Show Don't Tell: Micro-budget Filmmaking

As one of the founders of The Lift Off Global Network of Film Festivals, Ben Pohlman has made it his mission to not only program groundbreaking films at his festivals, but also to help filmmakers thrive in the commercial marketplace and flourish in their careers. Over the course of this hour long interview, Ben draws from his unique background as a festival founder to de-mystify the jury selection process and give filmmakers a realistic view of what it takes to get accepted. He also sheds light on many other critical topics including: The odds of getting into a festival, optimal runtimes for shorts & feature films, the main reasons why films get rejected, what happens after you're accepted, and much much more. Originally launched in England in 2011, Lift-Off is now in ten cities across the globe including: Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Manchester, Tokyo, New York, Vancouver, Amsterdam, & Sydney. The festival network has grown rapidly as it's support of true independent film and emphasis on findi

35mm film is still seen as the holy grail for many filmmakers, but from a cost perspective it is often prohibitive for micro-budget productions. The cost of purchasing new film stock combined with processing and scanning can add up very quickly, which of course is why it’s almost always reserved for higher budget productions.That said, some micro-budget filmmakers are able to execute 35mm projects by thinking outside the box and finding ways to make the cost of shooting on film more manageable. One of those filmmakers is Ben Garchar, our guest this week.Using some out of the box solutions (such as purchasing short ends on eBay), Ben was able to shoot portions of his latest short film Jake in 35mm, and blend it beautifully with digital footage shot on the Canon C300. In this episode, Ben explains how it was possible to shoot on 35mm film for less than the cost of renting a digital cinema camera, how he was able to match his digital footage to the film material, the benefits of shooting on 35mm and its affect o

Micro-budget filmmakers often utilize natural light as a means to simplify production requirements and reduce time on set, while also benfitting from the beautiful aethetic that it offers. When done right, this approach can truly offer filmmakers a best of both worlds scenatio - the ability to capture gorgeous images with minimal crew and gear.Achieving cinema-quality results with natural light can be easier said than done though, as the lack of control over lighting, color temperature, and other variables can pose some major challenges for filmmakers.In this episode, Noam discusses his 5 fundamental tips for shooting in natural light which cover everything from choosing the right camera for the job to the importance of tech scouting, and everything in between.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

With thousands of film festivals in existence and more popping up every year, filmmakers are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate the festival circuit. And while most filmmakers have some rough festival goals in mind as they approach the submission process, many have not taken the time to truly develop a strategy that will benefit their film.In this episode, Noam sheds light on the film festival submission process from his perspective as both a filmmaker, and someone who has judged for festivals and film competitions in the past. Topics covered include: Budgeting for festival submissions, understanding the odds of getting accepted and how to improve them, the benefit of submitting to festivals that only accept blind submissions, and much more.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com 

Production and post-production time on micro-budget films is severely limited, making it crucial for filmmakers to ensure they are being as efficient as possible with the limited time that they do have.Based on his experience with the micro-budget feature film “Shadows on the Road”, Noam outlines his top 7 rules for filmmakers looking to optimize production time and increase efficiency across the board. Topics covered include: How and why to keep your locations to a minimum, simplified coverage options that allow for better creative results in less time, a post-production workflows that involves locking picture reel by reel, and much more.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Making a micro-budget film is hard. Making a no-budget film is even harder - especially when you are the only crew member.In this episode, Noam shares actionable tips and advice for no-budget filmmakers who need to act as the Director, DP, and Sound Recordist all at once. From making adjustments to the screenplay, to modifying blocking, lighting, and sound recording techniques, there are countless ways in which no-budget filmmakers can ensure they are still achieving a high production value, even without a crew to fall back on...All of this and much more on this week’s episode!For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

On this episode, Noam interviews Will Gong - a Writer and Editor with years of experience working on large scale feature film projects. Currently working at Disney, Will has edited promos, featurettes, behind the scenes content, and much more for films like Star Wars: Rogue One, Beauty and the Beast, Straight Outta Compton, and many others.While Will has a great deal of experience working on larger productions, he has most recently decided to develop his own content on a smaller scale, and is now in pre-production for a new micro-budget web series he wrote, titled “Bunkheads”. Over the course of this interview, Will shares his invaluable insight on the development and writing process for his project, experiences with crowdfunding and pre-production, and much more.For more info on Will Gong and his project Bunkheads, please visit: www.bunkheads.netYou can also check out Bunkheads on social media using the links below:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BunkheadsTV/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunkheadsInstagram

Many micro-budget feature films are budgeted around $10,000 - $15,000, and are produced over the course of 10 - 12 days. While this type of budget can be a challenge to work with once cast, crew, locations, and other costs are factored in, it can actually go a very long way when approached the right way.In this podcast, Noam breaks down a simple formula for budgeting a 12 day feature film at $1000/day. Using this approach, filmmakers can confidently approach their production process, knowing that all of their core expenses will be covered, including: Cast and crew, location fees, gear, post-produciton and more. The methods outlined here can be easily adapted to feature films with larger or smaller budgets, and are designed to be custom tailored to the unique needs of films of all shapes and sizes.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

One of the most challenging tasks for micro-budget filmmakers is creating a shooting schedule that serves both the creative needs of a feature length production and the logistical paramters of the project. The goal is often to shoot as many pages per day as possible without sacrificing quality, but that is easier said than done.Over the course of this episode, Noam outlines a 12 day shooting schedule that he highly recommends for filmmakers looking to find that perfect balance between quality and efficiency. The schedule is designed for an average shooting rate of 7 1/2 pages per day, and a total of 5 days off over a 17 day period.While no two productions will ever have the exact same logistical needs, this schedule offers an optimal starting point designed to serve a wide variety of micro-budget films.Learn more at www.noamkroll.com

It goes without saying that actors are the lifeblood of any film, and for this very reason it's crucial that all narrative directors fully understand how to elicit powerful and authentic performances from their talent. No two actors are trained in exactly the same way, and no two use the same tools to bring their characters to life, making communicating a specific vision with talent particularly confusing for many directors.There are however, many universal techniques and approaches that directors can and should apply both on set and off, that will allow them to tap into the full potential of their talent, regardless of their training or background. Over the course of this podcast, Noam explores a number of these key fundamental techniques along with many practical tips for directors looking to better inspire, empower, and uplift their actors, with the ultimate goal of fully bringing their vision to life.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

No two filmmakers have the same story, or have broken into the industry in the same way. Filmmaker Jens Jacob is certainly no exception. After moving to Los Angeles with no industry contacts or resources whatsoever, he leveraged his unique abilities behind the camera, a strong business acumen, and invaluable soft skills to carve out a spot for himself in this industry.By working hard, staying humble, and strategically building his network while also opening up multiple businesses of his own, Jens was able to move from PA to Producer and beyond in practically no time at all. Over the past few years, he has produced and directed a number of high profile projects including network airing pilots, the online smash hit Anomaly, and most recently a feature film titled The Heart Of Man, which will have it’s theatrical release this fall.In this episode, Jens shares his wisdom, stories, and insight on all things filmmaking - including some poweful advice for filmmakers that aiming to build a lasting and lucrative caree

No two feature films are made the same way, and this sentiment is especially true of micro-budget productions which often come together under very unconventional circumstances. Director Joe McClean's latest feature film - The Drama Club - is certainly no exception to this rule.With a budget of only $67,000, Joe and his team pulled off development, production, post-produciton, and self-distribution in a true DIY fashion, and have an excellent feature film to show for it.Over the course of this in-depth interview, Joe shares some tremendously valuable insight into each stage of his process. He outlines how he was able to raise the budget for his film himself, put together a dedicated cast and crew that were willing to embrace a project on this scale, his techniques for working efficiently on set and in post, and his experience with film festivals and eventual choice to self-distribute.Be sure to check out the trailer and feature film using the links below:The Drama Club Trailer: https://vimeo.com/185824231The D

Countless filmmakers have leveraged the power of Vimeo to showcase their work, refine their craft, and ultimately build an audience for themselves. Some have had so much success on Vimeo that they have even drawn the attention of Hollywood producers who later afforded them the opportunity to direct, write, DP, or otherwise contribue to full blown feature film projects.On this episode, Noam chats with Derick Rhodes, the Director of Creator Programs & Events at Vimeo. As a filmmaker himself and a former producer for Shutterstock, Derick is truly a wealth of knowledge, and over the course of this interview he shares some invaluable insight for filmmakers looking to maximize their presence on Vimeo and truly make a dent with their work. From explaining the power of Vimeo Channels to detailing how Vimeo Staff Picks are made, Derick dives deep into the inner workings of Vimeo, and shares insight that virtually any filmmaker can can learn something from. He also elaborates on Vimeo's education tools - such as Vi

While some filmmakers absolutely love the writing process and consider themselves true writer-directors, many others prefer to focus strictly on directing, and as such are often searching for high quality written material to work with. In this episode, Noam explores 3 fundamental strategies that can greatly benefit those filmmakers who are eager to get on set as soon as possible, but struggle to find the right material to get them there.For more content like this visit: www.noamkroll.com

Filmmakers at all levels - amateur and professional - often struggle with the same question: What type of project would best help my artistic career, a short or a feature film? While there is no right or wrong answer, there are some clear pros and cons to both that should always be taken into account before venturing off into production. in this episode Noam weighs in with some of his thoughs on each, and outlines how to make the most out of both.For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com

Using scene coverage in unique or unexpected ways is one of the most effective ways for you to leave your mark on a film. Filmmakers are often taught to simply cover their scenes with just a master and closeups, which often leads to less interesting storytelling and less dynamic scenes, even though better choices are readily available.In this episode, Noam shares his insight on how to approach the art of coverage to give yourself more creative and practical options on set and in post-production.For more content like this visit: www.noamkroll.com

With hundreds of 4K capable DSLR and Mirrorless cameras on the market today, choosing the right one can be a very tough decision. In this epsiode, Noam outlines his tought process for purchasing the right camera for your unique needs as a filmmaker, the most critical features you should be looking for in a camera, and explains why DSLRs/Mirrorless cameras are as relevant as ever for filmmakers on a budget.For more content like this, be sure to visit www.noamkroll.com

In this episode, Noam interviews Jamie Benyon and Lucy Jordan, who recently completed production on a micro-budget feature film titled Time of The Season. With exprience on big-budget productions such as Wonder Woman, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Beasts, Free Fire and Rogue One, the filmmaking duo has developed a unique take on their approach to micro-budget films.For more content like this, be sure to visit www.noamkroll.com.You can see some of Jamie and Lucy's work on Time of The Season below:https://twitter.com/TotSFilmhttps://www.facebook.com/TimeofTheSeasonFilmhttps://www.instagram.com/totsfilm/

Filmmakers are notorious for starting projects that they don't finish, and more often than not this issue stems from a lack of proper motivation and commitment. In this episode, Noam explores the fundamental reasons why motivation and commitment are the keys to success for filmmakers, and shares some actionable tips that will help you stay on track throughout the course of your filmmaking process.www.noamkroll.com

Noam explores the different paths that filmmakers take to become feature film Directors, and shares actionable methodology that is universally helpful for aspiring Directors who are looking to reach their full potential.For more content like this, be sure to follow Noam's blog at: http://www.noamkroll.com