Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

In this episode, I am joined by writer, producer and actor Jonathon M. Smith - who originally connected with me through my filmmaking community (The Backlot).  Not long after joining the community, Jonathon went on to make his debut feature film Broken City , lock in distribution, and launch an impressive film marketing event in his hometown. Throughout the interview, Jonathon sheds light on his p...

In this episode, I dive deep into the world of single location filmmaking and share my thoughts making the most of your micro-budget production. Throughout the show I unpack many of the common pitfalls associated with this approach - like keeping your audience engaged and avoiding visual repetition - along with creative solutions at each step. Topics covered include: Writing your script around the...

Today I am joined by Ryan McGuire, who heads up the commercial production company Cutter Studios in Tokyo, Japan.  Throughout the interview, Ryan and I take a deep dive into the world of commercial filmmaking. Ryan shares his story launching a niche production business in Japan, which has attracted clients like Amazon and Zeiss along the way. We also discuss tips for filmmakers looking to build an...

In this episode I am joined by friend of the show and host of Past Present Feature ( @pastpresentfeature ), Marcus Mizelle. An Emmy award winning feature filmmaker who has made numerous successful DIY narrative and documentary films. Throughout the interview we talk about Marcus’ leap from scripted micro-budget narratives, to breakthrough feature doc projects. He speaks to the importance of curati...

Today I am thrilled to have acclaimed DP Oren Soffer on to talk about his recent work on The Creator, and all other things cinematography. Oren is of course known for his brilliant camera work on countless narrative, commercial, and music video projects. He recently co-DP’d The Creator along with Greig Fraser - which drew tons of attention for its stunning visuals and innovative use of the Sony FX...

In this episode I am very excited to share my interview with the amazing Barbara Crampton - Known for her iconic genre films like Re-Animator, Jakob’s Wife, Suitable Flesh , and countless others. After recently working with Barbara on our new feature film, I had to get her on the podcast to discuss her unique creative process. Throughout the discussion, we cover Barbara’s career path from soap sta...

In this episode, I share a breakdown of some amazing and unconventional lens choices on the feature film Poor Things. While many lenses were used throughout production, there were 4 in particular that I believe contributed most critically to the distinct look of this film - Including a pair of Lomography Petzval lenses, and a 4mm lens adapted from Super 16.  Throughout the episode, I cover each le...

In this episode I am joined by DIY filmmaker Marty McGowan, who recently completed his feature film Ava on a budget of just $200! Throughout the episode, we unpack Marty’s creative process, how he pulled off a feature with a 2 person crew, and his approach to building a strong visual palette on a budget. We also touch on his workflow for capturing great performances, the importance of building you...

In this new solo episode, I break down these 8 common issues that can kill your indie film: Big egos Rushing the script Dragging out development Overspending on equipment Neglecting actors for camera Making sound an afterthought Not taking feedback from the team Not caring about the small details Throughout the show I take a deep dive into the root cause of each of these issues, along with practic...

In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Steven Pierce to talk all about his latest feature film Herd. The film follows a woman that ends up trapped between a zombie outbreak and warring militia groups while trying to outrun her past. An ambitious concept for a micro-budget, making the execution of it all that much more impressive. Throughout the episode Steven and I speak about his new film at l...

In this new solo episode, I compare and contrast my experience directing and DP’ing two separate feature films, and share tips for other filmmakers looking to do the same. Throughout the episode we cover everything from camera & lens choice to on-set workflow. All with the intention of maximizing collaboration with actors, achieving great production value, and simplifying your on-set workflow....

Today I am joined by writer / director Benjamin Epstein to talk about his acclaimed feature film Buck Alamo , which stars Bruce Dern, Sonny Carl Davis, Lorelei Linklater, and premiered at the Oldenburg Film Festival. Throughout the episode we discuss Benjamin’s path as a filmmaker. From his early short film work to his first premiere at SXSW. We also unpack his creative process, his experience dir...

After taking a brief hiatus while in production for our new feature Teacher's Pet , I am thrilled to return to the show! Before sharing a slew of new interviews with you, I wanted to first publish this solo episode to give you a behind the scenes look into our process on the new movie. Throughout the episode I discuss how the film was developed, my approach to keeping a DIY mentality while scaling...

In this episode I am excited to be joined by acclaimed DP Danny Ruhlmann, whose latest feature film Anyone But You (starring Sydney Sweeney & Glen Powell) is out in theaters today. Throughout the episode Danny generously shares his wealth of knowledge on all things cinematography - From specific tactics for beauty lighting to creative workflows for achieving better results on set in less time....

Today I am joined by filmmaker, director, and actor Scott Monahan to talk all about his brand new feature film Anchorage. Anchorage was shot in just 5 days on a budget of barely over $50,000, but that didn’t stop the film from landing a wildly successful festival tour and eventual theatrical release. Throughout the interview we take a deep dive behind the scenes look at this innovative feature. We...

Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Tom DeLonge of blink-182, Angels & Airwaves, and To The Stars, here to talk all about his debut feature film Monsters Of California. As a longtime fan of Tom’s, it was a treat to host this conversation and hear about his evolution into filmmaking first hand. We discuss the origin story of Monsters , how Tom’s band Angels & Airwaves sparked his interest...

In this episode I am joined by writer / director Bishal Dutta to talk all about his debut feature film It Lives Inside. After making dozens of short films, Bishal leveraged his impressive body of work to develop an amazing feature film with NEON. Throughout the interview, we discuss Bishal’s trajectory from making self funded projects to a theatrically released feature. We also touch on the nuance...

Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Jennifer Esposito, here to discuss the incredible journey making and releasing her debut feature film, Fresh Kills. Throughout the episode Jennifer documents her creative process at length - from conceptualizing the first female driven organized crime movie, to navigating countless obstacles to raise production financing. She also shares invaluable insight for...

In this episode I am joined by acclaimed cinematographer and Columbia University film professor Tal Lazar. Throughout the interview, Tal shares his perspective on the art of cinematography from a storytelling perspective. We discuss visual tactics for directors, how to achieve a specific cinematic vision, and the improtance of developing your own visual language. Tal also shares his philosophy on...

In this episode, I am joined by professional location scout Jillian Fisher - Known for her work on films like The Whale, Theater Camp, Reality, and countless others. Throughout the interview, Jillian shares a behind the scenes look at her career, from breaking into the business to working on Hollywood feature films. She also talks about her journey to build up the local film industry in Kingston N...

Today I am thrilled to be joined by filmmaking legend Larry Kasanoff, known for his work on major feature films like True Lies, Terminator 2, Mortal Kombat, Platoon, Dirty Dancing, and countless others. Throughout the episode, we discuss Larry’s unique career path - from his early feature film work to his breakout success as a producer and studio executive. He also shares his unique philosophy on...

Today I am joined by filmmaker Jason Abrams, here to talk about the unique origin story and process behind his debut feature film. Jason was inspired to make Hungry Dog Blues - a small town crime thriller - after his father’s business was indicted and raided by the federal government. This led to a 5 year journey to write, produce, direct, and ultimately act in a feature film that loosely tapped i...

Today, I’m thrilled to have Joshua Caldwell return to the show to discuss his latest feature film Mending The Line. Josh is a prolific filmmaker who got his start with the $6000 feature film Layover, before leveraging its success to develop numerous subsequent features that have each grown in scope and budget. His latest feature Mending The Line (now in theaters) marks his biggest production to da...

In this episode, I am excited to be joined by acclaimed producer Sevier Crespo to discuss his path as a filmmaker over the past 20 years. Sevier’s career kicked off after a mentorship with Robert Townsend inspired him to pursue film producing. Over the next two decades, Sevier produced countless film projects that have premiered at majors film festivals like Cannes, and has worked with the likes o...

In this episode, I am joined by filmmakers Craig Melville, Ben Yannette, and Andy Hassell - who I initially connected with through my filmmaking community The Backlot. Last summer, this filmmaking trio took part in a community-driven competition that required them to produce a trailer for a new feature film concept. Ultimately, their trailer won the top prize in the competition, and they were awar...