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 visit www.noamkroll.com

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.comJoshua On Twitter - www.twitter.com/joshua_caldwellJoshua On Instagram - www.instagram.com/joshuacaldwelldirectorFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

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.coryreeder.comCory on Twitter - https://twitter.com/CoryReederCory on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cory_reederCory on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cory.reederCory’s Easterseals Film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y139ah9jDKgFor more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

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