Aug 12

Before Day One: The Business of Making a Movie

What business decisions should an indie film producer make before day one on set? In this episode, we break down the big-picture decisions that can determine whether your movie has a real shot in the marketplace—from the script and budget to genre, audience, cast, tax incentives, ... Show More

3m 53s

Aug 5

The Five-Minute Sell Test for Indie Films

Can you tell if an indie film will sell in the first five minutes? In this episode, Tom Malloy explains the key signals distributors and sales agents look for during a pitch—from your hook and artwork to your trailer and marketing plan. Learn how to present your project like a pr ... Show More

3m 13s

Jul 29

Will AI Replace Filmmakers?

Will AI replace filmmakers? In this episode of Hollywood Business Explained, I break down why I believe AI will become one of the biggest tools filmmakers have—not their replacement. We look at past technology shifts, where AI stands today, and what independent filmmakers should ... Show More

3m 25s

Apr 2013

Budget film making

What are the secrets of successful independent budget film making, and if you're not born with a silver spoon in your mouth, how do you take your fledgling film to the next level? Simon Smith is joined by film makers Dominic Brunt, Marc Price and Chris Jones, who share their expe ... Show More

22m 12s

Jul 2024

How To Write a Movie To Shoot (In Three Months)

On this special episode of the No Film School podcast, host GG Hawkins shares her experience of writing her first feature, 'I Really Love My Husband' on a small budget and arguably, an even smaller timeline. She discusses the constraints she faced, the collaborative writing proce ... Show More

24m 50s

Aug 2023

How To Write a Screenplay in Ten Days and Shoot a Movie in Less

Making a micro-budget film in a short span of time may feel like an impossible task. What would you say if we told you that these limitations actually make the filmmaking process easier? How is it possible to have more freedom when you are dealing with more restrictions? In toda ... Show More

48m 18s

Aug 2018

How Do You Make a Film with Zero Experience? The First Short: THE GUY [Episode 1]

A short film is a tricky thing, you don’t know how much time or money to invest in such a personal thing that nobody may even end up seeing, so a lot of people don’t even try. The point of this podcast is to get you to stop worrying and just try. In this episode, No Film School ... Show More

59m 49s

Jul 2022

The New Soft Skills You Need as a Modern Filmmaker

Filmmakers creating trolly news cycles and buying bots to gain online attention… Hollywood myth about keeping your project a secret to prevent it from being stolen... latest cloud storage tools by Blackmagic. In this episode, we talk about… The phenomenon of creating a trolley ... Show More

55m 54s

Oct 2023

Adventures in Indie Filmmaking and Leveraging Famous Faces

How do you handle post set blues? How do you properly adapt something you don’t have the rights for? What can we all learn from Taylor Swift’s recent movie? In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, and Jason Hellerman discuss: Shooting an indie film in p ... Show More

56m 59s

Jun 2023

Big Movies Require Big Risks - 'God is a Bullet’ Producer and Financier Talks Filmmaking

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 ep ... Show More

1h 24m

Jul 2025

Run-and-Gun Risks and When Jim Cummings Becomes Your EP

In this episode, GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman dig into the behind-the-scenes business of micro-budget filmmaking. They tackle a fan-submitted Ask No Film School question about run-and-gun filmmaking risks, E&O insurance, and securing distribution when shooting without proper pe ... Show More

1h 11m

Sep 2021

Ed Burns Shares the Art of Indie Film Compromise

Guest Ed Burns is one of a very small number of filmmakers who have been in the thick of the Indie film scene since the 90s and he has invaluable knowledge to share. In this episode, we talk about... Ed’s film Summer Days, Summer Nights and how his childhood helped inspire it. ... Show More

39m 25s

Apr 2023

Golden Elevator to Indie Film? Plus, Rolling Calls

How can a truly independent film find success at the large film festivals? How does one manage to get well-known actors to star in your film? The answer is simple, yet takes effort. You need to get in the mix! In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine and GG Hawkins dis ... Show More

44m 52s

Making Micro-Budget Films That Shine