Canon DSLR Camera
As a filmmaker, if you’re interested in buying a Canon DSLR camera, I would go with the Canon T2i. If you have the budget to buy the Canon 5D Mark II – hold off…
Make Filmmaking Your Business
As a filmmaker, before you make your movie, you have to seriously decide if you can stay excited about your story for the long haul…
LinkedIn For Filmmakers
It would seem strange to utilize Facebook in an attempt to get a lunch meetings with prospective Hollywood Heavyweights whom you never met.But in the world of LinkedIn, as long as you’re not a jerk, it is appropriate to seek out and connect with prospects.
Video 101 Book Review
Over the past few years video technology has evolved so to the point that even the smallest cameras can produce cinematic results. With that said, camera technology will never replace camera technique. So the question is, what are you doing to improve your own video skills?
What Screenwriters Can Learn From The Inbetweeners
In Britain all the film talk is about a low-budget film that’s been breaking UK box-office records. I think it offers some lessons on how to make a successful indie film…
Distribution Film
Are you afraid to start selling your movie on iTunes and Amazon and Hulu because this will somehow deter traditional distributors turned aggregators from acquiring your movie… So that they can get your movie onto Amazon, iTunes and Hulu? Please explain…
Crowdfunding With Koo
Koo is getting close to reaching his $115,000 dollar crowdfunding goal!
How to apply “show, don’t tell” in screenplays
I have a fairly large collection of “pitching sessions from hell” stories, but there was one that stands out because I blew it—afterward. This was early in my career, and actually the pitching session itself went great. The executive loved the idea and commissioned a script for a TV movie. How to apply “show, don’t tell” in screenplays…
Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul
For our movie distribution book, we clearly defined our audience: filmmakers who are interested in DIY or Hybrid or P2P distribution methods. Not everyone and not even every filmmaker…
Fix Your Movie In Previsualization
Previsualization – previz – is a buzzword that sounds more complicated than it is. It’s actually something you’re almost certainly doing already…
Write Screenplays From The Heart
I see that there’s a one day workshop being offered with the pitch, “Who better to teach you to understand characters than EXPERT BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS?” It’s not my intention to diss the people offering the workshop (which I also why I’m not going to name them)—they are both screenwriters as well as Expert Behavior Analysts and sound like a couple of smart guys with credible credits.
NoFilmSchool On CrowdFunding
With sites like Indie GoGo and Kickstarter, filmmakers can finally raise money without asking permission. And while the vast majority of filmmakers limit their crowdfunding campaigns to a few thousand dollars – some filmmakers get super ambitious…
Are You Making These Mistakes In Filmmaking?
Independent moviemaking has changed forever. If you are still holding out for the Sundance dream, you are wasting your time. What is the Sundance dream? It’s the thought that you’ll make a movie, get into Sundance and garner a gazillion dollars…
How To Make A YouTube Channel
I often receive emails from filmmaking subscribers asking how they can get their work produced and seen. My response is – grab a …
Source Your Audience
If you forget everything else about filmmaking success, you must not forget the importance of you audience. Your audience is your business. Without an audience, you have no business…
Independent Film Distribution For Your Movie
A few weeks ago, I spoke about independent film distribution at the HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles…
Movie Marketing
At speaking events, people always ask me questions about DIY or Self-Distribution – usually wondering if these methods are better than handing over all rights for some middle-man to get them into the many VOD outlets. My response is always the same…
Name My Filmmaking Book Contest
I have been writing a filmmaking book. It outlines the whole modern moviemaking philosophy – and originally I thought I would stay with the modern moviemaking theme, and possibly call it “Confessions of a Modern Moviemaker.” While I like the idea because, historically books that begin with the word “confessions” seem to intrigue readers… I also fear the title might be a little too gimmicky. I need your help…
How To Design A DVD Cover
Regardless of distribution technology, your audience still values the visual representation of your movie as a tangible product. And in ways akin to marketing an eBook via Amazon Kindle, you still need a killer design to represent your movie.
Your Screenplay Opening
Some screenwriters think that just about every screenplay should open with a bang of some kind: perhaps a literal explosion, or a murder, or a chase.Those may well be good choices for certain stories, but my take on this is that what an opening actually needs to do is to prompt two questions and one feeling in your audience…
How To Make 200K With Your Movie
Here is a great filmmaking article over at No Film School detailing how some no-budget filmmakers garnered over 200K by selling their movies on iTunes.
When It’s Time To Divorce Your Agent
People always point out that a relationship with an agent is something like a marriage, but without the sex (usually). Which means that sometimes there will be a divorce—at this point, the high profile one is J. K. Rowling dumping hers…
Movie Cameras With Kenton Hoppas
Over the past few months, I have been working with Kenton Hoppas on his first feature, Career Courier. One of the ways he …
Why it’s hard to write romantic comedy
If you can write a good romantic comedy you’ll find lots of people interested. The problem is that it’s getting harder. The reason …
New Filmmaking Book Almost Here
The Modern Moviemaking Movement was authored by nine of the most prominent filmmaker thought leaders in the world, including Jon Reiss of the famed book Think Outside The Box Office… And this action guide aims to help you navigate a filmmaking world driven by HDSLR technology and non-discriminatory distribution.
Final Cut Pro X
I haven’t tested Final Cut Pro X, but from what I hear – I do not want to. As usual, I think our friends at Apple have made early adopters beta testers for a product with a whole bunch of bugs…
Market Your Movie With Press Releases
If you find yourself with a movie and no idea how to sell it, get back to the basics. Unless you get an awesome distribution deal, then you are responsible for the success of your movie. The good news is, most of your sales will come from the internet. And you can get started today…
Filmmaking Stuff Affiliate Program
For filmmakers, the demand is HIGH for quality filmmaking and screenwriting how-to material and solutions. Make Your Movie Now! offers you with an affiliate program…
My Second Short Film Is Possibly The Worst Film Ever
I wanted to provide you with some context. About 12 years ago, I produced and directed my second short film. After drinking a half bottle of wine, it seemed like a good idea to post it her
Filmmaker Levi Abrino Hits The Big Time
Before I moved to Los Angles, I stopped by my Pennsylvanian hometown for the Harrisburg Arts Film Festival. And there I saw a short movie called Burying Dvorak by a little known filmmaker named Levi Abrino. I gotta tell you, the film was awesome. Levi is talented…