From Wu-Tang & Nicki Minaj Music Videos To A $40K Feature With Filmmaker Matthew Freiheit

In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Matthew Freiheit, whose career has spanned work with major artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nicki Minaj - and who has now broken into feature filmmaking with his debut Iconic.

Shot for just $40,000 in his Los Angeles apartment and across more than 25 locations, the feature film blends arthouse style with run-and-gun energy, and has already secured distribution.

Throughout our discussion we cover:

• Transitioning from music and fashion projects to narrative filmmaking
• How Matthew maximized limited resources to create a big-scope on a micro-budget
• Writing around real locations and existing gear to stretch production value
• Directing while also DP’ing and editing - and how to balance those roles effectively
• Tips for pre-lighting and shooting 6–8 pages per day without sacrificing quality
• What it’s really like taking your debut feature to AFM 
• The evolving role of AI tools in filmmaking and how Matthew is exploring them
• Much more

Links from the show:

Matthew Freiheit – Instagram

Iconic – Instagram

Iconic – Website

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