MovieMaker Issue 101 E-Pub PDF

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INDIE
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Guide to Making Movies 2013
Photo by: Blessing Yen
pg
MM NOTEBOOK
james kaelan
An indie Call to Arms
Do movies have a future? we think so. lets help shape it.
Every year for the

last decade the editors of MovieMaker
james kaelan
have published a
Complete Guide to Making Movies.
Spanning the gamut of moviemaking
knowledgefrom screenwriting to distribution and promotionmore than one
student has remarked that they get as
much from these Guides as they do from
a semester of film school. (Hyperbole or
not, it goes without saying that at $8.95,
no school can match our price.)
This years 10th anniversary Guide is particularly special, as it represents a number
of MovieMaker firsts. Its the 101st issue
weve published. Ondi Timonerthe only
two-time winner of the Sundance Grand
Jury prizeis the first woman (and the first
documentarian) ever to author the section
introductions. Louisa Bertmans original illustrations of John Cassavetes, Luis
Buuel, Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick,
and Jean-Luc Godard comprise the first
portrait series in the magazines history.
And this is my first sortie as MovieMaker
Magazines Managing Editor.
As I wrote in a recent letter of introduction on MovieMaker.com, this is the most
exciting possible time to be analyzing and
contributing to the moviemaking conversation. With a seemingly endless spate of
new technological advancesin cameras,
software, distribution, and fundraising
arriving almost daily, the entry cost for
moviemaking is lower than ever. But with
that nearly ubiquitous access to inexpensive knowledge and equipment comes a
responsibility. The future of moviemaking
hinges on how we adopt and utilize the
tools at our disposal.
In his new book, Do the Movies Have a
Future?, New Yorker critic David Denby
ignores the (relative) health of independent cinema in order to diagnose, if not
treat, the metastasizing cancer clinging
on the commercial movie industrys
throat. Hollywoods primary target demographic since Jaws and Star Wars, has been
teenagersor at least people who think like
teenagers. Now more global than domestic
(The Avengers grossed $888 internationally,
and only $634 million in the States), this
most coveted movie-going bloc, cultivated
from birth to prefer spectacle over subMOVIEMAKER.COM
by
stance, may never, Denby fears, develop

a taste for narrative, for character, for
suspense, for acting, for irony, for wit, for
drama[And its] possible that they will
be so hooked on sensation that anything
without extreme action and fantasy will just
seem lifeless and dead to them
Increasingly, with each passing blockbuster season, the impulse driving the movieconsuming culture at large resembles a
collective addiction to noise rather than a
genuine desire for entertainmentto say
nothing of a longing for deep emotional
engagement. But, Denby continues, The
audience goes [to these tent-pole events]
because the movies are there, not because
it necessarily loves themThe need for
drama, character, complexity, and so on,
has to be cultivated, fed, and expanded. Or
it has to be createdby something new.
We, as moviemakers and fans of independent cinema, must be that something
new. History seems to be on our side. Ever
since Buuel and Dal slit the eyeball in Un
Chien Andalou, independent cinema has
functioned as a system shock, driving the
ever-hesitant culture forwardoften kicking and screaming. But I have to wonder
if were still a primary engine of change.
If The Avengers and its analogues have
turned complex, emotional art into an
allergen, independent cinema of the last
decade has been little more than a tissue.
Weve sopped up a little mucous, but we
havent treated the root cause.
Equipment is cheap, and securing funding is as much a function of creativity, now,
as it is of a moviemakers financial connections (see Outside the Crowdpg. 22).
Accordingly, almost anyone can make a
movie. And if anyone can be a filmmaker,
then making a movie for the sake of making a movie has lost muchor allof its
value. Thats why next issue MovieMaker
will embark on another first: drawing up
a manifesto of meaning for microbudget
moviemakers. As weve seen so graphically
illustrated in the news recently, the moving image can be powerfully, frighteningly
important. If were to move beyond the hollow, noisy, tent-pole blockbuster and turn
our attention to a cinema that aspires to get
under our dermal layer and touch our soul,
we need a united vision.
So stay tuned. See you in Park City. MM
Issue No. 101, Volume 19

guide to making movies 2013
Phone: 310/742-7214
Fax: 818/349-9922
E-mail: staff@moviemaker.com
Web: www.moviemaker.com
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Timothy Rhys
Associate Publisher
Paul Tukey
VIce President & General Counsel
David Albert Pierce
Managing Editor
James kaelan
Consulting Editor
JENNIFER WOOD
Editorial Assistant
kyle rupprecht
Editors at Large
Peter Weed & phillip williams
Contributing Writers
dante ciampaglia, bob fisher,
AARON HILLIS, JULIE JACOBS,
Eric kohn, joe leydon,
david sterritt, mark sells,
ryan stewart, v. valentini
Interns
Lara colocino
Michelle Chung
Sarah Dahnke
Art Director
Kathryn Tongay-Carr
Festival & Partnership Liaison
Jessica Rhys
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contents

pg
50
30
Chapter 3: Production
Chapter 2: DEVELOPMENT &
PRE-PRODUCTION
21 Introduction
BY ONDI TIMONER
22 SUCCESSFUL CROWDFUNDING 2.0
46
Chapter 1: Screenwriting
13 Introduction

BY ONDI TIMONER
14 adapting indie fiction
If you think optioning nov-

els is reserved for the big
studios, think again. Weve got
a list of indie presses and
journals that might just
net you the inspiration
for your next script.
BY CARMIEL BANASKY &
CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON
16 writing on a schedule
Without good time manage-

ment, you may never get past
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY.
Here are few tips on how to
getand stayon schedule.
BY CHRISTINA HAMLETT
18 THE SECOND DRAFT
Unless youre Edward Albee,

youre going to need a second
draft. Here are some helpful ways
to regain the objectivity you need
to edit your screenplay.
BY DAVID LARGMAN MURRAY
MOVIEMAKER.COM
The novelty of crowdfunding

has worn off, which means
youre going to need a story to
sell your campaign.
BY VALENTINA I. VALENTINI
24 STRAIGHT SHOOTING
Most investors are savvy busi-

ness people, so in order
to attract investment for
your film you need knowledge
and integrity.
BY DANA PACKARD
28 the happy hustler
To be a successful micro-
budget moviemaker, you
have to beg, borrow, barter,
and steal.
BY SAM MESTMAN
30 union vs. non-union
When weighing the pros and

cons of choosing union
or non-union cast and crew,
you need to consider a lot
more than baseline costs.
BY STEPHANIE SELLARS
32 THE PRODUCERS SACRED TRINITY
On a movie of any budget,

three positions can be the
difference between success
and financial ruin: Unit Pro-
duction Manager, Accountant,
and Attorney.
BY DAVID ALBERT PIERCE, ESQ.
37 Introduction
BY ONDI TIMONER
38 QUIET ON THE SET!
Your movie can look like it

was shot on a phone, but it
cant sound that way. Here
are some pointers for mak-
ing sure you record the sound
you need for successful post.
BY BILL BRAUN
40 mutiny, and how to avoid it
If you want your cast and

crew to follow you into the
great unknown of moviemak-
ing, you cant be a tyrant or
a pushover.
BY D.W. BROWN
44 let the p.a. direct?
You cant defer to your P.A.

for directing advice, but you
shouldnt ignore his insight
either. Collaboration is king
on the micro-budget set.
BY JAMES KAELAN
46 WHO THE HELL AM I TALKING TO?
Directing requires mastery

of no fewer than eight
separate, jargon-rich techni-
cal dialects.
BY JUSTIN EUGENE EVANS
50 the devils in the data details
If youre planning to shoot

your next movie on film, we
applaud you. If not, youll need
to manage your digital data.
That means youll need a
Data Management Technician
who knows what hes doing.
BY COOPER GRIGGS

pg
68 the thrill isnt gone
MovieMaker sat down

with Cinema Libre
Studios to talk about
the advantages of
choosing a traditional,
brick-and-mortar
distributor for your
indie movie.
BY MM EDITORS
72
Chapter 4: Post-Production
53 Introduction
BY ONDI TIMONER
54 killing your darlings
Four director/editors talk

about the perils and joys of
editing their own features.
BY KYLE PATRICK ALVAREZ,
MATT HARRISON, KELLY
PARKER, & SEAN BAKER
64
72 TO HELL WITH THE
MIDDLEMAN
Comedian Louis C.K.
changed the financial land-
scape of stand-up comedy
by self-distributing Live at
the Beacon Theatre. Now
indie filmmakers can use
the same tools to sell their
films online.
BY MARK SELLS
96 the feature film project
Nicholas Mason talks about

his new venture, the Fea-
ture Film Project, which
will put one independent
film into 100 US theatres
next spring.
BY NICHOLAS MASON
58 to compose, or not to compose
When youre thinking
about your soundtrack,

you need to weigh the costs
and benefits of licensing
music and composing
from scratch.
BY MIRIAM CUTLER
60 post-production checklist
Post-production can be
extremely costly, so here are
five things to keep in mind
thatll save you time and
money as you navigate the
post-production minefield.
BY RANDEE DAWN

Chapter 5:
Promotion & DISTRIBUTION

63 Introduction
BY ONDI TIMONER
64 What is a festival worth?
With more than 6,000 film

festivals world-wide, choos-
ing the right place to submit
your movie requires a strategy.
BY MARK BOSKO
54
76
MOVIEMAKERS GUIDE TO DIY

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION
With new digital distribu-
tion platforms popping up
like weeds across the
internet, MovieMaker is
launching a new feature fo-
cused on DIY distribution.
Besides listing some ex-
tremely interesting compa-
nies, were also giving our
analyses of their services
and making recommendations.
BY MM EDITORS
Columns & Departments
4 MM Notebook
BY JAMES KAELAN
10 Contributors
80 guide to film education
84 Motion Picture
Production Guide
94 marketpace & Call for Entries

95 advertiser index
cover design by james kaelan & blessing Yen

MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
10
CONTRIBUTORS
Guest Moviemaker
Guest Illustrator
Ondi Timoner
has the rare
distinction of
winning the
Grand Jury
Prize at the
Sundance Film
Festival twice.
Her 2004
Sundancewinning doc,
Dig!, about the collision of art and commerce through the star-crossed rivalry
between the Dandy Warhols and the
Brian Jonestown Massacre; and her 2009
top prize-winner, We Live in Public
about an internet visionary, Josh Harris,
who showed by example how willingly we
will trade our privacy and eventually sanity in the virtual agewere both acquired
by the Museum of Modern Art in New
York for their permanent collection. She
also directed the socio-political feature
documentaries, Join Us (2007), about the
cult epidemic in America, and The Nature
of the Beast (1994), a hard-hitting look at
the US prison system through the double
murder case of Bonnie Jean Foreshaw.
Timoner premiered her fifth feature
documentary, Cool It, a film that blasts
through the polarizing logjam of the climate change debate to bring a solid plan
for solutions at the Toronto Intl FF in
2010. It was released theatrically through
Roadside Attractions. Ondi is currently
directing and producing a feature-length
documentary and web-channel called A
Total Disruption, about the innovative
entrepreneurs who are driving the greatest revolution our world has ever seen
by using technology to transform our
lives. She also produces and hosts BYOD
(Bring Your Own Docs) a weekly live talk
show about documentaries, in which Ondi
interviews the leaders in doc filmmaking in discussions about their work. She
looks forward to her directorial debut of a
pre-scripted actor film when she brings
her script, Mapplethorpe, to life in 2013.
Timoners script tells the life story of the
cultural lightning bolt, photographer
Robert Mapplethorpe, with the exclusive
rights to Mapplethorpes life and work and
support from the Mapplethorpe Estate.
Originally a professional modern dancer

in NYC, Louisa Bertmans
career transmuted into
illustration and animation. From Mikhail
Gorbachev (front page
top fold Wall Street
Journal) to hotel maid service (Penthouse
Magazine), to dorm room door doodles
(TVs The Gilmore Girls), her illustrations appear in diverse media worldwide.
She painted The Car Talk Guys for NPR,
Michelle Obama for BUST Magazine,
Michael Jackson for Dallas Morning
News, and Ringo Starr for Live Nation.
She illustrated DJs for The Village Voice,
and composers for GQ Magazine. Shes
created animations for AT&T, Nynex and
IBM. Her advertising work includes Walz
Tetricks Kansas Teen Thinking Campaign, Wells Fargos African American
Entrepreneur Calendar, and The LA Gay
and Lesbian Positive Images Campaign.
Several of her oversized Rock and Art
portraits have been signed by such
high rollers as Fergie, Ringo Starr, Cyndi
Lauper, Chris Isaak, Ziggy Marley, Huey
Lewis, Chicago, Keane, Anna Nalick, and
Hilary Duff. Most recently, Bertman was
humbled and honored that the Evers
family commissioned her to paint civil
rights activists Medgar Evers and Myrlie
Evers portraits for their private estate.
Check out a whole bunch of her work at
www.louisabertman.com.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Featured Writers
Valentina I. Valentini is a
freelance journalist
and producer based
in Los Angelesand
has the coolest name
in this years Guide.
She contributes to ICG
Magazine, British Cinematographer, IndieWire.com, New York
Magazine/Vulture.com, Variety and more.
Recently, her father sat across from
MovieMaker founder Tim Rhys at some
awards ceremony. Hollywood legend has
it, they exchanged pleasantries.
Stephanie Sellars is a
New York-based filmmaker, writer, and
actress. She recently
returned from Paris
where she wrote, directed, and starred in
the short film La Vie en Gris, under
the auspices of La Femis film school,
and under the influence of good cheese
and wine. She is completing a film
MFA at Columbia University School of
the Arts. You can learn plenty about
her past and future projects on
www.stephaniesellars.com.
For more than 15

years, Mark Sells has
written about film
as The Reel Deal, and
can be heard weekly
on 100.3 FM The
Sound in Los Angeleswhen the DJs
arent playing LA Woman by the
Doors (again!)providing the latest
in movie news and reviews. Based
out of Denver, CO, he co-owns a
production company, HFMedia, and
is currently developing a handful of
screenplays for the large and small
screens. In addition to MovieMaker,
Sells work can be seen regularly in
Script, Relevant, and 303 Magazines.
Visit him at www.thereeldeal.co
(and thats not a typo; its actually
.co instead of .com).
David Largman Murray

is a playwright,
screenwriter, and
(former) celebrity
gossip blogger living
in Los Angeles. He
has an MFA from
USC, and a Subaru
Forester from his former roommate.
What more does he need? You can
learn about his past obsession with
Double Gulps from 7-11 and see him
do the weirdest audition ever over
at www.davidlargmanmurray.com.
He is currently in development on his
first pilot (thats television). MM
mmmmmmmmmmMANHAT TAN SHORT
NEXT MARCH, ONE INDEPENDENT FILM

WILL PREMIERE IN 100 THEATERS
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND IT COULD BE YOURS

Next March, one independent film
will debut at 100 theaters around
the US and it could be yours!
Co-presented by MovieMaker
Magazine, the MANHATTAN SHORT
Film Festival is launching a truly
revolutionary project for helping
i n d i e fi lm m aker s g ai n m aj or
exposure for their work.
Offering unprecedented visibility,

the Feature Film Project will premiere
one film on one night on more
than 100 screens across the country.
Audiences will then get to vote
on whether or not to bring the film
back for a full, one-week run. If the
majority says yes, the film comes
back. Its that simple.
TO SUBMIT YOUR FEATURE FILM
VISIT
W W W. T H E F E AT U R E F I L M P R O J E C T. C O M
PG. 14
ADAPTING
INDIE
FICTION
PG. 16
WRITING
ON A
SCHEDULE
PG. 18
THE
SECOND
DRAFT
Form should not distract the spectator from

the scripts content. The films moral should
remain in sight without being concealed by
ornamental details. Without this background
there is no possible cinema. Luis Buuel
MOVIEMAKER.COM
by
ONDI TIMONER

pg
Chapter
One
13
screenWriting
One clich about screenwriting is that the hardest part about
writing is sitting down every day
to do it. But I find, actually, that
the hardest thing to do by far is
get up and re-enter the outside
world when Ive been on a roll
for six hours. To make my reallife appointments, to reengage in
everyday conversation, to press
pause on the structural redesign
and character development that
obsesses me when Im really working well: thats the hard part.
Editing a documentary is very
similarat least from my experience. I can recall way too many
nights where I was racing to move
scenes or lines of dialogue from
one part of the timeline to another,
making notes on what needed to
be said when, trying to finish surfing the wave of creativity I was on
before the sun came up. In fact,
I find it almost impossible not to
work through the night when Im
making a compelling, dramatic
documentary because, unlike
writing a pre-scripted, acted film,
when youre writing a doc you
have video and audio streaming
out of the screens in front of you,
impelling you forward.
With a doc, I would say 10 percent
of the writing takes place during preproduction, 20 percent takes place in
the field during production (the percentage is even higher for experienced
director/editors, capable of conceiving
the edit and connective tissue as they

shoot), and 70 percent happens during post-production.
The 70 percent of the writing of
a documentary that takes place in
the editing room is a very different
experience than the scriptwriting
of an actor-driven film. Doc writing
is alive and noisy and in your face.
You compare lines of dialogue
maybe you have a similar thought
spoken five different times by the
same person, at different times, or
by five different peopleand you
need to choose which line works
best in your film. You line these up,
and when inevitably the film is too
long, or people say um too much,
you prune. You cut and hone to
For pre-scripted, acted films

(I keep making this distinction
because I believe great documentaries can be just as narrative and
dramatic as narrative features),
I start by laying out the scenes
in the order I imagine the story
should be told, and then I start
writing. Inevitably, more scenes
get added while some get taken
away, but if I keep the three act
breaks in mind along with what I
hope to accomplish by the end of
each oneI find that the structure
presents itself. You just need to
ride that horse without telling it
too often where to go.
My approach is pretty simple:
Have people talk as realistically and
Your script can always get better from

draft to draft, as long as there is
some time in between.
make sure the story hits emotionally, and that the arguments get made
and the conflicts build logicallybut
not obviously. You then arrange the
various elements of the narrative,
connecting them with voiceover (if
thats what the piece is asking for),
or by writing through your subjects
words to bring to life your story without additional narration.
efficiently as possible. I believe that

making documentaries and studying
the way people express themselves
has helped me immensely in writing
authentic characters. And I always
try to keep in mind that the script
is never really done; it can almost
always get better if I give myself
time between revisions. Distance
provides incredible perspective.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
14
by
Carmiel Banasky and Christopher Robinson
adapting indie
fiction
A resource for finding
the right story
for your film
ouve been working on your first

script for a year and a half. Maybe
you got a lukewarm reception
at your first staged reading last
month, or maybe that .FDX file is
still languishing half written on
your desktop. Either way, you feel
like the problems with your script
are related to the urgency of the story itself.
Youve mined your imagination and personal
experience for a compelling narrative, but you
just cant seem to get any traction. The thought
has crossed your mind to adapt a book, but you
discarded it, assuming the hassle and expense of
optioning fiction was outside your price range. Well, guess
what: It might be a lot more cost-effective than you think.
The Big Six publishers (think Hachette, HarperCollins,
MacMillan, Penguin, Random House, Simon & Schuster) are
in dire straits. They cant afford to take risks. Thus, many
great books that they would have published five or 10 years
ago are now ending up at small, independent presses. In
many ways, this is a good thingfor authors, who now get
much more attention (though smaller advances), for readers, who now have a wealth of innovative and quality literature (much of it free if theyre willing to do a little digging),
and for screenwriters looking for material to adapt With a
small press it doesnt cost $50,000 to option a great book.
One of the great advantages of dealing with small presses
is that they are vastly more approachable and likely to work
with producers of limited means. Dzanc Books is a perfect
example of an independent press that is eager to attract
filmmakers. They have an impressive list of titles (see below)
ready to be optioned. A one to five-year option may cost
you around $10,000, though Dzanc, like many independent
presses, is open to negotiation on a case-by-case basis. For
example, they may accept a smaller option for a larger share
MOVIEMAKER.COM
of the exercise of that option. With any press, big or small,

we recommend legal help when entering negotiations.
You can contact Dzanc Books directly about film
rights. Some small presses, though, outsource their
rights/acquisition departments. You can find this information on the contact pages of their websites. Grove
and Counterpoint (the umbrella press to Soft Skull, see
below) have a rights guide easily accessible, with contact
info, subagents, and recent sales.
But which presses should you approach? Which publishers have consistently good titles? Where is the best debut
fiction? Below weve tried to answer these questions, looking both at independent presses and at literary journals,
which are publishing today the authors who will become
tomorrows best sellers. Were also particularly excited
about the novella as a form ideal for adaptation. The closer
your script length is to the page count of the book youre
adapting, the less you have to cut.
The publishers listed below take risks, mining the corners of our literary landscape for new voices, challenging
storytelling as we know itwhich is, after all, exactly what
independent filmmakers set out to do.

pg
Presses
Literary Journals
City Lights Publishers

www.citylights.com/publishing/
Glimmer Train
www.glimmertrain.com/
Named for the San Francisco bookstore that started it all, City Lights
15
Unlike most journals that publish award-winning fiction, two sisters
is a counter-culture mainstay with a timeless yet progressive bent, cur-
run the whole Glimmer Train show. They only publish unsolicited
rently trailblazing genres like LGBT literature. Still proud of having first
fiction, favoring pieces by emerging writers. Expect stories with lots of
published Ginsbergs Howl, they now publish authors such as Rebecca
emotional engagement, traditional narrative arcs, and family themes.
Brown (The Haunted House; Annie Oakleys Girl), Thomas Glave (The Tor-
Their summer issue featured Claire Vaye Watkins, recently chosen as
turers Wife; Whose Song), and James Purdy.
one of the five under 35 by the National Book Foundation.
Coffee House Press

www.coffeehousepress.org/
Granta
www.granta.com/
Ben Lerner, Rikki Ducornet, Kenneth Koch, Sam Savage, and Patricia
John Freeman runs one of the most worldly and far reaching liter-
Smith are just a few great writers from this indie press. Newer award-winners
ary journals, with authors and stories from every continent. This
and acclaimed books include Leche by R. Zamora Linmark and Drowning
breadth of work is brought together under one theme per issue. Some
Tucson, Aaron Michael Morales debut (which Coffee House is calling
samples: Medicine, Horror, Aliens, Pakistan, The F-Word. Theres a
a southwest version of HBOs The Wire). Coffee House press is often
lot here that might be adaptable, from Vanessa Mankos The Inter-
experimental and dark, and always full of imagistic, lush language.
rogation to Philip Klays Redeployment.
Dzanc
www.dzancbooks.org/publishing/
McSweeneys
www.mcsweeneys.net/
This press is full of award-winners, but is still an underdog of the
McSweeneys is many things: the Quarterly Concern, one of the most
publishing world. Some of the reasons we like them is they give a
innovative and lauded literary journals in the country; The Believer, a
free e-book with the purchase of any print book. Also, their books
monthly literary and culture magazine; the Internet Tendency, a literary
run the thematic gamut, encompassing epic tales and intimate family
humor site; and a publishing house. Through these outlets, Mc-
dramas. They celebrate debut authors like Aaron Burch (How to Predict
Sweeneys has put out acclaimed fiction by Jonathan Lethem, Michael
the Weather) as well as renowned greats such as Jonathan Baumbach
Chabon, David Foster Wallace, George Saunders, and, of course, Dave Eg-
(Dreams of Molly). Other titles to note: The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats by
gers (McSweeneys Founder). This is the place to turn to if youre looking
Hesh Kestin (a recent sale now being readied for filming); and What
beyond traditional narratives for work that might inspire experimental
the World Will Look Like When the Water Leaves Us by Laura van den Berg.
or fantastical cinema.
Grove/Atlantic
www.groveatlantic.com
Narrative Magazine
www.narrativemagazine.com/
Grove/Atlantic is on the larger side of the independent presses.
Narrative Magazine, edited by Carol Edgarian and Tom Jenks, is free
Their reputation started with Burroughs, Kerouac, and Ginsberg, and
and digital (no print edition), but dont take this as a sign of low quality.
extends into today with Jeanette Winterson, Jim Harrison, and Sherman
Stories published in Narrative regularly go on to win Pushcart Prizes,
Alexie. New books to look out for (that we personally think would make
Pen/O. Henry awards, and are frequently included in the Best American
fabulous adaptations) are Josh Weils The New Valley, Ryan Boudinots
Short Stories anthologies. They also publish novellas. Check out Nathan
Blueprints of the Afterlife, and Francisco Goldmans Say Her Name.
Pooles Stretch Out Your Hand and Skip Horacks The Cryptozoologist.
Soft Skull (an imprint of Counterpoint)

www.softskull.com/
Ploughshares
www.pshares.org
Where celebrities shoot birds, where a killing spree aint no thing,
In order to encourage a variety of aesthetics and literary circles, each
and where there is nothing to eat but oatmeal that tastes like sweaters
issue of Ploughshares is guest-edited by a prominent writer. In the past,
are the adventures, amongst others, youll find in Love in Infant Monkeys
editors have included Raymond Carver, Sherman Alexie, and Richard
by Lydia Millet (a Pulitzer Prize finalist book), Deliver Me From Nowhere
Ford, to name a few. Check out Thomas Lee, who won the first annual
by Tennessee Jones, and Cool For You by Eileen Myles. You might also
Ploughshares Emerging Fiction Writers Contest. Of particular interest is
take a look at Counterpoint, their mother press.
Ploughshares new P-Shares Singles, a monthly e-book series of novellas.
Other notables:
Other notables:
Graywolf Press (www.graywolfpress.org/)

Guernica Editions (www.guernicaeditions.com/)
Milkweed (www.milkweed.org/)
McSweeneys (see Literary Journals)
A Public Space (www.apublicspace.org)

Agni (www.bu.edu/agni/)
Tin House (www.tinhouse.com)
Zoetrope: All Story (www.all-story.com/) MM
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
by
16
Christina Hamlett
writing on a schedule
A Wake-up Call for Writers who Want to be More Efficient
ave you ever wondered

if the characters in your
unfinished screenplay will
finally get so tired of waiting for you to wrap up their
story that they just write
the rest of it themselves?
Real life, alas, has a pesky
way of encroaching on the time you need
for your reel life. If youve ever caught
yourself saying, But there arent enough
hours, consider this article your wakeup call. You actually have all the hours
you need to keep on schedule with your
screenwriting; you simply need to allocate
them more efficiently.
If the boss at your day job gives you a

task, theres probably a due date attached
to it. In contrast, writing is a solitary
craft that too often allows for a get-to-itwhen-I-get-to-it mindset. Unless theres a
specific deadline looming, its too easy to
let a project languish by falling back on the
excuse that your muse just isnt cooperating. Well, its time to readjust that attitude,
put on a boss hat, and become more
accountable for product delivery.
Lets say youre writing a 100-page script
and youre set on a four-week deadline.
(I hate word/math problems as much as
the next person, but it actually works for
this example.) At a glance, you can see
that in order to meet this goal you need to
produce 25 pages a week (five pages per
day if you take weekends off). Its really not
that much, but where most writers err is
in editing as they go. Do not do this. Just
write. Edit when youre finished. If you edit
as you compose, youre going to spend way
too much time agonizing over the perfect
first line and never get to the second one.
Another approach is to commit to
writing one page a day for 100 days. Even
if you have a wild spurt of creativity and
write 10 pages in a single afternoon, it
doesnt let you off the hook for the next 10
days; it just means youre that much farther ahead. Well still expect the mandatory
one page from you tomorrow. Psychologists
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Photo by: Frank Kelly
By the Numbers
Preparing the days sides.

say it takes 21 days to incorporate a new
habit into your behavior. If you steadfastly
apply this to a daily writing schedule, you
couldnt not write on day 22.
The Cliffhangers
Back when I was penning romantic suspense novels for HarperCollins, I worked
with several women who were voracious
readers. Rather than join a local critique
group of writers, I found it more valuable to give test-drives of my material to
people who actually represented my target demographic. Every Friday afternoon,
Id distribute copies of my latest chapters.
Since it was my style to end each one with
a cliffhanger, theyd usually accost me
first thing Monday morning and demand
to know what happened next. I dared not

show up empty-handed.
Whether you recruit your own readers or work with writing partner(s),
engaging others in your writing process is a powerful motivator to impose
stick-to-itiveness. If you dont have
access to supporters to push and prod
you along, the next best thing is to
never end your writing day at a point
where its too hard to restart. Finishing a scene, for instance, makes you
feel less inclined to begin a new one
than if you end in the middle of a line:
Oh, Jeffrey, I know its bad timing but
theres a Theres a what???? Yes, you
know what it is and itll drive you
crazy to have to wait a day to type it.
Guide to MakinG Movies 2013

pg
Use that crazy to energize yourself.

Treat your writing sessions like a timed
test; when the buzzer goes off, take
your hands off the keyboard. Expand
your mental margins by registering at
OneWord.com, a fun site that gives you
60 seconds to submit the first thing
that pops into your head.
The CompeTiTive edge

Contest deadlines wait for no one.
Some of them, in fact, even offer earlybird discounts. In an uncertain economy,
who wouldnt want to save some money?
Contests not only push you to meet/beat
a deadline, but placement in the most
prestigious ones top tier can also open
doors to production. In addition to the
plethora of contest listings at www.moviebytes.com, check out BlueCat Screenwriting, PAGE International, NaNoWriMo (for
novels), NaScWriMo (for screenplays),
Writers Digest (w/ categories for film
and TV), and fellowship opportunities such as Nicholl, Walt Disney/ABC,
American Zoetrope and Nickelodeon.
Finding The 25Th hour

Could your writing schedule use an extra
hour? Of course it could, but to paraphrase
Captain Jack Sparrow, The Isla de More
Time cannot be found except by those who
already know where it is. If you want to
keep to a code of high productivity, it starts
with aggressive decluttering. For a single day,
record exactly how much time you spend
checking email, surfing the Internet, reading TMZ gossip, looking for lost notes, and
playing computer games. Yikes! Whod have
imagined how it all adds up!
If you live with others, how often do
they interrupt and derail your train
of thought? Writing is your job. Insist
on respect.
Learn keyboard shortcuts to save typing time. (http://www.microsoft.com/
enable/products/keyboard.aspx)
Consolidate or delegate your
errand-running.
Identify your most productive writing
zone and consistently stick to it.
Remove distractions from your workspace.
17
Get up earlier; go to bed later.

Read Laura Vanderkams 168 Hours: You
Have More Time Than You Think, Kenneth
Atchitys A Writers Time: Making the
Time to Write, and Pilar Alessandras The
Coffee Break Screenwriter: Writing Your
Script Ten Minutes at a Time.
Invest in electronic programs such as
NewNovelist.com, StoryCraft, Quick
Story, Writers Caf, Writers Blocks as
well as voice recognition software.
Use rewardsa spa day, chocolate, new
shoesto stay motivated. (Didnt you
always do your homework faster when
you knew you could go play afterwards?)
Inspired? Great! Now get back to your
characters. Theyve missed you. MM
Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award-winning author, professional

ghostwriter and script consultant whose
credits to date include 30 books, 149 stage
plays, five optioned feature films, and squillions of articles and interviews. Learn more
at www.authorhamlett.com.
SCHOOL OF FILMMAKING
Susan Ruskin, Interim Dean
www.uncsa.edu
animation
cinematography
directing
film music composition (MFA)
picture editing & sound design
producing
production design
screenwriting
Alumni Danny McBride and

David Gordon Green at the UNCSA
School of Filmmaking Studio Village
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
by
18
David Largman Murray
The Second draft

When You Think Youre done,
Youve Only Just Begun
Persian tea and scene preparation.
he truth about writing is that

most of your time is spent
rewriting. Thats not the most
inspiring thing to hear when
youve just completed the most
perfect first draft anyones written since Edward Albee wrote
Whos Afraid Of Virginia Woolf in
a weekend. The problem is, in 99.9 percent
of cases, your first draft is unfilmable.
In figuring out the best way to tackle

the second draft, youll find the process comprises a maddening number
of mini-drafts, all working toward the
goal of writing a screenplay thats at the
very least not embarrassing, and at the
very most, a work of utter genius. When
youre done with your utter genius
draft, then you can tell people you wrote
it in a weekend. Im not implying thats
what Edward Albee did, of course...
Take Time Away

You should take some time away
from your first draft to forget about
MOVIEMAKER.COM
the project and gain perspective. Two

weeks is probably fine, more than two
months and you may lose some enthusiasm. Read a book. Take up a new
hobby. Take that cross-country road
trip you and your high school amigos
have been planning for decades. Go to
the Bahamas and become a paragliding
instructor. See, rewriting can be fun,
and more importantly, easy.
Assess The Situation

After youve had some time away
from your screenplay to rejuvenate
your withering mind, body and soul,
print it out. When you read it, try to
have the experience of an audience
member seeing your movie for the
first time, or an executive reading it on
her iPad while using an elliptical and
watching last nights Honey Boo Boo.
In some severe cases, a major overhaul
is required. The protocol here changes
depending on how lousy your first
draft really is.
Lets say the entire concept of your film

rings totally false. Maybe the central character youre writing isnt really the main
character of the story youre trying to tell.
Maybe youre telling the story in present
day, and really, the story wants to take
place a hundred years ago, or a hundred
years from now. When considering those
kinds of changesbig ones, crazy ones
dont just dive right into Final Draft or
Movie Magic and start hacking away.
Even though moviemaking is fundamentally storytelling, sometimes you
need to step outside the movie-box to
see what story youre really trying to tell
without the whiz-bang-pop of cinematic
conventions. In these cases, I would
recommend that you explore telling the
story in a different medium. Write it as a
five to 25-page short story. Try writing it
as a persuasive essay, a childrens story,
or even, as David Seidler did with his
Academy-Award-winning screenplay for
The Kings Speech: rewrite it as a play. Rewriting your script as a play = Oscar gold.

pg
Re-outline
Re-outlining gives you a birds eye
view and helps you familiarize yourself
with how your story operates structurally. Its also a great way to ease back
into the groove of writing your script
because its busy work, so theres nothing really stressful or writerly about it.
Write each slugline and a brief description for each scene. In general, if its
hard to write a one-sentence description of a scene, its a problem scene.
Once youve got a brand new outline
of your script, specify the changes you
want to make in a different color font
so you can get a sense of how much
work youre going to have to do when
you look at the document as a whole.
Execute these changes as best you can.
After youre done with this mini-draft,
its a good time to get a deeper sense of
whats working and whats not.
Get Feedback
In the journey from first draft to
finished film, youre going to get tons of
feedback from everyone, and some of
it may piss you off. Thats okay. Youre
going to want a lot of people to see this
film, so you might as well start to get a
sense of what people think of it.
Be selective about who you send this
draft out to, though. Dont send it to an
agent or a perspective producer or an
actor friend who just got big. Send it to
someone you took a screenwriting class
with; send it to a friend who expressed
interest in reading; send it to your sisters
boyfriend who works at a video store (just
kidding, no one works at a video store).
As youre processing the feedback, its
important to remember a few things:
1.
Consider the source. Your brilliant

rocket scientist friend may have
some issues with the physics of that
one scene where your main character
is thrown across the room after stepping on a live wire. But consider, is
this rocket scientist going to be in the
audience for your film? And even if he
is in the audience, doesnt he just bitch
about every physics mistake in every
movie no matter what? Whyd you give
your screenplay to this guy in the first
place? Go write another proof, Einstein.
2.
Read the feedback with blurry vision. Seriously. Its really important
to hear what kind of feedback people
are giving you in general, but the in
general part is key. Think about why
youre getting the notes youre getting. Dont just look at the note, look
at the note behind the note; be a note
whisperer. Because while your sisters
boyfriend who works at the mythical
video store has an incredibly valuable
perspective, he might not know what
the hell hes talking about when it
comes to fixing your screenplay.
3.
Dont be a little bitch. If three or

more people are all saying the same
thing about a certain aspect of your
script, make the change. If you want to
be stubborn about it, get really drunk
before you edit. Because usually, the
notes that aggravate you the most are
the ones that are speaking some truth
about your script.
When youre done with this draft,
its time for a reading, and thats actually funand not fake fun, like when I
talked about how fun rewriting is.
Host Readings
If Im doing a significant rewrite of
a script, I like to host two readings. I
know, so decadent! But readings are
the ultimate perspective shifters. Just
as when you print out your screenplay, and suddenly reading it on
paper makes it feel like a different
script, hearing your script in actors
mouths transforms your perception
of the work.
Dont just look

at the note,
look at the
note behind the
note; be a note
whisperer.
19
I like to have a low-stakes reading and

a higher-stakes reading as benchmarks
in the rewrite process. The low-stakes
reading is between a few writerly friends:
non-actors reading several roles, laughing as people try out their old woman
voice or Swedish accent.
Afterwards, host a casual discussion.
Sometimes, when people are talking
about your script, its easy to go into
your head and let your ego react to every
note thats given. Dont give yourself that
opportunity, because its a waste of time
and valuable perspective. As people talk,
I recommend that you dont look at them
or say anything in response, just try to
write down literally every word they say
while vigorously nodding your head to
validate them. If you write everything
down, you dont have to completely listen to and process everything all at once,
so its less overwhelming.
Did I mention youll be serving pizza
and lukewarm soda afterwards? I told
you, this is fun.
After youve done another mini-draft
based on the feedback from the last
reading, you should have a second,
fancier reading with actors. This is the
reading you want to invite your crush to.
Make sure theyre the last to leave. The
idea here is to get a better sense of how
your script looks and feels as a movie. After the applause, standing ovations, and
cries of Bravi! have died down, ask your
audience (and actors) to be so kind as to
write some anonymous feedback. Giving
someone a hard surface to write on lets
them know you mean business.
Id avoid a big group discussion here
because those can go on way too long
and make the audience feel like theyre
being held hostage. Some people may
sneak out without writing their comments, promising to email their notes
later tonight. This email will never arrive. Dont read too much into this.
If everyone sneaks out without writing
comments, saying theyll email you, that
may be an indication of where the script
stands. In this case, you may have to repeat the entire process over again. This
brings me to another sad truth about
writing. When you think youre done,
youve only just begun. But that next
rewrite, that will be fun. MM
MOVIEMAKER.COM
PG. 22
OUTSIDE
THE
CROWD
PG. 24
STRAIGHT
SHOOTING
PG. 28
THE HAPPY
HUSTLER
PG. 30
CAST & CREW:
UNION VS.
NON-UNION
PG. 32
PRODUCINGS
SACRED
TRINITY
I do a tremendous amount of planning and try to
anticipate everything that is possible to imagine
prior to shooting the scene. But when the moment
comes, its always different. stanley kubrick
MOVIEMAKER.COM
by
ONDI TIMONER

pg
Chapter
Two
21
Pre-Production
To ensure your pre-production
period is as successful as possible, remember always that luck
is preparation meeting opportunity. Forget that, and you and your
team arent going to be among the
lucky ones. Dont allow yourself to
get into a position where you see
an opportunity and dont have the
resources to seize it. Pre-production
is more than simply having a lot of
meetings; its about hiring the very
best players for every role, both in
front of the camera and behind.
The more creative and logistical
preparations you can make before production starts, the better.
Unforeseen problems and opportunities will surface during production, and you need to be nimble in
the moment. If you draw a detailed
roadmap for your film, but also
study the alternate routes, youll
know where and how you can deviate from your plan if the occasion
arises. But more importantly, youll
know how to get back on track
when you veer off the road.
In pre-production for a documentary, more than anything youre
formulating your thoughts about why
youre setting out to tell this story.
Ask yourself, What questions do I
want people to ask themselves after
watching my film? Remember, too,
that whatever draws you to make the
film, even if you have an idea of your
point-of-view, its important to let
the audience arrive at its own conclu-
sions. You might be surprised to find

that your perspective changes once
you start capturing the footage that
youll use to tell your story.
In the non-fiction world, a lot
of pre-production is dedicated to
researching your subject matter,
but its also the time when you
purchase or rent whatever gear you
need. If you arent shooting on a
Red or an Alexa, I recommend buying. Most likely, youll need to run
and shoot at a moments notice.
living, breathing documentary leads

to five more!
Pre-production on scripted and
unscripted films is also when youll
be raising funds. Youll be calling the
rich (and poor) people you know,
pitching and re-pitching your project.
Perhaps youll even put together a
sizzle reel to bring your vision alive
so you can excite potential investors.
The good news is: All of this work
every pitch; every rejection; every
moment you decide what to pursue
Remember that whatever it

is that is drawing you to make
this film... it is important to
let the audience arrive at its
own conclusion.
And 99 times out of 100, your
shoot will go on much longer than
you ever imagined. When youre
budgeting, you need to figure out
travelhow many trips you anticipate the film requiring (double that
number), and how many days youll
be shooting (double or triple that
number, too). Every interview on a
or disregard based on what youve

researchedis a valuable part of the
filmmaking journey and helps you
hone your vision. Youll get more efficient with each film, but each project
entails some wasted energy. Dont let
this dissuade you. Every sincere effort
you make in the service of your film
helps you discover the story.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
by
22
Valentina I. Valentini
Successful Crowd
Funding 2.0
Ways to Stand Above the Crowd When Crowd-Funding
s far as fundraising for your

film goes, we all know that
a decade ago you couldnt
reach a woman in Calgary
who had some retirement
money laying around that
she just felt like giving to a
struggling artist. You used
to have to go door-to-door and beg money
from heart surgeons and dentists. Now that
you can reach that widow in Calgary via
Kickstarter or IndieGoGo means you can
spread out the burden of fundraising across
a much wider swath of donors. But at the
same time, you can no longer rely on the
novelty of crowdfunding to generate interest
and money for your project. Now you need a
story to sell the story youre trying to sell.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
With that in mind, MovieMaker talked to a few filmmakers who reached

or surpassed their fundraising goals
by using creative and inventive publicity strategies to promote their
crowd-funding campaigns.
Stay away from: Please Give Me Some Money

Jeremy Lalonde, the writer and director of Sex After Kids, which raised
$61,000 via IndieGoGo last April
(122 percent of its $50,000 goal),
did so, in part, by avoiding blatant
queries for money.
It wasnt about getting people to
just return to our campaign page,
Lalonde says. It was more like, Hey,
check out this funny interview. And
of course at the end of the video there

was always a link to our campaign.
Lalonde released a new video
every other week over his six-week
campaign. When he was researching
successful crowdfunding projects
for the month and a half before he
launched his own, he found a recurring theme: Even the most successful
campaigns had a lag in the middle of
their fundraising efforts.
During that middle stretch, he
recalls, I made sure to make my
videos even more compelling. One
of them was me and one of the
actresses dressed up as chipmunks
and running around a local park. We
also had each member of my fairly

pg
large ensemble cast fill out a survey

related to the films subject that wed
release at a rate of one per day, just
as a funny little thing that our contributors and potential new donators
might find interesting.
There are instances, though, when
its warranted to be barefaced about
asking for money. Mosquita y Mari, a
Kickstarter project that ended up doing
well at Sundance last year, needed a big
finish to close a $35,000 gap. In the
final 48 hours, the campaign reached,
then beat, its goal by $2,500and
more than half the backers donated
less than $100 each.
There was a lot at stake during those final hours, says writerdirector Aurora Geurrero. So our
last minute pitches to get people to
donate really weighed heavy on this
point. When people heard that the
film was about to lose it chance to
get made and was about to lose the
significant amount of money it had
already raised, I think that prompted
many people come to its rescue.
International Actors and Niche Issues

Burn, a critically-acclaimed documentary about Detroittold through the
eyes of its firefighters who are tasked
with saving a city that many have written off as deadhad topical subject
matter on its side. As producers Tom
Putnam and Brenna Sanchezs Kickstarter campaign built up its following,
they began to generate a great deal of
media attention, mainly because of the
poignant story the film focused on.
That began to cross over into other
groups like Denis Leary fans, firefighters in other countries and people who
may not have known about it otherwise, says Putnam. We were also a
bit unique in that the vast majority of
our donors were interested in the fire
service rather than documentaries or
independent film, so they were firsttime Kickstarter users. And this isnt
a point you should overlook: Artists
might be fatigued by crowdfunding
requests, but the rest of the world isnt.
A smaller, but just as successful
Kickstarter campaign, was Cash Black
and Brett Edwards jointly-written
American Cowboys. Again, because
of the uniqueness of the subject

a short film about roping, the only
team sport in rodeostheir project
gained interest from a niche crowd.
Cowboys are a dying breed, but the
remaining practitioners and the communities that support them remain
passionate. The fact that Black and
Edwards are ropers themselves gave
the campaign added authenticity.
Their goal was $5,000, but they
raised $8,400, with a sizeable chunk
of their money coming from people in
the trenches of western culture who
wanted to see their lifestyle positively
portrayed on screen. The Texeiras, an
old-time farming family from Santa
Maria, CA and distant friends of Edwards father, gave them their biggest
donation. The campaigns average
donation was $106, whereas the Kickstarter mean for film campaigns is $88.
Sex After Kids donations came from
26 different countries, mostly from
complete strangers. This was due in
part to the fact that Lalonde had cast
a couple of actors from a popular SyFy
show, Lost Girl. Their international
recognition and fan base helped spread
the campaigns reach even further.
Our average donation was $120,
says Lalonde. With 70 percent or
more coming from strangers. I had
three people give us $5,000 each and I
didnt even know them. One wanted to
shadow the process of filmmaking a
sort of cheaper film school, I guess
and one was a software developer with
kids who just wanted to give back to
the arts community.
Raising Funds is a Job, Not a Hobby

For Sanchez, Burns Kickstarter
campaign was a full-time job for at least
six weeks. She found that you have to
constantly be stoking the fires (pun donated by Putnam) with your audience,
feeding them new videos and news
about the film to keep them coming
back (something Lalonde also did with
his IndieGoGo campaign).
For most potential donors it takes
hearing about something at least three
times before they pay attention, says
Sanchez. We also had a theory, which
seems to have proven true: Its not
about what we want, its about what
23
they want. Our audience wanted to see

more of the film and rewards that made
sense to them.
Putnam says their focus was always
on what they were giving, not what
they needed.
One thing we did that most other
films dont do was steer clear of offering
advance sales of the DVD for the film,
explains Putnam. Thats allowed us to
launch a second Kickstarter campaign
where we are offering pre-sales of the
DVD so we can raise money to self-distribute the film.
Compel People to Give Money

Fundraising marketing techniques,
whether deliberate or not, can and
should be distinct. American Cowboys
strategy was all about heartreaching
for the heart of the family, the heart of
America, the heart of a dying culture.
The same thing holds true with Burn,
tugging at regular citizens heartstrings,
making them aware of the horrible conditions in the Detroit fire department.
Our Kickstarter video was a combination of sizzle reels we had previously
posted online, as well as some new footage, says Putnam. We wanted to create
something exciting that gave people
both a taste of the characters and the
look of the film. Most crowdfunding
videos seem to feature the filmmakers,
which is something we steered clear of.
Since our Kickstarter audience is people
like the firefighters, we tried to keep the
look and feel of the videos as close to a
commercial trailer as possible.
Even though Edwards and Black arent
real-life brothers, they had the idea that
their Kickstarter video would incorporate that brotherly banter dynamic that
is in the American Cowboys script. If
you give Cash a topic, says Edwards,
he can run wild with it. My job with
Kickstarter was to reign him in.
So, is a successful crowdfunding
campaign in the luck of the draw? Is
it about having novel subject matter?
Or does success hinge on the presentation of that story? The answer is:
All of the above. But what all these
campaigns have in common is each
forms a personal connection with its
audience. Never forget that. Your film
depends on it! MM
MOVIEMAKER.COM

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24
Dana Packard
straight shooting
How to talk to investors about the business of making movies
ilm, due to its synthesis

of so many distinct disciplines, is probably the most
complex of all art forms. It
is a major accomplishment
to complete any movie
even a mediocre oneand a
small miracle to make a film
that fuses its myriad components into a
coherent, singularly expressive whole.
In part because of its complexity, film
is also the art form most dependent upon
money for its creation and delivery. The
availability of inexpensive sound and video
equipment and low-cost editing software
in recent years has made it possible to do
much more with much less, but moviemakers must still contend with the fact that
a marketable film with high production
values is usually an expensive endeavor. For
most of us, this means that we need to find
people who are willing to invest a significant amount of their cash into our dreams.
The uncertainty of the impact of any
work of art takes on special resonance
when other peoples dollars and trust are
at stake. Add the statistical reality that the
vast majority of independent films, regardless of artistic merit, lose money, and we
have ourselves a good old-fashioned quandary. How forthright should a filmmaker
be to potential investors? Is it possible to
raise money if you tell the whole story? Yes,
it is, but we, the filmmakers need to have a
handle on the whole story ourselves before
we attempt to convey it.
The murky world of business plans,
revenue streams, profit margins and projections is often intimidating to artists,
whose energies are necessarily focused
on their creative work. Moviemakers who
are not independently wealthy need to
know about businessspecifically the
business of selling filmsin order to
communicate effectively with potential
investors. The more we know, the more
confidence we will inspire, and the more
likely we will be able to develop lasting,
MOVIEMAKER.COM
positive relationships with financiers.

Its worth taking a moment to discuss
a few budget-related funding models.
Micro-budget Kickstarter or Indiegogo
campaign-funded projects may or may
not carry the expectation of profitability.
This is a game-changing development
in independent film financing. The new
supporter/artist relationships born out
of these arrangements are developing
cultures of their own, with evolving rituals and expectations. Social networking
can be utilized powerfully to develop
a following, and there are more and
more examples of filmmakers successfully employing these tools to establish
themselves, and eventually make money
from their efforts. Transparency, faithful
updates, and direct engagement with
supporters will undoubtedly remain central to successful crowd-funded projects.
Independent films in the $100,000
to $2 million budget range are often
financed exclusively by private equity
investors, and involve perhaps the most
sensitive producer/investor relations.
Distribution is typically not guaranteed,
and nationwide DVD sales and respectable deals in foreign markets are needed
to recoup funds. Most movies with
budgets over $2 million, and some with
less, have cast elements whose names
can secure foreign presales or gap financing (wherein a producer completes his
financing package via a loan secured
against the films unsold territories).
Distribution, to one degree or another, is
arranged in advance, which may ameliorate the risk. Major studios finance and
distribute themselves, so they are a whole
other kettle of fish.
Film investment is best suited to successful business people who customarily
allocate a portion of their portfolios to
high-risk ventures. Financing a film via
the non-profit sector is not without precedent, but it can get quite complicated because ownership necessarily divides when
distribution contracts are negotiated.

From an entertainment law standpoint,
the non-profit, philanthropic world isnt a
comfortable fit with for-profit companies.
Wealthy patrons of the arts, therefore,
tend to lend their support to non-profit
arts organizations such as theatres, orchestras and museums. Film investors, by
contrast, tend to be more in the business
of making money than in the business of
supporting the arts. As competitive as the
non-profit world is, it is easier to raise
money for a non-profit arts organization
than it is to find financing for an independent film. This is because business people
expect to see a plausible road to profitability before they will seriously consider
investing their money.
Most potential investors understand
that film is highly speculative, so daunting statistics may not immediately scare
them off. They are more likely to be
deterred by a sense that the filmmaker
has his or her head in the clouds and is
not clear on the specifics of the trajectory of the film, and how it might make
a profit. Cinderella stories in all fields
of entrepreneurship emerge from the
rubble of failed forays with a combination of skill, knowledge, vision, integrity,
grit and luck. Venture capitalists are on
the lookout for entrepreneurs exhibiting these attributes. They invest in the
person, because they understand that
behind every great product is a visionary
with chops and moxie. Maybe you are
one of those people. If youre not, you
need to become one!
Success begins and ends with your
skills. The beauty of todays technology
is that it allows moviemakers to develop
their craft by making their own movies
at low cost. Before attempting a full-scale
feature film with high financial stakes, it
is a great idea to make at least one smaller filmas many as it takes, really, to gain
the hands-on experience you need, and
to have something to show for yourself.

pg
As you go, remember that the screenplay is the center of moviemaking. Learn
about storytelling. Learn about acting.
Learn about cinematography. Learn about
production and post-production sound.
Learn about music. Learn about art direction, costumes and props, special effects
and, most of all, editing. Learn in film
school or in the school of hard knocks, or
both. Be bold, and dive right in. Investors want to see core confidence and
the courage to make decisions of consequence under pressure. Stay humble, but
practice trusting your instincts and your
vision. Surround yourself with others you
trust, and make it happen. Remember,
too, that the only way to learn is to make
due to uninformed, well-intentioned producers. At worst, it constitutes outright

deception and contributes to the common
conviction that film producers are not to
be trusted. It is important for investors to
understand that in a traditional theatrical distribution deal, the exhibitor takes
about half of the Box Office Gross, and the
rest goes to the distributor. Out of those
Box Office Rentals, the distributor deducts
its Prints and Advertising costs (likely in
the tens of millions of dollars for a wide
theatrical release), along with other expenses, before divvying up the remaining
revenue as dictated by the distribution
deal. So, private investors in an independent film that secures a major theatrical
25
to a bottom-feeding distributorand
there are a lot of them. Its a good idea
to talk about these realities with your
investors before you make the film. The
chicken will come home to roost, and
its much better to cover all the bases in
advance. You should study the intricacies of distribution contracts so you can
catch red flags on your own, but its best
to consult with an experienced producer
representative or entertainment attorney
before signing anything. Legal representation, and/or producer rep fees should be
built into your budget.
While investors will appreciate you not
sugarcoating the long odds of film investment, they will want to hear about upside
Learn in film school or in the school of hard knocks, or both. Be

bold, and dive right in. Investors want to see core confidence and
the courage to make decisions of consequence under pressure.
mistakes. When you fall on your face, try
to take it in stride and view it as a little
gift on the road to wisdom. Get back up,
dust yourself off, and dive in again. Smart
investors will appreciate your willingness
to acknowledge
and learn from
your mistakes.
Creating
a business plan
tailored
to your
project is
essential.
Business
plans should be
realistic, with
room for hope but
with clear language
on the possibility of failure. Many
business plans for
independent films
center on examples
of runaway hits, such as
Once, The Blair Witch Project and My Big
Fat Greek Wedding. Impressive domestic
and international box office figures are
often presented as though they translate
directly to investor profits. At best, this is
release will see only a small fraction of

Box Office revenue. If they received a
significant advance with the deal, the advance might be the last money they see.
Foreign box office figures may have little
correlation to investor profits because
international deals are often structured
as buyouts of given territories in various
media. Investors usually receive only their
percentage of the territory buyout, minus
whatever deliverable expenses were
required to seal the
dealeven
if the given
foreign distributor yields
potential, too. Your enthusiasm and belief

that you are the exception to the rule
are important selling points. High-risk
ventures need to offer potentially high rewards in order to justify the liability. On
more than one occasion during presentations to potential investors I have been
admonished, After that, why would I
want to invest in your film? Tell me something
exciting! So Ive learned
that while the nuts and
bolts should be front
and center, its OK
to share ones hopes
and dreams, and
yes, to talk about
Cinderella
storieseven
while filling
in the oftomitted
impressive box
office numbers.
Distributors
drive the motion picture
industry, and distributors make
most of the money. Your business
plan should reflect this reality, and
should feature well thought-out backup options, including self-distribution
strategies. Sometimes its better to hold
on to what you have than to give it away
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
Producers working with the Bosko

Group find their feature-length films
and documentaries successfully
distributed on DVD to thousands of
retail locations, as well as through the
ever-growing digital and cable
video-on-demand (VOD) market.
boskogroup.com
MOVIEMAKER.COM
26
blanks. Its good to remember, too, that

many who invest in film are drawn to it
because of its novelty and glamour, and
they would like to be in on the fun.
Finally, as you develop relationships
with investors, recognize that business
people and artists tend to look at money very differently. For starters, money
is much more important to investors
than it is to artistsa self-evident
observation. This is a cultural difference that we need to take seriously if
relations with investors are to remain
congenial. Artists tend to use money as
a means to an end. When we need more
money, we tend to do what is required
to obtain it, and then pour it into our
work. When the work is complete, the
expense feels thus justified. For most
successful business people, the money
itself is precious, and is only to be spent
when the spending holds the clear
promise of generating more money.
Whatever our politics as likely members of the 99 percent, we can view this
on a micro level as a kind of reverence
of something cherished. It is therefore
important for us to treat the money of
our investors not as if it were our own
because we would likely not treat it as
gently as they would, but as if it were
something of real sentimental value
to us that we hold dear to our hearts.
Many investors care about their money
that much. They really do. And since
its theirs, we need to consider our
stewardship of it as a sacred trust.
If we do everything in our power to

protect their money, and stay in constant
contact throughout the process, there
is the possibility of remaining on good
terms, regardless of the outcome. We
might even get a second chance if things
go south, because most investors know
that everything of value is hard won, and
that practice makes perfect. MM
Recommended Reading:
Filmmakers and Finance: Business
Plans for Independents, by Louise
Levison
www.moviemoney.com
Selling Your Film Without Selling
Your Soul, by The Film Collaborative,
John Reiss and Sheri Candler
www.sellingyourfilm.com
Bankroll: A New Approach to Financing Feature Films, by Tom Malloy
shop.mwp.com
Dana Packard is a film and theatre director, editor and actor. With his partner, Jennifer Nichole Porter, he has produced the
award-winning 16mm short, The Ballad of
Ida and Doob, the critically-acclaimed Mr
Barrington, and 40 West, featuring Wayne
Newton, winner of 17 international awards,
including Grand Jury Prize: Amsterdam
Film Festival, and Best Director: NY
Downtown Feature Film Festival.

pg
by
28
Sam meStman
The happy
husTler
a LeSSon in Creative budgeting
f the rules dont make sense, a

hustler (and every independent
moviemaker must be a hustler)
knows to disregard the rulebook.
The film industry stacks the odds
against you, especially if youre
working outside of the system. So if
you want to get your film made and
then distributed with modest resources,
youre going to have to figure out a way to
beat the house at its own game. With that
in mind, here are some simple guidelines
that will help you beg, borrow, and steal
your way to successor at least help you
avoid failure before youve started.
If you arent paying people, the food
better be good. One heartening truth
about entry-level moviemaking is your cast
and crew care less about money, and
more about getting treated well.
If the food on your set sucks
and you arent paying,
get ready for a mutiny. However,
if you can
avoid
1.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
CinematograPHer
PeerS doWn From tHe rooF
the financially-driven impulse to order

Dominos/McDonalds for every meal, you
treat people with decency and respect, and
you create an environment where they
can practice their craft creatively, youll be
amazed how quickly everyone forgets about
their slaves wage. Good food might cost a
little more up front, but acting respectful is
freeand both will pay major dividends in
the long run.
Minimize (or eliminate) money spent
on permits and insurance, and use
as few locations as possible. Keeping costs
down starts with your script. If you know you
dont have any money, make a list of all the
places you can shoot that you wont have to
pay to use, and tailor your script to them. If
you really need a location that will cost money, take a small crew out to the location you
need to steal, and do it incognito. If youve
got a DSLR (any of Canons D-series cameras,
for instance), pretend its a still photo shoot
when the cops come. This might not work
in LA, but youd be surprised what you can
get away with if you act like you know what
youre doing. And if you cant steal a location, so long as you
arent in LA or
New York (but
even sometimes there),
approach the
owners of an
establish-
2.
ment you want to incorporate into your

film. From my experience, most people will
actually be excited to help. And if youre borrowing a restaurant or bar, you can always
offer to hold your wrap party there.
Small crews work harder and better.
You dont need very many people
on set. Seriously, you dont. When you get
above seven or so, youll need someone
just to manage your crew, and you cant
afford that. Accordingly, youre way better
off paying a small crew of essential people a
little money than roping in a ton of people
you dont pay. A smaller crew means youre
more nimble, in large part because you can
gather everyone in a small room and actually communicate with them. This intimacy
leads to building a more engaged and
ardent team, which will translate into fewer
budget-crippling screw-ups. If you think you
need 15 people on set, I challenge you to
work with 10, and pay the important ones
for their time (or barter!).
Hire people with their own gear.
If youre cash-strapped, figuring out
a way to reduce rental fees is just common
sense. Instead of getting an insurance policy
and wasting time with check-in/check out
at a rental house, just take half the money
you would have spent there and hire someone who has the gear you need. Its easier to
find these people than you think, and youll
be getting a crewmember
plus
gear for half the
money.
3.
4.

pg
5.
Wrangle your DPs equipment list.

Youve hired a DP named Dave. Hes
fresh out of film school and excited to get
his hands dirty on set. Ask him to make a list
of all the gear he needs for the shoot. Without fail, Dave and his analogues will furnish
an absolutely ridiculous list, replete with
6K lights and 200 feet of dolly track. When
you have the list, though, make Dave get a
quote for the package himself. When you see
the quote, allow fear to take control of your
body. But then, very politely, go through the
list point by point, really challenging Dave
on the necessity of each line item. Make him
differentiate between ideal and critical equipment. Not only will you learn
something from this equipment rundown,
but if you do this together, youll find that
the DP himself will cross things off the list,
eliminating the non-essential items and
coming up with creative solutions for the
expensive-but-invaluable ones. If your DP
really argues with you over a certain piece
of equipment, let him win. But if hes completely inflexible, dont work with him.
There are a bunch of Daves out there who
can work wonders with very little.
Be a better barterer. Theres nothing
wrong with bartering to get things
done. In fact, often times trade can be more
effective than cashespecially when the
cash youre offering aint much. Here are a
few tips on how to maximize your returns:
a. Identify or learn a skill that few people
have. For instance, Im a professional colorist by trade. I cant tell you how much good
will and favors Ive earned color-correcting
other peoples work for free (not to mention
the paid referrals my free work has generated). The reason? Not many people know
how to color correct video, and fewer are
any good at it. In all likelihood, though, you
arent a colorist. But maybe youre a graphic
designer or a make-up artist. You could offer
to do someones movie poster, or donate a
weekend of hair and makeup in exchange
for assistance on your set. But your skill
neednt be specifically movie-related. Maybe
youre a carpenter or a mechanic. Replace
someones head gasket or build someone a
table in kind for their work on your movie.
The possibilities are literally endless.
B. Own gear no one else has or wants
to pay for. If you invest in film equipment
instead of, say, a new car (an honest-to-god
decision every filmmaker should consider
carefully), youre building real equity in
the micro-budget film world. Whether
6.
youre taking out a loan for a Red Epic or

an Arri Alexa, or saving up more reasonable sums for a 5D Mark III, a few extra EF
prime lenses, or a stash of lighting gear, you
can subsidize your own income by renting
equipment out; or, better yet, you could
become an indie hero by loaning your gear to
friends and colleagues. If you dont have the
thousands of dollars to put toward big ticket
items, but you have, say, a little extra space,
put $100 into a good cloth greenscreen and
lend out your living room, office, or spare
bedroom as a greenscreen studio.
c. Become a network for referring work
to other people. Nothing will endear you
more to people than putting money in
their pockets. If youre less of a craftsman
and more of a networker, use your contacts
to help people who you might need help
from in the future. If youve read Malcolm
Gladwells Tipping Point, you might be familiar with Lois Weisberg. She was the ultimate
connector in Chicago, floating amongst
myriad social groups, collecting friends and
connecting them to people in other circles.
If youre the Lois Weisberg of your group,
make introductions. Your beneficiaries
will always remember where their fruitful
new relationship started. If you arent Lois
29
came back months and even years later

with paid work. My point here is, donating your time builds good Karma. Help out
whenever you can, dont keep score, and
youll reap the benefits.
e. Dont let people take advantage of
you. With all this talk about building good
will through volunteering, you still always
have to remember that some people will
take advantage of your kindness. From my
experience, though, youll know on a gut
level when youre dealing with a snake (if
you cant differentiate between genuine and
disingenuous people, then you need to do
more bartering). When you do encounter
someone who youre pretty sure is trying
to screw you, figure out the best way to
bow out graciously before getting in too
deep. The best way to back out honorably,
even if youre negotiating with a dishonorable chap, is to say youre too busy for the
project (which is usually true), and pass
the gig on to someone who really needs the
experience/work. Sometimes a lousy job
for you will be a great learning experience
for someone else. But its your duty to warn
the person youve referred about why you
yourself turned the job down. If you arent
honest, you could burn two bridges.
If your DP really argues with you over

a certain piece of equipment, let him
win. But if hes completely inflexible,
dont work with him.
Weisberg yet, go out and volunteer on some
sets. Youll get the double benefit of doing
someone a favor while simultaneously making new professional acquaintances. Theres
a good chance youll learn something about
making movies, too.
d. Collect lots of favors that you never
cash in. This might seem counter-intuitive on the surface, as barter is supposed
to be an exchange of services. However, if
everything you ever do for your comrades
goes on a scoreboard, and youre always
holding the tally over their heads, people
will just start resenting you. Some of
the best gigs Ive ever gotten came from
helping people who couldnt help meat
the time. But as their careers advanced, a
lot of the people I gave my time to freely
If you take these lessons to heart, theres a

good chance youll make your dream project
run cheaper and more efficiently. Work
hard, help out, be creative, and perhaps
most of all, make mistakes! If you learn from
your screw-ups, youll just keep getting better at what you do. Happy hustling! MM
Sam Mestman is an editor and colorist in

Los Angeles. While he specializes in indie
film workflow and finishing, he has worked
within the industry for places like Apple,
ESPN, Glee, and the BBC. He is also
the CEO and founder of We Make Movies
(www.wemakemovies.org), a film collective
in Los Angeles and Toronto that is dedicated to making the movie industry not suck.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

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30
Stephanie Sellars
Cast & Crew:

Union Vs. Non-Union
Be Sure You Know What Youre Getting into
MOVIEMAKER.COM
According to Jay Stern, New York-based moviemaker and

founder of Iron Mule Comedy Film Series, You can tell in an
interview or audition if an actor or a crew member is going to
be a problem. And from my experience there are people who
are problems, not unions. The collaborative nature of moviemaking demands complementary visions and communication
skills, qualities that have nothing to do with whether someone
is union or non-union.
Actors generally are a mixed bag. You can get a terrible
union actor or a brilliant non-union actor. When it comes to
talent, many directors dont care whether an actor is union
or non-union. Yet Stern, who has worked with both union
and non-union actors, finds it harder to find great quality
non-union actors, especially older
ones, now that SAG and AFTRA have
merged. But film is a unique medium, Stern says. Many movies,
for example Beasts of the Southern
Wild, use non-professional actors to
great effect. It might be more work
for you as a director in some ways,
but if youre prepared for that then
you can make it work.
Choosing between union or nonunion actors often comes down to
fiscal priorities. If your goal is to cast
name actors, you need to budget for
that because unless maybe youre
related to them, they wont work
for free. If you could care less about
names and just want to make your
artsy film, dont limit the casting to
union actors. If a union actor auditions for a non-union film, you can still cast him. SAG actors
are not supposed to work in non-union projects, yet many do
anyway. The producer is not liable for the actors violation
as long as its made clear that the production is non-union.
Yet even with this freedom of choice, some indie moviemakers find dealing with SAG-AFTRA rules and regulations an
expensive hassle. So, educate yourself. If you dont do your
homework, you could end up shooting a 16-hour day and
later learn you have to pay your actors four hours overtime.
Photo by: Ty Foster
aking movies is an exercise in the art of

making difficult compromises.
One of the biggest debates when making
a film is whether to go union or non-union.
This question is often dependent on budget.
Bigger budget productions hire union cast
and crew. Ultra low-budget films and student
films usually favor non-union because they
cant afford to pay anyone. Seems simple. If you have the money,
go union. But does union membership ensure quality?
Sometimes. For technical crew positions like sound or camera
assistants, you know that a union professional has the expertise to get the job done, while a student or someone working
to gain experience is more likely to
fall short. For example, on a film I
directed, a non-union camera assistant accidentally deleted a whole
days footage. Fortunately, it turned
out the story didnt need the lost
scenes, but I couldve done without
the emotional stress. It pays to go
union when technical skill is critical.
Getting your sister to do makeup
may save you money, but when that
scar ends up looking like a waxy
worm, you might regret it.
However, when choosing your
closest collaborators, union status
should not be top on the list of deciding factors. With positions such
as DP and Editor, many directors
Sina j. henrie WAITS FOR ACTION
agree that beyond talent and experience, the most important thing
to consider is rapport. If you dont get along with your editor,
post-production will not only be a drag, your artistic vision
may be compromised. If on-set conflicts get so bad you have
to fire your DP, you lose time and money. Choosing an AD
is another delicate matter thats more dependent on style
than professional status. Are you motivated by someone
who behaves like an adversary, yelling and pressuring to
excess? Or would you work better with someone who has a
more supportive approach?

pg
31
you can tell in an

interview or audition if
an actor is going to be
a problem. but from my
experience, the people
are the problemnot
the union.
But, if you think casting 100 percent non-union will avoid
these problems, think again. Non-union doesnt exclude productions from standard industry practice. Verbal agreements
are legally binding, so if an actor sues a producer and takes
him to court, the producer could end up paying according
to a standard SAG or IATSE agreement. Feuer advises, with
non-union, remember that you make the rules. You know
youre going overtime? Put it in the contract. You dont want
to pay rehearsals? Get it in writing. Be thorough. Make sure
they understand what theyre getting into.
Legal issues aside, you cant judge an actors talent or professionalism by her union card. Stern says, Youd be hard pressed to be able
to tell who is union and who is not when you watch [the] films.
What about writers? Again, it comes down to weighing
skill against cost. If youre a director or producer wanting
to team up with a writer who is a member of the guild, you
better be informed about WGA policies and pray there isnt
a writers strike during your contract. As with SAG, WGA
requires writers to work only for union companies. Since the
WGA strike of 2007-2008, WGA writers are now entitled to
a piece of digital revenue, which may be something to consider on an independent production.
Thinking about all these pros and cons can be overwhelming. Often a combination of union and non-union cast and
crew works best, as long as you know what youre getting
into on both sides.
Moviemaker Michelle Cohen had an enlightening experience with a union crewmember who showed up on set the
first day, very jaded. (He) had barely read the script and
was simply coming in to do a job...He was so amazed by the
generosity of spirit and the happy atmospherethat by the
fourth day of shooting, he was baking cupcakes for the crew
and quoting his favorite lines from the scenes!
In the end, it boils down to hiring skilled people who
have awareness and integrity. If you do that, union or nonunion, your moviemaking experienceand visionwill be
far less compromised. MM
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Film-Friendly City.
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MOVIEMAKER.COM

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David Albert Pierce, Esq.
The Producers Sacred

Why a Trusted UPM, Accountant, and Attorney Can Be
the Difference Between Success and Disaster
oviemaking is tough, especially for the producer.

When youre responsible
for making sure the
entire picture runs efficiently, sometimes you
feel more like a punching
bag than a team leader.
Thats why a good producer recognizes the
importance of aligning himself with key
people to help defend against the blows.
The truth is, three positions can make or
break a producers ability to deliver a movie
on time and on budget: the Unit Production Manager (UPM), Production Accountant, and Attorney.
Its essential that you select a UPM you
trust and who has experience working
within your budget range. Your first question should be, Is the UPM in the Directors
Guild of America? If so, your next question
should be, Am I prepared to pay DGA rates
and jump through DGA hurdles? If not,
youll need to select a non-union line producer. But if youre prepared to sign on with
a DGA UPM, youll need to understand the
additional crew requirements (including
a DGA director) and work rules, residuals, and union-required reserves that
becoming a DGA signatory entails. Youll
also need to know how those requirements will affect your cash flow, and what
effect that will have on your investors.
Make sure your UPM is philosophically
aligned with how you plan to shoot your
film. A UPM who works mostly on major
studio films is not going to get you the best
prices on the things you need, because he
has never been in a position where cost
really matters. A UPM will determine your
Day of Days and budget needs; a good one
can perform scheduling and budget magic
to your advantage. A bad one will rob you
blind, and youll never even know what he
did. The UPM makes sure that your orders
and vision are being followed. Thats why
its such a critical, trusted job. And unless
MOVIEMAKER.COM
you already have an established relationship with a UPM, you should take a little
bit of time to get to know multiple candidates and check their references before
making your selection.
While the UPM creates the budget and
employs the crew, the production accountant is the individual who writes the checks
and keeps a tally of your cash flow. Checks
get cut fast and furious during production;
a good, well-organized production accountant is essential for maintaining paper trails
that ultimately you, your investors, taxing
authorities, film commissions, and unions
will want to see. Honesty, work ethic, math
skills, organizational skills, and a familiarity with low-budget, independent filmmaking are essential to this position. To
further enhance checks and balances, the
producer, not the UPM, should select the
production accountant. If a production

accountant and UPM dont know each
other, its more likely that theyll view
reporting to you as their ultimate duty.
Finally, theres the attorney (or attorneys).
When the producer/attorney relationship
works, its a beautiful thing. A skilled attorney can be that true consigliere and prove to
be your most cherished asset during the
filming process. Sometimes one attorney
or law firm can wear many different attorney hats. At others, different attorneys
fill different purposes during the different
stages of production.
During the entity formation and financing stages, you will need skilled legal
finance counsel. Such work is separate and
apart from production counsel. Apparently
simple things like entity selection can be
deceiving. For example, generally speaking,

pg
33
TriniTy:
a Limited Liability Company (LLC) provides
the optimal choice of entity for film production. However, an LLC is not always the right
choice. If you film in New York, a C-corporation (as opposed to the often-utilized
S-corp) is actually the entity necessary to
best recover NY tax credits and to obtain
those credits in a timely way to meet your
cash flow needs. Out-of-the-box online
corporate formation services wont provide
you with that information. Without that in-
formation at the very beginning, you wont

realize how screwed you are until its far too
late to make corrections. You are not paying
your legal finance counsel just to file a form
and set up the production entity, youre paying the legal finance counsel to ensure that
the entity and the Articles of Organization
are customized for your specific production. Even more importantly, legal finance
counsel will lay out the strategies for your
particular financing needs, ensure that
you properly comply with the lawful ways

to accept money, and negotiate the best
terms with financiers.
Once youre funded, youll need production counsel. You dont pay production
counsel just for fill-in-the-blank cast and
crew contracts. You pay production counsel
to ensure that those forms are tailored
for your production (the way a physician
ensures your prescriptions will not result in
an allergic reaction when mixed with other
medicines). In determining how much production counsel should cost,
you will need to do a
breakdown of your script
in much the same way
that you do a breakdown
for any other line item.
a good uPm can Perform scheduling and

budgeT magic; a bad one can rob you blind,
and youll never know whaT he did.
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pg
34
insist on knowing what youre

getting for the price youre paying.
a good legal team is with you till the end.
How many actors? How many locations?
What unique clearance issues exist in the
script (are there a lot of name brands that
are essential to the script)? Are there stunts?
Is there nudity? How many unions are
involved, and which ones? Are any of the actors children? What type of post-production
activities touch upon legal issues? Is there a
composer? Will there be a soundtrack? Will
you want production counsel to assist in
delivering the film to the distributor? All of
these questionsand many moretranslate
into specific legal needs, and therefore,
specific attorney time.
Any UPM who fails to do a legal
breakdown of the script, and
instead just slaps down $10K on
the legal line of the budget, or
merely allocates a percentage of
the overall budget for legal, is
a UPM who you should quickly
fire (or better yet, not hire
in the first place). Prefixed,
percentage-of-budget legal
cost allocation is a red flag indicator for a UPM whos failed
to do a script breakdown,
whos probably never worked
previously in a meaningful
way with qualified production
counsel, or worse, who thinks he
can ameliorate your concerns by
scribbling down the number he
thinks you want to hear so his
cookie-cutter budget works
on paper. I assure you that
if you dont recognize
that red flag, your actual
costs will be extremely
out of whack with the
improvised budget you
were provided. With such
a UPM, youre more or less
guaranteed to encounter overruns during production, and
massive extra expenditures during post-productiona time when
the UPM has long since left the picture.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Now, if you only have a certain small

dollar amount for production counsel,
youll first need to consider what type of
film youre making. Certain scripts demand heavy lawyering. Just as each location adds a certain extra layer of costs to
a film, so too does the addition of more
legal issues arising from the unique
needs of the particular script and the
specific production. If you have kids in
your script, but your budget is too small
to pay for a studio teacher and for court
ratification of their contracts, then you
shouldnt be producing this particular
movie. And if youre willing to give a

less-experienced attorney a chance, you
might get a modicum of legal know-how,
but you pay for the learning curve.
Once your picture is complete and
youre fortunate enough to obtain distribution, employing distribution counsel
to negotiate your deal with the distributor can be some of the best money you
spend at a time when money is at its
scarcest. Distribution contracts can be
complex, and the simple ones can often
be more deceiving than the complex ones.
Your distribution counsel will guide you
through that shark tank.

pg
While finance legal, production counsel, and distribution counsel have three
very specific functionsoften performed
by different lawyerssome law firms
(and even a few lawyers) are genuinely
skilled in all three areas. Just as you need
to take time selecting your UPM and accountant, you need to perform the same
careful evaluation of potential attorneys.
Ask questions. Check references. Inquire
as to whether they have malpractice
insurance and whether that insurance
covers the particular facet for which
you are employing them (many do not
carry film finance coverage). And insist
on knowing what services youre getting for the price youre paying. Quite
often, the producer can pay less and receive better service if she selects a fullservice, quality firm and pays for all
three branches of counsel at the outset.
Remember, a good legal team is with
you from the earliest stages of development to distributionand beyond. MM
David Albert Pierce, Esquire is Managing Member of Pierce Law Group LLP,
a boutique entertainment law firm that
has provided production legal services
for marquee entertainment production
companies (such as Morgan Creek,
Lionsgate, Nu Image, Starz!/Encore,
and Harpo Productions), as well as
first-time filmmakers He has served
as production counsel on the critically
acclaimed Academy Award winning film
The Artist, and has provided legal services on the blockbuster hit The Hunger games (and is currently working on
The Hunger games 2). David regularly
teaches at the UCLA-Extension program, as well as Loyola Marymount
University. He is also Vice President
and General Counsel at MovieMaker.
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MOVIEMAKER.COM
PG. 38
QUIET ON
THE SET
PG. 40
MUTINY, AND
HOW TO
AVOID IT
PG. 44
LET THE
P.A. DIRECT?
PG. 46
WHO THE
HELL AM I
TALKING TO?
PG. 50
THE DEVILS
IN THE DATA
DETAILS
A movie director is like a frontline

commanding officer. He needs a thorough
knowledge of every branch of the service, and
if he doesnt command each division, he cannot
command the whole. Akira Kurosawa
MOVIEMAKER.COM
by
ONDI TIMONER

pg
Chapter
Three
37
Production
Directing requires you to make a
million decisions every single day. I
always laugh to myself when I realize
after shooting for 14 hours that Im
unable to so much as decide what I
want to eat. The sheer exhaustion
of saying yes or no, or a little
this way, or lets try it that way
for weeks on end is draining. If its
a documentary shoot, my brain
engages daily in a marathon of serious listening and mental gymnastics,
extracting the lines of dialogue I need
for my film, or following trains of
thought I never thought Id board in
the first place. Either way, the kindest
thing people around me can do after
the battle of production is decide for
me. Youre eating salad, Ondi!
Production is a battle, by the way
no matter how prepared you are. Every
day is a fight against time and the
decay of quality. When you show up to
setwhether that set is constructed or
realit never quite looks as it did in
your minds eye. For me, thats always
the first element of surprise. But the
army of undermined expectations that
marches against you can feel endless.
Learning to surf the waves of surprise (laughing whenever possible,
smiling even if you need to reach
down deep to find the humor) is
critical. The director sets the vibe on
the set, and if youre feeling anxious,
believe me, so is your crew. A healthy
dose of anxiety is to be expected
is even importantbut you have
to shield your collaborators from
excessive apprehension. Make sure

your collaborators remember that
theyre living their dream. No job in
film is an easy nine to five, so you
can assume your crew has chosen
to be there for a reason. But remind
them of their importance by staying
focused and positive. Thats how you
can make the magic happen.
In a scripted film, the script is
truly just one tool in the toolbox.
Its the blueprint. No script should
ever be considered the only source
word, the actors, the director, the

cinematographer, the art director,
and the other craftspeople who all
bring their perspective to the show.
Remain open to your team, but keep
a handle on your internal compass. I
often feel that directing is considering all ideas and knowing what to
accept and what to gracefully reject.
With a documentary, you must
realize that production is an exploration of time and space, which
changes with every interview or
Every day is a battle against time,

no matter how prepared you are...
keep aN eYE on your internal compass.
of the spoken words that will end
up on the screen. The actors are
there to bring the script alive, and
in many cases, to go off script entirely to find a deeper truth. Thats
why Id suggest you dont view your
actors from behind the monitor.
Watch them and feel them, and
then review what you saw first
hand on the monitor afterwards to
double-check your gut. The final
film will be the result of a collaboration between the written
event you record. Remain fluid, and

look for all the points of connection
between the various players you
are collecting along the way. If you
can learn to edit, this is absolutely
the best way to prepare yourself to
direct. You will know exactly what
you need to get out of an interview
subject in order to form a complete
and compelling film. You may not
get a second chance at filming a
subject, and you certainly never get
to re-capture an actual event.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
by
38
Recording live sound on The Postman Always Rings Twice
ou can shoot a narrative

lm on a phone (the Korean
moviemaker Park Chan-wook
used 10 iPhones to shoot his
theatrically-distributed short,
Night Fishing), but you cant
record sound on one and expect to be taken seriously. Why
audiences accept inferior visuals but reject
low-quality audio may actually have Darwinian roots: Survival favors the hearing blind
over the seeing deaf. But thats an essay for
another Guide. So, for now, take me at my
word when I say you need good sound.
Just like costuming, set design, and the
rest of the artistic and technical disciplines
associated with moviemaking, top-notch
sound requires planning. And if you know
some basic things to look for (or more accurately, listen for) in pre-production, and subsequently on your shoot, you can improve
your production sound greatly.
Location Sound Challenges

Each location presents its own special
challenges audio-wise, and your producMOVIEMAKER.COM
tion sound team needs time to investigate as many as possible before you start
shooting. Are you going to encounter
issues with trafc in the background? If
you cant use a lavaliere for each character (you may not have enough of them,
or wardrobe doesnt allow you to hide a
mic), how will you record dialogue? Where
is the on-set generator, and how will you
hide the noise it makes?
The simplest solution is: Go to the locations and listen. Anything you hear beyond your own breath has to be accounted for, because your microphones will
pick it up. Remember, in a perfect world
the only thing you ever actually record on
set is an actors voice. Do everything you
can to get as close to that serene, sonic
state before you even start shooting.
Getting the Right Gear

Optimally, you should have one lav for
every character with a speaking role for
each scene, and a shotgun mic for each
camera. One common amateur move is
plugging microphones directly into the
Photo: Courtesy of MGM Studios
Quiet on the Set!
Bill Braun
Recording the
Raw Sound You
Need for Post
camera or DSLR. Dont do this. Have you

ever heard of a camera company touting
how great their stuff sounds? Me neither.
Cameras are designed to concentrate
their technology on image quality. Keep
the camera mic on, but only use that
audio to streamline syncing your sound in
the editing timeline. Plugging a microphone into a camera solely to save a small
amount of money in the short term can
easily backre. Your sound will be vastly
improved if you rent or purchase a separate sound recorder. Every rental house
that lends out cameras rents stand-alone
audio recordersand they dont cost
much. All audio that your sound editor mixes into the nal show should be
recorded into a unit like this.
Filling in the Gaps

On set, your sound crew needs just one
thing: Quiet. For 30 seconds before or
after every scene, a sound crew needs to
record what is commonly referred to as
room tone. Dont let the term fool you,
Whatever you do,

Dont forget to
record room tone!
though. Room tone applies to interior and
exterior scenes. When recording room
tone, make sure that everyone present for
a given scene stays on set, perfectly quiet
and still. The idea here is that you capture
the native sound environment. In a small
room with a big crew, even if everyone is
dead quiet, their very presence affects the
spaces acoustics. And the more conned
the space, the more a minor alteration
(even something as seemingly negligible
as adding or subtracting one crewmember) can affect tone.
But now you might be asking, why do
I need to record room tone? Simply put,
your post sound editors will need it for
ADR (Additional Dialogue Recording,
which is the of dubbing quiet or missing

pg
lines of dialogue), and for editing out

imperfections you may not hear during
the chaos of production. Was someone
moving around off set? Room tone lls
it. Did a cell phone (even on vibrate) go
off? Room tone once again comes to the
rescue. Did an actor sneeze between his
scene partners lines? Room tone.
On-Set Checklist
Before you start principle photography,
you need to make sure your sound team
is managing their data effectively and
efficiently so that your Data Management
Technician (DMT) can actually manage
the audio les.
First off, the sound team should be
lling out a sound report. Like a script
supervisors log, the sound recorder (or
his assistant) should keep track of the le
names for each take, whether the director
liked the take or not, and whether or not
there were any issues with the audio
such as a plane ying overhead.
Another task to take care of before the

cameras roll is establishing a readable nomenclature for labeling your sound les. If
you use the default naming system on most
recorders theyll generate something pretty
incomprehensible. No one will ever know
what le kl4jsxdf3a9is-001.wav is. If
you rename the les logically (for example
S1T1.wav for Scene 1, Take 1), there will
be a lot less confusion about what video
clip a given audio le accompanies.
39
Identifying Problems Before Theyre Problems
and because your actresswho keeps

getting in and out of the poolcant wear
a lav, you may need to capture just the
audio. ADR can cost hundreds of dollars
an hour, and since youll be in a studio
using the studios mics, what you record
in post may not sound anything like what
you captured on set. Whats more, when
you do ADR you have to pay your actors
for their timeagain. Recording wild
sound on your shoot, though, can help
you minimize your ADR needs, saving you
serious money. MM
Finally, let me offer you a hint that

could save you thousands of dollars.
Encourage the mixer to tell you about
problems as they happen. Record a wild
track right then and there. Whats a wild
track, you ask? Its an audio-only take for
recording dialogue or practical sound
effects. Maybe youre shooting a wide
exterior shot at a pool. Because the frame
doesnt allow the sound recorder to get
close to the action with the shotgun mic,
Bill Braun is a sound editor and mixer living

in southern California. His favorite audio
work to do is production sound cleanup, but
like every sound editor he does FX, sound
design, and music editing. His credits include about 100 webisodes, several films, as
well as dozens of TV shows for ESPN, NBC,
Discovery, Lifetime, Tru TV, MTV and others.
He is also an avidalbeit only marginally
successfulpool player.
FilmSanAntonio.com
MOVIEMAKER.COM
by
40
D.W. Brown
Mutiny!
pg
pg
And
How
to
Avoid
It
Managing delicate temperaments on set
f you want to avoid mutiny on your

set, you probably shouldnt be reading this. Thats because the best
way to avoid mutiny is to believe
rebellion is impossible. You want to
walk, rst into production meetings, and later onto set, the way
Cesar Millan walks into a dog park.
You want to project, at a subconscious level,
an air of condence. No matter what the
crisis, I can handle it.
When I made my rst feature (On The
Inside, starring Nick Stahl and Olivia Wilde),
I expected my Pittsburgh crew to be a
collegial group of moviemakers, eagerly
hanging on every word of my directorial
wisdom. Instead, virtually every time I approached my crewmembers I felt like a new
stepfather in a swimsuit. Their gazes would
harden, and whether I was making a suggestion about schedule, protocol, or technique,
theyd counter with the same conversation
stopper: Thats not the way we do it.
You cant fake authority. A lot of
amateurs think they can, but they cant.
If youre trying to look powerful, most
people will see through your guise.
Accordingly, any calculated, false demonstration of strength could hurt your
cause. For the most part, posturing reads
as rudenesswhich is the weak mans
imitation of strength. And being rude can
ignite a tinderbox of resentment. We instinctively know that people who deserve
our condence go about their business
and dont draw attention to their authority. Thats why pufng out your chest and
raising your voice (before youve even
MOVIEMAKER.COM
been challenged), doesnt broadcast leadership; It invites distrust.
Experience Trumps Everything

When youve already ridden a bull,
youll naturally carry yourself like someone
whos ridden a bull. Especially if people
are familiar with your body of work, they
innately trust and respect that youve actually climbed on the back of the beast and
survived. In all likelihood, when you set
out to direct your rst feature, it wont be
your rst time calling action. But if its
only your second time calling action, you
might nd yourself in over your head. This
is a Catch 22, of course. You cant have
experience without rst getting experience.
But the tough truth is, a movie set can be a
very unfriendly place to test your leadership
skills. If you want respect from your cast
and crew, theres nothing like experience.
So, gure out a way to get someeven if you
have to shoot a few natural-light, stolenlocation, shorts on your iPhone.
Dealing with Know-It-Alls

On just about every set, there are going to be people wandering around who
think they should be in control. You will
know them by the cigars they smoke (or
their hand-rolled cigarettes, if youre on
a micro-budget set). The more money involved, the more mind games and factionalism youll encounter. The DP I was assigned
for On the Inside, while fast and talented,
was the sort of fellow who thought it would
send the wrong kind of message to the crew
if he so much as acknowledged my presence
on set. Once, when I questioned his improvised revisions to one of my set-ups, he got
so angry that the AD had to step between
us to stop a fistfight. I wasnt totally innocent, but to avoid an outright war I had to
make a loud, public apology for the disrespect Id shown him. We eventually shook
hands and grudgingly continued work, but
sufce it to say, we didnt have the most
fruitful working relationship.
That being said, an episode of open
hostility isnt the greatest threat to your
autonomy. Youll suffer less damage
from a single, dramatic are-up than
from the death-by-a-thousand-cuts, lowgrade mutiny that infects a set when
the crew doesnt respect the director.
Ill take one fistfight any day over a
thousand little arguments. A short, passionate battle can actually be inspiring,
whereas banal, small-scale sabotage
general lethargy, foot-dragging, arguments over inconsequential detailscan
be exhausting and depressing.
Leadership, in the end, is little more than

getting a group of people to agree theyre
part of a worthy mission.
greatest lms
of the 20th Century. Conversely, Ive
heard rumors that the
production of Cannonball
Run was a blast to work on.
Avoiding CAt
A Astrophe
At
TH
EA
TE
AM
Remember, too, that

a functional lm set
doesnt have to be a
place of sparkling contentcontent
ment. On Chinatown
Chinatown, Roman
Polanski famously smashed
Jack Nicholsons television
while he was watching a Lak
Lakers playoff game (instead of
showing up on set), and that
picture remains one of the
Now that weve looked at some possible

on-set relationship pitfalls, what can you do
to avoid mutiny? First of all, you need to emem
brace the truth that, often, the person you
have most to feardrum roll, pleaseis you!
Admit youre prideful and praise-hungry,
and given to defensiveness, shortsightedshortsighted
ness, and insensitivity. Your temper will
get you into trouble, but your ego will keep
you there. You have to eradicate your fear
of failure, because your insecurities will get
super-heated under the magnifying glass of
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pg
42
production. Go to therapy; get religion; keep

a trusty jester nearby. Do whatever you
have to do to control your baser instincts so
you dont trip over your own shortcomings.
But also remember, its not always your
fault. Sometimes trouble comes from outside your skull. With that in mind, determine which individuals are most likely to
spread discontent, and develop cool-headed
strategies for how to deal with them. Some
pot-stirrers can be tricky to identify because
very often the worst offenders on your team
will start out among the most affable. Its
been said that the best way to knock a chip
off someones shoulder is to pat him on the
back. And Ill say from my own experience,
positive reinforcement is a stellar technique for making people feel important.
Offer even small gestures of camaraderie
and appreciation and youll see dramatic
results. You may think youre dealing with
professionals who, if complimented, might
feel patronized. Thats ridiculous. Everyone
wants to be appreciated. And it shouldnt
be difcult to appreciate your crews contributions. Even if its your tenth show, your
MOVIEMAKER.COM
novice dolly grip might know more about

pushing the camera operator smoothly
down the track than you ever will.
Be Authentic
As Polanski (and Wells and Bergman and
Bresson) proved, you can be a megalomaniacal tyrant and also a successful director. But,
as I said earlier, if youre affecting megalomania your artice will blow up in your face.
Thats why you need to remember, success
isnt linked to dominance, per se. Physical (or
emotional) aggressiveness is only one way of
projecting assuredness. The waves of crew
skepticism will part for naivet, too. And,
while you cant fake authority, obliviousness
can sometimes work to your advantage.
Your colleagues, outwardly supportive or
not, should already know that undertaking
the making of a movie is, at root, a patently
insane endeavor. Use that idealism to build
bonds. Remind people that making the lm
on the budget youre trying to make it on is
tantamount to madness, and you need their
help to make it happen. Leadership, in the
end, is little more than getting a group of
people to agree theyre part of a worthy mission. Fidelity to a cause will keep the troops
moving forward, regardless of personality
conicts. Sam Raimi wears a suit when he directs to convey how serious he considers the
undertaking. Quentin Tarantino wears whatever costume is consistent with the scene hes
shooting. These approaches are worlds apart
from each other (one is authoritative, one is
populist), but they convey, in their unique
languages, deep conviction in the moviemaking cause. Antoine de Saint-Expery said: If
you want to build a ship, dont drum up men
to gather trees, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast
and endless sea. Give people something to be
enthusiastic about, treat them with respect,
and theyll never consider mutiny. MM
D.W. Brown teaches acting at The Joanne Baron/

D.W. Brown Studio (www.baronbrown.com) in
Santa Monica, California. His book, You Can Act!
is available on www.mwp.com; and his new book
2,500 Years of Wisdom will be published in
December 2012. He is the director of the feature,
On The Inside. He also scuba dives and sculpts.

pg
by
44
James Kaelan
Direct?
Why collaborating is your greatest
strength as a moviemaker
ne of my favorite stories from

Ray Carneys Cassavetes on
Cassavetes concerns a television production from the late
60s. It was early evening,
and Steven Spielberg, then
only 20 years old, stood on
a soundstage watching John
Cassavetes act. During a break, Cassavetes
approached Spielberg and asked him what
he thought of the scene. When Spielberg
told [Cassavetes] he himself wanted to be a
director someday, Carney explains, Cassavetes proceeded to ask him how he would
direct him in the scene he was playing, and
then took that advice in the next take.
Cassavetes might have been an emotional,
improvisational director, but he wasnt careless. If Spielberg had given Cassavetes a bad
direction, Cassavetes wouldnt have taken
it. But, Carney posits, No one was beneath
[Cassavetes] dignity to talk to and, just possibly learn fromnot even the 20-year-old
kid standing off to the side of a shoot.
Too often, Cassavetes is incorrectly remembered for shooting without a script (an
absolute myth), and too rarely celebrated for
his unprecedentedand still unmatched
ability to balance cinematic rigor with artistic freedom. He found blocking the action
of a scene restrictive, but routinely shot the
same scene for days on end (while working
on Faces, he once famously rolled 52 twocamera takes of an 11-minute scene, then
cut it from the film.)
To a studio, Cassavetes non-hierarchical,
experimental directing process was untenable. So its no surprise that his two studio
picturesToo Late Blues and A Child Is
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Nathalie Biermanns prepares for the third take.
Waitingare the two least vital films in his

oeuvre. Neither picture aches with the emotional realism we expect from a Cassavetes
film. In the studios, There are limitations,
Cassavetes once said. There are limitations of ego, of facilitiesThey dont like
any young director coming in and doing
something that they may have wanted to do
for 20 years [but couldnt].
Cassavetes required a completely collaborative environment in order to thrive,
where he could amalgamate professionals and
amateurs. Creativity, he once defined, is
being able to work with understanding and
cooperation and enjoyment with your fellow
workers, your director, your writers, your fellow actorsyour technicians He believed
that to make a film you needed to cultivate
a team, with each member devoted to the
same immutable ideal: When theyve finished
working on the film, they know theyve done
the best work they can; and when they see the
product come outthey know its a product
that they can be proud of.
Thats why, as a director, I find the
Spielberg/Cassavetes anecdote particularly
instructive. When Cassavetes approached
Spielberg, he couldnt have forecast who this
bespectacled, curly-haired kid would turn
out to be. Of course, your PAs dont usually turn out to be unfledged auteurs, but
until they prove otherwise, consider them
creative, hard-working, film-loving collaborators. That doesnt mean you defer to them
for your directorial duties, but if you can
foster an open dialogue on set, youll learn a
huge amount from your compatriots.
Last January, I had an almost excessive
opportunity to test Cassavetes hypothesis
about collaboration. I was directing my

first narrative feature, Eel, and though Id
been on set during the production of a
feature Id co-written, Id never helmed
anything more than a short. Accordingly,
I made a point of keeping a copy of Cassavetes on Cassavetes on set. In fact, it often
sat on the coffee table in the locations living room, and on more than one occasion,
I spent lunch reading it.
The production of Eel suffered the usual
plagueslong hours; insufficient funding;
windstormsbut we managed to shoot in
11 days an intellectually challenging film
that were all incredibly proud of. And our
success, I have no doubt, stems entirely from
the way we collaborated. I could use any of a
thousand stories to illustrate the efficacy of
our open dialogue policy on set, but I want
to highlight a minor collaboration that had
a major impact on the film.
The script for the 15th scene of Eel reads:
Sara Morin breaks a wineglass in the sink,
collects the pieces, and deposits them in the
sandwich shes making for Haytham. When
Haytham discovers the glass, the stage directions command: Haytham drags Sara across
the living room by her hair.
Out of a scheduling necessity, we broke
the scene into two pieces, and photographed them on consecutive days. The
first section, where Sara attempts to feed
the broken glass to Haytham, we shot as the
light failed us on a late Tuesday afternoon.
The second section, where Haytham drags
Sara across the house, we shot the following day. Accordingly, we were faced that
Wednesday morning with the task of recreating the emotional velocity wed achieved the
Let the PA

pg
If youre confident in your abilities, when

you get stuck, dont hesitate to ask your crew.
evening before. You may have heard this before, but in case you havent: Value emotional
continuity higher than any of its siblings. You
can break the 180 degree rule, botch the lighting, and switch the hand your actress holds
her cigarette in, but if the emotional pitch
changes from one shot to the next, you evict
your audience from the scene.
For that exact reason, when the first two
takes of the dragging scene fell flat, I began
to doubt if I could make the two disparate
halves match. But as the dolly gripwho
also served heroically as our assistant editor,
DMT, and gaffermaneuvered the rig to first
position, he stopped, leaned over, and whispered in my ear. What if the whole time
Haythams dragging her, he said, Saras
shoe is falling off? Nathalie Biermanns, who
played Sara in the film, sat on the concrete
floor in her red dress, waiting to get dragged.
Sara, I said (she was almost dangerously
in character that day), Cooper has an idea.
When Haytham drags you, have your right
shoe hang from your toe. But dont let it fall
off your foot. If it falls off, Haytham wins.
I called action, and as Haytham (played by
Ammar Ramzi) dragged Sara, she dangled her
high heel precariously from her bare foot.
From the first moments of that third take, the
danger felt immediately heightened (in a way
the two previous hadnt), as if Saras survival
depended on keeping that shoe on. But then
the shoe fell off. And when it did, she became
hysterical. That take, with the dangling shoe,
appears unbroken for nearly two minutes in
the final cut of the film.
As D.W. Brown discusses in his article
How to Avoid Mutiny (pg. 40), running
your set like an autocracy wont promote
order and efficiency; itll breed resentment
and rebellion. But achieving creative harmony with your cast and crew demands more
than courtesy. Heres the way I look at it.
Ive directed a feature, but Ive also worked
as a PA on a commercial. In those vastly
different rolls, you must act in accordance
with the requirements of your position. If
Im PAing, I cant walk up to the director and
give him my thoughts uninvited. Conversely,
as a director, I cant blindly defer to my
PA for advice directing a scene if I want to
maintain my authority. But I would posit the
following: If youre confident in your abili-
ties, when you get stuck, dont hesitate to

ask your crew. They arent your employees;
theyre your collaborators. MM
45
James Kaelan is the Managing Editor of

MovieMaker Magazine. His first narrative
feature, Eel, begins the festival circuit in
2013. He is also the co-director of the documentary Were Getting On, a chronicle of the
rather ill-fated bicycle book tour of his first
novel (www.weregettingon.com).
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
by
46
Justin Eugene Evans
Who the Hell Am I

Talking to?
MOVIEMAKER.COM
visual effects, computers, sound, music, electricity and acting in order to communicate
with each individual on a show.
A director needs to be able to talk lighting with a cinematographer, and needs to
understand the electrical implications of
an aesthetic choice so his cinematographer
can relay that information to the gaffer.
She needs to understand the language of
location audio to reduce the complexities
of dialogue editing in post. And above all,
she needs to communicate performance
choices to actors if she intends to sculpt a
performance effectively. As an independent
lmmaker, youll probably also be raising
your own money, which requires you to
communicate with investors, bankers, and
attorneys. If youre starting to think that
the list of dialects you have to learn seems
longif not endlessyoure right.
However, as I mentioned earlier,
memorizing terminology isnt the solution.
Surface-level communication will quickly
expose your lack of true understanding.
Ive met directors who say, I only shoot my
movies in Scope, not realizing Cinemascope
was phased out in 1967. Is the director
speaking about a widescreen format? Sure,
but which one? (This is one of the reasons
Crewmembers before a grand, white wall.
Photo by: Jon Betz
immy and Jamal sat quietly

on a cheap dorm room bed.
Gerri, the lms director,
had just called cut, and
was shufing around the
cramped room. Were ready
for another take, Kimmy
said. Do you have any
notes? Gerri looked up from her script
(shed been staring blankly at the rst page
of the scene) and said, Yeah. Just act...
better. The actors looked at each other
briey, exchanging expressions of thinlymasked dismay. Uh...okay! said Kimmy,
as brightly as she could manage. Although
I was a director and actor, on this project
I was producing. And as producer, it was
my job to handle logistics, not artistry. So
I slipped out of the room and went to help
craft services make smoothies.
Ive changed everyones names in this little
anecdote because the facts are unfortunately,
embarrassingly true. The director actually said
out loud, Just act...better. And the worse part
is, she actually thought she was communicating effectively with her actors.
It goes without saying, she was wrong. But
its unfair to put all the blame on her without
putting her plight in context. Gerri was
relatively new to lmmaking, and directing is
incredibly complex. Truth be told, there is no
such thing as adequate communication on
set. Our industry incorporates no fewer than
eight distinct, insular, jargon-dense languages, and to direct well, you have to master
them all. Some departments share common
concepts, but all use discrete terminology
that a director needs to understand if she
wants to have a constructive dialogue with
everyone on her team. And fruitful communication isnt just a matter of memorizing
denitions. The only true way to master the
languages of production is to master the
concepts. You must know everything you can
about cameras, production design, nance,
Mastering The Many

Languages of Motion
Pictures
Im a stickler for using numbers when
talking about aspect ratios; you can avoid
miscommunication with exact gures like
1.77, 1.85, and 2.39.)
Whenever I hear someone talk about
method actors, I cringe. Theres no such
thing as The Method. The Method is
nothing more than a term invented by
journalists in the 1950s, and its (unfortunate) persistence in the lexicon just leads
toyou guessed itmiscommunication.
When people say The Method, they might
be referring to actors whove studied Lee
Strasberg. But look at the Wikipedia page for
Method Acting and youll nd references
not only to Strasberg (who developed techniques he learned from Constantin Stanislavski), but to Uta Hagen, Sanford Meisner, and
Stella Adlerfour master acting instructors
who formed four disparate theories on their
craft. Again, theres no such thing as There
Method. The are only methods.
At this point, youre probably starting to feel daunted. How will I ever learn
enough? you might be asking. Well, while
there are no short cuts, there are straightforward solutions. Between Googles search
engine and Amazons impossibly vast
bookstore, you can delve into each of these
disciplines at your own pace. When I begin
a new project, for instance, one of the rst
tasks I undertake is making a book wish list.
If youre a new lmmaker, look for books
that give overviews of the specic disciplines. For advanced lmmakers, dig even
deeper into areas you already feel youve
mastered (you havent mastered them, by
the way). If youre doing a movie about
American Special Forces, then read the US
Army Special Forces Handbook, published by
the Department of the Army and available
to Kindle owners for 99. If youre shooting
a lm based on a Jane Austen novel, it might
be wise to also read Jane Austens Guide To
Good Manners by Josephine Ross.
HBO
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Hot Coffee
Summer Series
2011
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Short List
2009
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MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
48
Know of What You Speak
What to Read
Avoid jargon whose etymology you

dont know. Cryptic, insider language says,
Im part of the club and you arent. For
instance, I cant help but roll my eyes every
time I hear someone ask for a C-47 instead
of a clothespin. Calling an electrical cable a
stinger doesnt help a novice PA bring you
an extension cord any faster. You may need
to know these terms (because, sadly, there
are lmmakers wholl judge your directing
abilities by whether or not you know what
an Abby Singer is ((hint: its the secondto-last shot of the day)), but that clubby
language doesnt have anything to do, fundamentally, with being a good lmmaker.
On the other hand, there are terms
related to the nuts and bolts of moviemaking that you need to know. Striking is not
only grounded etymologically in the science
of light and electricity, its also the industry
term for turning on a light. When an actor
refers to her sides, the word might have
an antiquated origin (it actually refers to the
pages of the script held by a stagehand in
the wings of the theater). But if you ask your
actors, Do you have your pages? youll
probably get a blank stare in return.
If youre wondering how to differentiate
between arcane-but-useful terms (Foley pit,
a sound effects recording booth named for
sound pioneer Jack Foley; off book, the term
for having your days sides memorized) and
silly, useless ones (like buff & puff, for sending an actor to hair and makeup; or helmer,
a synonym for director), there are a few rules
to keep in mind. If a term doesnt have a more
precise synonym (for example, striking), use
the jargon. Otherwise, you risk miscommunication. But if a term has a lot of synonyms, you
dont need some fancy term of art. Saying helmer when you mean director doesnt aid
communication; it just confuses neophytes.
Im reluctant to give a reading list because

its impossible to create one thats appropriately comprehensive. To direct is to communicate with everyone, and therefore the
body of knowledge you must understand has
no limits. With that in mind, if youve read
many of the books listed below, or disagree
with my preferences, then congratulations;
youre already well on your way to understanding these concepts. But if youre just
starting out, heres an introductory list:
COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE:

Dictionary of Computer & Internet Terms by
Douglas Downing Ph.D., Michael Covington
Ph.D., Melody Maudlin Covington, and
Catherine Anne Covington
Beginners Guide To Adobe Photoshop b y
Michelle Perkins
After Effects Apprentice by Chris and Trish Meyer
NONLINEAR EDITING:
Nonlinear Editing: Storytelling Aesthetics & Craft
by Bryce Button
Dialogue Editing for Motion Pictures by John Purcell
ACTING:
CAMERA PLACEMENT:
Sanford Meisner on Acting by Sanford Meisner,
Film Directing Shot by Shot by Steven D. Katz
Dennis Longwell, and Sydney Pollack

Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen
Acting in Film (Revised Expanded Edition) by
Michael Caine
A Practical Handbook for the Actor by Mellisa Bruder,
GENERAL FILMMAKING:
The Filmmakers Handbook by Steven Ascher
The DV Rebels Guide by Stu Maschwitz
MUSIC:
Lee Michael Cohn, Madeleine Olnek, and
Basic Music Theory by Jonathan Harnum
Nathaniel Pollack
Understanding Basic Music Theory by Catherine

Schmidt-Jones
An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski

VISUAL EFFECTS:
The VES Handbook of Visual Effects edited by Jeffrey
A. Okun and Susan Zwerman
Special Effects: The History & Technique by Richard
Rickitt & Ray Harryhausen
The Green Screen Handbook: Real-World Production
Techniques by Jeff Foster
SOUND DESIGN:
Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound by David Lewis
Yewdall MPSE
WEAPONS, WARFARE & MILITARY TACTICS:

Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armor by
Roger Ford
Special Forces Guerrilla Warfare Manual by
Scott Winberley
STUNTS:
The Secret Science Behind Movie Stunts & Special Effects
by Steve Wolf
Fight Choreography by John Kreng
QUICK GUIDE TO FILM TERMINOLOGY:
www.imdb.com
The Sound Effects Bible by Ric Viers
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_crew MM
FINANCE:
Justin Eugene Evans is an independent writer,

director, cinematographer & producer. His
award-winning spy thriller, A Lonely Place
For Dying, can be downloaded on iTunes,
Amazon, and OnDemand. You can reach
him at justin.evans@humblemagi.com.
The Wall Street MBA by Reuben Advani

The Fundamentals of Corporate Finance by
Stephen A. Ross, Randolph W. Westereld,
and Bradford D. Jordan
Green Weenies and Due Diligence by Ron Sturgeon
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Pierce Law Group. . . who the

independents have depended on since 1996.
Production Counsel, Film Finance,
Private Placement Offerings &
Intellectual Property Matters.
Contact: David Albert Pierce, Esq.
(310) 274-9191
PIERCE LAW GROUP, LLP
9100 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 225, East Tower
Beverly Hills, California 90212
www.piercelawgroupllp.com
(888) 875-0756

pg
by
50
Cooper Griggs
The Devils in the Data

Details
Why a Good Data
Management Tech is
Critical to Your Digital Workflow
Photo by: Jon Betz
sor, and the director of photography/cinematographer to acquire the correct size,

speed and number of hard drives needed
to digitally store the entire project. The
DMT will calculate the number of terabytes needed based on the number of
shoot days, the number of camera(s) and
their resolution(s), and how many channels of audio (as well as sampling rates)
your sound department will be recording.
When acquiring hard drives, make sure
they get tested. Brand new hard drives
can get damaged during shipping and
could bring your offload to a standstill if
they arent replaced during pre-production. Ive had brand newbut untested
hard drives fail on set while copying
large files, a problem that wouldve been
largely avoidable if Id had the opportunity to test the drives beforehand.
Offloading Media
Deconstructed Canon kit
f youre planning to shoulder a

Super 16mm camera on your next
project, I applaud your reverence
for aesthetics. Beasts of the Southern
Wild probably wouldnt have looked
so magical if Ben Richardson had
shot it on a Red. But with the
unbeatable affordability of digital
cameras, theres a good chance youll be
committing your movies raw footage to
.MOV files instead of Kodak Vision 320T
negatives. So, assuming you cant afford
to shoot on filmor simply choose not
toyoure going to need to manage your
digital data. Accordingly, having a good
Data Management Technician (DMT) to
offload and organize your sound and video
files, sync sound, and start rough scene
assembly is absolutely critical.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
As with film, the various digital formats for capturing and storing images
and sound come with their own perils.
The DMT position is one of the most
important in the digital moviemaking workflow. Above all else, the DMT
should possess impeccable organizational skills, an incredible attention to
detail, and a problem-solving mind. On
top of that, a DMT should be cool-headed. If your data manager gets flustered
when things get stressful, you could lose
footage. It goes without saying, but you
dont want to lose footage.
Preparation
Prior to the first day of principle photography, a good DMT will work with the
producer and/or post-production supervi-
The DMT will take the camera storage media (CF cards, SD cards, P2 cards,
hard drivesfour of the most common
on-camera data storage devices) from the
camera operator and the recorded sound
files from the sound mixer, and copy the
files directly to another storage medium
such as an external hard drive. It is very
important to make at least one backup
copy of the media. If a hard drive should
crash, get lost, stolen, or otherwise damaged, that media is lost forever. The last
thing you want to tell the producer is that
the hard work the cast and crew has done
was all for naught. With that in mind, at
the end of each day of production, the
primary and backup drives should be
kept in different places, preferably under
lock and key. If you keep the drives together and someone malicious has access
to one, he has access to them all. When
Im on a job, I will typically save files to
a total of three drives: one primary or
Master drive; one backup; and one

pg
drive for shuttling dailies to the post

house. When all files are transferred at
the end of the day, the shuttle should be
taken immediately to the post house, the
master should go with the DMTs supervisor (usually a producer), and, depending
on the job, one should go home with the
DMT himself. Especially on small projects,
I almost always store the backup wherever Im sleeping.
Verification
The DMT should be verifying, at the
very least, that all media gets successfully copied to the various storage devices.
There are many low-cost programs that
you can use to do this step automatically,
such as Shot Put Pro by Imagine Products, Inc. (www.imagineproducts.com). The
DMT should also check to make sure the
audio and video sync together, that takes
are labeled correctly, and that the image
Workflow
The DMT should coordinate with the
post house and/or editor to define an organizational strategy. Typically, most projects get organized by Shoot Day, Camera,
and finally, by Roll, with each media file
assigned a unique file name that includes
the date and time it was shot. Every time a
new card or hard drive gets inserted into
the camera, the files get erased, and the
card or drive formatted. Thats why its
incredibly important for the DMT and the
camera operator(s) to keep track of the
current roll, and relay that information
to the sound mixer and script supervisor.
Miscommunication on this front results
inyou guessed itlost footage.
Post-Production
By the time a film is in post, the DMT
has largely fulfilled his job responsibilities. However, each production is differ-
51
and/or color grading the coverage. This is

especially true when youre shooting at 2k,
4k, or larger (youll need a color-correct
monitor if youre doing color grading on
set). The DMT needs to have a high-speed,
multi-card reader to read compact flash
cards, SD media cards, memory sticks, and
whatever else gets thrown his or her way.
When offloading media, speed is very
important. The DMTs computer should
have at least one Firewire 800 port and,
if possible, an eSATA and/or Thunderbolt
port(s). My small footprint kit includes a
2009 15MacBook Pro with Express 34
card slot for additional peripherals, a dualport eSATA Express 34 card, a Firewire 800
CF card reader, a multi-card reader, an array of cables to handle the wide variety of
devices I might have to read from or write
to, a power strip, and an Uninterruptible
Power Supply (UPS). That last one is vital
when youre on set and an uninformed PA
you need to back up your data to multiple sources.
Otherwise you might not have a film to edit!
and audio look and sound as intended.

Overexposure is a common problem,
as is audio clipping (when sounds are
so loud they exceed the microphones
preset recording levels), and the DMT
should notify the appropriate person
immediately so changes can be made
and scenes re-shotif necessary. I was
working on a low-budget feature where
the sound mixer had to be replaced at
the last minute by a (very smart) PA.
This PA had read the online manual for
the mixer that morning and was very
timid with the levels, trying to make sure
the audio never clipped. The problem,
though, was that by ensuring the sound
never clipped, he also ensured that the
audio got recorded too low. We could
hardly hear the actors. I let him know
this as soon as I reviewed the sound files,
and by that afternoon, everything was
running smoothly again.
ent, and more tasks may get added to the

DMTs list. Additional roles could include
transcoding files, color grading (which falls
under the larger Digital Imaging Technician job description), sound synchronizing, putting together an assembly edit, or
even a rough cut for the DP and director to
review. Typically, the larger the production (and the larger the budget), the more
limited the DMTs role will be in post. But
if youre working on a small show, it may
make sense for the producer to delegate
some of these post-production organizational tasks to the guy whos the most
familiar with the data.
Equipment
At the very least, the DMT must have
a computer and a monitor. Laptops are
fine, and will handle most of your requirements quite well. Where you will need
extra computing power is in transcoding
decides to move your power from point A

to B without warning, or the electricians
turn off the generator.
So, whether youre planning to manage
your video and audio data yourself, or
whether youre hiring someone to help,
my hope is that this article will start you
off on the right path. The bottom line
is you want to make sure your data is
backed up to multiple sources with integrity and security. If not, you might not
have a film to edit! MM
Cooper is an Editor, DMT, Director and

Producer. He is currently the Senior Editor
and Co-Producer of Just Seen It, a review
show where industry professionals review
the newest films in theaters, and series on
television. You can watch Just Seen It on
the web at justseenit.com, or on PBS OC,
Saturdays at 6PM.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
PG. 54
KILLING
YOUR
DARLINGS
PG. 58
TO COMPOSE,
OR NOT TO
COMPOSE
PG. 60
POSTPRODUCTION
CHECKLIST
Montage is, in effect, bringing out the soul

under the spirit, the passion behind the
intrigue, to make the heart prevail over the
intelligence by destroying the notion of

space in favor of time. Jean-Luc Godard
MOVIEMAKER.COM
by
ONDI TIMONER

pg
Chapter
Four
53
Post-Production
The key to a successful post-production experienceno matter what
kind of film youre makingis to be
open-minded. Learn to accommodate happy accidents and epiphanies
that you never thought of during
the previous phases of the film. You
want to break down the number of
scenes that need to be cut and give
yourself and your team a certain
number of days so that a schedule
can be set, but you should reserve
several weeks to refine and try different things in the editing room.
The post-production of a documentary is something that should
start during production, at least
to some extent. What has worked
best for me, whether Im cutting
my own film or not, is to have two
assistant editors on board from the
get-go to make sure the media is
managed and duplicated onto multiple drives (most of us have faced
devastating hard drive failure, so
if you havent, try your best not
to follow in our footsteps). Also,
have the assistant editors string
out scenes or thematic segments
along the way. Ive found it very
effective to have one editor on for
four to six months, minimum, and
then have a second editor join for
the final month or two. I started
editing We Live in Public with just
one editor, and we plowed through
5,000 hours of footage in eight
months. But we never wouldve finished if Josh Altman hadnt come
on board to edit alongside me for

the last two. I say alongside, but
we actually sent versions of cuts
back and forth to each other over
iChat, without physically meeting
until the final push. He lived in
Venice, and I lived in Pasadena, so
if we had commuted and not taken
advantage of the mighty internet,
we never wouldve finished the
film for Sundance.
Thanks to the Sundance Institute
and their incredible Directors Lab,
remember the first time I watched

the editor Michael Taylor take a line
of audio and slide it under a different takethus bringing together
the best, most compelling combination of the two. It was revelatory!
Just having filmed an actor saying
the same line in five different takes
allowed for this, which was never
possible in the documentary world.
We played with holding on an actors
look to bring tension, putting space
in between the dialogue or pulling
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WATCHED

AN EDITOR TAKE A LINE DIALOGUE AND
SLIDE IT UNDER A DIFFERENT TAKETHUS
BRINGING TOGETHER THE MOST COMPELLING
COMBINATION OF THE TWO. IT WAS REVELATORY!
which I attended with Mapplethorpe, I
was able to learn a great deal about
how editing a pre-scripted actor
film is different than a documentary. I was sure that I needed master
advisement in all aspects of scripted
filmmaking, except for editing. I
figured I was already a master editor,
having edited my ambitious documentaries for decades. But, boy, was
I humbled! I couldnt believe the
latitude and opportunity the editing room affords a scripted film. I
the air out of it. I remember being advised that perhaps I take the
Chopin piece out of a devastating
scene and record the noise of the
city instead. Whereas Nocturne
would guarantee the audience felt
the drama, the decision to take it
out and hear the screeching and
whirring of New York City would
allow the audience to feel that Mapplethorpe and Wagstaffs insular
world was no longer insulated, and
that AIDS was invading.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
54
Killing Your Darlings
Four moviemakers talk about editing their own films

So, if youre left to edit your own film,
make sure you have someone else you
can depend on there with you. You need
another set of eyes, someone honest who
can tell you, I know you love that scene,
and its great, but it has no place in your
film. Do I love editing my own films? Not
at all. Is it sometimes a necessity when
it comes to making low budget films?
Absolutely. If youre going to do it, though,
just make sure you incorporate another
persons perspective into your processor
do a heavy round of test screenings. To
think that you alone can handle all the
decisions in the editing room without
anyone elses insight is arrogant. So, until
my budgets grow, Fernando Collins will
continue to edit my films. Hopefully I can
trust him with my footage.
Brian geraghty in Easier with Practice (2008)
Kyle Patrick Alavarez

Director/Editor: Easier with
Practice
I never intended to edit my own films.
My day job is editing PSAs and corporate
videos, so when it came time to direct my
first feature, Easier with Practice, I realized
I didnt really know any editorsnor did I
have the money to hire one. So I decided
to edit it myself. Having no desire to be
a multi-hyphenate, I edited it under a
pseudonym: Fernando Collins.
I was naive. Editing your own movie
is no fun. You have to make those gut
wrenching decisions yourself and act as a
totally different crew person when youre
in the timeline. Just like you cant think
as a writer when youre on set, you cant

think as a director when youre in the
editing room. I vowed never to do it again.
Now entering production on my second
film, an adaptation of a David Sedaris
short story, of course our budget got cut,
and then got cut again, and now I have to
bring Fernando Collins out of retirement.
Im doing things differently this time,
though. Im putting a lot of the responsibility on Adam Shazar, who was my
assistant editor on the last film. Im going
to let him do the first assembly, so he can
make some of those hard decisions before
I start working on the edits. Relieving
yourself of all that responsibility feels better than you can imagine. Filmmaking is
about collaboration, after all, an idea that
shouldnt end in the editing room.
filmmaking is about collaboration,

and that idea shouldnt end in the
editing room.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Matt Harrison
Director/Editor: Rhythm Thief;
My Little Hollywood
When I started making movies, I
didnt know it was possible to edit a
film, let alone have someone edit for
you. I thought you had to shoot the
shots in story order. But then, I was
only 10 years old.
Smash cut to quite a few years later.
Martin Scorsese told me, Long postproduction is a sign of genius. Well,
if thats true, then I must be a supergenius. My recently-completed comedy
My Little Hollywood, took 16 years to
post. And I cut it myself.
Now, Im certainly no super-genius,
but Ive learned a few things about cutting films myself. Back in 1996 I shot
the raw footage for My Little Hollywood
with a handicam in Los Angeles. The
star, Shawn Andrews (Dazed and Confused), and I began with nothing more
than a story outline, and due to a series
of inappropriate incidents (which

pg
55
Long Postproduction
is a sign
of genius.
Matt Harrison with the My Little Hollywood (2012) Gang
youll learn about when you

see the film), the production
imploded, and I was left with a
shoebox of seemingly indecipherable Hi8mm tapes.
First, I took the project to
a terrific editor in New York.
But then I got busy directing my first studio picture,
Kicked in the Head, and didnt
have anymore time to help
ARE YOU ON INSTAGRAM?

MOVIEMAKER IS, TOO.
YOU SHOULD FOLLOW US
@MOVIEMAKERMAG
AND IF YOURE GOING INTO PRODUCTION SOON AND WANT TO BE A FEATURED
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pg
56
kelly parker, director of south main (2008)

her make sense of the footage. Second, I showed the footage to Johannes
Weuthen, who cut my feature The Deep
and Dreamless Sleep. Johannes watched
the tapes and said plainly, I cant
figure this out. You have to cut it. But
still I resisted. Third, I gave the dailies
to my friend, the editor Casey Mandel.
While Casey made heroic progress
after literally hundreds of hours of
work, the story still lacked vitality and
emotional coherency.
But one day, almost 16 years after we
started shooting, the phone rang. On
the other line was Tiprin Mandalay, the
lead actress in My Little Hollywood. She
was suddenly adamant that I finish the
film. I said Dont you remember? The
production was a disaster. She replied,
Tell the truth; make it a comedy. The
rest is cinema history.
So, what did I learn? First, some films
you just have to cut yourself. Its unavoidable. Second, hire a pushy actress;
shell force you to finish your film. Finally, if all else fails, make it a comedy.
Kelly Parker
Director/Editor: South Main
Back in late 2004, I started work on South
Main, my first feature documentary. The
film follows three single African American
mothers, struggling to raise their families
after being evicted from an apartment
complex in South Los Angeles. This was
a truly independent project: I financed it
myself, shot it myself, and edited it myself.
Although documentary filmmaking is
technically more objective than narrative
filmmaking, in that you observe, rather
MOVIEMAKER.COM
there were aspects

of my subjects lives that
i related to on such a
deeply personal level that i
couldnt remain detached.
than invent, its easy to get so emotionally
In my darker days, when I thought
involved with your subjects that you cant
I was losing control of the project, I
establish enough distance to edit the footconsidered introducing a number of
age youve shot of them.
subjective elementsincluding voiMy goal was, simply, to show what
ceover. If not for my filmmaker friends
these womens lives were like, without
who watched early cuts and gave me
sensationalizing or sentimentalizing
objective advice while I was still shootthemas many social-issue films do.
ing (I shot footage and edited simulOne of the primary ways I achieved this
taneously), I wouldnt have made the
was by filming with a single camera,
film I made. You need reliable feedback
locked-off in wide, wellcomposed, static shots. I
knew that I wanted the
photography, and later the
editing, to exude a patient,
aesthetic rigor.
But maintaining objectivity wasnt always easy. There
were aspects of my subjects
lives that I related to on such
a deeply personal level that
I sometimes felt I couldnt
remain detached. My own
mother lives in poverty, in
part because of decisions
shes made, and in part because of the collapse of the
social institutions around
her. And every time I looked
at one of these women in
South LA, I saw my own
mothers plight reflected in
their situations. I wish my
mother could make better
choices, and accordingly,
I wanted my documentary
subjects to make better
choices. All these women
are victims of a society that
has abandoned them, but
that doesnt mean theyre
allowed to verbally abuse
STARLET (2012), directed and edited by sean baker
their children.

pg
throughout the process. After all is

said and done, you cant make a personal documentary if you dont love
your subjects, but you cant make a
good documentary if you let your emotions govern all your editing decisions.
Sean Baker
Director/Editor: Starlet; Prince
of Broadway; Take Out
Editing my own films is extremely
important to me. This may upset a few
directors, but in my staunch opinion:
Editing is 50 percent of directing. An
editors cutting decisions make just
as much creative impact on the film
as the directors decisions on acting

and composition. Thats why I believe
that a director who isnt editing his or
her own film should acknowledge the
editor as either a co-director, or at the
very least, a directing consultant.
You can make the argument that an
editor brings a fresh perspective and
objective point of view to the table. I
wont argue with that. But again, that
fresh objective deserves directing credit
in my eyes. On the other hand, its true
that a director editing on his or her
own may not be capable of establishing the objectivity necessary to kill
the darlings, to quote Hemingway. Im
probably guilty of leaving a few darlings alive, but I try to pride myself on
gauging my audiences reactions.
57
After four featuresas well as a

long running television seriesIve
found that the initial festival premiere
screening is my best test audience.An
audience comprised of friendly peers
wont be honest, but a festival audience will be. I trimmed Take Out by
five minutes after its festival premiere.
Prince of Broadway lost approximately
two minutes following its first screening. And my most recent feature,
Starlet, I trimmed by one minute 45
seconds after it opened at SXSW. The
amount Ive cut from each successive
feature has decreased from film to film,
which means Im either getting more
stubborn, or (I hope), Im learning to anticipate my audiences reception before
the film is even screened. MM
this may upset a few directors, but in my staunch opinion:
editing is 50 percent of directing.

Kyle Patrick Alvarez is a 29-year-old
Spirit Award winning writer/director. His
first film, Easier with Practice, starring
Brian Geraghty has played in theaters
internationally and can currently be
seen on Showtime. He is now in production on his second film, an adaptation of a David Sedaris short story.
Matt Harrisons feature film Kicked

in the Head was Executive Produced
by Martin Scorsese, released theatrically by Universal, and premiered as
an official selection at Cannes. His
network and cable television directing credits include Sex and the City
for HBO. Matts feature film Rhythm
Thief won a Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Matt recently
completed his new comedy My Little
Hollywood and is now preparing his
sixth feature f i l m . T h e p r o d u c t i o n
d i v i s i o n o f Harrisons company Film
Crash produced the feature film Big

Heart City starring Seymour Cassel
(Life Aquatic) and Shawn Andrews
(Dazed and Confused). Mr. Harrison
Executive Produced. Matt currently
teaches film at UCLA Extension and
has taught graduate film at CalArts.
He has lectured at New York University Tisch, AFI, So Paulo School
of Film, Brazil, Syracuse University
and The New School For Social
Research.
Kelly Parker lives and works in

Los Angeles. Parkers first feature,
South Main, was completed during
her studies at CalArts, where she
received an MFA in 2008. The film
premiered at the Berlin Film Festivalcan you say Guten tag? In
2004 she was commissioned by the
German Federal Cultural Foundation
to create a work for the Shrinking
Cities Exhibition. The resulting short
film, Coda Motor City, has traveled with the exhibition to museums
and galleries all over the world. More
recently, Parker received a CCPF
grant for GoodExposure, a filmmaking
workshop program for teenagers living in Northeast Los Angeles.
Sean Baker is a New York native

and NYU film school graduate. He
directed the neorealist films Take
Out (2004) and the award-winning
Prince of Broadway, also named one
of the best films of 2010 by the LA
Times. The films left him flat broke.
Luckily the chance came to direct
and executive produce the MTV series Warren the Ape, digging him
out of his financial hole and leading
to his current feature Starlet. The
film follows the unlikely friendship
between a young porn actress and an
eighty-something year old women in
the San Fernando Valley.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
58
by
Miriam Cutler
Photo by: Bobby Halvorson
To
Compose,
or Not to
Compose
Conductor conducts conductor.
Choosing the Right Music,

and Understanding the Costs
nless you idolize the

austerity of certain European auteursthe Dardenne
brothers; Michael Haneke;
or Cristian Mungiu, to name
three diegetic music-averse
directorsyoure probably
going to want some kind of
score for your movie. And no matter how
you plan to enhance your film with music
(by employing something completely
original, licensing music and/or songs,
sound design, or some combination of the
three), your decisions should be founded
in a thorough exploration of your aesthetic
options, as well as an understanding of
actualized costs, rights procurement, and
other copyright headaches.
to hit the ground running when youre ready

to beginscoring or licensingsaving both
time and money.
Listening to Music During Development
The Composers Point of View
Exploring musical possibilities can begin

as soon as you have a concept for your film.
The development stage is a perfect time to
start listening to music with an ear toward
finding material that stimulates visuals in
your mind. When you have your script, read
a scene while listening to different songs and
compositions to see how each makes you
feel. The more you integrate music into your
own creative process, the more youll be able
From this composers point of view, an

original score can give nuance to every frame,
thus enhancing the filmmakers intentions,and, consequently, deepening the
audiences experience. Ive observed that most
filmmakers realize this as soon as they begin
to re-imagine the film within the context of a
cohesive score that responds to their storys
arc.Using existing songs can imbue a scene
with unintended connotations. That Taylor
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Listening to Music in Early Post-Production

Once you have rough-cut footage, experimenting with various types of music will
help you understand the effect each has on
your scenes. Different selections can change
the meaning of the scene they accompany
(and sometimes, drastically). That song
youve long envisioned complementing
your love scene may turn out to be a weaker
choice than you originally thought. And
remember, just because you have permission through a friend of a friend to use
that Robyn song, doesnt mean its the best
choice for your cinematic moment.
Swift track can mean very different things to

different audience members. Some people
hate Taylor Swift, so those people will also
innately hate the scene in which her song
appears. Of course, you may choose a song by
a less well-known artist whose work resonates
with you (this will be more affordable), but
the same rubric applies. Dont confuse your
emotional associations with that of your audience. Keep in mind, too, that from a technical
standpoint, a singing voice can often interfere
with dialogue, requiring music edits that may
or may not work aestheticallyand may not
even be legally permitted.
Working with Your Composer

Emotion is the common language of artists, and as you collaborate with your composer, youll develop a vocabulary to discuss
non-verbal concepts. What should the scene
feel like? What should the audience experience? Does the score reinforce an action or
theme thats already obvious, or does it elicit
a brand new meaning? Does music need to
punctuate transitions? Should specific musical themes identify specific characters or
situations? Is it more effective if the music is
ironic, drawing attention to the differences
between the score and the action? Should
the music be grandiose and brazen, or

pg
Budgeting for Music
intimate and internal? A percussive bedcan

drive an otherwise slow scene, while a gentle
violin passage can dramatize images by
manipulating the audiences sense of time.
These are the kinds of questions you and
your composer should discuss as you wend
your way through the film.
If you do your homework by exploring

musical possibilities early on in development youll be able to more realistically estimate your music budget. Do you envision
a synth score,or one with a number of
live musicians? How big of a sound do you
want, and what style will it be? Orchestral?
Intimate? Jazzy and improvisational? Hard
and rocking? Wouldyou like to work with
someone well known, or are you willing
to take a chance on someone new? How
central a role will music play in your film?
Do you need to license any existing tunes?
If so, how many?
You probably have some amount of
money in mind, but only a composer or
music supervisor can make sure your budget
is realistic. So, do your research.Talk to
composers, music supervisors, and other
filmmakers, and find out the music budgets
for both the films you admire, as well as the
films similar in scope to yours. Again, dont
wait until youre done editing to find your
composer or supervisor. Begin discussions
during pre-production. As long as you have
the necessary funds allocated, and rough
post-production schedule mapped out,
you can take meetings before production
even commences. Speaking from personal
If licensing someor allof the music for

your film turns out to be the most effective
path, give yourself plenty of time to research
the material. In addition to knowing the
recording artist, youll need to find out who
wrote each song, who controls the copyright
and publishing, and who owns the master
recording before you can think about negotiating a good deal. And dont ever assume
striking music licensing deals will happen
quickly or smoothly. Acquiring rights can take
months, and Ive seen filmmakers go crazy at
the last minute because they didnt get permission before their delivery deadlines. More
than once Ive gotten panicked, last-minute
calls from filmmakers needing me to compose
new music just days before a screening.
Unless you have a wealth of experience
negotiating with music executives, its best
to work with a veteran, well-connected
music supervisor. Licensing fees are often
un-predictable, and can vary wildly depending on artist, record company, publisher,
songwriter, and the stature of the bargaining
agent. If a particular piece of music becomes
problematic to license, a music supervisor
can be very helpful in finding and securing a
suitable alternative.
If youre working with a composer for
some of the music, you can consult with her
about your ideas for pre-existing music. If
you dont have the connections or money to
license a particular song or piece, you may
want to consider either replacing that piece
of music with score, or having the composer
create a sound-alike. Sound-alikes can
often make the audience think theyre hearing a familiar song. But only a knowledgeable and skilled composer can recreate a
recognizable tune thats different enough to
keep you from getting sued down the road.
And in the short run, having your composer
create legal sound-alike material while
simultaneously writing your score can save
even more time and money. Invariably, the
most expensive part of any film is the problem you have to fix at the last minute.
Photo by: Jon Betz
Licensing Music
Microphone awaits musician.
59
experience, if youre a good enough salesman, composers might even be willing to

worktheir schedule around yours.
To recap, the most effective way to save
time and money is to prepare both a business and a creative plan for your music
needs. If you seek out professional advice,
allot reasonable funds for composition and
licensing, and keep your vision flexible,
youll avoid most of the impediments that
derail inexperienced moviemakers. Always
remember, just because you cant afford
John Williams or Rihanna, doesnt mean you
cant get great music. MM
Emmy-nominated composer Miriam

Cutler recently completed the score for
Ethel (HBO), Rory Kennedys documentary about her parents, Ethel and
Bobby Kennedy. Other career highlights
include: Oscar-nominated Poster Girl
(HBO); One Lucky Elephant (OWN)
which she co-produced and scored;
Emmy-winner Ghosts of Abu Ghraib
(HBO); Emmy nominated Thin
(HBO); and many more. Visit her at
www.miriamcutler.com to learn more
about her work, as well as how to get a
hold of her.

pg
by
60
Randee Dawn
The Film You Save

Five rules for smooth, budget-friendly post-production
oung directors spend years

thinking about their movies, the ones that they hope
will put them on the map
and make them household
names. Unfortunately, considerably less thoughtif
anyis given to the grueling hours theyll spend in pricey editing
suites, with equally pricey equipment,
putting the damn things together.
All told, moviemakers spend between
10 and 20 percent of their budgets in
post-productionand thats if theyve

managed to do everything else right.
For many, those costs spiral upward
because of poor pre-planning, leading
to time and money wasted in the postproduction process. This can, of course,
easily mean the demise of a low-budget
film in this business where only the
wily survive (and get distributed). So
here are five tips ever y independent
moviemaker should know before
jumping into the fray. The film you
save may be your own.
You do
something
from the heart,
people want
to be A
part of it.
Wiping the slate clean.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
1. Cut a Deal
As in the production process, a post
house may make deals with a moviemaker who is willing to experiment
either with a new facility or a staffer
who wants to move up the ladder. For
The Squid and the Whale, director Noah
Baumbach used Goldcrest in New York,
which had just installed a mixing studio.
We saved a lot more money by giving
them a shot to prove themselves with
their new facility than we would have
if wed gone to an established place,
says Baumbach. This was a way for us
to have a first-class sound mix, but save
money doing it.
Keep in mind that everythings negotiable, says micro-budget director Richard Brandes (Penny Dreadful). Independent filmmakers sometimes think costs
are etched in stone. You can negotiate
much more than youd think you could.
If youre lucky, you may even find a post
house that loves your project enough
to give you a discount just to work with
you. Writer-director George Gallo (Local
Color) says, Fotokem bent over backwards. Theyre doing stuff nearly for
cost. You do something from the heart,
people want to be a part of it.

pg
61
May Be Your Own

2. Consider Outsourcing
Although its financially and logistically

impractical to export your entire film to
post, technological advances mean some
companies outside the U.S. are able to severely cut costs on specialized elements
of the post process. Scott Coulters
Worldwide FX is based in Bulgaria, and
has nearly a dozen projects (largely in
visual effects, motion effects, motion
graphics, and titles) in the works. Edited
projects send hard drives or edit decision lists to his company, where Coulter
estimates he can save half of stateside
costs in those areas.
Editor Robert Ferretti (All the Invisible
Children; Halloween: Resurrection) who has
worked with Worldwide, says their turnaround time is lightning-quick especailly
now that you can view progress online.
My experience in LA is that CGI places
give you a ton of attitude, says Ferretti.
They dont like making changes. In Bulgaria, theyll change it 10 times a day and
not complain. Its been so cheap and fast,
and their quality is as good as Industrial
Light and Magic.
3. You Neednt Use Every

Technical Innovation, But
Audiences care about a story. You

should be trying to technically deliver
that story, says Visionbox president Chris
Miller. A lot of the stuff we think about
and obsess on, audiences dont even know
exists. Again, research the equipment.
Says Baumbach, In post, there are all
these new things offered up to you. You
need to find out if theyre something
that even applies to you, because in a lot
of case, they dont.
Right now, there are so many different
machines out there that people think, Oh,
Ive got to have that souped-up system, adds
Miles Ferguson, partner at The Film Spot.
They dont realize they could do the same

thing with a smaller, cheaper technology.
Generally, post supervisors agree that
if a low-budget film is a traditional indie, then theres no need, for example, to
pay extra for higher resolution. If a project has a lot of titles or supersaturated
colors or animation, then go for 4K, say
Ferguson. If its just two guys in their
apartment, stick with 2K. It all depends
on how image works with the story. If
you have a glossy movie like a romantic
comedy, its got to look supersaturated
and then you need 4K.
you have to
rely on your
initial instincts
to tell the
story.
4. Dont Plan To Fix It In
Post
If anything will give a post supervisor

hives, its: Well just fix it in post. That
old adage ends up costing a ton of money, says Ferguson. It makes sense to get
it done right on set, especially on a limited budget. The truth is, says Levinson,
There are limits to what you can
technologically do in post-production.
Doing it right in front of the camera the
first time may seem expensive, but may
actually turn out to be the least expensive way to go. One way to ensure it gets
done right the first time outparticularly with special effectsis to take the
post-production supervisor onto the set.
A lot of time people shoot it the wrong

way, then dont look at it for months or
weeks. Then it gets to the visual effects
and the visual effects people are like, I
cant do anything for this, and you have
to shoot it again. Still, Evan Edelist,
executive VP and general manager for
iO Film, says a good cinematographer
will know when a post fix will help. In
some instances, they know that they
canin the post processfollow-up and
do certain things that they may be able
to save time and money on.
5. Find Your Own Way
Baumbach suggests that working on

the weekends is an excellent idea. If you
have the energy, he says, start cutting
while youre shooting. Miller advises
that you seek help to avoid burnout. It
doesnt take much money, he reminds,
to convince a filmmaker friend to lend
an objective eye and help in key places
during your post process that can save
you heartache and blood.
Perhaps the most important ruleand
the hardest rule to followis knowing when to say The End. Says Gallo,
When youre making lateral moves and
not going forward, thats when you have
to stop. You can get so involved in this
process that you cant see it getting better, just getting different. You have to
rely on your initial instincts to tell the
story. Its the story, and whatever you
can do to support that, thats where
you spend your money. A lot of time
can get wasted ticking stuff up. Avoid
that at all costs. MM
New York-based journalist/critic Randee

Dawn is a full-time entertainment writer
for Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The
Los Angeles Times, Moving Pictures
Magazine, NBCNews.com, and other
publications.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
PG. 64
WHATS A
FESTIVAL
WORTH?
PG. 68
THE THRILL
ISNT GONE
PG. 72
DIY VS.
BUYOUT
DISTRIBUTION
PG. 76
A GUIDE TO
ONLINE DIY
DISTRIBUTION
PG. 96
FEATURE FILM
PROJECT
Faces grossed more than $400,000 in its

first 18 weeks at the Little Carnegie,
and Ive gotten exactly $2,400 of it.
John Cassavetes
MOVIEMAKER.COM
by
ONDI TIMONER

pg
Chapter
Five
63
distribution
All of us artists ostensibly make
art to communicate. So getting your
film to its audience should be your
top priority. This means you need
to use whatever strength you have
left after production and postproduction to do so. I always call
the final stage of the moviemaking
process getting my kid to college.
You cant go through labor, give
birth, and then walk away. You have
to raise the child and make sure
shes taken care ofin theaters, and
in all the after-market distribution
channels (namely broadcast, cable,
and video-on-demand (VOD)).
Your distribution opportunities are much broader today than
they ever have been before. Why?
New distribution platforms on the
internet are much more transparent
than the old models, which is giving
the often filthy film distribution
industry a much-needed bath. One
contaminant thats getting washed
down a lot of drains these days is
the middleman. With DIY digital
platforms (like Yekra, VHX, and Distrify), you can sell directly to your
audience, form relationships with
them, and then take them with you
to your next project.
Of course, the need for middleman still exists to some extent. For
instance, I dont recommend hitting
a major festival like Sundance or
Toronto for your premiere without a
publicist to arrange your press, and
a lawyer to vet your deals. Even on
the VOD side of things, you cant get

everywhere on your own. For example,
you cant just go to iTunes directly.
You need an aggregator like Distribber
to open the gates for you (see pg. 76).
If this sounds daunting or confusing, I dont blame you. The distribution playing field is changing very
quickly (which is why MovieMaker
has dedicated two features in the
Guide to laying out the new options
available to indie filmmakers). You
need to talk to your fellow filmmakers, and do a bunch of research
yourself. And when you do start to
Im even betting, now, that you

shouldnt wait to make a distribution plan until your film is done.
With that in mind, Ive just launched
a channel of original online series
that will precede my next feature
doc, A Total Disruption, running for
an entire year before the release of
the full film. Why? Because I want the
audience to be a part of the filmmaking, and I want the film to be a part
of the audiences world as the project
comes together. If fans can preview
the stories on some of the great innovators and entrepreneurs Im profil-
Invite the audience to engage with

its subjects, and nurture the cycle
of growth and creation.
plan for your films releasein theaters or onlineI recommend making the shortest-term distribution
deal available so you can stay as
nimble as possible. You didnt manage to make your film by following
the straight and narrow path, so
now that you have the limitless,
wild terrain of the internet at your
disposal, dont commit monogamously to the first offer you get.
ing, together we can generate organic

excitement. My thought is that the
web channel A Total Disruption
will help brand the film, invite the
audience to engage with its subjects,
and nurture the cycle of growth and
creation that I hope the film will
encapsulate. This was never possible
until now, so its time to experiment.
How lucky we are to be alive at this
time. Lets go for it!
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
64
by
Mark Bosko
Whats a Festival
Worth?
lying the film festival

circuit has become as
much a part of the independent moviemaking
process as crowd-funding, cinematography and
editing. Unfortunately,
the method of selecting,
entering and participating in festivals
is, more often than not, impromptu
and non-strategic, leading to wasted
money, missed opportunities, and disappointment. But this doesnt have to
be the case, as a bit of goal-setting and
planning can help make the festival
experience a positive one for independent moviemakers and their films.
The primary goal of any festival strategy should be to match the particular
benefits derived from participation in
oneor manyfestivals with the specific
needs of a film and its creators. And to
do that, the moviemaker and his team
should take the time to weigh the perceived benefits against the costs (monetary and otherwise) involved.
Creating Awareness and Developing Fans

Scoring a festival screening slot will
automatically raise the awareness of a
film. The movie will be listed online and
in hard copy fest programs and posters,
as well as screening scheduleswhich are
often printed in secondary media outlets
ads and editorial. Additionally, depending on the fest, anywhere from dozens
to thousands of viewers will get exposed
to the film when it plays. But what is the
true value of this publicity?
While every festival promotes itself
as having the ability to deliver high
levels of publicity and awareness, we
looked hard to specifically choose those
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Identifying the benefits

of fest participation to
improve your ROI
that we believed would be receptive to

a comedy/horror movie with a transvestite killer nun (Tim Sullivan) and Ron
Jeremy playing Jesus, says Tampa filmmaker Shelby McIntyre on his teams
fest selection process. You can probably imagine that our choice of possible
festivals meeting that criteria was not
huge, he jokingly adds. But the festivals at which McIntyres movieBloody
Bloody Bible Camppremiered provided
the desired benefit: Raising awareness
within the films target demographic.
Following our midnight screening at
Texas Frightmare, our Facebook page
blew up with postings from horror fans
one strategic
successful
screening can
develop your
films base.
across the country, and that awareness
bled onto thousands of other horror
movie junkies who werent at the show.
That one successful, very strategic
screening helped develop a fan-base
for the movie, and also assisted getting
Bloody Bloody Bible Camp a larger videoon-demand (VOD) footprint.
Filmmaker Michael Gordons efforts
follow McIntyres direction. In the
beginning, we were hoping, like all filmmakers, to secure a large-scale theatrical
distribution deal, says Gordon of his film
Fear Lives Here.
But as we learned more and more

about how hard it is to get that from a
festival screening, we decided to only
target those events that would build a
fan base and allow us to create awareness
that would benefit us when it was time to
shop the movie to buyers.
Securing and Improving Distribution

McIntyres efforts and Gordons approach nailed two of the most vital
publicity deliverables that can come
from festival participation: general
awareness; and development of a perceived target audience for distribution.
Bible Camp landed a broad-based iN
DEMAND deal after positive word-ofmouth from the fest circuit drove rentals during the films initial smaller-scale
VOD release. To McIntyre, that meant
60 million more cable households now
had access to his movie.
Though none but the largest and most
well-known festivals can legitimately
advertise the possibility of a traditional,
studio-based distribution deal as an end
result for selected entrants, the advent
of VOD means more indie flicks than
ever are now commercially available, and
festival participation at many levels can
assist in that effort.
Frank Lin, director of the dance-fight
action film, Battle B-Boy, had the same expectations when entering the festival fray.
We wanted to build awareness,
generate buzz, and drive business for
the film as we were in the initial stages
of planning for a VOD release, said Lin.
As the film became available on iTunes,
Amazon, Vudu and Playstation 3, our festival participation allowed for enhanced
marketing on these release platforms,
which meant more sales.

pg
Lins film, which features an extremely

diverse cast, was also entered in a number
of foreign festivals, with the aim of developing demand with a specific segment of its
intended target audience: A little market
call the rest of the world.
Of the eight festivals we entered, three
were focused on the Asian culture, as both
the subject matter and cast of Battle B-Boy
are reflective of those populations. Working
with the Chinese American Film Festival,
Beijing International Film Festival, and
Shanghai International Film Festival allowed
us to promote our film to this very specific
demographic, as well as to the festival programmers who have wide and deep contacts
with foreign film industry insidersa group
of individuals that are nearly impossible to
penetrate from the U.S.
Making Contacts and Networking

One of the greatest benefits you can
get from a film festival is the networking
opportunities afforded to attendees
something moviemakers should consider
when choosing where to submit.
One of my goals in selecting and
entering festivals is the opportunity to
connect with other filmmakers, fans and
those in the professional film community
who may have an affiliation with the
event, says Tom Biscardi, storied Bigfoot
researcher and prolific producer/director
of five Bigfoot-themed documentaries in
just six years. His latest, Hoax of the Century, which dispels the iconic PattersonGimplin Bigfoot footage as fake, landed a
screening spot in the Poconos Mountains
Film Festival 2012, and in 2011, his two
65
documentaries Anatomy of a Bigfoot Hoax

and Bigfoot Lives 2 won a dual Best Documentary prize at the same fest.
Festivals that allow for networking
with a diverse group of industry peers
is one of the benefits I consider before
entering, says Biscardi. Though the
Poconos Mountains Film Festival isnt the
largest event of its kind, it has allowed me
to meet and spend time with Hollywood
insiders such as David Saperstein and
Micky Hyman, and Reshaun Frear from
BETs top-rated Black Poker Stars.
Biscardi notes that not only has he
developed a friendship with theseand
otherfolks he has met from attending the
festivals (which take place in a region rife
with reported Bigfoot activity), but hes also
been able to glean valuable knowledge and
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
66
compiling good reviews from critics can help sell your film.
insight about producing while using those
relationships to meet even more people.
His newest film, an untitled found-footage
project, came to fruition due to just this
sort of in-festival networking.
We are now fully immersed in production with two separate film crews
shooting simultaneously in two separate
sites in the country. That is only happening due to the contacts I made in the
Poconos, which is 3,000 miles from my
Northern California home.
In addition to rubbing shoulders with
Hollywood luminaries, fellow filmmakers
and potential cast, crew and investors,
film festival participants can also find
themselves making friends with influential critics and journalistspeople whose
words can propel a film toward success
at many levels.
Reaping Reviews
Nothing looks better than when an
objective third party says your film is
great instead of you just you saying your
movie is great, says McIntyre about garnering reviews via the festival circuit.
And hes right. An objective account of the merits of your movie is
one of the best ways to build a case
for your project when it comes time to
sell. Compiling positive reviews from
recognized professional critics and reviewers can attract acquisition agents
MOVIEMAKER.COM
and buyers, and help with sales and

promotion for deals.
VOD platforms such as iTunes, Amazon
Instant Video and Vudu all recognize the
value of positive reviews from festival
screenings. Accordingly, broadcasting good
reviews can help usher films onto the
bigger platforms. And for movies that are
already available digitally, a good response
from critics can garner a film better placement on the various VOD websites. A quick
example: following McIntyres successful
festival run, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp was
moved to iTunes New and Noteworthy page, which, compared to the films
previous general listing, delivered highly
increased awareness amongst iTunes
users. More awareness means more opportunities for sales, and thats a benefit
every filmmaker desires.
With thousands of film festivals of
all sizes and foci taking place around
the globe each year, it can be a daunting task for the independent producer
to find those that make the most sense
for his needs. And though a formal
festival strategy, while recommended,
is not often in place before the process
of submissions begins, moviemakers
should at least be selective in their
fest participation, working only with
those events that offer the best match
for their project and personal goals. If
you keep those lessons in mind, youll
reduce the costs associated with entry

fees, deliverables, travel and accommodations, and youre a lot more likely
to produce tangible, positive results.
Happy submitting!
7 Benefits of Festival Participation

1. General Awareness of Your Film
2. Generating Demand with Target
Audience
3. Finding Offers for Distribution
4. Securing Reviews for Marketing Use
5. Halo Effect from Association with
Prestigious Festival
6. Networking and Connections with
Industry Players
7. Travel and Fun while Attending
(but keep an eye on costs) MM
Mark Steven Bosko, of Bosko Group,

has been helping filmmakers worldwide find DVD and VOD distribution
and promotion for their films since
1997. Bosko Group films can be found
on iTunes, Amazon, Netflix, CinemaNow, Vudu, Hulu and in Redbox,
Family Video, and thousands of independent video rental and retail stores
nationwide. He is the author of The
Complete Independent Movie Marketing Handbook and DVD OnDemand and
the creator of the web-based series
Top Ten Tips to Distribution.
BRAUN POST
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323-695-5800
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/RV$QJHOHV3UHPLHU$FWLQJ6FKRRO
The Joanne Baron / D.W. Brown Studio

If you are part of this brilliant collective, you will succeed.
-7RP+DQNV at the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio
D.W. Brown guided me in how to work with

actorshe has really helped me a lot.
-6DP5DLPL

Under [D.W. Browns] direction I felt inspired,
safe and capable of anything.
- 2OLYLD:LOGH
[D.W.] provided an atmosphere within which

the insecure, notice actor could safely strive,
explore, and even fail.
5RELQ:ULJKW
You Can ActLVDYDLODEOHLQERRNVWRUHVDQGRQOLQHDW$PD]RQFRP

)RU6WXGLRLQIRUPDWLRQYLVLWZZZEDURQEURZQFRP
CALL FOR ENTRIES
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MBIFF PO. Box 6879 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29572 843-497-0220
http://myrtlebeachfilmfestival.com
info@mbiff.com
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
68
by
mm editors
The Thrill Isnt Gone
Heres why Theres Still a Place for

Traditional Distributors
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
ith a plethora of
digital distribution
platforms sprouting
up like ragweed in
a hay field, it can be
easy to forget that
some of those good,
old-fashioned, brickand-mortar distributors can do more
than just steal a percentage of your films
profits. With that in mind, MovieMaker
sat down recently with Richard Castro
of Cinema Libre Studioa distributor of
socially-conscious narrative and documentary featuresto find out just what
independent moviemakers can gain from
a traditional distribution deal.
MovieMaker Magazine (MM): You get unsolicited films every day at Cinema Libre
Studio. What are some things independent moviemakers can do in their
queries to maximize their chances of
avoiding the trash bin?
Richard Castro, Cinema Libre Studios (RC):
Well, first of all, no film that is submitted to us ever goes in the trash bin. We
review everything. That doesnt mean
that every film will get a distribution offer
from us, but our philosophy is that if a
filmmaker has taken the time and effort
not only to make a film, but to submit it
to us, then we should watch it.
But, what can filmmakers do to maximize
their chances? Make it easy for us to immediately understand what the film is about
and who to contact once weve watched it.
That information should be on the packaging. If a film is sent to us in a white sleeve
with the title illegibly scribbled on the disc
and no email address or phone number (FYI,
we prefer the email address), then its enigmatic nature is already working against it.
If there is nothing about the packaging to attract us, then the film may not
get watched with any sense of urgency.
I dont mean spend money to make a
perfectly-packaged DVD case, or send
discs with gilt-edges and 3D holograms
or something like that. White sleeves are
perfectly acceptable. If you have artwork,
affix it to the disc or sleeve. That image
helps us remember the film.
But even more importantly, tape, glue,
solder, or otherwise permanently affix
the following information to the sleeve
or case in which you send the disc: title;

genre (doc or narrative); MPAA rating if
there is one; director; total run time; cast
(mainly if there are recognizable names);
video standard (PAL or NTSC); website
if one exists; country of origin; language
(e.g., is it in French with English subtitles?); film festivals at which its been
officially accepted and/or won a prize; and
synopsis. Please, please include the synopsis. All of this can simply be typed on a
piece of paper and taped to the sleeve or
plastic case containing the DVD. If you
send an online screener instead, just list
this information in the email. Dont make
it fancy and dont make it wordy; just
make sure its coherent, and that it wont
get separated from the case in which it
was sent. Trust me, the acquisitions team
will love you for it.
MM: What are some things a moviemaker can do (besides recording and
editing great sound) in pre-production,
production, and post-production to
increase her chances of success with a
traditional distributor?
RC: Here are three:
1) Think marketing before you even
start shooting. The more appeal your film
will have to a wide audience, the better
a distributor will be able to sell it into
multiple mediumsand for higher prices.
Im not suggesting that your indie art film
has to be a popcorn movie, but a couple
of tasty kernels here and there cant hurt
(casting some recognizable names if at all
possible is just one way of doing this). No
matter how much we like your film, if we
believe it will be too difficult to sell it, we
may decide against acquiring it.
2) Shoot the entire film in true HD if
you can. Whether were talking movie
theatre projection or the most popular
streaming and VOD platforms, its all ones
and zeros now. Shoot your movie in the
69
highest definition possible and itll be a

lot easier for your distributor to prepare
it for sale to exhibitors, television, and
digital partners. Does this mean we wont
acquire a film if it isnt in HD? Of course
not. But hi-def tends to put a twinkle in
the eyes of our sales team.
3) Rights clearances. This pertains
mostly to the indie world, but please,
clear those music and footage rights if
you can before you send us the film. Look,
I understand that you adamantly believe
that Maroon 5 song you dropped into
the end credits is the one crucial element
that pulls your whole film together, but
I need you to understand that Im not
going to pay half a million dollars or more
to license it. Instead, Im going to recommend that you swap it out with your own
piano rendition of 1907s Sweet Pickles
by Theron C. Bennett for free and call it
day. Now, we specialize in documentaries,
so we receive quite a few films with footage that relies upon the fair use doctrine.
This is not uncommon with docs, but I
urge filmmakers not to fill an entire film
with unlicensed footage and assume
they can simply claim fair use to avoid a
lawsuit. Do your homework and talk to
lawyers who specialize in this area if you
can. If you still have serious doubts, it
may be smarter not to include the clip. If
a distributorespecially an independent
companyfears they may be sued for
releasing a film, then they may decide its
just not worth the trouble. If we acquire
your film, we will want to release it as
widely and successfully as we can. The
more you can do to have it cleared and
ready for launch, the sooner and better
we can launch it.
MM: In the DIY filmmaking age, a lot of

moviemakers are starting to consider forgoing traditional distribution altogether.
With that in mind, what does a brickand-mortar distributor like Cinema Libre
offer that a DIY VOD platform cant?
If a moviemaker has taken the time

to not only make a film, but submit
it to us, then we should watch it.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
started MovieMaker Magazine 18 years ago because I was tired of all the misinformation (and lack of information) about how
ndependent movies get made. I had a burning desire to get the facts and share them. Since then Ive seen rs
his bvidual consulting capacity in order to share this knowledge with you.
Whos YOUR Mentor?
youre a screenwriter our program is designed to help you take your screenplay to the next level to give you a realistic plan
f action tailored to your needs. And if youre thinking about producing yourself, well give you an edge that can make all th
As well as being the most competitive business in the world, moviemakifference to your success. So reach out to us today. With MoviemakerMentors youll get more than great coverage. You get a
ing is
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PRODUCING to ACTING to DIRECTING to EDITING & POST-PRODUCTION to DISTRIBUTION, you need someone you can call, someone objective, someone who will respect whatever question or challenge
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pg
RC: VOD, plus everything else. Granted,

not all indie distributors are full service
like Cinema Libre, but one thing that
definitely makes us unique as a brickand-mortar outfit is that we handle
all forms of distribution within one
company. Whether its theatrical, DVD,
digital, television, international, and/or
educational, we do it. In addition to that,
we have in-house marketing, PR, graphic
design, web-design, and post-production
departments. In other words, we can
cohesively foster every single detail of a
films release process, which allows us to
maximize its overall exposure and sales
potential while also saving significant
costs that would otherwise get passed on
to the filmmaker.
MM: In the current economic climate,
when production and distribution budgets are tight, can an independent film
still hit a home run? If so, what is a home
run these days? What can a DIY moviemaker expect to see financially if all the
cards line up?
RC: Sure it can. What is a home run?

Id say in the most simplistic terms,
its getting your film seen by as wide
an audience as possible, recouping the
production budget and the distributors
marketing and distribution expenses,
and making enough profit for the filmmaker to finance a new project and for
the distributor to survive comfortably
even if the rest of the titles on its slate
that year only hit singles and doubles.
Can I give you a specific dollar amount?
I suppose so, but at the risk of sounding
like a politician, Im not going to because
a) it truly depends on multiple factors

and b) the concept of a home run is
certainly subjective, based uponshall
we saythe level of reality on which all
parties are operating.
MM: Successful distribution, more or

less, is inseparable from good publicity. Besides making your movie as
good as it can be, can a moviemakers
persona help get press excited about
a film? If a director stands out from
the crowd, in other words, does that
help you sell his or her film? And if
so, do you have any pointersor case
studiesof marketable filmmakers
whose personas helped sales?
RC: Marketing and publicity are absolutely crucial factors, and I would also
point out that after all is said and done
(and believe me, a lot is done to distribute a film), what it boils down to is the
film itself. Either people like it or they
dont. The ol you can lead a horse to
water, but you cant make him drink
truism applies here.
Yes, of course a filmmakers persona
can help. There are directors like Kevin
Smith or Michael Moore or Morgan
Spurlock who could all arguably still be
considered indie filmmakers. But keep in
mind that what these guys did first was
make good films that audiences really
enjoyed watching. They all happened
to cast themselves, and because people
loved their movies, their personas took
on a life of their own outside of said
films. Distributors would love to get the
next Kevin Smith film (yes, Kevin, I really
wanted Red State) because they dont
71
publicity is
helpful, but
it really boils
down to how
good the film is.
have to explain to buyers, audiences, or
the press who Kevin Smith isthat and
he also makes good movies. So yes, persona can definitely help sales. No doubt.
Now, would I advise filmmakers to
start casting themselves in all of their
future movies? No. Not everybody can
pull it off. And the reality isespecially
with regard to indie films, and even more
so with indie docsthe moviemaker is
probably not going to come in with a persona that stands out from the crowd. And
thats okay. If the movie is good, then we
as the distributor will help it stand out so
that one day, that moviemakers persona
can stand on its own. MM
Cinema Libre Studio is a leader in

distributing social-issue documentaries
and narrative features by passionate filmmakers. Headquartered in Los
Angeles, the Cinema Libre team has
released over 100 films, including the
Sundance Audience Award-winning
Fuel, The End of Poverty?, and Oliver
Stones South of the Border. For more
information and updates, visit:
www.cinemalibrestudio.com.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
72
by
Mark Sells
To Hell with the
Middleman
How New DIY Distribution Platforms Are Letting Moviemakers Go It Alone
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
ast December, Emmy winning comedian Louis C.K.

did something really surprising. Instead of pursuing the
traditional route of film and
television distribution for his
latest comedy special, Louis
C.K.: Live at the Beacon Theater, he decided to release it on his own.
No television deal. No corporate backers
or marketing muscle. No distributors. No
iTunes. Just Louis C.K. dot net.
Fueled by positive tweets, blogs, and
word of mouth excitement, the 62-minute comedy special, which sold for $5
per download, grossed a reported $1 million in just 12 days.
Since then, it has inspired other
comedians, like Aziz Ansari (Dangerously Delicious) and Jim Gaffigan
(Mr. Universe), to follow suit with
direct-to-consumer, low-cost specials.
Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are now more popular than ever. And media companies
around the world are re-evaluating a

new model of distribution centered on
the power of community.
Simply put, Louis C.K.s digital experiment served as unequivocal vindication of the DIY modela model
that up until recently relied heavily
on murky metrics for advertising
revenue, layers and layers of middlemen, and netted very small returns
for filmmakers and artists.
With the recent direct-to-consumer
distribution success stories, its no surprise that a crop of exciting new startups has begun to emergeamong them:
Yekra; Distrify; VHX; Craze Digital;
Distribber; and many more, all focused
on reducing the need for middlemen.
Lower Costs Equal More Money
One of the most important factors in the
new DIY model is lowering the up-front
costs while passing the savings onto the
consumer and the profits to the filmmaker. In the case of Louis C.K., had the
73
comedian gone the traditional route, the

DVD or DRM download would have cost
around $20 and the comedian would have
made a significantly lower return.
Says President of Yekra, Lee Waterworth:
You would have had to pay a distributors
fee plus expenses, a sales agent for finding
that distributor, and a producer to find that
sales agent. Everybody is taking percentages
off the adjusted gross all the way up and
down the chain. And in the end, you dont
stand to make a lot of money, if any. But if
you eliminate the middle men, you stand
to make a lot more.
With startups like Distrify, filmmakers can add their first film and all related
content for free and only pay a transactional fee on a revenue share basis, i.e. 30
cents on the dollar. In the case of Yekra,
filmmakers pay a monthly subscription
rate to use the platform, but only incur 50
cents or less per transaction, regardless of
the price of the film. Craze Digital, charges
absolutely no cost to use their service, and
splits revenue down the middle, 50/50.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
74
Audience Building Is Key

You cannot make money from a film if
nobody wants to watch it, says Sam Kleinman, Founder of Craze Digital.
That simple mantra is the most critical
factor for online distribution. For, unlike
traditional television or theatrical releases that have limited channels, chains,
and built in audiences, the internet is
a huge frontier, making simultaneous
viewing difficult.
Fortunately, the evolution of crowdfunding and social media has made a
dramatic impact on audience building,
allowing filmmakers to identify and
target their fans directly via interactive
sites like Facebook and Twitter, or movie-centric sites like Filmcrave, Flixster,
and Letterboxd. Even Peter Jackson got
in on the act this year, tweeting directly
from the set of The Hobbit.
Says Peter Gerard, CEO/Founder of
Distrify, Its really about working the
network and trying to understand who
the loudest people are in the niche and
using them to energize the rest to start
a viral process.
To facilitate this propogation, these
new digital distributors have built-in
toolsets and dashboards that allow moviemakers to integrate films with audiences online, generate activity reports,
customize web pages, and embed players
for easy sharing.
Continues Gerard, If you dont know
who bought the film, you cant get in
touch with them to ask whether they
liked it and if they would be interested
in your next filmyou dont have a relationship with your audience.
Think Globally
The traditional distribution system
is built off restrictions, says Jamie
Wilkinson, head of VHX. It only cares
about geographic regions and the
movement from physical theaters to
physical home video while the internet
is fundamentally built on openness,
transparency, and availability.
All too often, traditional distribution
slows down when obtaining territorial
and ancillary rights to theatrical, DVDs,
network television, cable, etc. Its costly.
And even more so, is limited in terms of
international distribution.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
However, new DIY companies like Craze Digital have

broken those barriers and
are currently available in over
150 countries. Says Kleinman,
In an instant, your film could be
in Poland, Columbia, China, and
South Africaall at the same time.
And you get to choose where and
when to show your filmall in different
languages and currencies.
Earlier this year, VHX tapped its global
network to distribute Aziz Ansaris video,
Dangerously Delicious, and saw stunning
results. Says Wilkinson: Over 50 percent
of the sales were outside of America. We
had subtitles in English and French and invited fans to help translate, leading to 19
crowd-sourced translations and ultimately,
a much larger following.
Technology & platform mobility
When you use a market like iTunes,
youre locked into an ecosystem where
you cant watch the film on Android or a
Kindle Fire, says Gerard.
Platform versatility therefore becomes
crucial. And the new DIY companies are
also breaking those barriers by adapting their digital players to function on a
variety of platforms beyond the traditional
large and small screens. These include a
variety of mobile devices and digital players like Roku and Apple TV.
For instance, Craze Digital has become the first distributor to have their
app on Windows 8. Theyve created
a digital box (OTT) that offers 500
streaming channels, and recently signed
a deal to offer their movies to 150,000
hotel rooms in the United States.
Adds Kleinman, The whole idea is to
make movies available in as many different places and formats as possible. Thats
a utopic situation, where your film is available at any time and place.
diversity is okay
Now, if the obvious goal is get as many
people to see your film as possible, theres
really no reason why a moviemaker cant
choose multiple platforms, combine traditional and non-traditional approaches,
and use a hybrid tool or aggregator like
Indieflix, New Video Group, or Distribber
to facilitate availability with many of the
popular marketplaces: iTunes, Amazon

VOD, Hulu, Netflix, and Filmmaker Direct,
a new label for major cable, satellite, and
telco VOD systems.
We allow filmmakers to keep 100 percent of their rights, 100 percent of the revenue, and have complete control of their
work, says Distribber CEO Adam Chapnick.
All for just one low, flat fee. And they can
cancel at any time.
Like the other DIY factors, diversification is all about making your film
available as widely as possible, even if it
means making it available on competing platforms. When you retain all of the
rights, there is no exclusivity.
Yekras revolutionary content distribution platform allows filmmakers to
monetize their content by going directly
to their target market without going
through advertising supported channels,
direct buy-outs, and video marketplaces
with low margins. Instead, Yekra enables
your film to be available wherever and
whenever you want at a price you determine, while you keep all of the rights
and all of the revenue.
Our content proliferation engine
allows anybody who uses Yekra to take
their content to the communities that
actually care about it and facilitate as
many free impressions as one is prepared
to go out and look for, says Waterworth.
Theres simply no end to the number of
online communities you can contact and
push your product throughall of which
are incentivized to promote it for you
and their constituents.
Of course, when choosing a digital platform or platforms for your film, you must
always do your homework. Understand the
costs, the revenue sharing terms, the tools

pg
and capabilities, the acceptable formats,

and the limitations.
Because many of the new platforms
are in beta or start-up mode, they may
have selective criteria for accepting
films; they may handle encryption,
streaming, and piracy protection in
different ways; they may have different means for monetizing and
processing payroll; and they may have
different degrees of customer and
marketing support.
To be successful, a filmmaker must
evaluate all of the options and be willing to put in some good ol fashion
sweat equity.
Says Chapnick, A filmmaker has
to take the reins and be responsible
for building his own audience. Sure,
there are all of these new, wonderful
platforms and businesses out there,
but everything comes down to conversion. At some point, youre going to ask
75
people to do something, whether its

visit my site, like my page, watch my
film, etc. And youre going to have a
conversion rate, which means you have
to have more people than less if you
want to survive.
Money can be a lot of things, wrote
Louis C.K. It can be something that is
hoarded, fought over, protected, stolen
and withheld. Or it can be like an energy, fueled by the desire, will, creative
interest, need to laugh, of large groups
of people. And it can be shuffled and
pushed around and pooled together to
fuel a common interest.
Thanks to his direct-to-consumer
experiment and the emergence of a new
era of digital platforms and services,
the dreams of making money from
digital distribution, protecting creative
integrity, and empowering filmmakers to
build and sustain careers may now have
become a reality. MM
Randy Chance
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pg
pg
76
by
mm editors
MovieMakers Guide to
DIY Digital Distribution
Nine Exciting Companies on the Crowded VOD Highway
o many DIY digital distribution platforms have cropped

up over the last few years that
publishing a comprehensive
overview would require a booklength article. Nonetheless,
we at MovieMaker have taken
on the burden of culling that
infinite list down to nine companies that
span the gamutfrom mobile paywall software companies to content aggregators to
major VOD portals. In addition to outlining
what each platform offers, weve also listed
what we see as the upsides and downsides to
each platform. Weve also gone so far as to
give our recommendations on each platform.
We know that theres a lot of room for debate,
here, and we expect a lively conversation.
And since digital distributionin one form or
anotheris here to stay, we plan to update this
list in every future Complete Guide to Making
Movies. This is our first swing at the fastball,
in other words. But over the next year, we want
to hear your in-the-batters-box reports. Whether
you hit a home run with your self-released film,
or strike out swinging, we want to hear from
you in 2013. Whatd we get right? Whatd we
miss? The more moviemakers who share their
experiences with us, the better we can serve
our community.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
_ __________ yekra________________
Yekra provides a customizable, paywalled, infinitelyembeddable video player for your film. What the hell does
that mean, you ask? Well, it means the Yekra player can
be embedded on any siteincluding Facebookso that
your audience can rent or gift your film from anywhere its
hosted (whether thats on Yekras portal, your website, or a
third-party affiliate site). The player allows you to set your
own price, geo-block your territories (i.e. choose the countries where people can watch your film), and integrate
your social media feeds. Yekra also gives you a dedicated
film page, which can act as a website if you dont already
have one set up. But perhaps the most exciting technology
that Yekra offers is its AffiliateConnect program: a negotiation platform for moviemakers to find partnering hosts.
Know some people who run a heavily trafficked blog? They
can host your film via a uniquely-coded, personal player.
AffiliateConnect also allows producers to easily track,
share, and pay out revenue to these affiliates.
Upsides: Player mobility; Filmmakers keep 80 percent of rental
fee; Built-in host revenue sharing
Downsides: Up-front cost (potentially). Figures in their marketing materials suggesting that Yekra gives 80 percent of
rental revenue to filmmakers, but they havent announced
the set-up fees.
MMs suggestion: You have to be willing to hunker down and
self-market with this platform. But if that sounds right up
your alley, its a good time to test out Yekra. Weve heard
that selected moviemakers are getting a free test-drive of
the player, but since its one of the most powerful, customizable platforms on the market, we assume the technology
wont be free forever.

pg
_______________ VHX_________________
VHXs slogan is, Sell from your own website, and in keeping
with that, they provide an embeddable player that allows fans
to buy directly from moviemakers websites. Perhaps more
importantly, though, VHX prides itself on its white glove service, which appears to be a marketing and design team that
can help skin, brand, and promote your film. VHX has garnered
a lot of attention over the last year by powering three major
comedy special VOD releases: Louis C.K.s Live at the Beacon Theatre; Jim Gaffigans Mr. Universe; and Aziz Ansaris
Dangerously Delicious. C.K.s Beacon grossed $1 Million in
the first 12 days it was available.
Upsides: Player mobility; Track record

Downsides: No built-in revenue sharing; Cost (potentially). Like
Yekra, VHX strategically doesnt list its pricing structure. Considering that theyve delivered some major successes, though, they probably dont work for free.
77
active accounts, we question if its the first place DIY independent filmmakers should go to distribute their films. For instance,
without star power and a major Hollywood studio marketing
budget, its nearly impossible to get a film featured on iTunes.
And without being featured you get none of the iTunes perks
(their captive audience, their ubiquitous platform), and all of
the iTunes downsideslike paying to encode your film for their
player, and giving away the lions share of your rental and download revenue to the multiple middlemen you need to appease to
even get a slot on their site.
Upsides: Reach; Reliability; Serious track record

Downsides: Inaccessibility; Middlemen; High hard costs and lower
revenue share
MMs suggestion: iTunes is a huge sales market if you can get

featured on their landing page. But short of premium placement, wed suggest going with one of the newer VOD options.
Just about every DIY platform on the market will take your
film in any format, charge little or no upfront fees, and will
offer better revenue shares. iTunes doesnt need your business
like the little guys do.
MMs suggestion: The site is somewhat vague about product details

and recommends you contact them directly. But if you have the
clout to get gobs of people to your site, VHX is the odds-on favorite.
______________ itunes_ ______________

Now that Apple reigns from the throne reserved for Largest Publicly Traded Corporation in the Entire Known Universe, iTunes is
a household name everywhere from Manhattan to Vladivostok.
iTunes is also the most dominant purveyor of pay-per-download
content (they more or less invented the model). Independent
moviemakers can submit their films through a content aggregator, or directly through a major distributor if they somehow
manage to land a deal with one. But even though iTunes obviously boasts a massive, built-in audience, with over 400 million
go to facebook.com/
moviemakermag and
tell us your DIY digital
distribution story
_____________ netflix_______________
Netflix is king of the digital VOD market, but is also probably
the least DIY-friendly of the lot. Netflix licenses films the way
broadcasters doby paying upfront for the right to show your
film for a limited, pre-determined amount of time. You dont
get any revenue per stream. The offers range drastically, from a
couple thousand dollars to mid-range, five-figure deals, based on
the pedigree of your film and the number of people who have
requested it in their queues. Its necessary to have done fairly
well with a festival or theatrical run in order to have negotiation
leverage when soliciting an offer. Also, Netflix uses aggregators
and distributors as a filter, so you cant actually strike a deal
directly. The general consensus by those championing new forms
of distribution is that Netflix is a poor deal for independent
filmmakers, even if you can get into the database. They dont
pay much, and because they stream to an unlimited number of
people for a contracted amount of time, anyone in your audience with a Netflix subscription isnt going to buy your content
elsewhere if they can stream it for free on Netflix.com.
Upsides: Exposure; Advance, lump-sum payment

Downsides: Middlemen and fees; No per-view revenue
MMs suggestion: Save a buyout deal like this for later in your
distribution cycle. Netflix requires you to go through all the work
of creating buzz and a receptive audience on your own, anyway,
before theyll consider making you an offer. So you might as well
profit from those efforts first.
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
78
_______________ hulu________________
Another major player on the digital distribution front, Hulu is a
two-tiered streaming service. Much of its content is available for
free, but viewers can pay a monthly fee to get access to premium
content on HuluPlus. Like iTunes, Hulu has an enormous viewership. They stream more than 1.5 billion video ads each month,
and now have over 2 million paying subscribers. Their content is
focused primarily on broadcast and television programming, but
they also have great films (most notably, the entire Criterion Collection!). Hulu has a lot going for it on the consumer-facing end,
but as a platform, they dont offer a lot to smaller moviemakers.
Like iTunes and Netflix, Hulu only really acquires content from
large distributors and aggregators, which means filmmakers need
a helping hand to get on the site. Unlike iTunes, Hulu does offer
ad revenue share deals (filmmakers get a percentage of revenue
from ads delivered during a streaming of their film, and thats
nothing to sneer at). But with the mandatory distributor and
aggregator middlemen gobbling up big portions of those fees, not
too many moviemakers are getting rich from Hulu.
Upsides: Exposure; Exposure; Exposure; Ad revenue-sharing

Downsides: Middlemen; Higher hard costs and lower revenue share
MMs suggestion: Consider Hulu when youre figuring out your
overall windowing strategy, but dont rely on it for the core
of your digital distribution. There might be a sizable price tag
attached, and without a thoughtful plan, your film will lose its
exclusivity and marketability on additional platforms.
iTunes, for instance. Also, its worth noting that Distribber sells
mainly US rights (and to a much lesser extent, Canadian), but
they dont bring your content to the rest of the world.
Upsides: Access to major platforms; Pass-through revenue share

Downsides: Upfront Costs; No international distribution
MMs suggestion: Distribber performs a necessary service
connecting independent moviemakers to the behemoth digital
distribution outlets they might not otherwise have access to. So,
if and when you need to get on a major platform, Distribber is a
good bet. Just remember to keep up your own marketing efforts.
Aggregators are the highways to mega-platform revenue, but
they dont provide the car.
____________ Indiefilmz_ ____________

IndieFilmZ focuses primarily on the promotion of short, independent films. They believe (quite rightly) that most independent moviemakers are producing short-form content instead of
feature-length work, but that due to the lack of general short
film viewershipand therefore profitabilitythe quality of
shorts has decreased in recent years. With that in mind,
IndieFilmZ provides a venue to showcase quality short-form
content, and a platform for generating revenue. In order to
feature your content on IndieFilmZ, you have to sign up for
membership, which costs between $10 and $20 a year. They
set their videos at a rental price of $1.49 per movie, $1.00 of
which goes directly to the filmmaker. Videos can only be purchased and viewed by other paying IndieFilmZ members.
Upside: Unique (or nearly unique) monetization potential for shortform content
Downside: Small audience base; Membership cost presents barrier to

sale of films
____________ distribber_ ____________

Distribber is an aggregatorone of those oft-mentioned
middlemen that act as a liaison between moviemakers and
the big distribution outlets like iTunes, Netflix, and Hulu.
Distribber charges an up-front fee for delivery and placement,
per platform, that ranges from $5,000 for cable VOD, to $95
forAmazon. But they undoubtedly give filmmakers entre to big
retailers they wouldnt otherwise have access to. And the frontend fees Distribber charges to connect moviemakers to distribution platforms are the only fees they charge. Unlike some
aggregators, they dont penalize producers further by taking any
share of actual VOD revenue. Distribber screens submissions
for pedigree and accolades, but less stringently, it appears, than
the actual distribution platforms themselves. In other words,
using Distribber doesnt guarantee youll get to sell your film on
MOVIEMAKER.COM
MMs suggestion: If youre a creator of short-form content, theres

no harm in maintaining a presence on IndieFilmZ. Most other
DIY distribution platforms dont accept shorts at all. The membership cost is almost inconsequentially low and maybe worth
the price. Youll gain some exposure and connect with other
content creators, at the very least. Who knows? Maybe youll
even sell some streams!
_____________ distrify_ _____________

Distrify helps moviemakers sell their films socially across a
gamut of devices. Like Yekra and VHX, their primary offering
is a traveling player that allows viewers to purchase films from

pg
79
anywhere theyre hosted. Filmmakers have the ability to embed,

share, and socially sell their films, while earning 70 percent of
revenue collected from each stream. They also have an affiliaterevenue scheme thats open to all Distrify members, although
theres no dedicated platform or toolset. One of the most appealing things about Distrify is that the front page of their website
clearly states no upfront costs (for a limited time).
One of
MovieMaker
Magazines
25 Coolest
Film Festivals
Upsides: Player mobility; No set-up costs

Downsides: No portal or film page; No affiliate platform
MMs recommendation: Distrifys robust and flexible traveling player
has a lower set-up cost, but also a lower revenue share than
Yekra. We love the concept of moviemakers being able to bring
their films directly to an audience. Distrify may not have all the
bells and whistles, but theyre the main contender in the zerocost marketplace.
We Celebrate Independent Narrative Filmmakers

and Their Films at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii
located on the beautiful Kohala Coast of Hawaii Island!
CALL FOR ENTRIES:
Deadline - February 1, 2013
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For applications & festival details visit:
_______ CreateSpace/Amazon________
Amazon offers moviemakers the ability to build a webstore,
a turnkey, e-commerce platform that enables users to design
and operate a profitable online presence for their films. Amazons self-publishing and self-distribution arm, CreateSpace, goes
a step further, allowing filmmakers to distribute DVDs and VOD
through the Amazon Marketplace. Amazon Prime Members can
stream content for free, and Amazon non-Prime non-members
can purchase both download-to-rent and download-to-own
content. One distinct perk is that their VOD titles are eligible for
listing on the corresponding IMDb film pages, and because Amazons commerce ubiquity (a lot of people already have accounts
with Amazon), their One Click purchase system is a big bonus;
customers dont have to enter information every time they want
to rent a movie. Additionally, video downloads are completely
free to set up. The deals pretty good, too. Amazon keeps 50
percent of the revenue, and the other 50 percent goes to the
filmmaker. But prices are set solely at Amazons discretion.
Upsides: IMDB integration; No set-up costs; Domestic reach and stability

Downsides: Lower revenue share; Inflexible pricing; No cross-platform
portability; No international options
MMs suggestion: Amazon is another option you might want to

keep on the shelf until youve distributed on your other platforms first. A couple of years ago, they were the only no-cost
option for independent filmmakers. But with the abundance of
VOD choices, our vote is to start on platforms that leave you in
control so you can make changes on the fly as your distribution
strategy inevitably evolves. Amazon will be there, if and when
you need them. MM
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pg
80
guide to film education

ABCINEMA // abcinema.nl // ABCinemas DVD
moviemaking course includes useful
information for cinema artists of all
experience levels. If youre just starting
out, or if your moviemaking career just
needs a shot in the arm, ABCinemas
combination of video instruction, illustrative film clips and companion text
helps you learn about the art and business of film at your own pace.
ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY // SAN FRANCISCO,
CA // 800/544-2787; 415/274-2200 // ACADEMYART.
EDU // Students master the fundamentals
of various aspects of moviemakingincluding cinematography, editing, visual
effects, producing, production design
and screenwritingwith instructors
active in their respective fields at AAU.
The school offers a host of professionalgrade facilities and equipment, including a green screen studio and multiple
sound stages.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR DIGITAL IMAGING ARTS // WALTHAM, MA & WASHINGTON, D.C.
// 800/808-2342 // CDIABU.COM // CDIA offers
degrees in 3-D Animation, Graphic and
Web Design, Audio Production and
Digital Filmmaking, in addition to a
variety of one- and two-day workshops
on the latest moviemaking technologies.
Students get hands-on training using
top-of-the-line equipment and the latest
moviemaking software.
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS // SAN FRANCISCO, CA // 800/447-1278 // CCA.EDU/FILM //
Students in CCAs BFA program receive
a foundation in narrative moviemaking,
assisted by a faculty of award-winning
moviemakers and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities (including a variety
of film and digital equipment, video
and audio finishing suites and a postproduction lab). The school encourages its students to explore a variety
of visual arts, including animation and
experimental film. The schools CCA
Film Program Speaker Series brings bigname moviemakers like Gus Van Sant to
MOVIEMAKER.COM
the school to lecture, teach and inspire

aspiring moviemakers.
CAROLINA FILM INSTITUTE // GREENVILLE, SC //
800/940-3546; 864/246-2334 // CAROLINAFILMINSTITUTE.COM // From the first week of CFIs
10-month program, students receive
extensive training on both film and
digital equipment, including Super8,
16mm and digital HD cameras, as well
as additional production equipment and
a Final Cut Pro editing lab.
COLORADO FILM SCHOOL // DENVER, CO //
303/340-7321 // COLORADOFILMSCHOOL.NET //
CFS students are encouraged to mix an
independent spirit with traditional Hollywood production techniques, earning
their BFAs through a rigorous program
with Regis University at CFS. Boasting
a strong curriculum and a top-notch
faculty of working professionals, CFS was
recently identified by ICG Magazine as
one of the top film schools in the nation.
COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO // CHICAGO, IL //
312/369-6700 // COLUM.EDU/FILM // Though
well-established as a place where
students can learn both the technical and creative sides of moviemaking (Oscar-winning cinematographers
Janusz Kaminski and Mauro Fiore are
both alumni), CCC isnt standing still in
the face of industry changes. The school
recently launched a Creative Producing MFA Program, where students gain
practical moviemaking experience from
their very first semester, just one year
after opening a 35,000 square-foot Media Production Center.
COLUMBIA COLLEGE HOLLYWOOD // TARZANA, CA
// 800/785-0585 // COLUMBIACOLLEGE.EDU //
At CCH, moviemakers can hone their
craft in the entertainment capital of the
world as they study writing with Oscarwinner Seth Winston (Session Man),
directing with John Swanbeck (The Big
Kahuna) and further areas of film and
television production with other accomplished industry pros. CCHs BFA and
AFA programs offer hands-on training

with the newest cinematic technologies, including the RED ONE camera.
Each year CCH hosts an industry film
festival, where students have their
work seen by top producers, agents
and studio executives.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY // NEW YORK, NY //
212/854-2815 // ARTS.COLUMBIA.EDU/FILM
// Columbia offers MFA programs in
Creative Producing and Screenwriting/
Directing, as well as an undergraduate
program in film studies. Among the
schools award-winning alumni are
Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Lisa
Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right)
and Nicole Holofcener (Please Give).
THE EDIT CENTER // NEW YORK, NY // 212/691-2370

// THEEDITCENTER.COM // Students who take
the six-week Art of Film Editing course
at The Edit Center dont just learn the
ins and outs of editing. Since the footage
used in class is from an actual independent feature, students end up with footage to put on their reels in addition to
actual film credits. This Apple-certified
training center also offers two-, threeand five-day courses on Final Cut Pro.
Alumni have worked on No End in Sight,
Winters Bone and Inside Job.
DOUGLAS EDUCATION CENTER // MONESSEN, PA //
800/413-6013; 724/684-3684 // DEC.EDU // Douglas 16-month Factory Digital Filmmaking Program gives students the practical
experience needed to make a movie,
while classes on digital storytelling and
communication provide the basics for
writing and promoting a compelling
story. Douglas also offers a 16-month
associates degree in special makeup effects, the practical applications of which
extend beyond moviemaking to areas
like theater design. Faculty members
include legendary SFX artist Tom Savini,
whose credits include Dawn of the Dead
and Friday the 13th.

pg
DOV SIMENS 2-DAY FILM SCHOOL // 800/366-3456

// DOVSIMENSFILMSCHOOL.COM // At Dov Simens 2-Day Film School, students learn
practical information on how to write,
finance, create, market and distribute
a film. Simens has been teaching his
two-day class in locations around the
world for two decades and also offers
instruction in the form of a DVD box set,
featuring nearly 20 hours of instruction
and corresponding workbooks.
FILM CONNECTION FILM INSTITUTE // LOS
ANGELES, CA // 800/800-9581; 310/456-9623
// FILMCONNECTION.COM/PROGRAM-2 // Film
Connection Film Institute was founded on the principle that the movie
business is a collaborative one. The
school provides its students with a
six-month, one-on-one apprenticeship
with a professional moviemaker who
gives weekly assignments and provides
regular mentorship, all with the goal of
turning the students movie idea into
a completed film. The school also provides each student with an internship
at a film production company or agency. After graduation, the 12-month
Stay Connected Program helps students continue to build a network of
contacts within the film industry.
FILM SCHOOLS 4U // 818/748-8398 // FILMSCHOOLS4U.COM // When you buy Film Schools
4Us five-disc Starter Course in Filmmaking, youre not paying for hours of
filler and irrelevant commentary. The
focus of Film Schools 4U is practicality,
and to that end Film School 4Us lessons
include useful information on such
topics as effectively pitching an idea to
a producer and creating super-charged
action scenes.
FIVE TOWNS COLLEGE // LONG ISLAND, NY //
631/656-2110 // FTC.EDU // Five Towns offers
courses on different types of moviemaking, including narrative, documentary,
commercial and new media-based.
Students use the schools state-of-theart equipment in such classes as Acting
for the Camera and Production Design
to gain a solid base of knowledge on a
variety of subjects, leaving them well prepared to successfully establish themselves
in the industry following graduation.
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY // tallahassee, fl //

850/644-7728 // film.fsu.edu // Recognized
by the Directors Guild of America for its
distinguished contribution to American
culture, the Florida State Universitys
College of Motion Picture Arts provides professional training to a limited
number of the very brightest students in
the world. Small class sizes enrollments
allow the faculty of professional moviemakers to maintain the high caliber
of education necessary for graduates
to succeed in an extremely competitive
industry. Beginning in 2012, the school
will offer a BFA in Animation and Digital
Arts in a brand-new, state-of-the-art
facility in West Palm Beach.
FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY // WINTER PARK, FL //
800/226-7625 (CAMPUS); 888/993-7338 (ONLINE)
// FULLSAIL.EDU // In any of Full Sails four
film-focused degree programs (Film,
Digital Cinematography, Creative Writing or Creative Writing for Entertainment), students can take advantage of
the schools cutting-edge facilities and
equipment, including a backlot, multiple
sound stages and digital and film camera
equipment, to make films that they can
later use as calling cards to the industry.
The school also offers online versions of
many of its programs, giving students
more flexibility in the logistics of how
they earn their degrees.
GOTHAM WRITERS WORKSHOP // NEW YORK, NY
// 212/974-8377 // WRITINGCLASSES.COM // For
students interested in screenwriting,
TV writing or simply improving their
creative writing skills, GWW offers 10week workshops online and at several
New York City locations. Also offered
are writing mentorships, script doctoring services and one-day intensives in
dialogue writing and character development. Visit the Workshops Website
to take a virtual tour of the online
classroom and the many subjects
covered.
IDYLLWILD ARTS ACADEMY // IDYLLWILD, CA //
951/659-2171 // idYLLWILDARTS.ORG // For
nearly 60 years, Idyllwild has been one
of the only arts-based boarding schools
for high school students in the U.S.,
offering world-class training in writing,
81
dance, film and video, interdisciplinary arts, music, theater and visual
arts. Specializing in pre-professional
training, the school offers a college
preparatory program for grades nine
through 12 and post-graduates. For
moviemakers who dont yet want to
make the full-time commitment, there
is a two-week summer session.
international academy of film and television // cebu, philippines // 888/598-2221
// iaft.ph // Located on the beautiful
island of Mactan in the Philippines,
IAFTs intensive diploma and certificate programs in filmmaking, sound
design and acting range in length from
18 weeks to one year and are taught
by industry professionals who provide
students with a strong foundation in
all aspects of moviemaking. For those
who cant make the commitment to
studying on the island, IAFT also hosts
short-term workshops in Los Angeles.
INTERNATIONAL FILM INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK
// MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN NEW YORK AND UTAH
// 718/796-4104 // NYFILMSCHOOL.COM // IFIs
five-week summer workshops provide a
comprehensive crash course in screenwriting, producing, directing, editing
and more. Among IFIs summer workshops are those for high school students,
who can take advantage of the schools
professional-grade equipment, as well as
the one-on-one attention provided by IFI
faculty. All equipment fees are included
in the tuition price, so students dont
have to worry about hidden costs down
the line. The school has recently announced its plans to introduce evening
courses in the near future.
INTERNATIONAL FILM SCHOOL SYDNEY // SYDNEY,
AUSTRALIA // +02 9663 3789 // IFsS.EDU.AU // Students in the two-year advanced diploma
course at IFSS utilize the schools extensive library of equipmentincluding
RED ONE cameras and various types
of post-production softwareto make
up to eight short films, the production
costs of which are fully covered by the
school. IFSS emphasizes the importance
of learning the in-depth mechanics of
the entertainment industry, such as
managing a budget and negotiating
MOVIEMAKER.COM

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82
with members of a creative team, in

addition to the creative and technical
aspects of moviemaking.
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY // LOS ANGELES,
CA // 800/568-4636; 310/338-2700 // LMU.EDU //
The LMU School of Film and Television
offers BA and MFA programs in Production, where the focus is on enabling
students to express themselves in any
distribution mediumbe it theatrical or on a computer screen. Upon
entrance into the program, students
are quickly immersed in the artistic,
practical and technical details of moviemaking, creating both feature films
and documentaries.
MAINE MEDIA WORKSHOPS + COLLEGE // ROCKPORT,
ME // 877/577-7700; 207/236-8581 // MAINEMEDIA.
EDU // MMW has a variety of programs
for aspiring moviemakers, from oneweek workshops to a three-year MFA
program. Students are provided with
top-of-the-line equipment from such
school sponsors as Canon, Sony and
Panavision. The school hosts screenings
of student films for faculty and the local community, in addition to encouraging students to submit to the nearby
Camden International Film Festival.
MANHATTAN EDIT WORKSHOP // NEW YORK, NY //
212/414-9570 // MEWSHOP.COM // Founded
by writer-director-editor Josh Apter,
Mewshop is an ideal education option
for those looking for a crash course
in editing. With classes in Avid, Apple
and Adobe applications, the schools
intensive six-week program provides
students with the training they need to
kickstart a career in post-production. In
addition to studying editing software,
students are taught film theory and narrative techniques by in-demand editors
such as Harry Keramidas (Back to the
Future) as part of the schools Artists in
Residence program.
MEDIATECH INSTITUTE // VARIOUS TEXAS LOCATIONS;
OCEANSIDE, CA // 866/498-1122 // MEDIATECH.EDU
// MediaTechs Dallas, TX and Oceanside, CA campuses offer a 44-week long
Digital Film and Video Arts Program, in
which students gain hands-on experience in all areas of development, pro-
MOVIEMAKER.COM
duction and post-production. For those

interested in audio, theres the Recording Arts program, which is offered at
MTs other two campuses (Houston and
Austin, TX) as well. MT boasts top-notch
facilities and equipment, including
Canon and Panasonic cameras and a
green screen cyc wall.
NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY // NEW YORK, NY //
212/674-4300 // NYFA.EDU // Moviemakers
looking for a degree program can earn
a AFA, BFA or MFA from NYFAs moviemaking or acting programs, while those
looking for something more short-term
can take advantage of the schools
week- or month-long workshops. NYFA
offers flexibility in program length
as well as location; in addition to its
New York City campus, NYFA also has
locations on the Universal Studios lot
in California and in Abu Dhabi, with
additional workshops held in a variety
of worldwide locations. Within one
year, students can work on as many as
72 films. When students arent busy on
location, they can listen to guest speakers like Oscar-winners Kevin Spacey,
Ron Howard or Sir Ben Kingsley.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY // NEW YORK, NY // 212/9981700 // TISCH.NYU.EDU // As one of the worlds
most selective film schools, NYU has
educated some of todays best-known
moviemakers, including Oliver Stone,
Martin Scorsese, Charlie Kaufman and
Joel Coen. With its top-notch facilities
and award-winning faculty, the school
creates an extraordinary training ground
for individual artists and has recently
opened a campus in Singapore.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY TISCH SCHOOL OF THE
ARTS ASIA // SINGAPORE // +65 6500 1700 // NYU.
EDU/TISCH/ASIAFILM // Although it offers
the same course of study as the New
York campus, NYUs Tisch School of
the Arts Asia provides students (who
come from more than 20 countries) an
exclusive, multicultural environment.
With a three-year MFA program that
stresses hands-on learning using stateof-the-art equipment and labs, Tisch
Asia offers everything students need
to create moviemaking magic. Additionally, legendary moviemaker Oliver
Stone serves as Tisch Asias artistic

director and regularly delivers lectures
and workshops on campus.
NO BUDGET FILM SCHOOL // LOS ANGELES, CA //
NOBUDGETFILMSCHOOL.COM // If the ability to make a film seems out of reach,
one weekend class at the No Budget
Film School can provide you with the
knowledgeand confidenceto get out
there and make a movie. The cost of
each class is between $175 and $300,
and each one focuses on a single
aspect of moviemaking, whether its
writing, drawing up a budget or creating a distribution plan. Past guest
instructors have included Joe Carnahan, David Gordon Green and other
big-name directors who got their starts
with micro-budget features.
NORTHWEST FILM CENTERS SCHOOL OF FILM //
PORTLAND, OR // 503/221-1156 // NWFILM.ORG/EDUCATION // Northwest Film Centers School
of Film provides a hands-on learning
environment for anyone with a passion
for film. Most classes and workshops
which range from 14-week programs to
single-day workshopsare offered during the evenings and on weekends. The
schools flexibility of both class offerings
and schedule make it an ideal place for
students with busy schedules.
PALM BEACH AND MIAMI FILM SCHOOLS // PALM
BEACH, FL & MIAMI, FL // 561/242-9190 (PALM
BEACH); 954/989-2737 (MIAMI) // PALMBEACHFILMSCHOOL.COM; MIAMIFILMSCHOOL.NET //
Students at the Palm Beach and Miami
Film Schools can take advantage of
the schools high-end technologynot
to mention an abundance of tropical
locationsto create their own short
films. Students can choose the eightweek program or the 16-week evening
program, both of which boast small
class sizes of usually no more than 12
students to ensure personal instruction
from the faculty.
RINGLING COLLEGE // SARASOTA, FL // 800/2557695; 941/351-5100 // RINGLING.EDU // Though
Ringling excels at hands-on training,
Bradley Battersby, head of the digital
filmmaking department, notes that,
The essence of our program can be

pg
summed up in three words: Story, story

story. Ringling offers four-year BFA
programs in digital filmmaking and
computer animation, the latter of which
has been ranked by 3D World magazine
as the best of its kind in the country.
SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN // SAVANNAH, GA // 800/869-7223; 912/525-5000 // SCAD.
EDU // SCADs School of Film, Digital
Media and Performing Arts features 11
programs that cover various aspects of
moviemaking, including Animation and
Dramatic Writing. BFA programs at SCAD
take four years to complete, and many
of the programs offer MFA and MA options as well. Facilities and equipment at
SCAD include digital and film cameras,
a motion capture studio and two Avid
post-production labs (students can even
choose to become Avid-certified).
school of visual arts // new york, ny //
888/220-5782; 212/592-2000 // sva.EDU // Students in SVAs undergraduate Film and
Video programwhich gives the option
to specialize in Directing, Screenwriting,
Editing or Cinematographystudy with
industry-renowned faculty and have
access to digital facilities that rival many
professional studios. SVA also offers
undergraduate degrees in Animation
and Computer Arts and masters degrees
in Social Documentary Film and Live
Action Short Film. SVAs continuing
education classes cover various cinema
disciplines, from pre-production to
post, and the schools Pre-College
Program (which includes classes on
production, screenwriting and animation) helps high school students get a
leg up on their arts education.
SEATTLE FILM INSTITUTE // SEATTLE, WA //
800/882-4734 // SEATTLEFILMINSTITUTE.COM //
SFI, the largest full-time film program in
the Pacific Northwest, offers courses in
all aspects of moviemaking, from film
scoring to 3-D animation. Small class
sizes ensure that students get plenty of
personal instruction from SFIs distinguished faculty, and the school even
holds screenings of graduate films and
will place any interested graduate in an
industry internship. Theres great news
for high school students, too: SFI offers
a two-week summer program, which

gives aspiring auteurs the opportunity to
learn cinematic history and techniques
before producing their own short films.
TRIBECA FLASHPOINT MEDIA ARTS ACADEMY //
CHICAGO, IL // 312/332-0707 // TFA.EDU // As part
of Tribecas two-year program in Film
+ Broadcast and Animation + VFX,
students work with (and for) outside
clients in order to gain professional experience as well as something to put on
their reels. A curriculum that includes
lessons on reel creation and networking techniques ensures that students
are able to continue their professional
development after graduation. Students
in Tribecas Accelerated Professional
Program, designed for college graduates,
learn the same lessons as in the schools
two-year programs in a shorter period of
time, enabling them to earn an associates degree in 15 months. The school
also offers programs in Recording Arts
and Game and Interactive Media.
UCLA SCHOOL OF THEATER, FILM & TELEVISION //
LOS ANGELES, CA // 310/825-8787 // TFT.UCLA.EDU
// In addition to the BA, MA and MFA
programs offered by this prestigious film
school, UCLA offers online summer sessions in screenwriting, film and television producing and cinematography.
UCLAs 10-week Professional Programs
in screenwriting and producing, which
are based on the schools MFA curricula
and consist of evening classes, are a
perfect choice for aspiring moviemakers
who are unable to devote several years
to a full-time degree program.
USC SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS // LOS ANGELES, CA
// 213/740-8358 // CINEMA.USC.EDU // USC, the
countrys oldest film school, has a long
history of providing outstanding film
education, which is reflected in the
more than 250 Oscar nominations and
75 wins its alumni have received. Each
year for the past 35 years, at least one
USC grad has been recognized by the
Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and
Sciences for their exceptional contributions to the industry.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
// WINSTON-SALEM, NC // 336/770-1330 // UNCSA.
83
EDU/FLMMAKING // UNCSA offers classes in

all aspects of production, plus theatrical screenings, workshops, lectures and
in-studio and on-location principal
photography sessions. Faculty members
include director Peter Bogdanovich (The
Last Picture Show) and cinematographer
Thomas E. Ackerman (Beetlejuice). Successful alumni Jody Hill, David Gordon
Green and Danny McBride prove that
this program works.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN // AUSTIN, TX //
512/471-4071 // RTF.UTEXAS.EDU // The RadioTelevision-Film department at UT
Austin offers a bachelors degree that
covers film and television production, screenwriting and media studies,
as well as masters programs in each
of those three categories. Notable
alumni include Robert Rodriguez and
Wes Anderson.
VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL // VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

// 800/661-4101; 604/685-5808 // VFS.COM // VFS
offers 13 arts programs that include
training in different aspects of moviemaking, from acting to 3-D animation.
VFS boasts a distinguished faculty, including makeup designer Stan Edmonds
(I, Robot), as well as successful alumni
like director Neill Blomkamp (District
9) and screenwriter Seth Lochhead
(Hanna). To promote student work, VFS
submits select films to film festivals at
no cost to the student. VFS also features
its students films on the VFS YouTube
channel, which has attracted more than
32 million viewers.
WATKINS COLLEGE OF ART, DESIGN & FILM // NASHVILLE, TN // 615/383-4848 // WATKINS.EDU //

Watkins students gain a general core
of moviemaking knowledge by taking
classes that emphasize various aspects
of the production process, including
story structure and film business. Once
students have a solid foundation in the
general, they move on to the specific
by choosing one of five concentrations:
Producing, Directing, Screenwriting,
Editing or Cinematography. The school
offers a four-year BFA program as well
as a two-year certificate program. MM
MOVIEMAKER.COM

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motion picture
production guide
BOOKS & WEBSITES
Cinema Books 4753 Roosevelt Way N.E. Seattle, WA
98105 206/547-7667 www.cinemabooks.net
A bookstore specializing in technical books
on screenwriting, cinematography, animation, sound, editing and producing, as well as
screenplays, film criticism, and moviemaker
biographies.
Focal Press 8th Floor, 711 3rd Avenue, New York, NY
10017 212/216-7800 www.focalpress.com A
leading publisher of film production books.
JoBlo Media, Inc. 3360 Savard Montreal, Quebec H4K2N3 Canada www.joblo.com A full-blown movie
Website featuring daily updates including news,
reviews, trailers, multimedia, box office figures,
release dates, and a community board.
independent film producing: the outsiders guide to
producing a first low-budget feature film www.paulbattista.biz Paul Battistas book provides a realistic,
step-by-step guide to producing an independent,
low-budget feature film. Topics include: Selecting
a script, copyright, hiring talent, raising money,
and writing a business plan.
productionhub, inc. www.productionhub.co 1806 Hammerlin Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789 Canada www.
joblo.com A global online resource and industry
directory for film, TV and and digital media
production.
Michael Wiese Productions www.mwp.com 12400
Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City, CA 91604 Offers
information and inspiration on all aspects of
moviemaking through its series of film-related
books, mentoring programs, seminars, and an
online film school.
CAMERAS, LIGHTS & EQUIPMENT
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. 3403 W. Pacific Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505 818/841-9655 www.bandpro.
com One of the most comprehensive resources
for HD equipment and technical information,
Band Pro offers a full array of production and
post-production equipment.
Camera motion research 3200 Gresham Lake Rd., Suite
113 Raleigh, NC 27615 919/876-6020 www.
camotionllc.com Following three years of research
and development into gyro dynamic stabilization
for hand held camera stabilizers, Camera Motion
Research, LLC released the Blackbird, which provides the best handheld video (and DSLR) camera
stabilizer performance available for cameras
weighing up to eight pounds.
Camera Turret Company 7 Nel Bonney Rd. Plympton,
MA 02367 781/294-4110
www.cameraturret.com Manufactures jib arms,
remote pan/tilt heads and lens controls for the
film and video industry.
Canon One Canon Plaza Lake Success, NY 11042
516/328-5000 www.usa.canon.com One of the
worlds largest suppliers of motion picture cameras and equipment.
cinema-vision 210 11th Ave., Suite 403
New York, NY 10001 212/620-8191
www.motionpicturerentals.com Rent cameras, filters
and accessories or get your own equipment
expertly serviced here.
CINEMEK www.cinemek.com Cinemeks signature
product, the G35 35mm lens adapter, lets
moviemakers working on digital get that much
MOVIEMAKER.COM
sought-after film look. Not content with just

providing moviemakers with the affordable (and
extremely durable) G35, Cinemek also created
the popular app Storyboard Composer, which lets
moviemakers easily create storybooks on their
iPhone or iPad.
Dana Dolly 22231 E. Via De Palmas, Queen Creek, AZ
85142 www.danadolly.com With Dana Dollys
lightweight, easily-assembled dolly system,
a moviemaker of any experience level can
use professional camera moment to up their
production value. Dana Dolly can be used with
a variety of different track options (most 1"
pipe will work just fine). The recently-released
Dana Dolly Junior provides the same benefits
as its predecessor in an even smaller (and more
affordable) package.
Eastman Kodak Company www.kodak.com/go/motion
World leader in motion picture film stock, digital
effects, mastering and packaging services.
Fuji Photo Film USA, Inc. 2211 Pucketts Ferry Road,
Greenwood, SC 29649 U.S.A. www.fujifilm.com Provides a wide spectrum of camera negative films
that offer shooting versatility and innovation for
a variety of environments.
Glidecam Industries, Inc. 23 Joseph St. Kingston, MA
02364 781/585-7900 www.glidecam.com Offers
an affordable and versatile line of camera stabilizers and related accessories.
Radiant images 4125 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016 323/737-1314
www.hdcamerarentals.com Radiant images offers
professional film and video equipment rentals, unparalleled technical expertise and strong
customer support as well as cost-effective postproduction solutions for RED ONE and camera
rentals for all digital formats.
JVC America 1700 Valley Rd. Wayne, NJ 07470
973/317-5000 www.jvc.com Develops and manufactures audio and visual products for consumers
and professionals.
New Mexico Lighting & Grip Company 5650 University Blvd.
SE, Bldg. 2 Albuquerque, NM 87106 505/227-2500
www.nmlgc.com In addition to its extensive inventory of lighting and grip equipment, NMLGCs
well-stocked Expendables Store offers gels, globes,
electrical, tape, tools, camera supplies, hardware,
lumber, paint/paint supplies, textiles, office/
kitchen supplies and apparel. The company
supplies equipment across the Southwest quickly
and effectively.
Panasonic One Panasonic Way Secaucus, NJ 07094
800/211-7262 www.panasonic.com/broadcast A
leading supplier of broadcast and professional
video products, Panasonics 24p cameras offer
exceptional, film-like images for independent
moviemaking.
Panavision, Inc. 6101 Variel Ave. Woodland Hills, CA
91367 800/FOR-PANA; 818/316-1000 www.
panavision.com Foremost designer, manufacturer
and supplier of cameras, lenses and accessories
for motion picture, television and commercial
productions.
pro video & film equipment 11425 Mathis Avenue, Dallas,
TX. 75234 888/869-9998 www.provideofilm.com
One of the countrys largest used equipment
dealers, specializing in filmmaking and video
equipment.
Production resource group, llc. 9111 Sunland Blvd.
Sun Valley, CA 91352 818/252-2600 www.prg.com
One of the worlds leading suppliers of entertainment technology, lighting, audio, video, scenery,
rigging and automation systems.
Pro8mm 2805 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505
818/848-5522 www.pro8mm.com Cameras,
film, same-day processing and HD scanning are
just some of the products and services offered by
Pro8mm. The company also specializes in hybrid
8mm and 16mm format film products and services, and is the inventor of Super8 negative film
and widescreen Super8.
redrum digital cinema production 303/520-7475 www.
redrumdigital.com One of the first companies in
Colorado to rent the RED ONE camera.
rule Boston Camera Rental Company 1284 Soldiers Field
Rd. Brighton, MA 02135 617/277-2200 www.rule.
com The cameras may look different today than
when the company was established in 1982, but
the mission is the same: Quality gear and service
at a great value.
Sony Electronics One Sony Drive Park Ridge, NJ
07656 866/SONY-BPC www.sony.com/professional
Develops and manufactures audio and video
solutions for electronic cinematography, digital
cinema, nonlinear editing, and videography applications.
VariZoom PO Box 201990 Austin, TX 78720
888/826-3399; 512/219-7722 www.varizoom.com
Manufactures camera controls for zoom, focus,
iris, pan and tilt motion; jibs and dollies; camera
stabilizers; camera supports; and many other accessories for film and video.
DISTRIBUTORS
Anchor Bay Entertainment www.anchorbayentertainment.
com Anchor Bay Entertainment is one of the
leading distributors of independent feature films
and home entertainment product and the home
entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It
includes the Anchor Bay Entertainment, Anchor
Bay Films, and Manga Entertainment brands.
bigstar.tv 2100 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 700 Coral
Gables, FL 33134 888/67-FILMS
www.bigstar.tv BigStar TV distributes thousands
of independent and foreign films via its digital
platform. Focused primarily on indies and HD,
BigStar TV has built a digital distribution technology that delivers access to hard-to-find films
from all over the world.
Buena Vista Pictures 500 S. Buena Vista St. Burbank,
CA 91521 818/560-1000
www.disney.go.com/disneypictures
The Cinema Guild 115 W. 30th St., Suite 800
New York, NY 10001 800/723-5522
www.cinemaguild.com
cinema libre studio 8328 De Soto Ave.
Canoga Park, CA 91304 818/349-8822 www.
cinemalibrestudio.com Cinema Libre Studio is an
international entertainment company dedicated
to creating quality films with global appeal.
Columbia Pictures 10202 W. Washington Blvd. Culver
City, CA 90232 310/244-4000
www.sonypictures.com
Dark Sky Films 16101 S. 108th Ave. Orland Park, IL
60467 800/323-0442 www.darkskyfilms.com
Walt Disney International 500 S. Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521 818/560-1000
www.disneyinternational.com
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
www.disneydvd.disney.go.com
Dreamworks 818/733-7000 www.dreamworksstudios.
com
Film Movement 109 W. 27th St., Suite 9B
New York, NY 10001 866/YES-FILM; 212/941-7744
www.filmmovement.com
Focus Features 100 Universal City Plaza
Building 9128, Second Floor Universal City, CA 91608
818/777-7373 65 Bleecker St., Third Floor
New York, NY 10012 212/539-4000
www.focusfeatures.com

pg
Frameline Distribution 145 Ninth St., Suite 300

San Francisco, CA 94103 415/703-8650
www.frameline.org/distribution
Samuel Goldwyn Company 9570 W. Pico Blvd., 4th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90035 310/860-3100
www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com
HBO Films 1100 Sixth Ave. New York, NY 10036
212/512-1000 www.hbo.com
Jim Henson Company 1416 N. La Brea Ave. Hollywood,
CA 90028 323/802-1500 37-18 Northern Blvd,
Suite 400 Long Island City, NY 11101 212/7942400 www.henson.com
IFC 11 Penn Plaza, 18th Floor New York, NY 10001
212/324-8500 www.ifcfilms.com
image entertainment 20525 Nordhoff St., Suite 200
Chatsworth, CA 91311 818/407-9100 www.imageentertainment.com Inquire at Image about licensing, financing or distributing your feature film
worldwide, using its relationships with major
retailers and companies like Sony.
Indiepix Films 31 E. 32nd Street, 12th Floor New
York, NY 10016 212/684-2333 www.indiepixfilms.com Distributes high-quality, carefullycurated independent films from the festival
circuit.
Kino International 333 W. 39th St., Suite 503
New York, NY 10018 212/629-6880
www.kino.com
Lakeshore Entertainment Group 9268 W. Third St.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310/867-8000
www.lakeshoreentertainment.com
Lionsgate 2700 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica, CA
90404 310/255-3700 www.lionsgate.com
Magnolia Pictures 49 W. 27th St., Seventh Floor
New York, NY 10001 212/924-6701
www.magpictures.com
MGM studios 10250 Constellation Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
90067 310/449-3000 www.mgm.com
MPI Media Group 16101 S. 108th Ave. Orland Park, IL
60467 800/323-0442; 708/460-0555
www.mpimedia.com
New Line Cinema 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90048 310/854-5811
www.newline.com
Oscilloscope Pictures 511 Canal St., 5E
New York, NY 10013 212/219-4029
www.oscilloscope.net
Paramount Pictures 5555 Melrose Ave. Hollywood, CA
90038 323/956-5000 www.paramount.com
Sony Pictures Classics 550 Madison Ave., Eighth Floor
New York, NY 10022 212/833-8850 www.sonyclassics.com
Sony Pictures Entertainment 10202 W. Washington
Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 310/244-4000 www.
sonypictures.com
Strand Releasing 6140 W. Washington Blvd. Culver
City, CA 90232 310/836-7500
www.strandreleasing.com
summit Entertainment 1630 Stewart St., Suite 120
Santa Monica, CA 90404 310/309-8400
www.summit-ent.com
Troma Entertainment 36-40 11th Street
Long Island City, NY 11106 718/391-0110
www.troma.com
20th Century Fox 10201 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
90035 310/369-1000 www.fox.com
Universal Pictures 100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608 818/777-1000
www.universalstudios.com
Warner Bros. 4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522
818/954-6000 www.warnerbros.com
Women Make Movies 462 Broadway, Suite 500WS
New York, NY 10013 212/925-0606
www.wmm.com
Zeitgeist Films 247 Centre St., Second Floor
New York, NY 10013 212/274-1989
www.zeitgeistfilms.com
FILM FESTIVALS
action on film international Film Festival 323/878-5522
www.aoffest.com The AOF Festival is one of the
most progressive festivals in the world. Voted
one of MovieMakers Top 25 Festivals Worth the
Fees, it boasts celebrities, industry insiders, huge
parties, symposiums, and much more. This international affair features divisions for Animation,
Documentary, Drama, Comedy, Experimental,
Action and the Written Word. Past attendees and
award-winners include Talia Shire, John Savage,
Bill Duke, Michael Madsen, Kim Coates, Deborah
Kara Unger and many others. Over $100,000 in
prizes and awards given in 2010.
AFI Fest 2021 N. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
866/AFI-FEST www.afifest.com Features domestic and international films from emerging and
master moviemakers.
Angelus Student Film Festival 7201 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90046 800/874-0999 www.angelus.
org Honors young moviemakers as they create
works that respect the dignity of the human
person. Angelus-winning films reflect values
such as redemption, spirituality, dignity, tolerance, equality, diversity, hope, and triumph of
the human spirit.
Ann Arbor Film Festival PO Box 8232 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48107 734/995-5356 www.aafilmfest.org
Founded in 1963, the AAFF is steeped in a rich
tradition of groundbreaking cinema, having showcased the early work of luminaries such as Kenneth Anger, Agnes Varda, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono,
Gus Van Sant and George Lucas. AAFF provides
more than $20,000 in moviemaker awards and
serves as an Academy Award-qualifying festival.
Austin Film Festival 1801 Salina St. Austin, TX
78702 800/310-3378 www.austinfilmfestival.
com The Austin Film Festival takes place over
eight days every October and screens feature,
short, and student short films (both narrative
and documentary), including regional and
world premieres of critically-acclaimed movies.
AFF draws a large industry crowd of screenwriters, agents, managers, distributors and
moviemakers. AFF also hosts a screenwriting
and filmmaking conference the first four days
of the festival.
Bare Bones International Film & MUSIC Festival 735 N.
Terrace Blvd Muskogee, OK 74401 918/616-1264
www.barebonesfilmfestivals.org This fest invites
you to bring your barebones, No Frills-No
Waste narrative shorts, features, documentaries, screenplays and music videos to the
historic Roxy Theatre. You will enjoy red carpet
premieres, audience Q&As, educational seminars
and entertainment.
BENDFILM Festival www.bendfilm.org 2748 NW Crossing Dr, Suite 130, Bend OR, 97701 541/-388-FEST
(3378) Set against the backdrop of the stunning
Cascade Mountains in Oregon, BendFilm creates
a memorable fest each October with more than
$30,000 in cash awards including a $10,000
Best of Show Award.
Big Apple Film Festival 646/708-5910 www.bigapplefilmfestival.com BAFF takes place annually
at the world-famous Tribeca Cinemas in the
heart of the greatest city in the world. The
BAFF, named one of MovieMakers top 25 Film
Festivals Worth The Entry Fee, is dedicated to
showcasing and promoting the highest quality
films from the NYC independent film community, as well as additional specially selected films
from around the world. Additionally, the festival
is proud to honor a variety of NYC-based moviemakers, writers, actors and artists who have
played an influential role in the growth of indie
moviemaking in the Big Apple.
Big Bear Lake INTERNATIONAL Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition 909/866-3433 www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com Offers independent features, shorts,
student films, high school films, animation,
documentaries, family films, screenwriting competition, panels, seminars and a pitchfest. The
85
fest presents honorary awards to professionals

in the film industry and has lots of networking
opportunities for moviemakers.
Big Island Film Festival 68-1851 Lina Poepoe St.
Waikoloa, HI 96738 808/883-0394 www.
bigislandfilmfestival.com Big Island Film Festival
celebrates the storytelling aspects of narrative
filmmakers and narrative movies. It takes place
on the beautiful Kohala Coast of the Big Island,
Hawaii. All events take place at The Fairmont Orchid Hawaii and The Shops at Mauna Lani. With
two outdoor movie venues and one indoor venue,
receptions, celebrities, Hawaiian music and
culture, awards and workshops make this festival
special. No red carpet, but a film festival wrapped
in the Spirit of Aloha make this festival a favorite
among filmmakers as well as patrons.
Black maria film + video festival c/o Media Arts Dept.
Fries Hall, New Jersey City University 2039 Kennedy
Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07305 201/200-2043 www.
blackmariafilmfestival.org Seeks diverse, expressive
and passionate short films and videos by independent moviemakers. The fest is named after
Thomas Edisons motion picture studio, and is
known for its support of spirited, cutting-edge
and otherwise singular film and video.
boulder international Film Festival www.biff1.com
1906 13th Street, Suite 301 Boulder, CO 80302 BIFF
is held annually on Presidents Day weekend in
Boulder, Colorado and has developed a reputation as one of the most influential film festivals
in the U.S., with an extraordinary number of
new and unknown feature films, documentaries
and shorts that have gone on from early screenings at BIFF to significant box office success and
multiple Oscar nominations.
buffalo niagara Film Festival 3840 E. Robinson Rd.,
Ste 166 Amherst, NY 14120 716/827-3534
www.thebnff.com The BNFF presents a thoughtfully selected program of independent films
at various landmark venues around Buffalo
and Niagara Falls, New York, with its sparkling
Niagara Falls situated right in its backyard. The
BNFF has been built around the needs of moviemakers and aims to be an annual destination
for film-lovers and industry to come together
and celebrate a shared passion for film.
Calgary International Film Festival #207, 214 - 11th Avenue SE Calgary, AB T2G 0X8 403/283-1490 www.
calgaryfilm.com An international celebration of
cultural diversity and independent thought, CIFF
takes place every September in Calgary, Alberta,
Canada. Screening the best-of-the-best films
from moviemakers hailing from more than 100
countries around the world, CIFF offers prizes
for Best Canadian Feature, Best International
Feature, Best Doc, Peoples Choice as well as
several shorts awards. CIFF is also home to the
Mavericks competition for emerging filmmakers, which has a prize of $25,000.
camden international film festival PO Box 836 Camden, ME, 04843 207/593-6593 www.camdenfilmfest.
org Founded in 2004, CIFF is a grassroots, community-based organization that supports and
generates interest in independent documentary
films through its festival and screening series.
Cannes International Film Festival 3, rue Amelie
75007 Paris, France www.festival-cannes.fr 33 (0)
1 53 59 61 00 Needs no introduction...
CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival 2489 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON M2L 1A8 worldwideshortfilmfest.com
Shorter is better at WSFF, where screenings,
panels and parties exist for one purpose: To
celebrate short film. As the largest short film
market in North America, WSFF also encourages
the short film industry through its Marketplace
Library, where buyers and representatives can
watch shorts submitted to WSFF.
Cine Gear Expo PO Box 492296 Los Angeles, CA
90049 310/472-0809 www.cinegearexpo.com
A premier film, video and digital media expo,
networking event and seminar series for the
production and post-production communities.
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Coney Island Film Festival www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com Wildly unique, the Coney Island Film
Festival presented by Coney Island USA and
indiefilmpage.com offers moviemakers and
audiences an experience unlike any other.
Moviemakers and film fans descend upon
Coney Island each year to enjoy a jam-packed
weekend of indie films and parties and take in
a unique atmosphere at this beachside event.
Named one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals
by MovieMaker.
createasphere 3727 W. Magnolia Blvd. #729
Burbank, CA 91505 818/842-6611 www.hdexpo.
net Promotes the growth of HD technology as
the wave of the future by building a community of experts through shared knowledge and
education.
Cucalorus Film Festival 815 Princess St. Wilmington, NC 28401 910/343-5995 www.cucalorus.
org Cucalorus is best known for its laid-back
atmosphere and noncompetitive spirit, a breath
of fresh air on the hectic festival circuit. Praise
has come from many places for the renegade
style and grassroots approach to festival-making.
MovieMaker dubbed the festival the best kept
secret on the indie fest circuit and Time commented that the ruggedly independent event
celebrates the pure love of filmmaking. Run
entirely by artists, Cucalorus is the moviemakers
festival.
DC Shorts Film Festival 1317 F St. N.W., #920
Washington, DC 20004 202/393-4266
www.dcshorts.com The DC Shorts Film Festival
turns the spotlight on truly independent short
films, created by new and established filmmakers in an era when the art of filmmaking
is opening to all. The fest selects films of every
genre and niche for competition screenings, with
a special focus on films created by metropolitan
Washington, DC-based directors and writers.
Cash prizes and more! Judges feedback given to
ALL entrants.
digital video expo 28 East 28th St., 12th Floor New
York, NY 10016 212/378-0400 www.dvexpo.com
The DV Expo offers workshops and sessions on
all sorts of new technologies, including the RED
ONE camera and Apple products. Also valuable
are the networking opportunities provided by
access to thousands of industry professionals.
docutah Dixie State College of Utah 225 South 700
East St. George, UT 84770 435/879-4273
www.docutah.com.com Have you ever seen a film
that made you laugh? Cry? Taught you something
about yourself? Or about the world around you?
Documentary films play an important part in
the way we communicate with one another.
DOCUTAH is a documentary-only film festival
in southern Utah. By blending the breathtaking
attractions of the area with a love of documentaries, the fest hopes that many professional
and student moviemakers will embrace what
DOCUTAH has to offer. Brace yourselves because
DOCUTAH has arrivednow and for the future.
Duke City DocFest 423 Central Ave. NW, Albuquerque,
NM www.dukecitydocfest.orgDuke City DocFest
is an annual festival that showcases the best
international docs of the year. Films are shown
in the KiMo Theater, an Art Deco meets Native
American culture, in Albuquerques city center
located on historic Route 66.
Eerie Horror Film Festival PO Box 98 Edinboro, PA
16412 814/873-2483 www.eeriehorrorfilmfestival.
com An internationally-recognized, competition-based event that takes place each year
in the city of Erie, PA. Focusing on the horror,
science fiction and suspense genres, the four-day
festival features screenings, celebrity guests,
vendors and workshops. Awards and prizes are
presented to the best films and screenplays each
season, with special awards for young moviemakers. Call for entries opens on Halloween day
each year and remains active until August.
Environmental Film Festival 1228 31st Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007 202/342-2564 www.dcenviMOVIEMAKER.COM
ronmentalfilmfest.org The Environmental Film

Festival, held annually in Washington, D.C.,
has made it its mission to encourage public
awareness and understanding of pressing
environmental issues through the medium
of film. Screenings of most films, which
cover topics ranging from nuclear energy to
community gardens, are paired with discussions between moviemakers, environmental
experts and other special guests, and are
often free to the public.
Fantastic Fest 1120 South Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX
78704 512/912-0529 www.fantasticfest.com
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in
the U.S., and has hosted a large number of world
premieres over the years, including There Will Be
Blood, Apocalypto, Hostel and City of Ember. Fantastic Fest was named by Variety president Charlie
Koones as one of the 10 festivals we love,
alongside industry heavy-hitters Cannes, Telluride and Toronto as well as one of MovieMakers
25 coolest film festivals.
FirstGlance Film festivals PO Box 571105 Tarzana,
CA 91356 818/464-3544 www.firstglancefilms.
com FirstGlance Film Fests are truly two
of the premier indie film festivals in North
America, presenting two annual events, one in
Philadelphia and one in Hollywood, two short
online contests yearly, and an annual short and
feature screenplay competition showcasing
the best in indie filmmaking from professional
and student filmmakers from across the globe.
FirstGlance presents award winning films to
audiences and offers filmmakers online distribution opportunities along with over $50,000
in prizes annually.
Flatland Film Festival 511 Ave. K Lubbock, TX 79401
806/762-8606 www.flatlandfilmfestival.com West
Texas has more sky and now more films, thanks
to the Flatland Film Festival. FFFs shorts competition offers more than $3,500 in cash prizes for
live-action, documentary, animated and experimental works. Flatland also screens invitational
features by up-and-coming directors, brings in
industry guests for a topical panel discussion
and rounds out the packed-house evenings with
fun parties.
Florida Film Festival 1300 S. Orlando Ave. Maitland,
FL 32751 407/629-1088 www.floridafilmfestival.
com Cutting-edge American independent and
international film; indulgent experiences in
food; a blissful mix of industry panels, parties and special events; a star-packed attendee
listthis is the Florida Film Festival. Accredited
by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Florida Film Festival welcomes more
than 25,000 guests each year and plays host to
more than 100 visiting directors, producers, and
award-winning talent. Its forum panelists and
Grand Juries are comprised of hand-picked, film
representatives from industry-leading organizations including IFC Films, indieWire.com and
HBO Documentaries. The Festival is accredited
as a qualifying festival for the Oscars in the
Live Action and Animated Short film categories.
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival 1314
E. Las Olas Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
954/760-9898 www.fliff.com The worlds
longest (and friendliest) film festival, FLIFF,
kicks off in October. More than 200 films will
be screened plus panels, parties, cruises and a
bevy of special events and guests.
The 48 Hour Film Project PO Box 40008 Washington, DC
20016 www.48hourfilm.com Every second counts
at The 48 Hour Film Project, sponsored by Panasonic, where moviemakers have just two days to
write, plan, shoot and edit a movie.
Hawaii Ocean Film Festival PO Box 1228 Hanalei, HI
96714 808/652-3392 www.hawaiioceanfilmfestival.
org The Hawaii Ocean Film Festival features
films about marine resources, ocean recreation
and our cultural connections to the sea. One
of the 20 Coolest Film Festivals in 2010, in
MovieMaker. Exceptional opportunities for new
filmmakers who have passion, pacing and a

point of view. The fest is looking for upbeat films
that inspire the audience to get involved and
take action.
Haydenfilms Online Film Festival 5607 West Sixth Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036 610/736-9223 www.
haydenfilms.com The first online festival to
accept all short films, regardless of genre, and
the first to offer a $10,000 grand prize. The
Haydenfilms Website provides industry news, a
crew database, production boards and store for
software and equipment.
High Desert Shorts International Film Festival 4420
W Hardy Ln Pahrump, NV 89048 702/372-1201
www.highdesertshortsiff.com The mission of
HDSIFF is to provide a showcase for both
veteran moviemakers and budding talent at
home and abroad in a celebration of unique
vision and creativity. The fest showcases films
of incredibly talented filmmakers from around
the world and is continuing with its initial
goal of becoming an Academy Award- qualifying festival through the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. The festival is held
every year during Memorial Day weekend, in
Pahrump, NV, an hour west of Las Vegas.
hill country film festival 424/238-5672 www.
hillcountryff.com The HCFF is a three-day independent film fest in the heart of the picturesque
Hill Country in Fredericksburg, Texas. Created to
celebrate and showcase filmmakers from Texas
and around the world, the festival began in
2010. HCFF screens more than 40 independent
films, both short and feature-length, as well as
hosts filmmaker Q&As/interviews, discussion
panels, a filmmakers lounge and festival parties.
The Stagecoach Theater hosts all screenings.
hollyshorts 818/760-9897 www.hollyshorts.com
Ranked by MovieMaker as one of the top film
festivals worth the entry fee, HollyShorts seventh year concluded August 18, 2011 by awarding the Best Overall Short Film Prize to Mrs. Peppercorns Magical Reading Room by Mike Le Han
and Best Director Award to Christian Swegals
Stasis. Both received a $10K post-production and
finishing services package from Company 3.
indie grits film festival The Nickelodeon Theatre 1607
Main Street Columbia, SC 29201 803/254-8234
www.indiegrits.com Held each year in Columbia, SC, Indie Grits brings together the best
low-budget filmmakers in the Southeast for
five days of great films, live music and other
events. Indie Grits highlights films that sit
on the fringes a bit, taking advantage of the
freedoms that come with independent filmmaking. As the name suggests, Indie Grits films
are gritty, be it in an aesthetic or cultural way.
The festival was founded in 2007 and is run by
Columbias Nickelodeon Theatrea nonprofit
arthouse theater.
Indie Memphis 1910 Madison, Box 632 Memphis, TN
38104 901/214-5171 www.indiememphis.com
One of MovieMakers 25 Film Festivals Worth
the Entry Fee, the Indie Memphis Film Festival
transforms the city best known as Home of the
Blues and the Birthplace of Rock n Roll into a
connecting point for filmmakers and film-lovers.
The Indie Short Film Competition PO Box 1185
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302 954/728-2596
www.indieshortfilms.net Entering this innovative
short film and video competition gives you a
shot at being discovered by the right people and
opening the right doors. Entrants stand a chance
to win more than $20,000 in cash and prizes;
winners are determined by an international
panel of top industry judges, with 10 categories
to enter. Winning short film and videos will receive international exposure. Sponsored by Sony
Creative Software, Partners In Rhyme, Glidecam
Industries, MovieMaker, Blackmagic Design,
United One Productions and more!
international family Film Festival 4531 W. Empire Ave.,
#200 Burbank, CA 91505 818/230-2572
www.iffilmfest.org International Family Film

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Festival (IFFF) includes competitions for feature,

short and student films and feature and short
screenplays. All entries must be in English or
English subtitled. Panel discussions on distribution, screenwriters on family films and guerrilla
filmmaking. The general public is invited, along
with the moviemakers and screenwriters, with a
Q&A session after every screening.
International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival 1700 N.
Seventh Ave., Suite 250 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602/955-6444 www.horrorscifi.com Be part of
the coolest genre fest in the country. Directors
of acquisitions from distributors attend to view
films for consideration. This event receives press
coverage from the top genre press, both online
and in print. Submit your film and screenplay
now to become part of the madness.
Kansas City FilmFest / KC Jubilee 4741 Central, #306
Kansas City, MO 64112 816/286-4777
www.kcjubilee.org Kansas City FilmFest presented by the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee
is a juried celebration of independent filmmaking from around the world. Known for its
fountains, jazz, BBQ and friendly folks, Kansas
City, Missouri provides unmatched hospitality.
Screenings, seminars, panels, workshops, and
receptions allow the filmmaker to mix and network. Audiences discover real storytelling and
characters, plus meet the filmmakers who create the magic of the movies. Special programs
include CinemaJAZZ, Crosscut: Women Making
Movies, and Reel Spirit (elementary school
filmmaker program).
L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #910 Studio City, CA
91604 424/259-2597 www.lacomedyshorts.com
Think youre funny? The L.A. Comedy Shorts
Film Festival and Screenplay Competition is the
largest comedy film festival in the U.S. Sponsors have included Will Ferrells Funny Or Die,
Cartoon Network and The Onion. Films compete
for meetings with industry heavyweights,
cash, prizes and a chance to screen on Comedy
Centrals Atom TV. Accepting submissions of
Comedy Short Films (30 minutes and under)
and Comedy Feature, Short and Half-Hour Pilot
Scripts. Come hobnob with the comedy elite!
One of MovieMakers 2009 Top 25 Festivals
Worth the Entry Fee.
landlocked Film Festival PO Box 2748 Iowa City, IA
52244 319/855-1501 www.landlockedfilmfestival.
org Established in 2007, the Landlocked Film
Fest has experienced dramatic growth in its
short history. The festival brings thousands of
people into the heart of downtown Iowa City to
watch independent films and learn about the
crafts of moviemaking and scriptwriting. The
beautiful and historic Englert Theatre serves as
the fests flagship venue.
Los Angeles Film Festival 9911 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035 310/432-1240
www.lafilmfest.com Showcases the best in
new American and international cinema
and provides the movie-loving public with
access to some of the most critically acclaimed moviemakers, film industry pros
and emerging talent.
Magnolia Independent Film Festival PO Box 80298
Starkville, MS 39759 662/418-5633
www.magfilmfest.com Founded by Ron Tibbett
in 1996 to celebrate his vision of independent
film in Mississippi, The Mag has been called
the most moviemaker-friendly festival by many
past contributors. The festival takes place in
mid-February, in Starkville, MS, and welcomes all
genres and all lengths in competition for awards.
Receptions, workshops and luncheons are held
in the Starkville and West Point, MS area. Housing, meals, events and local transportation are
provided for moviemakers.
Mill Valley Film Festival 1001 Lootens Place, Suite 220
San Rafael, CA 94901 415/383-5256 www.mvff.
com This noncompetitive event showcases
international features, documentaries, shorts
and childrens films.

Milwaukee Film Festival 229 E. Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 200,
Milwaukee, WI 53202 414/755-1965 www.mkefilm.
org This two-week festival isnt missing much;
it holds panels, discussions, competition and
screenings. Adding on, the Milwaukee festival
has educational screenings and entire kids
section to promote media literacy in children.
Screening over 200 films, the competition
selects eight of the best fiction and documentary
features with one taking home a large grand jury
prize of $2500.
Moondance International Film Festival 970 Ninth St.
Boulder, CO 80302 303/545-0202
www.moondancefilmfestival.com Offers all artists a
unique opportunity to come together with other
writers, directors, producers and audiences to
create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances.
myrtle beach international Film Festival PO Box 6879
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 843/497-0220
www.myrtlebeachfilmfestival.com The Myrtle Beach
International Film Festival is a truly independent
film festival. The MBIFF has quickly become one
of the most significant independent film festivals
for the Independent artist. Politics and favorites
do not play here, only great film! The fest offers
one of the most diverse judging panels in the
film festival circuit, from liberal to conservative,
blue collar to white collar. Your film will never
be subjected to bias, only to the quality of the
content. The MBIFF is a production of Dalton
Pictures providing indie film makers with solutions to production and distribution.
New Hampshire Film Festival 155 Fleet St. Portsmouth,
NH 03801 603/647-6439 www.nhfilmfestival.com
Since the N.H. Film Festivals debut in 2001
as the N.H. Film Expo, it has grown in leaps and
bounds. These days, heavy-hitters such as Avid
and Regal Cinemas provide sponsorship, while
industry leaders from Emerging Pictures, Film
Threat and Philly Fests participate on panels
and in workshops. Alumni film credits include
national distribution, Oscar nominations and
screenings at major festivals worldwide.
New Orleans Film Festival 900 Camp St. New Orleans,
LA 70130 504/309-6633 info@.neworleansfilmsociety.org The New Orleans Film Festival marked its
23rd anniversary in 2012. This festival, one of
the nations liveliest and best curated, has grown
into a major showcase of local, regional, national
and international films. NOFS hosts special
events throughout the year, and reaches more
than 20,000 people through its programming.
A Night of Horror International Film Festival
PO Box 143 Beecroft, NSW 2119 Australia
www.anightofhorror.com Sydney, Australias
premier genre film event actively promotes the
work of independent horror moviemakers.
oklahoma horror Film Festival & convention www.oklahomahorrorfilmfest.com As the name indicates, the
Oklahoma Horror Film Festival brings the thrills
of the horror genre to residents and visitors to
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Omaha Film Festival 2626 Harney St Omaha, NE 68131
402/203-8173 www.omahafilmfestival.org Established in 2005, the Omaha Film Festival (OFF)
showcases more than 60 films during its annual
event selected from an average of more than
400 annual entries that come in from around
the world, offering a wide variety of independent
cinema choices. The OFF has made great strides
toward becoming one of the most accomplished
teaching festivals in the Central United States,
offering opportunities for filmmakers, students
and those who value the artistry of film to learn
more about the craft of filmmaking through
panels, lectures and workshops taught by seasoned professionals at OFFs annual Filmmakers
Conference.
Oxford Film Festival PO Box 727 Oxford, MS 38655
877/560-3456 www.oxfordfilmfest.com The Oxford
Film Festival exists to entertain and educate its
87
participants, to provide residents and visitors an

opportunity to experience independent film and
to showcase the wonderful culture and heritage
of Oxford, Mississippi to the world. Through
a four-day festival each February, OFF brings
together filmmakers, film students and film stars
with film buffs, film fans and film supporters in
the unique environment that is Oxford. It was
recently named a Top 20 Event for winter by
the Southeast Tourism Society.
PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 7510 Sunset
Blvd., #610 Hollywood, CA 90046-3408 www.
pageawards.com The PAGE International
Screenwriting Awards: Hollywoods premier
screenwriting contest! Established by an alliance
of Hollywood producers, agents and development executives, The PAGE Awards have rapidly
become one of the most important sources for
new screenwriting talent within the Hollywood
community and worldwide. Each year our awardwinning screenplays are solicited by dozens of
producers, agents and development executives,
and as a result, many of our winning writers land
script assignments, secure representation and
sign option agreements on their work. This year
our judges will present over $50,000 in cash and
prizes, including a $25,00 Grand Prize.
Palm Springs international ShortFest 1700 E. Tahquitz
Canyon Way, Suite 3 Palm Springs, CA 92262
760/322-2930 www.psfilmfest.org Now in its 15th
year, the Palm Springs International ShortFest
has become known worldwide for the extraordinary community of filmmakers it attracts, and
for the quality and scope of its programming.
Showcasing over 320 short films each year
from more than 40 countries, with a library of
more than 2,700 films available to film buyers,
industry and press in its concurrent Short Film
Market, it is the largest festival of its kind in
America.
Poppy Jasper Intl Short film fest PO Box 1028 Morgan
Hill, CA 95038- 408/471-7533 www.poppyjasperfilmfest.org Taking place just south of San Jose,
Poppy Jasper aims to showcase emerging independent short films to viewers. Their hope is to
give filmmakers a venue not only to exhibit their
shorts, but to participate in workshops, network
and share artistic expression with other indie
filmmakers.
Phoenix Film Festival 7000 E Mayo Blvd, Suite 1059
Phoenix, AZ 85054 602/955-6444 www.phoenixfilmfestival.com
Portland Oregon Womens film festival 1526 NE Alberta
St. #110 Portland, OR 97211 www.powfest.com.
With a mission to put the spotlight on female
directors, POWFest shocases the innovative and
quality filmmaking of experienced up-and-coming women. The festival has previously hosted
directors Allison Anders, Irene Taylor Brodsky,
and Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow.
Provincetown International Film Festival PO Box 605
Provincetown, MA 02657 508/487-FILM
www.ptownfilmfest.org Dedicated to showcasing
independent American and international films;
to nurturing aspiring independent moviemakers and honoring industry luminaries; and to
preserving and sustaining cinema as an art form
through educational forums.
Red Rock Film Festival PO Box 910271 St. George, UT
84791 435.705.5555
www.redrockfilmfestival.com Held beneath the majestic red mountains of Zion Canyon, the annual
international Red Rock Film Festival began as a
Southern Utah film event in 2004. This festival
retreat celebrates the art of film every November
with a film market, moviemaker hiking excursions, premieres, screenings, workshops and
panel discussions with approachable professional
people. The action sports docs and democratic
competition enhance the festivals staple of
intriguing documentaries and foreign film. The
festival is just a 90-minute drive north of Las
Vegas, and offers a breathtaking location to see
film in the warm part of the state of Utah.
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Rome International Film Festival Rome, GA 30161

www.riff.tv One of MovieMaker Magazines 20
Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee, RIFF is one of
the best film festivals in the Southeast. Each year
RIFF features more than 100 films from more
than 30 countries, including shorts and features
in the categories of documentary, narrative,
experimental and animation. Jury awards are presented for Best Narrative Feature, Documentary,
Narrative Short, Experimental Film and Animated
Short. Audience awards are presented for Best
Feature and Best Short.
Ruby Mountain Film Festival Elko, NV www.rubymountainfilmfestivallorg The Ruby Mountain Film Festival
is a 100 percent volunteer based, non-profit
organization committed to nurturing film as an
art while supporting worldwide talent. The fourday celebration allows independent and student
filmmakers exhibit a vast range of storytelling
through visual arts in the small Nevada town.
San Diego Film Festival 619/582-2368 www.sdff.org
Co-founded by an award-winning moviemaker,
SDFF features four days of 100 films, industry
panels, inviting audiences and the best parties.
San Francisco Frozen Film Festival 588 Sutter St., #103
San Francisco, CA 94102 www.frozenfilmfestival.com
Shows yearly in July and brings independent
moviemakers and musicians to the San Francisco
Bay Area from around the globe! The festival
itself is a collection of razors-edge independent
films and bands.
Savannah Film Festival 912/525-5051 www.scad.edu/
filmfest Hosted by the Savannah College of Art
and Design, the annual festival presents panel
discussions and presentations by visiting artists,
offering movie buffs the unique opportunity to
experience the art of film.
Screamfest Horror Film Festival 8840 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211 310/358-3273
www.screamfestla.com Showcases talented genre
moviemakers and writers from around the world
to the entertainment industry in order to help
further their careers.
Sedona International Film Festival & Workshop PO Box
162 Sedona, AZ 86339 928/282-1177
www.sedonafilmfestival.com Features more than
125 films, including features, documentaries,
shorts and animation. Moviemakers and audiences from around the world have heralded
Sedonas festival as one of their favorites. The
Frank Warner Workshop brings Academy Awardwinning industry professionals to Sedona to
teach, inspire and share their knowledge with
the next generation of moviemakers. Students get
a once-in-a-lifetime chance to work shoulder-toshoulder with the industrys finest. In addition,
panel discussions on film distribution are slated.
Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival 2310 First Ave.
North Birmingham, AL 35203 205/324-0888
www.sidewalkfest.com A celebration of new independent cinema in downtown Birmingham. Since
its debut in 1999, movie-makers from across
the country and around the world have come to
Birmingham to screen their work at Sidewalk and
have been thrilled to discover fresh, enthusiastic crowds eager to devour new independent
cinema. This is how film festivals should be.
Peter Gilbert, Hoop Dreams. Named one of Time
Magazines Film Festivals for the Rest of Us, and
one of Chris Gores Best Vacation Film Festivals
in his Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide.
SILVERDOCS 921-J Ellsworth Dr. Silver Spring, MD
20910 www.silverdocs.com SILVERDOCS showcases 100-plus films representing more than 60
countries from around the globe. SILVERDOCS
celebrates independent thinking and fosters the
power of documentary moviemaking to enhance
our understanding of the world. The fest was
created through a unique alliance between
AFI (American Film Institute) and the Discovery Channel, and takes place at the AFI Silver
Theatreone of the premier exhibition spaces in
the country.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
slamdance film festival www.slamdance.com

Slamdance lives and bleeds by its mantra, By
Filmmakers For Filmmakers. No other film
festival in the world is entirely run and organized
by the creative force that can only be found
in filmmakers. Slamdance adamantly supports
self-governance amongst independents and exists
to deliver what filmmakers go to festivals fora
chance to show their work and a platform to
launch their careers.
snake alley festival of film 205 Marietta Burlington,
Iowa 52601 319/750-4124 snakealleyfestivaloffilm.
com The Snake Alley Festival of Film is dedicated to showcasing the best short films from
around the world. Films will screen at the beautifully restored Capitol Theater in the heart of
downtown Burlington, Iowa. The theater boasts
state of the art equipment and can comfortably
seat more than 400 people. The festival derives
its name from Snake Alley, a street constructed
in 1884 and designed to connect an upscale residential neighborhood to the business district of
downtown Burlington. Named by Ripleys Believe
It or Not as The Crookedest Street in the World,
it remains the citys #1 tourist attraction and
draws visitors from around the world.
Starz Denver Film Festival 900 Auraria Parkway Denver,
CO 80204 303/595-3456 www.denverfilm.org/festival
Now over 30 years old, SDFF presents approximately 175 films over 11 days and hosts more
than 150 visiting moviemakers. Known for its
exceptional hospitality and diverse programming,
SDFF has become an increasingly important stop
for any moviemaker. Few American festivals
have put it all together in terms of size, scope
and intimacy as well as the Starz Denver Film
Festival.MovieMaker Magazine. The best kept
secret on the U.S. film festival circuit may well be
the Starz Denver Film Festival.IndieWire.
Stony Brook Film Festival 2032 Staller Center for the
Arts, Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY 11794
631 632-7235 www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com
The 16th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival was
held from July 21 to 30, 2011, bringing 15,000
filmgoers to Stony Brook University to see new,
independent films over ten days. Having a film
at Stony Brook is a career highlight for many
filmmakers because of the 1,000-seat packed
theatre, large screen, quality of the screening,
comfortable accommodations and receptions.
Thanks to sponsors there is no entry fee to
submit films to be considered for the Festival.
Formats accepted for projection at the Festival
are 35mm and beta formats. DVDs are accepted for entry purposes only and should be
sent to Stony Brook with the official entry form
available online at www.stonybrookfilmfestival.
com. Stony Brook invites features, documentaries, shorts and animation.
Sundance Film Festival PO Box 684429 Park City, UT
84068 801/328-3456 8530 Wilshire Blvd., Third
Floor Beverly Hills, CA 90211 310/360-1981 www.
sundance.org/festival Held annually in Park City
as well as Salt Lake City, UT, the festival is the
premier showcase for new work from American
and international independent moviemakers.
sunscreen film festival Bank of America Tower, 200
Central Ave., Suite 290 St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727/259-8417 www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com
Named one of MovieMakers 25 Coolest Film
Festivals, Sunscreen encourages independent
film in Florida through educational programs
(such as last years acting workshop taught by
Watchmens Patrick Wilson) and public screenings, thereby increasing awareness and support
of local moviemaking as a valuable cultural and
economic asset.
syracuse international Film Festival Hotel Syracuse
500 S. Warren St. Syracuse, NY 13202
315/443-8826 www.syrfilm.com A competitive,
internationally recognized festival that brings
the international film community to Syracuse
and provides unique, powerful experiences to
the people and institutions of Central New York.
Cash prizes totaling $13,000 in 11 different

categories are awarded each year. In addition,
editing systems and film grants are awarded in
special categories.
Toronto International Film Festival 2 Carlton St.,
Suite 1600 Toronto, ON M5B 1J3 Canada
416/967-7371 www.tiff.net
toronto urban Film Festival 266 King Street West,
Suite 300 Toronto, ON M5V 1H8 416/646-7867
www.torontourbanfilmfestival.com Recently named
one of MovieMakers Top 20 Coolest Film Festivals, TUFF is unique in North America. This
public film festival reaches 1.3 million daily
commuters with an eclectic mix of silent film,
animation and experimental one-minute shorts.
Films run every 10 minutes on 300 platform
screens throughout the citys subway system.
Top films of the festival are selected by a celebrity judge and can be viewed year-round on the
TUFF Website. The festival runs every September, concurrent with TIFF.
trail dance Film Festival PO Box 716
Duncan, OK 73534 580/467-8519
www.traildancefilmfestival.com Trail Dance, the
award-winning event started by the Trail Dance
Film Festival Association, is an open-genre
contest for independent filmmakers. Trail Dance
provides an opportunity for filmmakers to present in a competitive and supportive environment. Filmmakers from all types of production
are encouraged to enter. This event is held at
the Jack A. Maurer Convention Center (Simmons
Center) and the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.
Trail Dance festivities also include vendors, live
entertainment, panels featuring film professionals, and much more.
Tribeca Film Festival 375 Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10013 212/941-2400
www.tribecafilm.com/festival
Tromadance Film Festival www.tromadance.com The
first and only festival of the people, by the people and for the people! TromaDance features
a range of films made independently, usually
without big stars, big money and far removed
from the Hollywood studio system.
TULSA INTERNATIONAL Film Festival 5401 S. Sheridan,
Suite 401 Tulsa, OK 74145 918/794-6762
www.tulsafilmfestival.org The Tulsa International
Film Festival will present a diverse slate of more
than 100 films in addition to offering exciting
workshops, filmmaker brunches and networking events. Prizes include distribution, cash
awards, a production package, screenplay offer
and student awards. In addition to narrative and
documentary films of all lengths, the Tulsa IFF
will present themed film divisionsIndigenous
Cinema, Emerging Student Filmmaker, Women
Behind the Camera and The Nightmare Divisionat multiple venues in the heart of Tulsas
booming downtown district.
united Film Festivals www.theunitedfilmfest.com The
United Film Festivals bring art and creativity
together to create a united film community. The
festivals focus is to bring together talented filmmakers from diverse backgrounds, thus creating
a United showcase of creative energy and
talent. This is a film festival for everyone, a place
where art and community converge.
united nations association Film Festival PO Box 19369
Stanford, CA 94309 650/724-5544 www.unaff.
org UNAFF celebrates the power of cinema in
dealing with such social issues as human rights,
environmental themes, womens issues, protection of refugees, homelessness and racism.
Whistler Film Festival Suite 1004, 106 4368 Main St. Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Canada
604/935-8035 www.whistlerfilmfestival.com
Williamsburg International Film Festival PO Box 20412
New York, NY 10021 212/744-2845
www.willifest.com The Williamsburg International
Film Festival (WILLiFEST) spotlights independent
moviemakers from around the world. The fest
encourages moviemakers to submit their work

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and join them in New York City for a professional, fun-filled festival of screenings, Q&As, panels,
networking opportunities and after-parties. WILLiFEST takes place throughout north Brooklyn,
New York City.
Wine Country Film Festival 12000 Henno Rd.
PO Box 303 Glen Ellen, CA 95442 707/935-FILM
www.winecountryfilmfest.com
Woods Hole Film Festival PO Box 624 Woods Hole,
MA 02543 www.woodsholefilmfestival.org One of
the premier independent film festivals in New
England, dedicated to showcasing the work of
emerging moviemakers, with a special section
for moviemakers from New England. Held each
summer on Cape Cod, WHFF is seeking film and
screenplay entries.
WorldFest-Houston PO Box 56566 Houston, TX
77256-6566 866/965-9955 713/965-9955
www.worldfest.org Remi Award Competition for
Features, Shorts, Students, Experimental, Music
Video, New Media, Screenplays, TV Production,
TV Commercials and Docs. 200+ Sub-categories.
Kodak Raw Stock and Cash Prizes. WorldFest has
six Master Classes, World Premieres, Receptions,
a Festival Club, the Remi Awards Gala Dinner, a
Texas BBQ and sailboat Regatta on Galveston Bay
with a VIP tour of NASA and Space Center Houston! We gave Spielberg, Lucas, Randal Kleiser,
Oliver Stone, Robert Rodriguez, Atom Egoyan,
John Lee Hancock, Ridley Scott, David Lynch,
Spike Lee, Ang Lee, The Coen Brothers their 1st
Awards.
FILM OFFICES & LOCATIONS
Alabama film office 401 Adams Ave., Suite 170
Montgomery, AL 36104 334/242-4195
www.alabamafilm.org
Alaska Film Program 550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1770
Anchorage, Alaska 99501 907/269-8190
www.film.alaska.gov
Albuquerque Film Office PO Box 1293 Albuquerque,
NM 87103 505/768-3283 www.filmabq.com Albuquerque is the Film Capital of the Southwest,
with 310 days of sunshine, a mild, four season
climate, a variety of location looks, experienced
crew members, and a Film-Friendly Attitude. Recent credits include Breaking Bad, In Plain Sight,
The Avengers, Fright Night, Let Me In, MacGruber, The Book of Eli, Terminator Salvation, Crazy
Heart, Swing Vote, Wild Hogs, Beerfest, Gamer,
and many more. Albuquerque has a large indie
film scene and we welcome film production of all
sizes. Film ABQ: where size doesnt matter.
Albuquerque studios 5650 University Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106 505/227-2000
www.abqstudios.com One of North Americas
largest independent film studios, Albuquerque
Studios offers sound stages, production office
space, lighting and grip services for productions
big and small.
Arizona Film Office 1700 W. Washington, Suite 220
Phoenix, AZ 85007 602/771-1116; 800/523-6695
www.azcommerce.com/film Provides local and
visiting moviemakers with a host of free production services, including location scouting and
support; permit processing and assistance; and
research support and direction. Add to that their
favorable tax incentivesand gorgeous scenery
and Arizona is fast on its way to becoming a
premier production hotspot.
Arkansas Film Office 900 W Capitol, Suite 400
Little Rock, AR 72201 800/ARKANSAS
www.1800arkansas.com
Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau 301 Congress Ave.,
Suite 200 Austin, TX 78701 512/583-7229 www.
austintexas.org/filmmakers Now playing in Austin:
A blockbuster location for an indie budget. Since
2000, MovieMaker has named Austin one of
the Top 10 Cities for moviemakers. With new
moviemaking incentives, theres now even more
reason to film here. Find out if your film qualifies
for production grants, sales tax exemptions or
refunds of state occupancy and fuel taxes. Austin
even offers a film discount card for your cast and

crew to use at hotels, restaurants and more. Cut
the budget, not the story. Film Austin.
Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts 7 E. Redwood
St., Suite 500 Baltimore, MD 21202 410/752-8632
www.promotionandarts.com Baltimore has been the
setting of many feature films and television shows.
California Film Commission 7080 Hollywood Blvd.,
Suite 900 Hollywood, CA 90028 800/858-4749;
323/860.2960 www.film.ca.gov
Colorado office of Film, Television & Media 1625 Broadway, Suite 2700 Denver, CO 80202 800/726-8887
www.coloradofilm.org
Connecticut Commission on culture and tourism One
Constitution Plaza Second Floor Hartford, CT 06103
860/256-2800 www.ctfilm.com
Delaware Film Office 99 Kings Highway Dover, DE
19901 800/441-8846 www.dedo.delaware.gov/
filmoffice
Film Wisconsin 648 N. Plankinton Ave., Suite 425
Milwaukee, WI 53202 414/287-4251 www.filmwisconsin.net A 25 percent production credit is just
the beginning! Wisconsin also offers: Great hotel
rates, many government locations free of charge,
qualified hardworking crews and a number of
new production facilities ready to meet your
films needs. Plus, Wisconsin has just about
every vista your production could need: Rural
farmlands, bustling cityscapes, north woods,
more than 400 miles of coastline, prairies, the
fantastic rock formations of their river valleys
and thats just the landscapes. Their architecture
includes treasures from Wright to Calatrava,
cottages to campuses and home styles from
bungalows to Bauhaus.
Florida Governors Office of Film & Entertainment The
Capitol, Suite 2001 Tallahassee, FL 32399 850/4104765 www.filminflorida.com Floridas Film, TV
& Digital Media Incentive program offers up
to 22 percent cash back on qualified expenditures spent in-state, plus a six percent sales tax
exemption. Florida has a full-service office in Los
Angeles, plus 54 local film commissions across
Florida available to assist your production.
Georgia Film Office 75 Fifth St., N.W., Suite 1200
Atlanta, GA 30308 404/962-4052 www.georgia.
org/business/filmvideomusic Tax incentives that
work. Georgia provides location scouting for
greenlighted projects; a staff member will develop an itinerary and accompany you and your
representative on a location scout of Georgia
sites for your project. The office also contributes
to the promotion and development of Georgias
recorded music industry.
Greater des moines Film Office 515/286-4960 www.
seedesmoines.com/film Since its establishment in
2005, the Greater Des Moines Film Commission
has been helping local moviemakers lock down
Iowas 25 percent tax credit incentive and line
up all other aspects of their films as well. The
commission has helped Des Moines land productions like 2009s Peacock, starring Ellen Page,
Cillian Murphy and Susan Sarandon.
Greater Philadelphia Film Office 1515 Arch St., 11th
Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 215/686-2668
www.film.org Shooting in Philadelphia or anywhere in southeastern PA? GPFO will help you
secure tax credits, free locations and other free
services. Working with GPFO is like having the
best possible producer on stafffor free24/7.
Hawaii Film Office No. 1 Capitol District Building
250 S. Hotel St., Fifth Floor Honolulu, HI 96813
808/586-2570 www.hawaiifilmoffice.com
Idaho Film Office 700 W. State St., Box 83720 Boise,
ID 83720-0093 800/942-8338; 208/334-2470
www.filmidaho.org A 20 percent cash rebate on
in-state expenditures capped at $500,000 isnt
the only reason to want to film in Idaho. A variety of locations and an experienced film office
that knows what you need to get that shot only
adds to the incentives.
Illinois Film Office 100 W. Randolph, Suite 3-400
89
Chicago, IL 60601 312/814-3600 www.filmillinois.

state.il.us
Indiana Film Commission One North Capitol Ave., Suite
700 Indianapolis, IN 46204 317/234-2087
www.filmindiana.com
Iowa Film Office 600 E Locust, Des Moines, IA 50319
www.iowalifechanging.com/film 515/242-6194
www.iowaartscouncil.org/
Kansas Film Commission 1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite
100 Topeka, KS 66612 785/296-2178 www.
filmkansas.com the Kansas Film Commission is a
program in the Business Development Division
of the Kansas Department of Commerce assigned
to assist film and video production in the state.
kauai Film Commission 808/241-4948 www.filmkauai.
com With easy access from Los Angeles, the
island of Kauai is fast becoming a moviemaking
hotspot, hosting such productions as Jurassic
Park III and Tropic Thunder. The Kauai Film Commission ensures the safety and welfare of the local community and environment of Kauai while
helping moviemakers attain their vision.
Kentucky Film office 500 Mero St. Frankfort, KY
40601 800/345-6591; 502/564-3456
www.kyfilmoffice.com
Louisiana Office of Film & Television Development
PO Box 94185 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9185
225/342-5403 www.louisianaentertainment.gov/
Maine Film Office 59 State House Station Augusta,
ME 04333 207/624-9828 www.filminmaine.com
Helps media projects all across New Englands
largest and most varied state. The film office
helps find locations, arrange shoots and assist
producers in finding and hiring great people
statewide. Maine has thousands of miles of stunning coastline, beautiful lakes and mountains,
inland forests and historic towns and cities.
Maryland Film Office 401 E. Pratt St., 14th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202 800/333-6632 410/767-6340
www.marylandfilm.org
Massachusetts film office 10 Guest St., Suite 280
Boston, MA 02135 617/973-8400 www.mafilm.org
Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission
50 Peabody Place, Suite 250 Memphis, TN 38103
901/527-8300 www.memphisfilmcomm.org
metro orlando Film and entertainment Commission 301 E.
Pine St., Ste. 900 Orlando, FL 32801 407/422-7159
www.filmorlando.com From year-round filming
capabilities, unique soundstages and venues,
a highly skilled local crew base and supportive
local communities (including tax incentives), Orlando offers a host of amenities for moviemakers.
Michigan Film Office PO Box 30739
300 North Washington Square,3rd Floor, Lansing, MI
48913 800/477-3456 www.michiganfilmoffice.org
Minnesota Film & Tv Board 401 N. 3rd St., Suite 440
Minneapolis, MN 55401 612/767-0095
www.mnfilmtv.org
Mississippi Film Office PO Box 849 Jackson, MS
39205 601/359-3297 www.filmmississippi.org
Missouri Film Commission 301 W. High St., Suite 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102 573/522-1288
www.mofilm.org
Montana Film Office 301 S. Park Ave. Helena, MT
59620 800/553-4563; 406/841-2876 www.
montanafilm.com Get Real. Shoot Montana.
Montanas scenic beauty is some of the finest
on the planet. But the real beauty of shooting
there just might be their honest commitment to
helping you bring your vision to fruition. They
offer great hassle-free incentives, no sales tax,
top-notch crews and a down-to-earth authenticity you wont find anywhere else. Bring your next
project to Big Sky Country.
Monterey County Film Commission 801 Lighthouse Ave,
Suite 104, Monterey, CA 93940 831/646-0910
www.filmmonterey.org The Monterey County Film
Commission is ready to assist productions and
has already been the choice location of more
than 200 movies. Free help when looking for
crew, services, permits and such California locaMOVIEMAKER.COM

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tions as Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, Salinas and

Steinbeck Country.
Nebraska Film Office P.O. Box 98907 Lincoln, NE
68509 800/228-4307; 402/471-3746
www.filmnebraska.org
Nevada Film Office 6655 West Sahara, Suite C106, Las
Vegas, NV 89146 877/638-3456 702/486-2711
www.nevadafilm.com
New Hampshire Film & Television Office 19 Pillsbury
Street, 1st Floor, Concord, NH 03301 603/271-2220
www.nh.gov/film Diverse, easy-access locations.
No sales, income or use taxes. Produce your
project hassle-free (no general filming permits!).
Enjoy New Hampshires vibrant, creative atmosphere. Find out how NHs economy and quality
of life give moviemakers the New Hampshire
advantage. Its as independent as you want to be!
New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission
153 Halsey St., Fifth Floor PO Box 47023 Newark,
NJ 07101 973/648-6279 www.njfilm.org
New Mexico Film Office 1100 Saint Francis Dr, First Floor,
Suite 1213, Santa Fe, NM 87505 800/545-9871;
505/476-5600 www.nmfilm.com
New York State Governors Office for Motion Picture &
Television Development 633 Third Ave., 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10017 212/803-2330
www.nylovesfilm.com
New York Mayors Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting
1697 Broadway, Suite 602 New York, NY 10019
212/489-6710 www.nyc.gov/film
North Carolina Film Office 4324 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699 919/733-9900;
866/468-2273 www.ncfilm.com
Ohio Film Office 77 S. High St. P.O. Box 1001
Columbus, OH 43216 614/644-5156
www.ohiofilmoffice.com The Ohio Film Office
provides moviemakers with assistance every
step of the way, from pre-production all the
way through to post. They are there to teach
moviemakers the where, when, why and hows of
permits, incentives and locations in the Buckeye
State.
Oklahoma Film & Music Office 120 N. Robinson, Suite
600 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 800/766-3456
www.oklahomafilm.org
Oregon Film & Video Office 1001 S.E. Water Ave., Suite
430 Portland, OR 97204 503/229-5832 www.
oregonfilm.org
Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission 1555
Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 900 West Palm Beach,
FL 33401 800/745-FILM; 561/233-1000 www.pbfilm.com Invites you to experience a 360 view
of paradise! Available: Free production space,
365 days filled with sunshine and diverse locations. Take advantage of Palm Beach Countys
free permitting process. Relax... Palm Beach
County has you covered!
Pennsylvania Film Office Commonwealth Keystone
Building 400 North St., Fourth Floor Harrisburg, PA
17120 717/783-3456 www.filminpa.com
Rhode Island Film & TV Office One Capitol Hill, Third Floor
Providence, RI 02908 401/222-3456 www.film.
ri.gov
San Antonio Film Commission 203 S. Saint Marys St.,
Second Floor San Antonio, TX 78205 210/207-6730
www.filmsanantonio.com The San Antonio Film
Commission is your central resource for filming
in San Antonio and surrounding areas. For more
than 20 years, theyve provided producers with
the information and assistance they need to get
projects done on time and on budget. Discover a
city that has a history as rich and diverse as the
locations within it.
san diego Film commission 2508 Historic Decatur Rd.,
Suite 200 San Diego, CA, 92106 619/234-3456
www.sdfilm.com The San Diego Film Commission welcomes moviemakers to the most
unique, film-friendly region in Southern
California. They permit for City of San Diego,
unincorporated areas of San Diego County and
San Diego Port District. Shoot in San Diego and
MOVIEMAKER.COM
benefit from free permits and free public properties including beaches, parks, sidewalks and
streets. In addition, their hotel discount program, experienced crew base, talent and local
support services save you money. Dont wait for
a rebate. Perfect weather, a world of untapped
locations and unseen production value await
you in San Diego.
Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office Live Oak
Corporate Center, 2601 Cattlemen Rd., Ste. 102
Sarasota, FL 34232 941/309-1209
www.filmsarasota.com Sarasota County is a filmready community that attracts a wide variety of
film, television, music and commercial projects
with its production-friendly permit process and
a welcoming business community. The Sarasota
County film industry is recognized throughout
the country for its professionalism, creativity
and imagination. High wage jobs and businesses
have been expanded in the film and entertainment job sector.
Sedona Film Office 45 Sunset Dr. Sedona, AZ 86336
928/204-1123 www.sedonafilmoffice.com The
Sedona Film Office offers everything you need
to film in Arizonas western frontiers, red rocks,
lush greenery and desert panoramas, including
location services, permitting assistance, accommodations and much more.
South Carolina Film Commission 1205 Pendleton St.,
Room 529 Columbia, SC 29201 803/737-0490
www.filmsc.com
South Dakota Film Office 711 E. Wells Ave. Pierre, SD
57501 605/773-3301 www.filmsd.com
Tennessee Film, entertainment & Music Commission
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave. Tennessee Tower, Ninth Floor
Nashville, TN 37243 877/818-3456
www.tn.gov/film
Texas Film Commission P.O. Box 13246
Austin, TX 78711 512/463-9200
www.texasfilmcommission.com
thailand Film Office www.thailandfilmoffice.org It has
taken thousands of years for Thailands forestcovered mountains, wildlife-roaming plains, rich
agricultural laden fields and beautiful beaches
to form. These locations have been utilized
by moviemakers from around the world. The
Thailand Film Office, an official film commission
member of the Association of Film Commissions
International (AFCI), is here to help moviemakers navigate through to a seamless shoot.
Tucson Film Office 100 South Church Ave. Tucson, AZ
85701 520/770-2151 www.filmtucson.com Offers
all the bells and whistles available to moviemakers filming in Arizonaincluding tax-exempt
status and up to 30 percent back in rebates.
Fee-free permits and coordination with local
government and civil services make the citys
film office the place to go for any and all production assistance while in town.
Utah Film Commission Council Hall/Capitol Hill
300 N. State St. Salt Lake City, UT 84114 800/4538824 www.film.utah.gov
Vermont Film Commission One National Life Drive, 6th
floor, Montpelier, VT 05620 802/828-3618 www.
vermontfilm.com
Virginia Film Office 901 E. Byrd St., 19th Floor, West
Tower Richmond, VA 23219-4048 800/854-6233
www.film.virginia.org Virginia is home to a spectacular, unique 17th- and 18th-century backlot.
This unique, 16-acre location is close to Richmond and doubles for several early American
cities including Boston, New York, Washington,
D.C. and Philadelphia. Nine distinct cobblestone
streets contain 95 storefronts, government
buildings, shops, residences, alleyways and a
town square.
Washington, D.C. Office of Motion Picture & TV Development
200 I Street, Washington DC 20003 202/727-6608
http://film.dc.gov
Washington FilmWorks 1411 Fourth Avenue, Suite 420,
Seattle, WA 98101 206/264-0667 www.washingtonfilmworks.org A nonprofit organization dedicated
to promoting economic vitality in Washington

State by encouraging growth in film and video
production through funding assistance of up to
20 percent of total in-state qualified expenditures (including Washington-based labor and
talent) to selected commercial, television and
feature film productions.
West Virginia Film Office 90 MacCorkle Ave. S.W.
South Charleston, WV 25303 866/6WV-FILM
www.wvfilm.com Offers transferable tax credits
of up to 31 percent on direct production and
post-production in-state spend. During November, the WVFO grants moviemakers complementary access to the Gauley River, where they
can control the tenacity of the flow with their
River On Demand program. Moviemakers can
also apply for sales and service tax exemption
and secure fee-free locations.
wichita Film commission 515 South Main, Suite 115
Wichita, KS 67202 800/288-9424 316/265-2800
www.gowichita.com The Wichita Film Commission, a division of Go Wichita Convention
& Visitors Bureau, is a certified member in the
Association of Film Commissions International
(AFCI). The office provides assistance with location scouting, pre-production and production
needs. The Wichita Film Commission has built
many effective business relationships to assist in
moving your film forward. This provides buy-in
and support when quick decisions are necessary.
Wyoming Film Office 1520 Etchepare Circle Cheyenne, WY 82007 800/458-6657; 307/777-3400
www.filmwyoming.com
GUILDS & ORGANIZATIONS
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
www.oscars.org
Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers www.
amptp.org
American Cinema Editors www.ace-filmeditors.org
American Cinema Foundation
www.cinemafoundation.com
American Federation of Musicians www.afm.org
American Humane Association, Film & TV Unit
www.americanhumane.org
American Society of Cinematographers
www.theasc.com
American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers
(ASCAP) www.ascap.com
Association of Film Commissioners International
www.afci.org
Association of Independent Commercial Producers www.
aicp.com
Association of Location Scouts & Managers
www.alsam.net
Casting Society of America www.castingsociety.com
Directors Guild of America (DGA)
www.dga.org Founded in 1936 by 13 of Hollywoods leading moviemakers, including the
legendary John Ford and King Vidor, the Directors Guild of America is the nations preeminent organization representing directors and
members of the directorial team.
Entertainment Resources & Marketing ASSOCIATION
www.erma.org
Filmmakers Alliance
www.filmmakersalliance.org
Independent Film & Television Alliance
www.ifta-online.org
International Documentary Association
213/534-3600 www.documentary.org
Motion Picture Association of America 818/995-6600
www.mpaa.org
Motion Picture Editors Guild 800/705-8700
www.editorsguild.com
National Association of Theatre Owners
www.natoonline.org
Producers Guild of America www.producersguild.org

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Reel Women www.reelwomen.org

SAGIndie www.sagindie.org Through film festivals, trade shows, panels and direct one-onone communication, SAGIndie works with
producers to eliminate barriers blocking the
use of professional performers in low-budget
independent film.
San Francisco Film Society 39 Mesa Street, Suite 110
San Francisco, CA 94129 415/561-5000
www.sffs.org A world-class nonprofit institution,
the Film Society offers a full suite of programs
for filmmakers, including project development
and fiscal sponsorship, classes on topics from
screenwriting to marketing and publicity and
grants and prizes that will amount to over
$800,000 in 2011.
Screen Actors Guild www.sag.org Screen Actors
Guild is the nations premier labor union representing actors. With 20 branches nationwide,
SAG represents nearly 120,000 actors in film,
television, industrials, commercials and music
videos.
Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers
www.smpte.org
Stuntmens Association of Motion Pictures
818/76-4334 www.stuntmen.com
Stuntwomens Association of Motion Pictures
www.stuntwomen.com
Women in Film and Television International
www.wifti.org
Women Make Movies www.wmm.com
Writers Guild of America www.wga.org
www.wgaeast.org The Writers Guild of America is
the sole collective bargaining representative for
writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable,
interactive and new media industries.
MUSIC & COMPOSERS
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) 615/401-2000 www.bmi.
com BMI is an American performing rights
organization that represents more than 300,000
songwriters, composers and music publishers in
all genres of music.
John Vincent McCauley, composer & creative director,
sonic weave llc 925/206-4124
www.johnvmccauley.com www.sonicweave.com
Capable of delivering a range of music from
composing subtle solo instrumentals to larger
orchestral arrangments for modern action or
dramatic scores, John Vincent McCauley brings
the instinctive ability to convey emotion through
music and a creative imagination that results in
a score that can be rich, dynamic in expression
and deliver a varied array of music and sounds.
The Rights Workshop 39 Mesa St., Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94129 415/561-3333
www.rightsworkshop.com A music supervision,
licensing and clearance company that helps you
with digital rights, original productions, publishing administration and more.
The silver sky orchestra 252 Via Villena
Encinitas, CA 92024 www.thesilverskyorchestra.com
The Silver Sky Orchestra presents neo-classical
music for private listening enjoyment, film/TV
soundtracks, themes and underscores, corporate
videos or advertising.
ty fy studios, inc. 407/843-5662 www.tyfystudios.com
Offers original music, custom-scored for each
project.
POST-PRODUCTION SERVICES
Avid www.avid.com A world leader in digital
nonlinear media creation, management and
distribution solutions, enabling film, video,
audio, animation, games and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively
and creatively.
Crystal Clear Disc & Tape 10486 Brockwood Rd.
Dallas, TX 75238 800/880-0073 www.crystalclearcds.com Offers DVD replication, full-color
art design, digital mastering and production of

promotion merchandise like shirts, posters and
stickers.
digital juice 600 Technology Park, Suite 104 Lake
Mary, FL 32746 800/525-2203 www.digitaljuice.
com Offers royalty-free, professional animations, stock footage, music, layered graphics, clip
art, templates and more.
DIVE Independence Square West The Curtis Center,
Suite 1050, 601 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19106
888/464-9664; 267/514-7700 divevisual.com DIVE
is among the East Coasts premier post-production facilities for independent filmmakers. They
offer digital intermediate, VFX, title design and
editorial services for narrative features, documentaries and shorts, all under one roof. Full HD
and 2K finishing services available, including a
state-of-the-art DI theater and screening room.
diskfactory 14 Chrysler Dr. Irvine, CA 92618
949/455-1701 www.diskfaktory.com.com Delivered one of the first 24/7 online order processing software applications to create a dynamic
CD and DVD reproduction process. The various
departments include artist promotions, graphic
design/multimedia, mastering, marketing, A&R,
fulfillment and distribution.
Gamma Ray Digital, Inc. 119 Braintree St. Boston, MA
02134 617/379-0381 www.gammaraydigital.com
Offers professional Sonic Scenarist Blu-ray and
DVD authoring services for the independent
and feature film market, as well as digital film
restoration on their MTI CORRECT system. You
can count on Gamma Ray Digitals experienced
team for studio-quality motion menu design and
top-notch encoding and authoring.
LVT Laser Subtitling, Inc. 49 W. 27th St., Suite 801
New York NY 10001 212/343-1910 www.lvtusa.
com With subtitles, films reach across cultural
frontiers to new audiences, breaking down
cultural and linguistic barriers. Contact LVT for
a complimentary estimate for subtitling in any
language, any format.
orbit digital 12233 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 134
Los Angeles, CA 90064 424/298-2250s
www.orbitdigitalmedia.com
Reel-Scout 1900 Abbott Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28203
704/649-4229 www.reel-scout.com A Web-based
project and client management system supported by a sophisticated, fully-searchable locations
photo library. Reel-Scout was not built simply to
manage digital images; it was built to help film
commissions manage all their assets (project,
location, contact) simultaneously. Reel-Scout users can search for film locations throughout the
country with a single click thanks to the national
locations search engine.
Silverado Systems, Inc. 771 Oak Ave. Pkwy., Suite 1
Folsom, CA 95630 916/760-0032 www.silverado.
cc Designs and implements HD and 4K editing
systems for post-production facilities. Silverado
had two of the earliest released RED ONE
cameras and has developed systems specifically
designed for editing projects with .R3D files.
The Saul Zaentz MEDIA Center 2600 10th St. Berkeley,
CA 94710 510/486-2286 www.zaentzmediacenter.
com A complete post-production facility servicing the needs of studios and indie moviemakers for more than 20 years. Films posted at the
Saul Zaentz Film Center have earned 26 Oscars,
including three for Best Picture and three for
Best Sound.
Twisted Media, Inc. 1341 W. Granville, Suite 1 Chicago,
IL 60660 773/856-6586 www.twistedmedia.com
I cant believe its royalty-free! Visit the Twistedtracks.com production music library. Music
this good usually comes with a high price tag
and complicated licensing, but not there. You
get great music, affordable pricing and no hassle.
They specialize in modern genres from ambient,
downtempo, electronic, rock and soundtrack to
world music. Theyve got the styles you need and
the variety from which to choose. All tracks and
volumes are offered in uncompressed AIF and
91
WAV or MP3 format for immediate download or

delivery, with intelligent search capabilities to
find the right one fast.
Universal Studios Post Production Media Services
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
800/892-1979 www.filmmakersdestination.com
With filmmaker-friendly rates, Universal Studios
Post Production Media Services offers sound
editorial and design, mixing, Foley, ADR, audio
preservation and restoration, Remote Review/
Playback, EFILM DI Suite, Picture Editorial and
Avid rentals and sound transfer for features,
television, online and independent projects. The
award-winning talent and state-of-the-art facilities let filmmakers achieve their unique creative
vision.
Universal Virtual Stage 1 (UVS1) 100 Universal City Plaza,
Bldg. 4250-3, Universal City, CA 91608 818/7773000 www.filmmakersdestination.com Universal
Virtual Stage 1 (UVS1) is a virtual production
environment with pre-visualization, motion
capture, camera tracking, post-production and
more for commercials, television, features and
independent projects. This secure facility at Universal Studios with a green screen, editing bays,
60 terabyte server and office space is scalable to
each productions needs.
PRODUCTION SERVICES
Apple 408/996-1010 www.apple.com One of the
worlds most innovative technology companies,
offering cutting-edge computer, software and
electronic products.
Baseline Research www.baselineresearch.com A
leading provider of film and television information, Baselines flagship product is The Studio
System, a subscription-based database of contact
information for professionals in the film and
television industries. The company works with
every major studio, network, representation firm
and media outlet in North America.
the brakefield company 3727 W. Magnolia Blvd., #718
Burbank, CA 91505 www. thebrakefieldcompany.
com The Brakefield Company is an independent
production and marketing boutique uniquely
structured with two separate creative teams, one
for production, the other for marketing. The
Brakefield Company has the ability to deliver
both high quality productions and comprehensive marketing campaigns.
buyout footage 3910 Prospect Ave., Suite F
Yorba Linda, CA 92886 909/934-4443 www.
buyoutfootage.com Streamline Download Service available from Buyout Footagea leading
supplier of public domain films and royalty-free
stock footage for filmmakers, broadcasters and
production companies worldwide. They offer
rock-bottom prices for archival public domain
films, newsreels, cartoons and short subjects
along with contemporary footage of presidential
speeches, congressional hearings and U.S. military and space programs. Formats include HD,
NTSC and PAL. Their new Streamline Download
Service allows for downloading of specific timecode sequences from complete titles which can
be easily previewed online.
Dolby 100 Potrero Ave. San Francisco, CA 94103
415/558-0200 www.dolby.com For nearly four
decades, Dolby has been at the forefront of
defining high-quality audio and surround sound
in cinema and beyond.
Entertainment Partners 818/955-6000
www.entertainmentpartners.com AEntertainment
Partners (EP), an employee-owned company,
has been the leader in payroll and production
services for more than thirty years. Our accounting software and Movie Magic Budgeting
and Scheduling programs are the industry
standards. EPs Petty Cash Card streamlines
the petty cash process through debit card
purchasing and online tracking/handling. The
EP Incentive Solutions team are experts in
navigating the complexities of localized finanMOVIEMAKER.COM

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92
cial production incentives. In addition, casting/

payroll for background actors is handled
through the legendary Central Casting division,
a Hollywood icon since 1925.
Family Theater productions 7201 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046 800/874-0999 (inside
US) www.familytheater.org Family Theater is
a Catholic media production house that has
produced more than 800 dramatic radio programs and 70 television specials and has had
more than 10,000 broadcasts on independent,
network-affiliated and public television stations. Many have won prestigious awards and
have featured hundreds of top stars of screen,
stage, TV and radio.
FILMMAKER IN A BOX: The Complete Film Production
Experience 1811 Victory Blvd Glendale, CA 91201
800/870-8830 www.filmmakerinabox.com
Learn everything you didnt know you needed
to know about the indie process from preproduction through post. This unprecedented
case study breaks down every component
of the feature 2 Million Stupid Women into a
series of comprehensive, self-contained interview modules and actual production documents with complete transparency. Boxed
10-DVD set $399.
footage firm 10780 Parkridge Boulevard Suite 70
Reston, VA 20191 866/777-9354 www.footagefirm.
com Provides HD and SD royalty-free stock
footage from around the world. With more
than 30,000 satisfied customers, Footage Firm
is a leader in providing HD and SD royalty-free
stock footage from around the world. No licensing or research fees and unlimited usage for an
unlimited amount of time are just a few of the
companys benefits.
Global ImageWorks, LLC. 65 Beacon St. Haworth, NJ
07641 201/384-7715 www.globalimageworks.
com Global ImageWorks is a boutique stock
footage library that specializes in representing
the work of moviemakers, journalists and private collections offering unique deep content
footage as well as outstanding stock shots.
Historic and contemporary footage. All formats
including Hi-Def, RED camera and film. Searchable online database with more than 10,000
videos. Additional services include research
and clearances.
hbo archives 1100 Avenue of the Americas New
York, NY 10036 877/426-1121 www.hboarchives.
com Since 1973, HBO has been honored with
more than 150 major awards. HBO Archives
brings the magic of these award-winning programs to you. Their incomparable collection and
the production outtakes are available for licensing in your projects.
HD Cinema 12233 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 120
Los Angeles, CA 90064 310/434-9500
www.hd-cinema.com A favorite resource for
indie moviemakers and documentary television
program producers, HD Cinema integrates post
services and camera rental with a knowledge
base of the most up-to-date technical support.
indieclear 1150 Highland Ave. Glendale, CA 91202
323/828-8280 www.indieclear.com IndieClear
offers a useful script clearance report for independent filmspointing out continuity errors,
factual inaccuracies and potential legal difficulties in a script.
juicedlink.com 4060 Nelson Dr. Palo Alto, CA 94306
650/575-3249 www.juicedlink.com Dedicated
to providing professionals in audio and video
production with unique and trusted solutions
of uncompromising quality.
Movie Forms Pro 2050 Stanley Hills Place Los Angeles,
CA 90046 323/656-3202 www.movieforms.com
Movie Forms Pro - Interactive is a complete
package of interactive film, video, digital video,
HD, commercial and motion picture production
forms as Adobe PDF files.
PayReel 24928 Genesee Trail Road Suite 100 Golden
CO 80401 303/526 4900 www.payreel.com
MOVIEMAKER.COM
Founded in 1995, PayReel is a payroll service

that serves the television, film and video industries exclusively.
Pierce Law Group, LLP 9100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 225
East Tower Beverly Hills, CA 90212 310/2749191 www.piercelawgroupllp.com Pierce Law
Group is a full-service entertainment law firm
representing independent moviemakers and
television producers in the areas of production
counsel services, intellectual property matters,
labor issues, general business and corporate
law matters, as well as producers representation services.
rainfall films 4370 Tujunga Avenue Suite 140 Studio
Ctiy, CA 91604 424/228-5010 www.rainfallfilms.
com Rainfall Films is a Los Angeles-based,
award-winning production company, currently
developing feature films, music videos, commercials and new media. The companys services
cover every aspect of moviemaking, including
shooting, editorial, visual effects, motion graphics, music and sound design. Rainfall has worked
for a wide variety of clients including Sony, G4tv,
Interscope, Philips, Nike and Disney. Past work
includes The Legend of Zelda IGN.com trailer,
music videos for Missy Higgins and Lisbeth Scott
and visual effects for EA Games, Black Eyed Peas
and Natasha Bedingfield.
ROEDER & MOON INSURANCE PO Box 180489 Dallas,
TX 75218-0489 800/580-3545; 214/324-3700
www.roedermoon.com Family-owned insurance agency specializing in the entertainment
industry. Founded 1929. Roeder & Moon can
provide coverage by the project or on an annual
basis. General liability, equipment, automobile,
workers compensation, errors and omissions and
specialty coverages. Roeder & Moon arranges
insurance for production companies, studios,
equipment rental companies, post-production
facilities, distributors, composers and more.
Rosco Laboratories, Inc. 52 Harbor View Stamford,
CT 06902 800/767-2669 www.rosco.com One
of the worlds largest manufacturers of products
for the entertainment industry. The company
is headquartered in Stamford, CT with additional facilities in Hollywood, Toronto, London,
Madrid, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Mexico. Roscos
product range includes color filters, gobos,
scenic paint products, fog systems and floor
products. The Rosco Cinegel range includes
more than 75 tools for controlling light. Since
its introduction in 1970, Cinegel has continually
developed and grown to meet the working needs
of the professional. In 1974, Cinegel won an
Academy Award for technical achievement.
Sony Creative Software 1617 Sherman Ave. Madison,
WI 53704 800/577.6642
www.sonycreativesoftware.com Produces an awardwinning line of products for digital video, music,
DVD and audio production, including Cinescore,
Sound Forge, ACID and Vegas software. The
company offers an application for every level
of expertise, including a full line of consumer
software.
Sony Professional Media www.sony.com/promedia
866/766-9272 For more than 55 years, Sony has
been the leader in recording media manufacturing. Sony Professional Media products, codeveloped with Sony recorders, ensure that your
content is free from glitches.
stateside entertainment partners 3560 Lenox Road, NE
Suite 2800 Atlanta, GA 30326-4276
877/782-8373 www.statesideentertainment.com
Offers investing and tax credit development services to investors and entertainment production
companies.
studio 1 productions 1700 Destino Ct. Port Orange, FL
32128 386/788-6075 www.studio1productions.com
Studio 1 Productions sells almost everything
you need to make your own film; music and
sound effects, royalty-free animation, audio and
video equipment, instructional and training
DVDs and stock footage are all included in their
list of products.
super16inc.com PO Box 313 Newark Valley, NY 13811

877/376-6582; 607/642-3352 www.super16inc.
com Offers a variety of motion picture equipment service, maintenance and repair services.
Tax Credits, LLC 242 Old New Brunswick Rd. Suite
145 Piscataway, NJ 08854 866/652-3170 www.
taxcreditsllc.com The professionals at Tax
Credits, LLC have spent the last 10 years
placing various tax credits throughout the
U.S. They have handled more than 1,000
transactions placing in excess of $300 million
in various state tax credits to date. Their mission is to simplify the tax credit process for
you by navigating through the ever-changing
legislation, identifying the appropriate tax
credit opportunities and managing the paperwork on your behalf. Their relationships with
Film Commissioners, DOR and EDA departments and have helped make legislation in
the various states more effective for production companies.
tfi sloan filmmaker fund www.tribecafilminstitute.org/
filmmakers/sloan/fund The TFI Sloan Filmmaker
Fund seeks exceptional narrative work that is
scientifically relevant, accurate and exciting. In
2011, the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund provides
grants of $10,000 to $40,000 in support of
narrative feature film projects that explore
scientific, mathematical or technological themes
in their storylines, or that feature a leading
character who is a scientist, engineer, innovator
or mathematician.
tiffen company 90 Oser Ave. Hauppauge, NY 117883886 631/273-2500 www.tiffen.com A leading
manufacturer and supplier of photographic
filters and lens accessories for the consumer/professional imaging industries as well as the motion picture and broadcast television industries
for almost 70 years.
Trew Audio 220 Great Circle Rd., Suite 116 Nashville,
TN 37228 800/241-8994 (U.S.) 866/778-0656
(Toronto) 877/333-9122 (Vancouver)
www.trewaudio.com Trew Audio is devoted to
the art of location sound recording for film
and television. From its Nashville, Toronto and
Vancouver offices, Trew Audio sells, rents and
services pro audio equipment for motion picture
sound production in the U.S., Canada and 40
other countries worldwide. The company understands last-minute changes, early call times,
eight-page days, short turnarounds, wireless hits,
jam-syncing, cross-resolving, pull-up, pull-down
and the dreaded Waiting on Sound! Thats
why Trew Audio is the preferred choice of sound
professionals worldwide for the right equipment
in this highly specialized field.
unitstills.net PO Box 91252 Santa Barbara CA 93190
805/252-3696 www.unitstills.net Michael Moriatis is an accomplished photographer whose
current focus is on on-set production stills, with
more than 30 features and television credits.
Universal studios production services 100 Universal
City Plaza, Bldg. 4250-3 Universal City, CA 91608
818/777-3000 www.filmmakersdestination.com
With filmmaker-friendly rates, Universal Studios
Production Services offers 30 sound stages and
over 30 backlot locations. The redesigned New
York Street backlot location features over four
acres of new facades including modern New
York, Wall Street, Broadway, London Square and
more. Universal also provides industry-leading
Property, Costume, Transportation, Set Lighting,
Grip, Sign Shop, Stock Units, Greens and Staff &
Moulding services.
SCREENWRITING RESOURCES
Coverage, Ink. 3717 S. LaBrea Ave. #106-522, Los
Angeles, CA 90016 323/702-2989 www.coverageink.
com Coverage Ink is a full-service, top-rated
screenplay development servicenamed Cream
of the Crop by a Creative Screenwriting 2010
user poll. From synopses to rewrites, phone
consultations to copyediting, Coverage Ink

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does it all. The companys team of 15 experienced, razor-sharp analysts will help make
your project rock. Coverage Ink also runs the
annual Writers on the Storm (www.writerstorm.com) screenplay contest, offering more
than $25,000 in cash and prizes.
Creative Screenwriting Expo 6404 Hollywood Blvd.,
Suite 415 Los Angeles, CA 90028 323/957-1405
www.screenwritingexpo.com The Screenwriting
Expo plays host to hundreds of classes on the
craft and business of screenwriting, including
sessions taught by actual working writers and
producers. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Featured speakers have included Damon
Lindelof and Carlton Cuse (Lost) as well as the
legendary William Goldman.
InkTip PO Box 12418 La Crescenta, CA 91224
www.inktip.com The mission of InkTip.com is
threefold: Help the producer easily find a good
script, save time for the agent and manager
in locating the right people for their clients
scripts and greatly increase exposure for the
screenwriter.
michael elliot media 11271 Ventura Blvd. Suite 441
Studio City, CA 91604 www.michaelelliotmedia.com
Screenwriter Michael Elliot (Like Mike, Brown
Sugar, Just Wright) offers online seminars, tips
and tutorials for writers looking to break into
the industry.
Page international Screenwriting comp 7510 Sunset
Blvd., #610, Hollywood, CA 90046 www.pageawards.
com This screenwriting competition gives away
over $50,000 in cash and prizes to talented
writers from all over the world. Besides the
prizes, applicants are given the chance to have
top producers, agents and development executives read winning screenplays that sometimes
result in representation, other assignments, and
possible release.
script pipeline 1304 N. Highland Ave. #272 Hollywood,
CA 90028 www.scriptpipeline.co Script Pipeline
is a community-based research tool designed for
writers and film industry professionals.
Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition
7775 Sunset Blvd. PO Box #200 Hollywood, CA
90046 323/654-5809 www.scriptapalooza.com
Scriptapalooza promotes its top winners for a
full year and finalists, semifinalists and quarterfinalists get requested constantly. Grand prize is
$10,000.
Write Brothers 348 E. Olive Ave, Suite H Burbank, CA
91502 800/84-STORY www.write-bros.com Movie
Magic Screenwriter, Dramatica Pro, StoryView
and Word Menu are all products made by Write
Brothers software. Since 1982, Write Brothers Inc. (formerly called Screenplay Systems)
has been a world leader in film and television
screenwriting and production software. It is
the only company with software for all phases
of writing: Creativity, brainstorming, outlining
and formatting. Its top-selling Dramatica, Word
Menu, and Storyview writing programs are used
by leading novelists, fiction writers, screenwriters and playwrights.
Writers on the storm screenplay competition
6404 Wilshire Blvd., #105 Los Angeles, CA 90048
323/207-4118 www.writerstorm.com Presented by
Coverage, Ink and Writers Boot Camp, the Writers on the Storm Screenplay Competition seeks
to introduce the most talented young screenwriters to the industryand offers more than
$27,500 in prizes.
The Writers Store 3510 West Magnolia Blvd. Burbank
CA, 91505 800/272-8927; 310/441-5151
www.writersstore.com The Writers Store is the
worlds foremost resource for software, seminars,
workshops, books and reference materials
dedicated to writers and moviemakers. The
company specializes in story development, script
formatting, production and multimedia software
as well as books, classes and tapes covering all
aspects of writing, selling scripts and pre-production. This West Los Angeles-based company
has an award-winning Website, a free biweekly

e-zine featuring articles by film industry experts,
an international reputation for its user-friendly
services and programs and a long list of devoted
clientele ranging from novice and weekend
writers to such top screenwriters as Martin
Brest, Wes Craven, William Broyles, Nora Ephron,
Daniel Petrie, Nicholas Pileggi, Steve Zaillian and
many more.
SOFTWARE
Anderssen Technologies
Philadelphia, PA www.ssontech.com Anderssen is
dedicated to bringing users fast, reliable and,
most importantly, affordable software. The companys aim is to bring their advanced featurefilm technology to productions varying from
student to indie films. They feature SynthEyes,
a camera tracking and stabilization program for
PC or Mac.
B & G Designs 2050 Stanley Hills Place Los Angeles,
CA 90046 323/656-7818 www.movieforms.com
Movie Forms Pro and Movie Forms Pro - Interactive are complete packages of film, video, HD,
digital video and commercial production forms
on easy to use CD-ROMS.
blackmagic design 2875 Bayview Drive, Fremont, CA
94538 408/954-0500 www.blackmagic-design.
com Renowned for its revolutionary software
and hardware, which has made the dream of an
affordable, high-quality editing workstation a
reality.
boilerplate budgeting software 1818 Gilbreth Rd.,
Suite 200 Burlingame, CA 94010 650/6925793 www.boilerplate.net BoilerPlate templates are intuitively designed and simple
to use. No spreadsheet programming is
necessary unless you want to customize it
for your particular needs. Just fill in the
budgeting information and costs in the
designated cells and BoilerPlate will generate your production budgets and reports
automatically. Best of all, BoilerPlate is a
program within a program; you can use
BoilerPlate Budgeting templates on any
computer running Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.org for Windows and Mac OSX.
Boinx Software Ltd. Lilienthalstrasse 1 82178 Puchheim Germany 855/264 6979 (English)
www.boinx.com Boinx develops Mac applications
for animation, presentation and broadcast.
Final Draft, Inc. 26707 W. Agoura Rd., Suite 205
Calabasas, CA 91302 800/231-4055 www.
finaldraft.com Final Draft is the number one
choice among the entertainment industrys
professional writers. Specifically designed
for writing screenplays, television shows
and stage plays, Final Draft combines
powerful word processing with professional
script formatting in one self-contained,
easy-to-use package. Theres no need to
waste your time formatting; Final Draft
automatically paginates and formats your
script to industry standards as you write.
Final Draft AV is the only dedicated script
processor for audio-visual scriptwriters. It
is used for writing commercials, documentaries, industrial videos, DV shorts, music
videos, presentations and more. Use your
creative energy to focus on content; let
Final Drafts products take care of the style.
Nothing helps you get your script on paper
easier or faster.
Future Media Concepts 299 Broadway, Ste. 1510, New
York, NY 10017 212/233-3500 www.fmctraining.com
FMC is a digital training center which helps
people learn to use leading software manufacturer programs for production, web design and
development, DVD authoring and other needs.
FrameForge 3D Studio 4901 Morena Blvd., Ste. 108, San
Diego, CA 92117 877/322-7733 www.frameforge3d.
com Save time and money on your next shoot
with FrameForge Pre-Viz Studio 3. This 3-D sto-
93
ryboard software re-creates depth of field along

with the ability to optically mimic any film or
video camera, including 16mm, 35mm, HD video,
widescreen or whatever. What you see through
the programs camera will be virtually identical to
what youll see on the set. FrameForge users are
never caught off guard on set with a storyboard
thats impossible to shoot. Communicate the full
scope of your vision to cast, crew and investors
with animatics in QuickTime, Flash, navigable
HTML pages or NLE editors.
Manhattan Edit workshop 80 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1501,
New York, NY 10011 212/414-9570 www.mewshop.
com The Manhattan Edit Workshop provides a
six-week editing program for those interested in
career in editing. Avid, Apple, and Adobe are just
three of many programs the company can teach.
The program is taught by certified trainers as
well as working editors, web designers, cinematographers, and directors with a 1:6 teacher
to student ratio, guaranteeing the attention
students need.
masterwriter 740 State St., Suite 203 Santa Barbara,
CA 93101 805/892-2656 www.masterwriter.com
Why struggle to find the right word or phrase
when you can have all the possibilities in an
instant? MasterWriter 2.0 software features
an amazing array of searchable reference
dictionaries and provides the creative writer
with everything he or she needs in one, easyto-use program.
Media Services 30 W. 22nd St., #5W New York, NY
10010 866/429-9316 www.media-services.com
One of the entertainment industrys leading payroll and software companies since 1978, serving
feature, television, commercial, corporate and
Internet productions worldwide as well as music
video and residual clients.
PowerProduction Software 800/457-0383 www.powerproduction.com PowerProduction Software is
the leading provider of storyboarding and digital
pre-visualization software for film, video, corporate and educational professionals. Founded
in 1993, their products StoryBoard Quick and
StoryBoard Artist enable directors, writers and
producers to communicate visually without having to know how to draw.
Screenwriting Pro www.writersstore.com Screenwriting Pro is a Web-based professional screenplay
formatting software for feature films, television
and stage plays. It has all the elements of boxed
scriptwriting software, including industry-standard formatting, story development tools and
a library of templates, with the added benefit
of working online from any Internet-connected
computer.
ScriptE Systems 917/991-7465; 310/744-4987
www.scriptesystems.com ScriptE Software is the
first completely digital workflow for script supervisors. No more pencils and rulersno more
writing on top of PDFs. Import entire editable
scripts and revisions directly from Final Draft.
Capture stills and timecode on the fly. Import
storyboards and digital photographs. Create and
e-mail all forms and daily reports. Generate files
that can be imported into AVID and Final Cut.
ScriptE Software is being used internationally by
top professionals at every level of the industry.
ScriptE is a green, sustainable product that eliminates paper waste and saves production time.
Sony Creative Software 8215 Greenway Blvd Suite
400 Middleton, WI 53562 608/203-2300 www.
sonycreativesoftware.com The award-winning
line contains industry-leading technology for
filmmakers, including Vegas Pro for postproduction needs. MM
MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
94
call for entries

The Stony Brook Film Festival (Thursday, July
19th through Saturday, July 28th, 2012) is
a competitive, highly regarded festival that
screens outstanding independent dramatic
features, documentaries, animated films
and shorts in all categories. Thanks to the
presenting sponsors, there are no entry fees.
Deadline for entries is May 1st.
www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com.
Over $25,000 in cash and prizes! The Writers
on the Storm Screenplay Competition is searching for the best feature and TV pilot scripts
from the most talented writers. Enter now!
www.writerstorm.com
Sub-tropical Byron Bay is an exotically beautiful

backdrop for this rapidly growing festival.
With world-class beaches just a short stroll
from BBFF Headquarters, filmmakers are
provided the opportunity to present their
work at a truly distinctive film festival
attended by International filmmakers, direc-
tors, producers, and prominent members of

Australias film industry. Entries close soon.
www.bbff.com.au
The 13th Annual FirstGlance Film Fest Hollywood,
one of Los Angeles Premiere Indie Film
Fests and One of Moviemakers Fests
Worth the Entry Fee, is calling for entries
from indie filmmakers from across the
globe. Categories include Feature, Short,
Documentary, Animation, Web Series, Music Video, Student and International films.
Prizes include a Theatrical Red Carpet and
one week run in a 400 seat Theatre with
P&A valued over $35K and over $10K in
prizes. Digital Distribution offered to all
filmmakers. Entry Fees start at $30 (some
categories during early deadline). Final
Deadline: November 30th.
www.firstglancefilms.com/hollywood/hollywoodcfe
CALL FOR ENTRIES & FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT listings
are $99 for the first 50 words and $.25 per additional word.
SUBMIT TO: MovieMaker Magazine, Attn: Call for Entries,
8328 De Soto Ave, Canoga Park, CA 91304.
E-MAIL: fests@moviemaker.com.
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MOVIEMAKER.COM

pg
95
ad index
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AlbUqUerqUe film office cabq.gov/economicdevelopment/film 31
big islAnd film festivAl bigislandfilmfestival.com 79
bosko groUp boskogroup.com 26
brAUn post braunpost.com 67
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directors gUild of AmericA dga.org 9
the edit center theeditcenter.com 47
the fActory digitAl filmmAking progrAm At doUglAs dec.edu 7
the feAtUre film project thefeaturefilmproject.com 11
filmmAker in A box filmmakerinabox.com 43
five towns college ftc.edu 79
glidecAm indUstries glidecam.com 2, 94
internAtionAl AcAdemy of film & television iaft.ph C3
joAnne bAron/dw brown stUdio baronbrown.com 67
kAnsAs film commission filmkansas.com 95
a lonely place for dying alonelyplacefordying.com 67
moviemAkermentors moviemakermentors.com 70
myrtle beAch intl film festivAll myrtlebeachfilmfestival.com 67
pAyreel payreel.com 95
pierce lAw groUp piercelawgroupllp.com 49
rAndy chAnce mUsic randychance.com 75
sAgindie sagindie.org 3
sAn Antonio film commission filmsanantonio.com 39
stephAnie sellArs stephaniesellars.com 26
the secrets to distribUtion distribution.la 27
sony creAtive softwAre sonycreativesoftware.com 5
trew AUdio trewaudio.com 71
UniversAl stUdios filmmakersdestination.com 45
the University of the Arts uarts.edu 35
trigold entertAinment trigoldentertainment.com 94
University of north cArolinA school of the Arts uncsa.edu 17
vAncoUver film school vfs.edu 33
vArizoom varizoom.com C4
vivid cAndi vividcandi.com 1
we mAke movies wemakemovies.org 73
write brothers, inc. write-bros.com 47
writers on the storm writerstorm.com 94
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pg
Nicholas Mason
Founding Director of MANHATTAN SHORT
96
Manhattan Short
Launches
Feature
Project
nicholas mason, founding director of manhattan short
an a successful feature film

debut be crowd-sourced?
The Feature Film Project,
an offshoot of MANHATTAN SHORT, aims to find
out just that. This spring,
were launching what we
hope is a totally innovative
program, one that lets the movie-going
public vote on whether or not a feature
film should be given a week-long run in
theatres across the country.
The idea for the Feature Film Project
grew out of a conversation, aptly enough,
with a film director. I was interviewing
Neil LaBute for the 2011 MANHATTAN
SHORT festival. LaBute wrote and directed
Sexting, a finalist in that years competition. One of the questions I always ask
finalists is, What advice do you have for
first-time filmmakers? Without missing a
beat, LaBute responded: Id tell them to
stop talking about your film in Starbucks,
and start shooting it in Starbucks. With
the technology available today, theres no
better time than now to be a filmmaker.
We cant even imagine the films kids today
are going to come up with tomorrow.
MANHATTAN SHORT has brought new
directorsand their short filmsto the
worlds attention for more than a decade.
But after I chatted with LaBute last year, I
realized we could be instrumental in helping discover new feature films and direcMOVIEMAKER.COM
One Film to Screen

Nationwide, Audiences
to Decide its Future
tors, too. MANHATTAN

SHORT started on the
island bearing its name,
but branched out beyond New York City in
2004, adding screenings in seven states.
In 2012, we did over 1,000 screenings in
over 300 cities, on each of the six (habitable) continentsall in the course of one
week. At MANHATTAN SHORT, our audience members select the best film from
among the 10 semi-finalist shorts they
watch. The film they choose wins the top
prize. Theres no jury. At our festival, the
audience award is everything.
And thats what were hoping to bring to
feature filmmakers with the Feature Film
Project. Applying the same spirit of public
involvement weve championed for more
than a decade with MANHATTAN SHORT,
we think we can really change the way
small, independent films gain exposure.
On Thursday, March 21st, one selected
feature film will screen in more than 100
cinemas across the USA. The audience
at each venue will be asked one simple
question: Should this film come back in six
weeks for a week-long, theatrical release?
If the majority of the audiences votes
yes, the film comes back.
In 2012, 155 cinemas across the United
States took part in the 15th annual Manahattan Short festival. That was a
huge increase from the 90 cinemas that
participated in 2011. In 2013, were

anticipating as many as 250 cinemas
participating across the US. And well
be channeling the Feature Film Project
through those same venues; thats why
were certain that the Feature Film Project is an unparalleled opportunity for upand-coming filmmakers to reach an unprecedented audience. In this day and
age, where even if you get distribution
from IFC youre lucky to get screenings
in New York and Los Angeles, to get the
opportunity to show at 100 theatres is
an enormous boon.
The films I remember most fondly,
the films that have stayed with me since
childhood, are the films I saw in the cinema. Thats the main reason the Feature
Film Project is dedicated to putting new
feature films before the publicon the
big screen. Manhattan Short has the
distribution network, and MovieMaker
Magazine has the soapbox to shout from.
All we need now is your film.
The deadline for submitting to The
Feature Film Project is December 31st,
2012. For rules, entry forms, participating
cinemas, and a bunch of other stuff, visit:
www.TheFeatureFilmProject.com. MM
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79 new montgomery st, san francisco, ca 94105

Guide to Making Movies 2013

Photo by: Blessing Yen

An indie Call to Arms

Do movies have a future? we think so. lets help shape it.

Every year for the

stance, may never, Denby fears, develop

Issue No. 101, Volume 19

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

magazine is published five times per year by

The name MovieMaker is a

Scan to see a full list of Vegas Pro features.

Guide to Making Movies 2013

22 SUCCESSFUL CROWDFUNDING 2.0

14 adapting indie fiction

If you think optioning nov-

Without good time manage-

18 THE SECOND DRAFT

Unless youre Edward Albee,

The novelty of crowdfunding

Most investors are savvy busi-

28 the happy hustler

30 union vs. non-union

When weighing the pros and

32 THE PRODUCERS SACRED TRINITY

On a movie of any budget,

38 QUIET ON THE SET!

Your movie can look like it

40 mutiny, and how to avoid it

If you want your cast and

44 let the p.a. direct?

You cant defer to your P.A.

46 WHO THE HELL AM I TALKING TO?

Directing requires mastery

50 the devils in the data details

If youre planning to shoot

Guide to Making Movies 2013

68 the thrill isnt gone

MovieMaker sat down

54 killing your darlings

Four director/editors talk

72 TO HELL WITH THE

96 the feature film project

Nicholas Mason talks about

58 to compose, or not to compose

When youre thinking

about your soundtrack,

64 What is a festival worth?

With more than 6,000 film

MOVIEMAKERS GUIDE TO DIY

Columns & Departments

94 marketpace & Call for Entries

cover design by james kaelan & blessing Yen

Guide to Making Movies 2013

Originally a professional modern dancer

For more than 15

David Largman Murray

mmmmmmmmmmMANHAT TAN SHORT

NEXT MARCH, ONE INDEPENDENT FILM

AND IT COULD BE YOURS

Offering unprecedented visibility,

TO SUBMIT YOUR FEATURE FILM