Crafting Your Personal Film

Want to know how to make a micro-budget film look like it cost $1 million? In this episode, I reveal the simple but powerful strategies—big set pieces, smart casting, and professional sound—that can transform your indie film into something that looks like a blockbuster. 

What do film investors really want? In this episode, I share the three things every investor looks for: excitement, the filmmaking experience, and a chance at revenue. If you’re raising money for your film, this is essential listening. 

Learn how to sell your film before you even shoot it through pre-sales. I break down what works in today’s tougher market, why legitimate cast is king, and how distributors and sales agents can boost your financing game. 

Today we speak to Matthew Gentile and Matt Allen about the process of filming and editing the film, American Murderer. Matthew met Matt in film school, and invited him to collaborate on his first feature film. American Murderer is now available on Amazon Prime. In this episode, w ... Show More

It seems that many short films even after they wrap a successful shoot never end up seeing the light of day. And why is that? Because they dry up in the post-production process. Whether it's for lack of money, lack of inspiration, lack of enthusiasm, or just plain destitution at ... Show More

In our very first miniseries, “The Directors,” we talk to filmmakers who have made truly iconic Paramount movies to find out what that process was like, getting all of the details and juicy tidbits that only we can. From Penelope Spheeris to Alexander Payne, it’s an unforgettable ... Show More

In order to make your movie, you need money. So how do you get over that uncomfortable feeling of asking people to invest in your project? And once you have the financing, how do you get over the fact that your movie is not going to be appreciated by all audiences? In today’s epi ... Show More

It seems improbable or impossible to the more seasoned (or jaded) among us. A man, outside of the system and outside of the major cities like New York and LA, built a thriving indie production company with a full growing slate of movies and content... but that's not even the craz ... Show More

Cinematographer Bianca Cline explains how she shot the feature film Marcel The Shell With His Shoes On which is now playing in theaters. In this episode, we talk about… The necessities that stop motion needs Using a rotating camera around the subject Incorporating stop motion int ... Show More

Learn how to talk about a movie you saw last night - what it was about, where it was filmed, some adjectives to describe the plot, the way in which it was filmed - it's all in this lesson. If you haven't seen a particular movie, study the questions you'll need to put to someone w ... Show More

What can we, as independent filmmakers, learn from movie franchises with big legacies? How is AI affecting the careers of writers and actors? What is the best way to properly insure film equipment in the event it gets stolen? In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine and ... Show More

There's no better feeling than completing a project you’ve been working on for, what feels like, forever. On one hand, you’re relieved but you're also anxious to figure out what to work on next. How do you decide what your new project will be, and what is the most efficient strat ... Show More