Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

Latest Episodes:

From No-Budget Feature To Green Light: Making My Biggest Indie Feature Film To Date Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

After taking a brief hiatus while in production for our new feature Teacher's Pet, I am thrilled to return to the show!
Before sharing a slew of new interviews with you, I wanted to first publish this solo episode to give you a behind the scenes look into our process on the new movie.
Throughout the episode I discuss how the film was developed, my approach to keeping a DIY mentality while scaling things up, specific on set workflows, and much more.
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ANYONE BUT YOU Cinematographer Danny Ruhlmann On Achieving Beautiful Visuals In Camera Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

In this episode I am excited to be joined by acclaimed DP Danny Ruhlmann, whose latest feature film Anyone But You (starring Sydney Sweeney & Glen Powell) is out in theaters today.
Throughout the episode Danny generously shares his wealth of knowledge on all things cinematography - From specific tactics for beauty lighting to creative workflows for achieving better results on set in less time. We also discuss networking methods for aspiring DPs, overall career advice, and much more.
Links from the show:
Anyone But You - IMDB
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How To Make A $50K Feature In 5 Days And Land A Theatrical Release Nov 10, 2023

Show notes

Today I am joined by filmmaker, director, and actor Scott Monahan to talk all about his brand new feature film Anchorage.
Anchorage was shot in just 5 days on a budget of barely over $50,000, but that didn’t stop the film from landing a wildly successful festival tour and eventual theatrical release. Throughout the interview we take a deep dive behind the scenes look at this innovative feature.
We also go in depth on the importance of telling personal stories, the production process, festival strategy, navigating rejection, and so much more.
Links from the show:
Anchorage Movie - Instagram
Scott Monahan - Instagram
Dakota Loesch - Instagram
Anchorage - Trailer
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Blink 182’s TOM DELONGE On His Debut Feature Film MONSTERS OF CALIFORNIA Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Tom DeLonge of blink-182, Angels & Airwaves, and To The Stars, here to talk all about his debut feature film Monsters Of California.
As a longtime fan of Tom’s, it was a treat to host this conversation and hear about his evolution into filmmaking first hand. We discuss the origin story of Monsters, how Tom’s band Angels & Airwaves sparked his interest in cinema, and Tom’s directorial approach to making this film.
Tom also speaks to how his DIY roots in punk music informed his approach while filming, resulting in innovative tactics that helped him achieve stunning production value as an indie production.
Monsters of California is out in theaters and streaming October 6th, 2023!
Watch the trailer for Monsters Of California here.
Follow Monsters of California on Instagram.
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From DIY Short Films To A Major Feature Film Debut With IT LIVES INSIDE Director Bishal Dutta Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

In this episode I am joined by writer / director Bishal Dutta to talk all about his debut feature film It Lives Inside.
After making dozens of short films, Bishal leveraged his impressive body of work to develop an amazing feature film with NEON. Throughout the interview, we discuss Bishal’s trajectory from making self funded projects to a theatrically released feature. We also touch on the nuances of the horror genre, Bishal’s creative approach to directing, and much more.
Links from the show:
Bishal Dutta - Instagram
Bishal Dutta - Twitter
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Jennifer Esposito On Writing & Directing Her Debut Feature Film FRESH KILLS Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Jennifer Esposito, here to discuss the incredible journey making and releasing her debut feature film, Fresh Kills.
Throughout the episode Jennifer documents her creative process at length - from conceptualizing the first female driven organized crime movie, to navigating countless obstacles to raise production financing.
She also shares invaluable insight for filmmakers on vetting producers, building a team, and working with actors, along with her experience premiering at Tribeca and much more!
Links from the show:
Jennifer Esposito - Instagram
Jennifer Esposito - Twitter / X
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Developing Your Visual Language With Cinematographer & Columbia Film Professor Tal Lazar Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

In this episode I am joined by acclaimed cinematographer and Columbia University film professor Tal Lazar.
Throughout the interview, Tal shares his perspective on the art of cinematography from a storytelling perspective. We discuss visual tactics for directors, how to achieve a specific cinematic vision, and the improtance of developing your own visual language.
Tal also shares his philosophy on why cinematography is not inherintly a technical artform, recommendations for buying vs. renting gear, and much more.
Links from the show:
Latent Images
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Location Scouting For The Whale, Theater Camp, Reality, And More With Jillian Fisher Aug 18, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, I am joined by professional location scout Jillian Fisher - Known for her work on films like The Whale, Theater Camp, Reality, and countless others.
Throughout the interview, Jillian shares a behind the scenes look at her career, from breaking into the business to working on Hollywood feature films. She also talks about her journey to build up the local film industry in Kingston NY, micro-budget scouting tactics, and many lessons learned along the way.
Links from the show:
Jillian Fisher - Instagram
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Making True Lies, Terminator 2, Platoon, Dirty Dancing, Mortal Kombat, And More With Producer Larry Kasanoff Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

Today I am thrilled to be joined by filmmaking legend Larry Kasanoff, known for his work on major feature films like True Lies, Terminator 2, Mortal Kombat, Platoon, Dirty Dancing, and countless others.
Throughout the episode, we discuss Larry’s unique career path - from his early feature film work to his breakout success as a producer and studio executive. He also shares his unique philosophy on navigating life and creativity, which is expanded upon in his new book A Touch of the Madness: How to Be More Innovative in Work and Life... by Being a Little Crazy.
This is a must listen for filmmakers at all stages in need of a dose of wisdom and creative inspiration.
Links from the show:
www.atouchofthemadness.com
Pick up "A Touch Of The Madness" here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million Bookshop.org
Indigo
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Making A $135,000 Debut Feature Film In 17 Days With Filmmaker Jason Abrams Jul 14, 2023

Show notes

Today I am joined by filmmaker Jason Abrams, here to talk about the unique origin story and process behind his debut feature film.
Jason was inspired to make Hungry Dog Blues - a small town crime thriller - after his father’s business was indicted and raided by the federal government. This led to a 5 year journey to write, produce, direct, and ultimately act in a feature film that loosely tapped into his real life experiences.
Throughout the interview we discuss the unconventional origins of the project, raising $135,000 from a pool of investors, and his 17 day shooting schedule. We also unpackthe casting process, the importance of building camaraderie with your crew, his post-production workflow and much more.
Links from the show:
Hungry Dog Blues - Instagram
Jason Abrams - Instagram
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