Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

Latest Episodes:

How To Thrive As An Indie Filmmaker On Your Own Terms With Acclaimed Director and Podcaster Mike Pecci Oct 09, 2020

Show notes

My guest this week is acclaimed filmmaker Mike Pecci, who you may already know from his incredible filmmaking podcast In Love With The Process. After getting his start with silent films two decades ago, Mike went on to launch his production company which has since produced content for brands like Bose and Sam Adams, and music videos/treatments for artists like The Wu Tang Clan, Lucius, Killswitch Engage, and Meshuggah.
Most recently, Mike has been focused on his narrative film endeavors, notably 12 Kilometers and Who’s There, two short films which are currently being adapted into features. Throughout our chat, we talk all about Mike’s career path, breaking into the business, and taking an unconventional approach to both making and marketing his creative work. Mike also shares a ton of valuable lessons for filmmakers on what it takes to succeed in this business from a tactical level, and how your mindset and approach can make all the difference.
Links from the show -
Mike Pecci - Instagram
Mike Pecci - Website
Mike Pecci - Podcast (In Love With The Process)
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Producing THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON With Emmy Award Winner David Thies Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

Joining me this week is David Thies - Emmy award winning producer, prolific television director, local 600 DP and one of the driving forces behind the smash indie hit The Peanut Butter Falcon. The film stars Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen and Dakota Johnson, and was directed by Mike Schwartz and Tyler Nilson.
Throughout our discussion, David walks us through exactly what it took to get this film made at each phase, with special attention paid to the development process. As he outlines in the interview, an incredible script paired with a unique pitch video ultimately garnered the attention of producers Albert Berger & Ron Yerxa (Little Miss Sunshine, Cold Mountain), Armory Films, and a stunning supporting cast that features Bruce Dern, John Hawkes, and Jon Bernthal. All this and much more in today's interview!
Links from the show:
Tvacom - David's Production Company
David Thies - IMDB
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

How To Make Your Indie Feature With Slamdance Co-Founder & Filmmaker Dan Mirvish Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

Joining me this week is none other than Dan Mirvish, co-founder of the iconic Slamdance Film Festival and the director behind indie features like Open House, Between Us (Julia Stiles, Taye Diggs, Melissa George), Bernard and Huey, and 18 1/2.
Throughout our discussion we get into the nitty gritty of what it takes to get an indie film made and distributed, covering everything from raising seed money and working with a casting director to landing a coveted festival slot at Slamdance. This episode is a must listen for any filmmaker looking for a blueprint to get their next movie off the ground.
Links from the show:
The Cheerful Subversive's Guide to Independent Filmmaking
Dan's Website
Dan on Twitter
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Breaking Through With A 3 Minute Short Film, Featuring SXSW Filmmaker Chelsea Devantez Sep 04, 2020

Show notes

Today I am thrilled to be joined by writer/director/actor Chelsea Devantez, whose 3 minute film Basic was programmed this year at SXSW, Santa Barbara International Film Festival and many others.
Chelsea is a case-in-point for what's possible when you embrace your limitations to create meaningful content that can reach a wide audience. Basic may have been crafted using minimal resources, crew and gear, but that didn't stop the film from beating out thousands of others to land a coveted festival slot. Throughout the interview we talk all about how the film was pulled off, what made it work critically, how filmmakers can beat the odds with their own work, and much more. We even touch on Chelsea's background as a writer working with comedian Jon Stewart and on shows like Bless This Mess.
Links from the show:
Basic - Short Film
Chelsea's Website
Chelsea on Twitter
Chelsea on Instagram

Navigating Post-Production, Festivals & Distribution With Hannah Black & Megan Petersen of “Drought” Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

Last year I had the fortune of interviewing Hannah Black & Megan Petersen all about their feature film Drought for Episode 64 of the podcast. As a refresher, this is the creative duo whose debut feature was crowdfunded on Seed & Spark before landing a $50K investment from the Duplass Bros, the film’s Executive Producers.
While our first interview was centered around the origin story of this feature film, this time around we talk all about the project’s “second act.” We go into detail on the creative finishing work that went into this movie, the unique challenges of navigating film festivals during these uncertain times, release intentions and strategies for the film, and much more!
Links from the show-
Drought - Twitter
Drought - Facebook
Drought - Instagram
Drought - Seed & Spark
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Getting Your Short Film Programmed At SXSW & Landing Distribution With Rebecca Kahn & Abishek Prasad Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

My guests this week are co-directors Rebecca Kahn and Abishek Prasad, whose short film Who Among Us was programmed at SXSW 2020 and gained distribution through DUST.
Over the course of our chat, we cover a lot of ground - talking all about what it takes to get a short programmed at SXSW, tips for financing and producing your next short, how to navigate feedback and post-production, and so much more. We also talk about distribution options for short films, tactics for filmmakers looking to increase their creative output while balancing other work, and other critical advice for filmmakers looking to grow their careers.
Who Among Us - Instagram
Who Among Us - Twitter
Who Among Us - Facebook
Who Among Us - YouTube
Pudu Productions
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

How To Work With Talent On An Indie Set: An Interview With "Psychosynthesis" Lead Actress Stephanie Pearson Jul 31, 2020

Show notes

Today I am very excited to share my interview with Stephanie Pearson, who is not only the star of my feature film Psychosynthesis, but an incredibly talented producer in her own right. Stephanie has spent years on both sides of the camera, and joins us today to share her words of wisdom on all things filmmaking.
Using our recent feature film collaboration as a launching off point, we discuss the unique dynamics of an indie film set, what the challenges are from an actor's perspective, the importance of clear directorial communication, and so much more. We also talk about the state of the industry right now, why it's crucial to produce your own material, and best practices for taking control over your destiny as an artist.
Links from the show:
Psychosynthesis on Amazon Prime
Recovery on Amazon Prime
Downrange on Amazon Prime
Stephanie on Instagram
Stephanie on Twitter
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Writing & Directing The $10,000 Feature Film “Mr. Misfortune” With Filmmaker Rick Caplan Jul 30, 2020

Show notes

On this episode I am joined by writer/director Rick Caplan who recently completed and released his feature film Mr. Misfortune. This micro-budget production was shot for under $10,000 in just 10 shooting days, and was brought to life in a truly unique way.
As Rick outlines over the course of our chat, he had to wear a lot of hats on this production to make it a reality. Not only did he write and direct the project, but also shot the film and handled all the post-production himself - including music composition and color correction. Throughout the discussion, we get into the nitty gritty on each of these steps, critical lessons learned along the way and much more!
Links from the show:
Mr. Misfortune on Amazon
Rick Caplan on Twitter
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Producing 3 Feature Films For Under $250K With Filmmaker Josh Folan Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

Joining me this week on the show is filmmaker turned author Josh Folan. Over the course of his career, Josh has not only produced 3 micro-budget features (each of which have a budget under $250K), but most recently wrote a book about his endeavors called: Still Filmmaking The Hard Way.
Over the course of our discussion, Josh outlines how any filmmaker can make their passion project a reality, without any upfront financial backing from traditional production companies or studios. He also shares a ton of practical advice about sales and distribution, providing invaluable lessons for filmmakers seeking to go down a similar path.
Links from the show:
www.nyehentertainment.com
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

From Concept To Production To Distribution: How I Pulled Off My Micro-Budget Feature Film PSYCHOSYNTHESIS Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

To celebrate the release of my feature film PSYCHOSYNTHESIS on Amazon Prime, today I am sharing a behind the scenes look at our entire process on this micro-budget indie. The film itself was made for only $25,000 in just 9 shooting days, which resulted in a highly unconventional workflow both on set and in the editing room.
Throughout the episode I outline every practical step that we took to bring this film to life - starting in the very early days of concept development, all the way through to casting, prep, production, and of course post-production, distribution and beyond. While I have shared some anecdotes about the film on my blog at noamkroll.com - I get into much more depth on each phase of the process here on today's episode, providing a blueprint for other filmmakers looking to bootstrap a feature film of their own.
Watch PSYCHOSYNTHESIS On Amazon Prime In The US
Or search "Psychosynthesis" on Amazon Prime Video in your country
Please don't forget to rate and review the film on Amazon and IMDB to help us reach an even bigger audience!
Related links:
Psychosynthesis Seed & Spark Campaign – See what we did to raise our budget via crowdfunding and secure a grant from the Duplass Bros.
ARRI’s CPO Program put to the test on “Psychosynthesis” – An article published by Arri about our use of a used Alexa on this feature.
Playing Against Trends By Shooting Alexa Classic in 4:3 – My first written breakdown on the blog about why we chose a less conventional camera setup.
Choosing 2K in a 4K World – An article on Cinema 5D about our technical choice to shoot in 2K/ProRes HQ.
How I Cut My 90 Minute Feature Film In 3 Weeks – My article outlining how the first edit of Psychosynthesis came together.
An Interview With Cinematographer Matteo Bertoli – From my podcast (Episode 63), detailing our approach to camera & lighting.
My Simple Workflow For Writing Feature Length Screenplays – This isn’t directly about the movie, but is the process I used to write the film.
Interview On No Film School – My interview with NFS all about what went into the making-of this feature.
How I Made A Feature Film For $25,000 In 9 Days – A very detailed (4000 word) breakdown of the entire production process on this film.
Behind The Scenes Featurette – A short BTS video with footage from rehearsals, production and beyond.
My Workflow Using FCP X To Cut, Mix & Finish Psychosynthesis – Another very detailed article on process, this one focused on post-production.
For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Show Don’t Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected