Indie Film Hustle® - A Filmmaking Podcast

Today on the show we have returning champion Peter Rader. Peter has been working with his wife Paola di Florio to help filmmakers connect with audiences and generate revenue for their projects.The story of how they self-distributed their run-away hit AWAKE: The Life of Yogananda from booking theaters to SVOD is remarkable. They did it all on their own and the film has been viewed by millions. I wanted to bring Peter back on the show to discuss how they are distributing film during COVID, methods for audience building, social media marketing, release strategy, and much more.Peter has worked as a film and television writer for 20 years. His first script, Waterworld, was produced by Universal in 1995. He has developed numerous projects for other studios, and industry leaders such as Steven Spielberg, Dino De Laurentiis, and John Davis.On today's show, we are discussing the new film Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm, which his company is helping to self distribute in the hybrid model.“Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm” is a feature documentary about the man Einstein called his “spiritual son” and the Dalai Lama his “science guru.” A brilliant physicist and explorer of Consciousness, Bohm’s incredible insights into the underlying nature of reality and the profound interconnectedness of the Universe and our place within it are truly transformational.Enjoy my conversation with Peter Rader.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

I've been getting asked almost daily if filmmakers should submit to film festivals during the pandemic since most festivals are moving online? Well, I went straight to an expert to discuss this.On the show today I have one of the leading authorities on film festivals, Chris Holland from Film Festival Secrets.com. Chris is a 20-year veteran of film festivals, journalism, marketing, distribution and literally wrote the book on the subject, Film Festival Secrets: A Handbook For Independent Filmmakers.If you are a listener of the show you also know that Chris and I created a FREE Podcast Series called the Film Festival Hacks Podcast. Chris and I discuss the pros and cons of submitting to film festivals in today's world, what value film festivals have in the current marketplace, and if festivals can bounce back after the brutal hit they took from COVID.Enjoy my conversation with Chris Holland.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Happy New Year IFH Tribe! We are starting 2021 with a bang. Today on the show with have Zack Arnold, an award-winning Hollywood film & television editor (Cobra Kai, Burn Notice, Empire, Shooter, Glee), member of the American Cinema Editors, a documentary director GO FAR: The Christopher Rush Story, narrated by Mark Hamill), and creator of the Optimize Yourself program and podcast.Zach has been working on the #1 Netflix show Cobra Kai since season 2. If you haven't heard of Cobra Kai here's the skinny.Thirty-four years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now-successful Daniel LaRusso.Zack and I talk about Cobra Kai, how he became a healthy editor, what it was like working on some of the top shows on television, and how he retired early from editing, except Cobra Kai, of course, to run his own lucrative online business helping creatives optimize themselves.Enjoy my conversation with Zack Arnold.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our filmmaking or screenwriting journey. This show will do just that. Never stop chasing that filmmaking dream. Keep on hustling.Proud Member of the IFH Podcast Network (ifhpodcastnetwork.com)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Well, 2020 has been one hell of a year. Our industry has been turned upside down and inside out. The way business is done in Hollywood has been changed forever. There has been so much pain and suffering this year. People lost their jobs.Legendary companies that were thought to be unbreakable filed for bankruptcy. The mear act of being on set became a highly dangerous occupation. So many beloved filmmakers and actors passed away. Film festivals closed their doors. Movie theaters giants shut their doors, some for good. COVID-19 devasted not only our business but the world.2020 just f**king sucked!With all that said I see a light of hope on the horizon. Like every New Years before Jan 1 brings with it a new hope, an opportunity to improve things, and for your life to be better than before. 2021 has a lot of pressure on it for sure. I know so many tribe members have had a rough go of it but the only thing we can do is to take charge of what you can control.You might not be able to control the world, the virus, your employer, or the economy. But you can control what you do on a daily basis, how you act, how you think. You can think everything sucks and there's no hope for you or your dreams or you can think that you have the power to change where you are in life right now.Every dream, every success story started with one thought, I CAN DO THIS. As Henery Ford once said"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."The power of your own thoughts is so much more mighty than you think. Trust me I speak from experience. Looking back on my life I realized that in the roughest moments my thoughts were destructive and when I was experiencing great successes my thoughts were constructive. Whatever you focus on grows so if I were you I'd focus on the positive and not the negative.This year I came to a profound truth that the key to success is to help others. The moment I launched Indie Film Hustle my life began to change. The more I helped others the better my life became. The opportunities I had been chasing for decades just started showing up at my door. Don't get me wrong, as you know I hustled like crazy but not on getting things for myself as much as providing value to other people. As Les Brown said“Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.”In 2021 make it a goal to help others with their dreams and I promise you that things in your life will change, it did for me. In 2020 I released my second feature film On the Corner of Ego and Desire, created BulletproofScreenwriting.tv, my premium online education platform IFH Academy, launched the IFH Podcast Network and multiple podcasts including The Filmmaking Motivation Podcast, The Directors Series Podcast, Inside the Screenwriter's Mind Podcast, and spoke to legendary filmmakers and screenwriters on my shows like Oliver Stone, Barry Sonnenfeld, Alex Proyas, James V. Hart, and John Badham just to name a few.And most importantly I was inspired by you the Indie Film Hustle and Bulletproof Screenwriting Tribes. Your stories of overcoming obstacles, massive successes, and following your dreams moved me. Getting emails and messages from around the world gave me hope that yes we are in tough times but even with all that you, the tribe, continues to move forward like an unstoppable creative force.In 2021 we will try, fail, and try again because remember..."Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." - Henry FordThe more you might fail the closer you are to succeeding. I'll be trying a ton of new things in the new year and hope they will be a success but am ready if they don't live up to my expectations.In 2021 I'll be launching a couple of new companies, partnering with amazing new instructors for IFH Academy, releasing my new book, adding amazing new content to Indie Film Hustle TV, publishing new audiobooks through IFH Books, producing a few new podcasts for the IFH Podcast Network, and developing new websites to further help filmmakers and screenwriters follow their dreams.I want you to write down what you want to accomplish in 2021 and what steps you will be taking every day to get those goals. Do you want to set a goal of one or two screenplays a year as Oliver Stone does? Do you want to direct your first feature film? What needed tools do you want to put in your toolbox? What need skills do you want to learn to make you a more dangerous and knowledgeable filmmaker or screenwriter?After speaking to hundreds of the industry's most successful artists and business people I found they all had one thing in common, they never gave up! They all just kept going no matter what. Oliver Stone had the script for Platoon in his pocket for years before someone produced it. James V. Hart was in his forties when he had his breakout with Hook and Dracula. Barry Sonnenfeld went from shooting adult films to having his movies gross almost $2.5 billion worldwide.Every successful person you look up to failed and failed often on their way to success. They never gave up and you shouldn't either. Every no is one step closer to a yes. I wish all of you an amazing 2021 and don't forget to keep that hustle going and keep that dream alive!Be well, stay safe, and Happy New Year.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Today on the show I bring you one of the most influential and iconic filmmakers in the history of cinema, three-time Oscar® winner Oliver Stone. Throughout his legendary career, Oliver Stone has served as director, writer, and producer on a variety of films, documentaries, and television movies. His films have been nominated for forthy two Oscars® and have won twelve.I hope this conversation inspires filmmakers and screenwriters to never give up. Oliver struggled for years taking jobs as a production assistant, cab driver, office assistant, and any other gig he could find to help him survive while he was chasing his dream. He wrote and wrote, meeting his goal of one to two screenplays a year, no matter what. Never give up, never surrender. Enjoy my epic conversation with Oliver Stone.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

CHRISTMAS THROWBACK: I'm here to finally put to rest one of the greatest cinematic arguments of all time, is Die Hard a Christmas movie? I thought I'd tackle this epic question with my good friend Stephen Follows. In this Special Christmas Edition of the Indie Film Hustle Podcast Stephen and I use data to finally put this debate to rest.I believe without a shadow of a doubt that Die Hard is the greatest Christmas movie of all time. Stephen is not so sure so we go to the data to find out. Stephen wrote an EPIC article about this a while ago where he does what only Stephen does. Below are some of the graphs he created for his dissection of this issue.From google trends to actual frames from the film that we see actual Christmas references. We leave no stone unturned in this debate. I promise you after this episode you will be armed to debate and film nerd at the next Christmas party. I wanted to create a fun episode for all the film geeks out there.Enjoy my ridiculous and entertaining conversation with Stephen Follows. And don't forget to have a Yippee ki-yay mutha f**king Merry Christmas!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

So many IFH Tribe members have reached out to me to ask if I could help or guide them on how to shoot an indie feature film or series during COVID-19. So I decided to release a series of interviews with filmmakers who have done just that.First up is filmmaker Austin Williams. Austin was shooting his new feature Red Stone in the middle of COVID before anyone in our business knew what to do. The film had a respectable $500,000 budget.In this conversation, we discuss the methods he used to keep everyone safe on set, how he dealt with SAG, and the costs associated with dealing with COVID safety measures. Enjoy my conversation with Austin Williams.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Today on the show I have a good friend and fellow podcaster, Giles Alderson. Giles is not only a podcaster but a successful filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter. I've been on The Filmmaker's Podcast a couple of times now and I just love talking shop with him.  One day we got to talking and he told me the crazy story of his debut film Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot, which cost over a million dollars.He also directed, written & produced the psychological horror feature film ‘The Dare’ made for Nu-Image (Expendables, Hellboy) and B2Y Productions starring Richard Brake (31, Batman Begins), Alexandra Evans ((Redistributors), Bart Edwards (Fantastic Beasts), Richard Short (Vinyl, Public Enemies), Robert Maaser (M.I 5 Rogue Nation)I had to have him on the show to share his misadventures in making a million-dollar debut feature film. Get ready for one whale of a tale.  Enjoy my conversation with Giles Alderson.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Today on the show we have returning champion film producer and distributor Shaked Berenson. Shaked has been on the show a few times now and each time he brings a wealth of knowledge bombs to the tribe. Shaked launched his new company called The Horror Collective, whose mission is to foster a community of independent horror filmmakers and connect their films to fans, all done transparently and fairly. We provide direct distribution combined with a cost-effective, high-impact festival, marketing, and release strategy. The Horror Collective aims to bring your film to the right audience.Shaked Berenson produced, and executive produced 22 features and two television series including many horror and cult favorites such as TURBO KID (2015), BIG ASS SPIDER! (2013), THE AGGRESSION SCALE (2012) and most recently, THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT (2019), EXTRA ORDINARY (2019), PRETENDING I’M A SUPERMAN - THE TONY HAWK VIDEO GAME STORY (2020), and THE LODGERS (2018).In this episode, Shaked and I discuss the realities of film distribution in today's world, why most indie films fail to make money, why many film distributors screw over filmmakers, and how filmmakers can better position their films for the marketplace. The RAW TRUTH that Shaked and I discuss is not for the faint of heart but I truly hope it helps filmmakers better understand the marketplace they are entering.Enjoy my eye-opening conversation with Shaked Berenson.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.