Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking

In this episode I am joined by three amazing guests for a roundtable style discussion about crowd-equity fundraising for indie films.Our guests are: lawyer-turned film investor Michael Rekola, executive producer and actor Desiree Staples, and Ryan Pierce from WeFunder’s growth team.This in depth discussion covers tactics for raising funds through crowd-equity platforms (like WeFunder), painting a very clear picture of what it takes to succeed with this strategy. Topics covered include: Ideal genres for crowd-equity, key variables investors care about, reaching a wide audience, business & legal setup, and much more.Links from the show:Use Michael's link to start a project for free, and save on any platform fundraising fees when you successfully raise - https://wefunder.com/byrekola/discount“My Divorce Party” We Funder - https://wefunder.com/mydivorcepartythemovie/“Meet Cute Murders” We Funder - https://wefunder.com/meet.cute.murders.movieMichael Rekola on Twitter - https://twitter.com/byrekolaFor more exclusive content like this, sign up for my newsletter at https://noamkroll.com/newsletter

In this episode I am joined by Joële Walinga, director of the SXSW 2022 documentary feature "Self Portrait". This is a brilliant experimental feature comprised entirely of footage collected from surveillance cameras, and produced with a highly unique creative process. Throughout the interview, Joële gives us a behind the scenes look into her four-year creative workflow, which involved sifting through thousands of publicly available surveillance videos and editing them together into a meaningful feature film. She also shares invaluable creative advice for other filmmakers looking to experiment with new formats, and use their original ideas to break new ground.For more exclusive content like this, sign up for my newsletter at https://noamkroll.com/newsletter

In this solo episode, I share a behind the scenes look into my latest feature film, which is being shot with no crew and a highly unconventional workflow. I decided to experiment with this new filmmaking paradigm to test my own creative limits, and show that a great film can be produced on any level, regardless of budget or resources.Throughout the episode I outline how taking a "one-man-band" approach to filmmaking can actually increase production value, while also making for a more creatively rewarding process. Topics covered include:- How I balance directing, DP'ing, and sound recording myself- Why I'm shooting the film in 2-3 day blocks over several months- Editing the film while we are shooting to inform future script changes- The gear I'm using to shoot the film- Challenges and workarounds for filmmakers looking to take this approachFor more exclusive content like this, sign up at http://noamkroll.com/newsletter

Returning to the show is Emmy winning micro-budget filmmaker Marcus Mizelle. After directing a trilogy of micro-budget narrative feature films, Marcus turned his talents to the documentary filmmaking space, where he has recently found incredible success.His self-produced short documentary (Something In The Water) aired on PBS and was later awarded an Emmy. During the same period, he also directed a feature documentary (Belle Vie) which premiered last month at the prestigious Santa Barbara Film Festival.Throughout the interview we discuss each project at length, Marcus' decision to move from narrative to documentary, how he got his film on PBS and submitted for an Emmy nomination, and much more.Links from the show:Something In The Water - https://www.amazon.com/Something-Water-Kinston-Basketball-Story/dp/B08QLXGNCJGet a free exhibit pass to NAB Show by clicking here: https://amplify.nabshow.com/nab-show-sign-up/?r=maritz&marketing_code=BA20For more exclusive content like this, sign up at http://noamkroll.com/newsletter

In this episode I am joined by experimental filmmaker and accomplished painter, Chris Peters. Chris' films have screened at numerous Academy Award qualifying festivals, including Slamdance 2021 (where he later served as a programmer), and winning the Peter Wilde Award at the 2020 Ann Arbor Film Festival.Throughout our discussion we cover a slew of creative topics - from our shared love of Super 8mm, to the use of AI in filmmaking. We also touch on the benefits of "no-budget" productions, insights from his experience as a festival programmer, and loads more.Links from the show:http://www.chrispeters.comFor more exclusive content like this, sign up at http://noamkroll.com/newsletter

Today I’m joined by director Daniel Lafrentz and producer Sean Flanagan to demystify the fundraising process for narrative feature films.Daniel is an award winning filmmaker known for his debut feature film The Long Shadow, which was awarded a jury prize at the amazing New Orleans Film Festival. Sean made his name in film distribution, having overseen the release of over 1000 films including titles for Sundance Institute, FilmRise, Paradigm, CAA and more. Together, they are developing a new feature film called Meet Cute Murders, which is a focal point of our discussion.Throughout the interview we take a deep dive into Daniel and Sean’s experience making feature films, and how they are reverse engineering their new movie to ensure a successful release. We pay special attention to the WeFunder platform too, which is a cornerstone of their fundraising efforts, and a resource that all filmmakers could benefit from.Links from the show:Meet Cute Murders - WeFunderDaniel Lafrentz - WebsiteFor more exclusive content like this, click here to sign up for my newsletter.

I'm thrilled to be joined by editor and director Roger Nygard for an insightful discussion all about the editorial process. Roger is known as an editor for his work on television series like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, Who Is America, and countless others. But he is also an established director, lending his talents to The Office and The Bernie Mac Show, all while spearheading his own feature film projects too.Throughout the interview, Roger shares his wealth of knowledge on the storytelling process, drawn from over 30 years of experience working in Hollywood. We discuss how filmmakers can "shoot for the edit", Roger's specific creative workflows, and loads of practical editing tricks. Roger also details his own history as a director and editor, along with lessons learned from working in the edit bay with great talents like Larry David, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Sacha Baron Cohen.Links from the show:Roger Nygard - WebsiteFor more exclusive content like this, click here to sign up for my newsletter.

In this episode I'm joined by filmmaking duo Taylor Lewis and Burke Lewis.Taylor and Burke run a successful commercial production company (Atomic City), and produce high end content for brands like Amazon, Microsoft, and DJI. But they also have a passion for true micro-budget filmmaking, going so far as to make an entire feature film for just $1000. Throughout the interview, we discuss Taylor and Burke's strategy for growing their production company, how they've thrived outside of major film markets, their philosophy on narrative productions, and loads more.Links from the showFilm Creator Pro - HandbookFilm Creator Pro - InstagramFilm Creator Pro - FacebookAtomic City - WebsiteFor more exclusive content like this, click here to sign up for my newsletter.

In this episode I am joined by Bryn Woznicki (director) and Skye Emerson (screenwriter), the filmmaking duo behind Under The Influencer.After making a $450K feature titled Her Side of The Bed, Bryn chose to embrace the world of ultra micro-budget filmmaking. Through a collaboration with Skye (a recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Fellowship at the Sundance Film Festival), the team was able to secure $25,000 in funding through We Make Movies to go into production. Bryn and Skye share their journey at length throughout the interview, from the origins of the concept to how they navigated this challenging budget level.Links from the show:Bryn - WebsiteBryn - TwitterBryn - FacebookSkye - WebsiteUnder The Influencer - WebsiteJill Bennet - InstagramLauren Neal - InstagramFor more exclusive content like this, click here to sign up for my newsletter.

Today I am joined by award winning film composer and billboard charting producer Roman Molino Dunn.Roman has found incredible success in the industry, working on major projects for Netflix (AI Love You), Sean Baker (Red Rocket) and Paul Schrader (The Card Counter), among countless others. Last year alone, his work screened at 3 of the top film festivals in the world: Cannes, Venice and Toronto.Throughout the interview Roman takes a deep dive into his creative process, sharing invaluable lessons for filmmakers looking to maximize the impact of their score.Links from the show:Roman Molino Dunn - InstagramRoman Molino Dunn - WebsiteMirrortone StudiosFor more exclusive content like this, click here to sign up for my newsletter.