Making A $65K Feature Film & Landing Theatrical Distribution With Filmmaker Sripal Sama

In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Sripal Sama, who turned his engineering background into an advantage when crafting his debut feature How's That for Monday?

While holding down his day job as an IT security engineer, Sripal managed to write, direct, and produce a compelling thriller for just $65,000 - and secured theatrical distribution in both the US and India. Our discussion dives deep into his filmmaking approach and distribution journey.

Topics covered include:

• How Sripal benefitted from his background outside the film industry
• Shooting a 68-page script in 16.5 days across 5 key locations
• Creative approaches to minimal coverage that still tell a compelling story
• Navigating theatrical releases in two countries without a major marketing budget
• Reaching 50% budget recoupment through strategic platform selection
• Drawing inspiration from both American indie cinema and Indian filmmaking techniques

Links from the show:

Sripal Sama - Twitter
Sripal Sama -  Instagram
Sripal Sama - Email

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