Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

Latest Episodes:

Making A Feature Film With No Crew, Premiering at SXSW, Landing Theatrical Distribution & More With Filmmaker Pete Ohs Feb 17, 2023

Show notes

Returning to the show today is writer/director/editor Pete Ohs, who you might know from his feature films Everything Is Beautiful Far Away, Youngstown, and his most recent - Jethica.
Jethica was produced with no crew and on nearly no-budget, but that didn’t stop it from premiering at SXSW or securing theatrical distribution. Pete’s story is an amazing case in point for the power of DIY filmmaking, and just how much can be achieved by getting truly creative with your approach.
Throughout the episode, we go in depth on Pete’s process, filmmaking model, and the benefits of working in such a minimalistic way. He also talks about working without a traditional screenplay, his unique collaboration with the actors, navigating festivals, and loads more.
Links from the show:
Pete Oh's - Instagram
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Producing For Gary Vee, Growing An Audience, And Navigating Social Media - An Interview With DRock Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

In this episode I am thrilled to be joined by David Rock (AKA DRock), who you might know as Gary Vaynerchuk’s Executive Creative Director, and the man behind many incredible content pieces and social media innovations.
Throughout this episode, we talk all about DRock’s career trajectory, from meeting Gary to making his first video to scaling their content empire.
DRock also shares his wealth of knowledge on growing an audience (with specific tactics for filmmakers), talks about best practices for navigating social media, and so much more.
Links from the show:
DRock - Twitter
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Winning A Netflix Filmmaking Grant With Filmmakers Evelyn Lorena & Maris Lidaka Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

Today, I am joined by filmmaking duo Evelyn Lorena (writer/director) and Maris Lidaka (producer/editor) - the team behind Gabriela, a new short film.
Evelyn and Maris were able to leverage the success of their short film to secure a filmmaking grant and fellowship from Netflix, making them another great case-in-point for green lighting your own projects. In this episode we discuss their journey to create and release the short film, how it created new opportunities for them, lessons learned, and much more.
Links from the show:
Evelyn - Instagram
Maris - Instagram
Blended Future Project
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Creating A Powerful Documentary Feature In 9 Weeks With Mike J Nichols Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Returning to the show is acclaimed director and editor Mike J. Nichols, here to talk about his latest feature doc John Waite - The Hard Way.
Mike’s latest feature was put together under incredible constraints, and was fully edited in just 9 weeks. Throughout the episode, we discuss some of the benefits and challenges of working this quickly, and Mike’s creative workflow from end to end.
Mike also shares some incredible advice for fixing problem areas. For instance - trimming a feature film to 20 minutes to identify issues, or using sound to find creative solutions to challenging scenes.
Links from the show:
Mike on Twitter
Mike on Instagram
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Making A Debut Short Film With Writer / Director Marisela Grajeda Gonzalez Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

In this episode I am joined by actor, comedian, and filmmaker Marisela Grajeda Gonzalez to talk all about navigating a career as a filmmaker.
Marisela began her filmmaking journey at age 35, when she went back to school to study acting - eventually graduating with a BFA at almost 39 years old. Since, she has forged her own path as a filmmaker by producing her own work.
Throughout the interview, Marisela talks about going into filmmaking later in life, dealing with self doubt, and making her debut short film. She also shares thoughts on the current state of filmmaking, how tech can empower new filmmakers, and more.
Links from the show:
www.mariselagg.com
www.twitter.com/mariselagrajed1
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Late Bloomers: Making Your TV Directing Debut At 69 Years Old (With Faye Brenner) Dec 03, 2022

Show notes

Joining me in this episode is script supervisor turned television director Faye Brenner, who just made her directorial debut at age 69.
As a script supervisor, Faye has worked on feature films like "Stand By Me," "Ghost," "Father of the Bride 2," and "Clear and Present Danger" to name a few. After decades in the business, Faye was able to break in as a director on "The Rookie" by showcasing her talents with a powerful short film. Throughout the episode we discuss Faye's unique path, along with many practical lessons for filmmakers looking to branch out into TV.
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Filmmaker & Entrepreneur Matt Osterman On His New Feature Film "Bitcon" Dec 02, 2022

Show notes

In this episode I am joined by filmmaker and entrepreneur Matt Osterman, known for his feature films "Ghost From The Machine", "400 Days", "Hover", and now "Bitcon."
"Bitcon" tells the story of a missing hard drive with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and the issue of trust in the modern era. Throughout the interview, Matt generously gives us a behind the scenes look into this film, his creative process, and his unique career path.
Links from the show:
"Bitcon" Movie - https://www.bitconmovie.com
Propellant Films - https://www.propellantfilms.com
Matt Osterman's Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattosterman
Matt Osterman's Instagram - https://instagram.com/mattosterman
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Building An Audience Of 11 Million+ With Filmmaker & Yoga With Adriene CEO Chris Sharpe Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, I am thrilled to be joined by filmmaker Chris Sharpe - who you may know as the co-founder of the wildly popular Yoga With Adriene YouTube Channel.
Over the past decade Chris has grown the YWA channel to an incredible 11 million+ subscribers, and today it dominates the Yoga category on YouTube. As a big fan of the channel and a huge proponent of audience building for filmmakers, I was very excited to have Chris on to talk shop. Throughout the episode Chris details their journey from 0 to millions of subscribers, shares practical insights for filmmakers looking to build audiences of their own, and expands on his creative work as a filmmaker.
Links from this show:
Yoga With Adriene - https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene
Chris Sharpe: Website - www.chrissharpe.com
Chris Sharpe: Newsletter - https://chrissharpe.ck.page
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Senior Producer James P Axiotis On Producing For NBC, Disney, JPA Productions & More Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

Joining me today is producer, founder and CEO of JPA Productions - James P Axiotis. James started his career at NBC and quickly became one of the network’s youngest producers while still in his early 20s. Since, he has worked for Disney, as producer on Clint Eastwood's Bridges of Madison County, and countless other Hollywood shows and films.
James now uses his expertise to create films for non-profits - which is a focal point of our discussion today. We also talk about what it takes to be a great producer, how to approach specializing vs. generalizing, and much more.
Links from the show:
JPA Productions - https://jpaproductions.com
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Designing Final Cut Pro, Making Indie Films, And Publishing Books With Mike Wohl Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

In this episode I am honored to be joined by Mike Wohl - an award-winning filmmaker who has written, directed, and edited multiple independent films and shorts.
Mike is also the author of many nonfiction books on the art and craft of filmmaking, and was one of the original designers of Apple’s Emmy-award winning software Final Cut Pro. Throughout our discussion, we cover Mike’s time with Apple during the early days of Final Cut Pro. We also talk extensively about his creative career as both a filmmaker and author, paying special attention to his latest project "In Herschel’s Wake".
Links from the show:
In Herschel's Wake - inherschelswake.com
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