los Angeles and what I choose to do and why even after having 10 years of experience, credits and work under my belt. Enjoy this eye opening episode. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

12 Jan 201617min

We've all read in Variety or The Hollywood Reporter of some no name screenwriter selling his or her screenplay for a million bucks. Ever wonder how they did it? What structure did they use? What tricks of the trade were employed?May I introduce Paul Castro, the writer of one of my favorite films August Rush. Paul Castro is a produced, award winning screenwriter and world-renowned screenwriting professor."Structure...is the canvas on which we paint with words." - Paul CastroHis project, August Rush was produced by Warner Brothers and starred the late great Robin Williams, Keri Russell, Freddie Highmore, Danny Glover, Kelsey Grammer, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The film took Paul Castro into the belly of the Hollywood beast.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

7 Jan 20161h 24min

OK, I wanted to start off the new year on the right foot. Over the course of my career I've seen so many filmmakers obsess over film gear, to a paralyzing end. They focused so much on gear that they never make actual films.No one is saying you shouldn't keep up to date on the latest film gear. You need gear, without it you can't make films but cameras, lenses, drones, and grip equipment are just tools.Do you think Chris Nolan, Martin Scorsese, or Quentin Tarantino obsessed about film gear? No. They learned to tell stories first and then grabbed the tools available to them to tell those stories. Sure now they play with all the latest toys but I can guarantee you Quentin Tarantino worked on The Hateful Eight script first before he thought of shooting it on 70mm.You can pay $1 for a hammer or $100 but both will put the nail in the wood. It’s the master carpenter who practiced and took the time to learn how to hit that nail just right, with one swing, that is the craftsman.Don’t rely so heavilyly on film gear to tell your stories, because gear is not the storyteller, you the filmmaker are. A good filmmaker tells a story with a RED Dragon or an iPhone as this year's Sundance Film Festival Winner 'Tangerine' proved.Don’t believe the hype from all the gear companies having you run out and upgrade your cameras or lenses everytime they release something new. Stop obsessing over gear and start making movies! Take a listen to hear my argument against this "gear porn" epidemic.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

5 Jan 20168min

Happy New Year! I has been ana amazing 2015 for Indie Film Hustle. We launch five short months ago and have grown at a alarming rate. Thanks to the IFH Tribe the Indie Film Hustle Podcast has become the #1 filmmaking podcast on iTunes, just three months after launch...CRAZY!The Indie Film Hustle Youtube Channel is closing in on over 1000 subscribers and I was able to gather over 23,000 followers throughout all the IFH social media platforms. Again I have all of you to thank. This is a special New Years 2016 edition of the the show. I want to let you know what to expect from IFH in 2016 and wanted to give you a little motivation as well. Sit back and get ready to be motivated! Keep that hustle going in 2016 and beyond. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

1 Jan 201615min

Surviving the Hollywood Implosion with Scott McMahonIs there an implosion coming to Hollywood? Film Trooper Scott McMahon thinks so and he's not alone. Think its crazy, think again. Listen to what the king of the blockbusters Steven Spielberg had to say,“There’s going to be an implosion. Mega budget movies are going to go crashing into the ground and that’s going to change the paradigm.”If the Hollywood implosion does come to fruition, then where do aspiring filmmakers go to make a living? Step in Film Trooper Scott McMahon. Scott created a book entitled "How to Make and Sell Your Film Online and Survive the Hollywood Implosion While Doing It."There are a lot of books on how to make a movie and how to be part of the Hollywood machine; but this step-by-step guide will show you, the über independent filmmaker......how to bypass all of that and get to the heart of making and selling digital products (your film) directly to an online audience and survive the Hollywood implosion while doing it.I've known Scott McMahon for a while now and he's a wealth of information. He's truly trying to help the "über independent filmmaker" make it in the film business. His site Film Trooper is a perfect extension of his mission.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

31 Dec 20151h 40min