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How To Make Your First Feature Without Going Bonkers

first feature

Sooner or later the filmmaking bug hits you. . . It’s like a far off voice or compulsion. But like breathing, for the serious independent filmmaker, the need to make a feature is always present.

How To Use Foreshadowing In Your Screenplay

foreshadowing in your screenplay

To avoid having any one element of foreshadowing be too obvious, often the writer will throw in some red herrings–some things that could be foreshadowing but in fact don’t pay off or pay off in a different way than we expect. The person who has the gun in the drawer may become an immediate suspect in our minds, but later maybe we see him use it to light his cigarette and we realize it’s not a real gun (of course he may have a real one somewhere else….). That kind of misdirection keeps the audience guessing.

How Not To Get Screwed By Filmmaking Partners Who Suck

filmmaking partners

A long time ago, I worked on a short movie with a guy. Long story short, I found out the guy was being untruthful about money. He had hired one of my friends to build our movie website. When confronted, he told me some sort of story that was completely stupid and untruthful. Because he was a “friend,” I gave him the benefit of belief and dropped the subject.

The Minimalist Guide to Internet Marketing For Filmmakers

internet marketing for filmmakers

By now you’ve heard of crowdfunding. But the little secret that nobody is talking about is this – Not all movie projects will get fully funded by the crowd. BUT. . .

Screenwriting Help: How To Keep Your Script Out Of The Trash

screenwriting help

Are you looking for your next Four-Quadrant natural disaster, Sci-Fi movie? I have an idea that will blow you away. It’s about the end of the universe and involves spaceships and aliens and zombies and disease and it includes a love story. Please email me back today because this is going to make BILLIONS! And I can only wait a few minutes for your response before I pitch this to someone else.

How I Got Started In Filmmaking

How I Got Started In Filmmaking

In the morning, I would wake up with cupcakes mashed in my hair, stare at my fat face in the bathroom mirror, and leave for my appliance sales job. When sales were slow at the store, I would order cheeseburgers, and start eating. One day, when I really felt bad about my sad existence, I decided to do something. I went into my cubicle and started writing a screenplay. Since I never wrote a screenplay, I had no idea what I was doing. But I was so frustrated, and fat, and hating my life, that it didn’t take long until I had a first draft…

Screenwriting: Why Kim Cattrall got mad at me

If you’re writing a script to be read by someone who is possibly going to buy it, you want to make it as easy and entertaining as possible. Yes, it’s easy to overdo the parentheticals, ideally your dialogue itself suggests how it will be delivered. But when it helps, go ahead. A sarcastic remark from an actress is not too high a price to pay.

My Film School Talk On Making a Movie

I spoke at the UCLA film school and I got the impression that the next generation of filmmakers are open to new ideas, and new ways of making movies. Thanks to familiarity with YouTube as well as access to affordable production equipment, many modern filmmakers are embracing accessible, non-discriminatory distribution channels without hesitation or excuses.

Keven Smith talks Movie Distribution

I love Kevin Smith’s attitude towards modern movie distribution. If you’re like most independent filmmakers, what Kevin was able to accomplish from his days of Clerks has been amazing. Back then, he not only dreamed the Sundance Dream, but he realized the dream as well.

Crowdfunding To Source An Audience for Your Filmmaking

Your filmmaking crowdfunding campaign will allow you to raise money – but as an important ancillary benefit, your campaign will also allow you test your movie concept with a built in, responsive focus group. Assuming you reach your funding goal, you will not only generate your initial buzz…

Filmmaking Dilemma To Stream or Not To Stream

Since starting filmmaking stuff, I’ve noticed an increase in the amount of spammy hype emails promoting new filmmaking technologies that allow filmmakers to stream their independent movies. While many of these companies have a cool concept, the truth is, I think many of these streaming solutions are a waste of time.

Modern Moviemaking Explained

I believe video on demand distribution represents freedom for filmmakers. While there are many great sales agents and distributors, I am totally bothered by the sales agents and middle-men who have taken a bottom-feeding approach to VOD. These jerks make a living trying to sucker unsuspecting filmmakers into long term video on demand deals that suck. I put together the following video to express my disgust and also provide a new hope. As a modern moviemaker, there has never been a better time to make, market and sell your movies without the middle-man.

Filmmaking interview with Nathan Wrann

I interviewed Nathan Wrann because he serves as a good example for any filmmaker who ever wanted to make movies without making excuses. In our talk, you’ll get down and dirty tips for no-money productions, promotion, marketing and distribution. This is a man who doesn’t care about reviews. This is a filmmaker who wants to do meaningful work that is unique.

Filmmaking Goals For This Year

I started Filmmaking Stuff because I wanted to help filmmakers make movies and also, create a self sustaining movie business. In other words, if you have the passion to make movies, then you owe it to yourself to get moving! The following filmmaking video provides you with a brief overview of the Modern MovieMaking Method. I also show you how to grab over $100 dollars in filmmaking tools, free.

Filmmaker David Allen Talks Modern Moviemaking and VOD Distribution

Earlier this week, I caught wind of an indie production company based in Australia called Rapidfire Productions. This is a production company that operates as a self sustaining modern moviemaking business. They develop movies, get money, make their movies and through their own distribution arm, the company reaches the masses.