Show Don't Tell: Micro-budget Filmmaking

This week, I’m joined by Adriaan Kirchner - an incredibly accomplished LA-based cinematographer with a truly stunning body of work. Adriaan has shot projects for celebrities like Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, amazing narrative films like “The Lima” (which premiered at Tribeca film festival), and has worked with countless high profile brands on commercial and branded content.During our discussion, Adriaan shares his wealth of knowledge on the craft and business of working as a full time DP. We trace his entire career trajectory and explore key lessons learned along the way, including the importance of surrounding yourself with the right collaborators. Other topics covered include: Investing in gear, shooting spec material, lighting based on camera choice, and loads more.This episode is brought to you by http://www.cinecolor.ioLinks from the show -http://www.adriaankirchner.comhttp://www.instagram.com/agetimehttp://www.glaaascollective.comFor more content like this visit - http://www.noamkroll.com

There is perhaps no greater asset for any filmmaker to possess than a mastery of the craft of screenwriting. And joining me today to discuss all things screenwriting, is none other than Bryan Hill - An incredibly accomplished & superbly talented writer who has worked not only in Film & Television, but in the world of comic books as well.Some highlights of Bryan's TV & Film career include: ASH vs. THE EVIL DEAD and TITANS, as well as comics like BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, MICHAEL CRAY and AMERICAN CARNAGE. Currently, Bryan is developing a micro-budget feature of his own, which naturally made him a perfect guest for the show. Over the course of our discussion, Bryan details his early days in the business, how he honed his skills as a writer, what his process looks like now, why he chose to make the leap into independent content creation, and so much more. This is a must listen for any filmmaker out there looking to sharpen their writing abilities and tell better stories.For more content like this vis

No camera manufacturer has been more innovative or disruptive in recent years as Blackmagic Design. Since 2013 they have been challenging the status quo, putting out cameras like their original 2.5K Cinema Camera, the Pocket Camera, and most recently their URSA Mini Pro G2 - Each of which have given low-budget filmmakers the ability to achieve high production value like never before.Here with me this week to discuss all things Blackmagic is Dan May, President of Blackmagic Design. While I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Dan a couple times in the past about specific product releases, this time I wanted to turn the conversation to Blackmagic’s philosophy. Over the course of our conversation, Dan generously shares some Blackmagic history with us, touching on everything from the evolution of their camera lineup to the acquisition of DaVinci Resolve, what drives their innovation and so much more.http://www.blackmagicdesign.comFor more content like this visit: http://www.noamkroll.com

This week, for the first time I am doing a crossover episode! And it’s with none other than the Just Shoot It Podcast… I was really excited to sit down with hosts Oren Kaplan and Matt Enlow, as they’ve not only built an amazing podcast, but are also incredibly talented filmmakers in their own right.Both Matt and Oren work professionally as directors on commercials, branded content, and narrative films right here in Los Angeles. Throughout our discussion, we talk about what it takes to become a “professional” filmmaker, the importance of mastering creative AND technical skills, navigating the industry in 2019, and much more. This was one of the best conversations on film I’ve had in a while - big thanks to Just Shoot It for making this happen.http://justshootitpodcast.comFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week on the show, I change up the format to have an in-depth conversation with California based filmmaker Wes Anthony. Rather than simply interviewing Wes about his career history, we decided to chat at length about the business of filmmaking in 2019, letting the audience be a fly on the wall.We tackle the film vs. digital debate, finding a balance between being technical and creative filmmaking, the future of low budget producing, advice for aspiring directors and DPs, and even a little gear talk. This and much much more on today’s nearly 2 hour episode!Links from the show:Silverside Recording - http://silversiderecording.comWes on Twitter - http://twitter.com/firehouse_caWes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/firehousecreative/Just Fix It In Post Podcast - http://https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-fix-it-in-post/id1312089256 For more content like this visit http://www.noamkroll.com

This week on the show, my guest is none other than Joshua Caldwell. While Josh has been working on some higher profile projects over the past few years - including his upcoming feature Southland (starring Bella Thorne) and his 2017 feature Negative - his success began with a simple $6000 micro-budget indie, titled Layover.Over the course of our discussion, Josh outlines why he chose to take the DIY path, and how he broke with convention to make his micro-budget debut stand out from the crowd. He shares how he leveraged his success with Layover to land a directing job for Hulu, and later went on to direct several more feature films over the course of just a few short years. We touch on his philosophy on filmmaking, his approach to the creative process, advice for up and coming filmmakers, and much more.Links from the show -Layover On iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/layover/id1102592500Layover On Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Layover-Natalie-Fay/dp/B01GKOUYKK/Joshua’s Website - www.Joshua-Caldwell.

On this week’s episode, I am joined by Cory Reeder of Renaissance Man Productions. Cory’s path is unlike any other filmmaker I have met - After building a successful career in Orange County working in the music scene, he moved to Los Angeles and started over from scratch. This meant taking work as a PA before he could climb his way back up to the role of director & producer full time.Cory’s tenacity has led him to find amazing success with his work, which has involved creating music video content for some incredible rock bands. Jonathan Davis (Korn), Seether, Of Mice & Men, and Five Finger Death Punch are just a few of the amazing groups he’s worked with in recent years. Over the course of this interview we chat about Cory’s unique career path, his production work, advice for filmmakers, and his involvement with the Easterseals disability challenge - An organization that promotes the involvement of disabled individuals in front of and behind the camera.Links from the show: Cory’s Website - https://www

For this week’s interview, I am joined by Josh Stifter - An incredibly talented, multi-faceted filmmaker who recently appeared on Robert Rodriguez’s Rebel Without A Crew Series. As part of the show, Josh was given $7000 and 14 days to make a feature film with no crew… And he pulled it off.Over the course of our discussion, Josh outlines his experience making his movie under such unusual circumstances, and the many lessons learned along the way. From there, we discuss the importance of embracing the creative process, what it’s like to leave your 40 hour a week job to pursue filmmaking full time, the business side of being a filmmaker, and much more.Links from the show:http://joshstifter.comhttp://www.facebook.com/joshua.j.stifterhttp://instagram.com/flushstudioshttp://twitter.com/joshstifterhttp://patreon.com/flushstudioshttp://youtube.com/flushstudiosFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

If you work in post-production (or just love great movies), chances are you've come across Vashi Nedomansky's work. He an acclaimed ACE editor who has not only cut 11 feature films, but was also tasked with creating the post workflows for Deadpool and David Fincher's Gone Girl.Throughout our conversation, Vashi and I cover a whole lot of ground - Starting from the very first few jobs he booked after retiring from professional hockey, all the way through to lessons learned after two decades in the business. We touch on the common pitfalls that plague many editors today, the critical importance of sound, philosophical and career advice for filmmakers, and so much more. This one is a must listen for all filmmakers!Links from the show:Vashi's WebsiteVashi on TwitterVashi on FacebookVashi on InstagramVashi on LinkedInVashi on YouTubeVashi on IMDBFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Filmmakers often ask me how to get a competitive edge with their freelancing career or production business, and I almost always give them the same advice:It's not about the gear you have or how big your client list is. It's not even really about your demo reel. Those things may get your foot in the door, but what builds long lasting careers is the client experience. If you can get that right, business growth and opportunity tends to take care of itself.This and much more covered in today's show.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Many filmmakers were told early on in their careers to specialize in only one field and to master a single skill. But as the landscape of content creation continues to evolve, creative generalists - especially those who emphasize post production - are proving that this theory may no longer hold the same weight.In this episode, I make a case for embracing a generalist approach to filmmaking, outlining how it allows DIY filmmakers to make better movies for less money, and in less time than ever before. Topics covered include: Breaking the "jack of all trades" stigma, the financial benefits of mastering post production, educating yourself on fundamental editorial/finishing skills, when you should (or shouldn't) hire outside help, and loads more.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

This week, I’m excited to have Alex Ferrari of Indie Film Hustle back on the show. Alex was last on the podcast back on Episode 44, when we chatted about his film This Is Meg, and his process developing and producing his DIY film which eventually sold to Hulu.Today, Alex has returned to chat about his latest book: Shooting For The Mob. The book is based on Alex’s real life experience getting hired by the mob at age 26 to make a movie for them. He outlines the story behind the story, how he adapted this real life experience into a novel, and why it was absolutely critical for him to tell this story. Over the course of the interview, we also delve into many other topics, including: tackling the creative process as a whole, finding your way as a filmmaker, and achieving success on the business side of show business. Links from the show:IFH on Facebook - www.Facebook.com/indiefilmhustleIFH on Twitter - www.Twitter.com/indiefilmhustleIFH on Instagram - www.Instagram.com/ifilmhustleIFHTV - www.IFHTV.comShooting For

On this week’s episode, I interview two amazing filmmakers - Hannah Black and Megan Petersen - who are in post-production for their $50K micro-budget feature Drought. Having never made a feature before, they were able to write an incredible script, raise $25K in crowdfunding through Seed & Spark, and an additional $25K through the Duplass Brothers who are Executive Producers on the project.Over the course of the interview we cover their entire process from A to Z - From the development of their first screenplay draft to shooting the movie in 18 days, and pushing through post-production with their sights set on a festival run - Not letting anything stop them along the way, including a massive hurricane that hit in the middle of production!Links from the show:Mark Duplass SXSW Keynote - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZeWOAliA6YHannah on Facebook - http://facebook.com/hannahblackHannah on Instagram - http://instagram.com/hannahfrazelleblackMegan on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/megan.petersen.545Mega

In this episode, I sit down with Matteo Bertoli - the incredibly talented DP who shot my latest feature film White Crow. Despite working under tremendous time constraints, Matteo, myself, and the rest of our team were able to shoot nearly 90 pages of script in only 9 days. Over the course of our chat, we explain how we pulled it off without sacrificing quality.Other topics covered include: Camera choice, shooting minimal coverage, the importance of prep, developing a visual style, finding synergy on set, workflow issues, handling creative problems in production, and much more. This is a great listen for any director or DP working in the micro-budget realm.Links from the show:Matteo's Website - https://www.matteobertoli.meMatteo on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/matteobertoliMatteo on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOYko5i4zMPwmS-68hnhIOwMatteo on Twitter - https://twitter.com/matteobertoliFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Many filmmakers fall into the freelancing trap - They develop a relatively specialized skill, get great at their craft, gain lots of clients, but inevitably find themselves buried in work. Ultimately, this leaves them unable to focus on their passion projects (such as original feature films or new business ventures), as they are anchored to their client work day in and day out. Some people find themselves stuck in this situation for their entire careers, but all of us have the ability to choose a different path.In this episode, I outline how you can use passively generated income to avoid this problem entirely, by becoming far less reliant on a single revenue stream. The goal is to stop trading your time for money.Putting systems in place that will ultimately make money while you sleep is not easy, but it is possible. And once that goal is achieved, you will have infinitely more flexibility with how you spend your time. This means more time spent being creative, working on the projects you want to be working

Over the years, I've learned that having too much time to work on any creative project can be a bad thing, but that having too little time can actually be helpful in some ways... So naturally, when it came time to edit my latest feature film (White Crow) I decided to give myself only 3 weeks to edit down a 23+ hour mountain of footage into a 90 minute assembly. While it may seem counter-intuitive to work this quickly, in my case it was actually a huge asset to the process.In this episode, I outline exactly how I used aggressive deadlines and other self-imposed time constraints to tap into my gut instincts, and turn around a great first cut in record time. I also touch on applying these principles to our work consciously, to reach an ideal state of creative flow every time we sit down to work.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

In today’s episode, I interview Gabe Reiter - an incredibly accomplished commercial producer who has now entered the world of independent content creation with his new series “Bunkheads”. The series (which is now available on Amazon Prime) is a hilarious sitcom set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse, following four survivors as they not only attempt to survive the zombies outside, but also eachother.Coming from a background in high end commercial production, Gabe has produced million dollar + spots for brands like UPS, Levi’s, Tide, Hallmark, Nationwide, and countless others. Over the course of this interview, Gabe shares his philosophy on production, how he was able to utilize his expertise in the commercial realm to produce a DIY project with a tremendous amount of production value, and much more. Links from the show: Bunkheads on Amazon Prime -  https://www.amazon.com/Bunkheads/dp/B07K8TQCRCBunkheads Official Trailer - https://youtu.be/NZ1AoacIXQABunkheads Website -  https://www.bunkheads.net/ Bun

Succeeding in film takes far more than a basic understanding of the craft. While technical skills are undeniably important for any filmmaker to master, they alone will not equate to any type of artistic or commercial success. The degree to which any filmmaker succeeds has far more to do with their psychology and tenacity than it does their skill...For instance - Many of us understand the importance of goal setting and strategizing for our film careers, but few of us are able to actually follow through and deliver. This is usually a result of poor motivation, or self-limiting beliefs, which result in a lack of true effort and persistence when the going gets tough. I would argue that these issues - not skill - are responsible for the thousands of film ideas every year that never get off the ground.In this episode, I address this issue head on, discussing specific methods for setting and achieving your filmmaking goals, and using the concept of "obsession" to stay motivated even under the most difficult circumst

Filmmakers are commonly taught to focus on story structure, plot, and formula while screenwriting, with scene writing usually falling into the background of the discussion. This lack of attention can lead to scenes that are underwritten or underdeveloped, and that ultimately won’t serve the story as a whole. In this weeks episode, we shift the focus away from general screenwriting theory, and discuss the granular principles of scene writing - Constructs that are not only designed to push the story forward, but more importantly to illicit an emotional response in the audience. Topics covered include: introducing conflict, writing with theme in mind, creating emotional undercurrents, and much more. Shadows On The Road - https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/shadows-on-the-road/id1436104543 For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Before a film is even written, its success can be determined by the strength of the concept alone. Without a great concept, it can be extremely difficult to attract talent, producers, or investors to your project, and just as hard to market and sell the film once its done. In many respects, the concept development phase is the single most important part of the process, and one that can never be rushed.In today's episode, I outline my entire concept development process from start to finish, using my upcoming feature film WHITE CROW as a case study. Topics covered include: Picking the right idea, development tactics, using the logline as DNA for the screenplay, iterating & revising the core concept, and much more.To follow along with my upcoming feature film WHITE CROW, be sure to follow us on social media using the links below:http://www.instagram.com/whitecrowmoviehttp://www.twitter.com/whitecrowmoviehttp://www.facebook.com/whitecrowmovieAnd for more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com