In this episode of No Film School, GG Hawkins sits down with Erin Brown Thomas, the director of Chasers, a 30-minute single-take short that played both Sundance and Slamdance 2025. Erin shares how she navigated festival promotion, the complexities of grassroots outreach, and why personalized marketing is critical for indie filmmakers. She also dives into the deeper themes of Chasers, which explores red flags in dating and the hustle culture of the entertainment industry.
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Erin Brown Thomas discuss:
- How Chasers came to life and why Erin chose the oner format
- Her experience at Sundance and prepping for Slamdance in Los Angeles
- Why festival outreach feels like producing another film
- How she balances multiple roles in the industry while keeping her projects moving
- The financial realities of indie filmmaking and how to fundraise creatively
- Why personalized outreach is critical for making industry connections
Memorable Quotes:
- “I spent most of my time at Sundance doing grassroots promotion for Chasers, but certain opportunities were just also really, really fun. We did a lot of panels. The panels in particular were like my favorite thing. We did a flash mob on Main Street—that was so much fun.” (2:50)
- “You’re really looking at like a full-time job as if you're making a whole other movie when you have an opportunity to play on this larger scale.” (3:16)
- “Every email you write, you want it to be bespoke. You want it to be personal. Everything needs to be done with grace and intention, walking that fine balance of being really confident that you're in the right place but also being, you know, grateful.” (4:08)
- “It’s always so much easier to stand up for yourself when somebody else who loves you is in the room. And by putting a film like this out into the open, I’m having those discussions with people who care about me.” (21:16)
Guest:
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Erin Brown Thomas – Director of Chasers, festival programmer, and multi-hyphenate filmmaker passionate about lifting up other creatives.
Resources:
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