Indie Film Hustle Podcast: Filmmaking | Film School | Screenwriting | Film Marketing | Independent Film | Cinematography | Film Festival | Filmmaking Podcasts I Moviemaker

BPS 120: The Essentials of Screenwriting with Richard Walter by Alex Ferrari | Filmmaker, Directing, Visual Effects, Crowdfunding, DP, Film Distribution & Film Business

Today’s guest on the show is Scottish award-winning filmmaker, and writer, Ben Sharrock, known for his Cannes Official Selection 2020 feature film, Limbo, and Pikadero, among others.  Ben’s unique visually captivating films are inspired by middle eastern and northern European cinema. Interpreting middle eastern character in his films as he does in some of his recent work stems from an academic background in Middle East Cinema, Fine Arts, and working advertising in Dubai. The rooted connection --- learning and understanding these cultures carved a for Ben, a unique cinematic voice in the industry. Sharrock and his producing and life partner, Irune Gurtubai founded their production company, Caravan Cinemas under which they premiered their first film, Pikadero at the 2015 San Sebastian International Film Festival.  A penniless, young couple has trouble consummating their fledgling relationship in their parents' homes, forcing their relationship into question as they try to break free from the shackles of a crumbling economy. The film which had initially gone by Patata Tortilla was Sharrock and Gurtubai’s Screen Academy Scotland graduation film. They won two awards at the Zurich Film Festival in 2015, Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2016, and two BAFTA awards that year for new Talent Best Drama and Best Screenplay. The recognition of Pikadero made it easier to get funding to write the screenplay for Limbo which came out in 2020. Ben directed and wrote the original screenplay for Limbo---a wry and poignant observation of the refugee experience which follows Omar, a promising musician and Syrian refugee who is separated from his family, stuck on a remote Scottish island awaiting the fate of his asylum request.  Ben approaches the sensitive issues of refugees' dehumanization and orientalism in this film with absurd humor and honesty.  The film was nominated at this year’s BAFTA for Best British Film, Best debut and best international Feature Film for the GoldenEye. I truly had a fun time geeking out on a tandem with Ben about film lenses, and cameras and learning of his film influences and transferred skills from his career in advertising to filmmaking.  Enjoy my conversation with Ben Sharrock.

In Season 3 we will be deconstructing the work and career of film director Sofia Coppola on The Directors Series Podcast hosted by Cameron Beyl. Proud Member of the IFH Podcast Network http://www.ifhpodcastnetwork.com

Welcome to the newest member of the IFH Podcast Network. May I introduce you to Inside the Screenwriter's MInd: A Screenwriting Archive. Have you ever wondered what it’s like inside a screenwriter’s mind? In this podcast, we explore how successful screenwriters tackle structure, plot, character, dialog, and the film business. Get ready to go down the rabbit hole of stories. Let’s travel inside the screenwriter’s mind. I wanted to create a new bi-weekly podcast that could not only highlight the in-depth conversations I have done with some of the world's greatest screenwriters in Hollywood but I also wanted to shine a light on other amazing interviews from the IFH Podcast Network. In this podcast, I will be your guide down the rabbit-hole of stories as I bring you interviews from the following podcasts: Indie Film Academy Podcast Dave Bullis Podcast Bulletproof Screenwriting Podcast Film Trooper Podcast and others from the IFH Podcast Network As the network continues to grow I will hunt for the best screenwriter interviews and bring them to you on the Inside the Screenwriter's MInd: A Screenwriting Podcast. If you like the podcast please share with your friends, subscribe, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This really helps the show out a lot since we are a new show and I want these amazing interviews to reach as many screenwriters and filmmakers as possible. Thank you for listening and I hope this podcast truly helps you on your screenwriting path. Write. Rewrite. Sell. Repeat. Proud Member of the IFH Podcast Network (www.ifhpodcastnetwork.com)

We are all guilty of exaggerated proclamations to start our fitness journey as a new year resolution, and we don’t always follow through. Over the last decade, the concept of self-care, especially the fitness competent, has become a selling point for Influencers all over America. Today on the show, we a fitness legend, celebrity personal trainer, and author, Tony Horton. He is the wildly popular creator of the best-selling fitness series: P90X®, P90X2®, P90X3®, and Ten Minute Trainer®, and most recently his 22-Minute military inspired workout, 22 Minute Hard Corps®. Tony is a world-class motivational speaker and the author of top-selling books “Bring It”, Crush It!” and his latest motivational book, “The Big Picture” 11 Laws that will change your life. He has appeared on countless television programs as a fitness and lifestyle expert to promote healthy living through exercise and proper nutrition. Tony believes that real and lasting change can happen when we commit to health as a lifestyle. Exercise, whole foods, and the right mindset is the formula that leads to a vibrant, productive and full life for anyone who focuses on being the best they can be. He has also create Power Life by Tony Horton. These formulas are carefully designed to naturally boost your energy levels, support lean muscle development, and streamline your digestion. That way, nothing can hold you back from being your best self. If you want to get 30% OFF your order just use the coupon code: TONY30. Tony is a force of nature. He has impacted my life in many ways and I hope he helps you level up you mind and body.

There are performers that impact your life without you even knowing it and today's guest fits that bill. On the show we have comedic genius, multi-award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, and television host, Billy Crystal. We’ve seen Billy’s versatile work across all areas in the entertainment world, stand-up, improv, Broadway, behind and in front of the camera, feature films, television, live stages like SNL, and animated movies.  It's fascinating how much the man has done over the span of his career---and his lengthy IMDB page is only the tip of the iceberg. Billy’s career took off for his role in the 70's sitcom SOAP, where he played a gay character, Jodie Dallas. This launched him into box office hits such as When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers, Analyze This and the kids favorite, Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc. just to name a few.  Aside from hosting the Oscars® a record nine times and being only one step away from an EGOT, he’s a philanthropist. Billy, along with Whoopi Goldberg and the late Robin Williams created the annual fundraiser stand-up comedy show, Comic Relief, in 1986 that has over the years, raised over $60 million to support the homeless.  The late 80s and early 90s were a really magical time for Billy's career. He had the box office hits Running Scared and Throw Momma from the Train. He had scene stealing parts in the classics This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride.  There’s the 1989 box office smash hit When Harry Met Sally, starring Billy alongside Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher. The story follows Harry and Sally who had known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship. You can’t talk about Billy Crystal classics without mentioning City Slickers for which he won a Golden Globes award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical/Comedy. On the verge of turning 40, an unhappy Manhattan yuppie is roped into joining his two friends on a cattle drive in the southwest. Billy's interest in entertainment started way before college. But his decision to go to NYU put some goals into place for him. He was a member of an improv/comedy group at college and soon he started to host solo standup shows. By 1978, he landed his first starring feature film role in Rabbit Test in which he starred with Joan Rivers.  One defining element of Billy’s work, be it writing, acting or directing is that the pulls from real-life experiences and balances funny and hard conversations effortlessly. Having started out in the business since he was 20 years old, it is absolutely thrilling to watch how he’s knitted together diverse platforms and filed into a accomplished career.  This Friday, May 7th, Billy’s newest film, in which he wrote and directed, Here Today, stars himself and the incredibly funny, Tiffany Haddish, will be released only in theaters. These two make a seamless pairing and their chemistry is oh so charming. The intergenerational teaming of Billy and Tiffany tells a love story that is of friendship, support, and empathy. I absolutely LOVED the film. Do yourself a favor and go out and catch this gem of a film.  When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz meets New York street singer Emma Payge, they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust. Billy has always been there to make me laugh, in good times and bad. I can not tell you what and honor and thrill it was getting to sit-down and speak to a filmmaker, writer and actor that has meant so much to me in my life. Enjoy my entertaining conversation with Billy Crystal.

We have on the show this week, film director, bestselling futurist author, speaker, and actor, David Simpson. You’ve probably stumbled upon his 1.7 million views TEDx presentation ‘Our Post-Human Future’, on Youtube. If not, no worries. This is your chance to get to know the talented storyteller that is David.   He’s written a number of brilliant sci-fi futurist books since his twenties, including the popular ‘Post-Human’ six-part book series, Dawn of the Singularity (The Singularity Saga), The A.I. Chronicles, among others. As a child, David aspired to be a novelist. So his journey led him to study creative writing at the University of British Columbia where he was exposed to screenplay writing and structure. His structural versatility can be seen so brilliantly in his work's visual and technical aesthetics. On the come up, his first short film project was a really small crew of his wife and a camera assistant, including himself. That humble start is common in our line of business---undoubtedly some of the fondest memories for indie filmmakers.  David recently shifted to film with his debut feature film, Dangerous to Know (2020). It is a psychological thriller adaptation of his forthcoming novel of the same title. The film is told across the intersecting and intertwining lives of three characters, exploring mental illness and how it affects not just the sufferer, but all those that the person’s life touches as well. A troubled young woman recovers from a suicide attempt in a secluded cabin, but when a series of unexplained and terrifying incidents occur, she realizes someone-or something-has a far darker future planned for her. Meanwhile, his first film adaptation, Post Human was released in 2015. Post-Human draws back the curtain on the Post-Human world where everyone is immortal, has onboard mental "mind's eye" computers, nanotechnology can make your every dream a reality, and thanks to the magnetic targeted fusion implants every post-human has, everyone can fly. But there's a dark side to this brave new world. Surveillance. Every post-human is monitored from the inside out, and the one artificial superintelligence running the show might be on the verge of making its first big mistake. It was an absolute honor chatting it up with David and going on a tandem about 90s film gadgets. Enjoy my entertaining conversation with David Simpson.

You guys better get ready for a hell of a ride because our guest today brought a great conversation. We have accomplished screenwriter and director Joe Cornish on the show today. The English comedian and filmmaker burst onto the scene in 2011 with his very successful film directorial debut, Attack The Block, starring John Boyega, who played Moses, a low-level crook, teenage gang leader, an orphan looking for respect around the block. The British sci-fi comedy horror film centers on a teenage street gang who have to defend themselves and their block from predatory alien invaders on Guy Fawkes Night.  Commercially, the film did not perform as it was acclaimed critically. It is rated at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, won the Audience Award for Best Film (Midnights) at SXSW 2011, and many other awards from all major film festivals that year. Cornish and his comedy partner, Adam Buxton form the successful duo, Adam & Joe an ironic pop culture sketch show which gained a lot of success in the UK alongside Cornish’s long-term work in the UK TV entertainment industry.  In 2011 he joined iconic directors, Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg as a writer for the screenplay and story for the 3D animated action-adventure film, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn --- co-written alongside Edgar Wright and Steven Moffat. Intrepid reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock's ancestor. This $135 million budget film grossed $374 million at the box office and received a plethora of nominations including Oscars for Best Original Score, a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film, two BAFTA nominations for Best Animated Film and Best Special Visual Effects. Cornish co-wrote the screenplay for the Marvel Comic character, Ant-Man, along with Wright, Adam McKay, and Paul Rudd in 2015.  Rudd, starring as Ant-Man is armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.  Similar to most Marvel Studio movies, the film carried a big budget of $169.3 million and grossed $519.3 million. His latest film, The Kid Who Would Be King (2019), which I highly recommend everybody to watch, joins a band of kids who embarks on an epic quest to thwart a medieval menace. Joe honestly, was extremely forthcoming and transparent about a lot of things; like what happened behind the scenes of Ant-Man and what it's like to write inside the Marvel machine. And we also discuss his craft, how he is as a director, how he likes to approach his writing and many more. Enjoy this conversation with Joe Cornish.

This week, I wanted to pick the brain of a brilliant filmmaker, Mike Dion. Mike is an award-winning filmmaker, marketing strategist, and multimedia storyteller who has made a living over the last 20+ years applying all the tools needed by a filmtrepreneur. He's found his niche creating documentaries of adventurous brevets and transcontinental cycling races across the US, Mexico, and Canada Mike has produced globally distributed feature-length projects like Hair I Go Again (2016), Inspired to Ride, Reveal The Path, Where The Yellowstone Goes, and Ride the Divide that can be streamed across major platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes.  On June 7, 2014, forty-five cyclists from around the world set out on the inaugural Trans Am Bike Race, following the famed TransAmerica Trail. Their mission is to cover 4,233 miles in one enormous stage race, traversing through ten states in a transcontinental adventure of epic proportions. Inspired to Ride follows a handful of cyclists from around the world as they race unsupported in the inaugural year, with four cinematographers, cameras flying in the sky, and GoPro’s galore. Mike produced the Inspired to Ride documentary in 2015. Here's a peak of Mike's latest documentary, Hair We Go Again: Facing a midlife crossroads, two longtime friends risk everything as they set out to fulfill their dreams of achieving rock & roll stardom. The first and last chances happen only once as their improbable journey is chronicled in the feature-length documentary, Hair I Go Again. One of the reasons I invited Mike on the show was to have him share what he's doing, how he's selling content, what's making money, and what's not making money. In 2008, he created Mike Dion Productions which original content like films, strategy, and branded content for social media, marketing, etc. In 2012,  he paired with his producing partner, Hunter Weeks for his directorial debut documentary film, Reveal the Path---A genre-defying adventure film that contemplates what it means to live an inspired life using the bicycle as a mechanism to explore, dream and discover. In true Mike Dion niche-storytelling fashion, one of his first producer/editor gigs was the award-winning feature film about the Tour Divide Race in 2010 titled, Ride the Divide. The film weaves the story of three characters' experiences with immense mountain beauty and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border. The Tour Divide Race is basically a mountain bike race that traverses over 2700 miles along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. The COVID pandemic has required everyone to profoundly change how we budget, prep, and produce a feature film or television show project in order to work safely and effectively. So this is a very educational episode if you are looking to learn how to safely shoot a feature film during COVID and how to make money from it. Enjoy my informative conversation with Mike Dion.

In Season 3 we will be deconstructing the work and career of film director Sofia Coppola on The Directors Series Podcast hosted by Cameron Beyl. Proud Member of the IFH Podcast Network http://www.ifhpodcastnetwork.com

It was brought to my attention that there are predatory film aggregators and distributors out there selling promises that they don’t intend to keep. Yes, I know shocking. Specifically, I came across a few film aggregators, and use the term “aggregator” extremely loosely, that were promising filmmakers that if they use their service they could guarantee their film would be placed on Netflix, Hulu, Tubi, etc. “THIS IS 100% BS!” In this episode, I’ll break down the predatory tactics they use and will follow the money so you can see how the sausage is made using this scam. Some of these “aggregators” have no experience in film aggregation AT ALL. No history working with filmmakers. I mean they just buy a URL, open shop, use a fancy website and promise indie filmmakers the world. You need to do your homework. You need to ask around to see if you can find anyone who has done business with them. You can reach out to the amazing community of indie filmmakers over at the Private Facebook Group: Protect Yourself from Predatory Film Distributors/Aggregators and see if they have any insight. It’s just not predatory aggregators, we can’t forget the predatory film distributors. These companies promise you this and that but never deliver. If it’s not in the agreement it doesn’t matter what they tell you. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Speak to a qualified entertainment attorney with expertise in film distribution. As I stated last year when the economic situation in the world changes predatory film aggregators and distributors will become more and more desperate. Stay vigilant out there tribe. Sharks are around every corner. Enjoy the episode.

Fear is responsible for more unfulfilled lives than anything else. Feat stops us from moving forward, taking chances, and taking risks. Fear causes you to look back on your life when you are older and regret not opening that business or following your dream or walking up to that pretty girl at the party. Today's guests also deal with fear on a daily basis but they don't allow it to stop them from evolving and moving forward in life. We have on the show today the legendary lead singer Bruce Dickinson of the iconic band Iron Maiden and if that wasn't enough we are also joined Sacha Gervasi, the screenwriter behind Steven Spielberg's The Terminal and director behind the remarkable film Anvil! The Story of Anvil. Bruce is a renaissance man. In addition being a world class singer he is also an accomplished airline pilot, olympic caliber fencer, radio and television host, best-selling author, beer entrepreneur, and the list goes and on. Fear never stopped Bruce from following his curiosities or evolution in this life. Sacha and Bruce are currently working on a exciting feature film based on his documentary Scream for Me Sarajevo. The story of hope in a time of war. Scream for Me Sarajevo is the amazing and astonishing story of the most unlikely of rock concerts, performed by Bruce Dickinson and his band Skunkworks in 1994, in the midst of the Siege of Sarajevo. This is a film about extraordinary people defying the horrors of war, and the musicians who risked their lives to play a show for them. Bruce, Sacha and I had an amazing conversation about breaking through fear, where does inspiration and art come from and how they both continue to grow as people, artists and souls. BTW, we will be doing a deep dive into Sacha's amazing life in a future episode as well. Enjoy and rock on!

On the show, today is an indie film director, and CEO of Unstable Ground multi-media company, Justin McConnell.  Even though he’s known for his work in post-production, Justin has also directed and written projects like Clapboard Jungle, Skull World, Lifechangers, and Galaxy of Horrors across the sci-fi-horror and documentary genres. Justin is a man who wears many hats; his multi-media company, Unstable Ground, which he has been running successfully for the last 22 years specializes non-exclusively in film and television production.  The main reason I wanted him to come on the show was to discuss his new documentary called Clapboard Jungle, which explores the painful and brutal journey of a filmmaker trying and the movie-making process. I absolutely loved the documentary. It’s in a great tradition of films about making movies sort of a love letter to independent filmmakers. Clapboard Jungle, directed by Justin in 2020, is a documentary that follows five years in the life and career of an independent filmmaker, supported by dozens of interviews, posing one question: how does an indie filmmaker survive in the current film business. Clapboard Jungle was birthed from his lacking for such resource at the start of his career in the industry and launched onto developing the project/thought after directing and writing his 2013 documentary, Skull World, which follows two years in the life of Greg Sommer, aka Skull Man, as he builds the Canadian chapter of Box Wars, an international underground movement of cardboard-based combat. Talking about horror, he wrote and directed a fantastic yet disturbing horror feature film, Lifechanger in 2018 that is about a homicidal shapeshifter who is obsessed with reconnecting with the woman he once loved. To cheat death, he leaps from one body to the next, stealing the form of his murdered victims. And with each new identity, he circles closer and closer to her, looking to wind his way back into her life and her arms, no matter the cost. Clapboard Jungle is a MUST WATCH FILM for all filmmakers. It shows you the raw truth behind the dream of being a filmmaker. Enjoy my eye-opening conversation with Justin McConnell.

BPS 118: From Short Film Script to Spielberg with Sacha Gervasi by Alex Ferrari | Filmmaker, Directing, Visual Effects, Crowdfunding, DP, Film Distribution & Film Business

Get ready to go down the rabbit hole of 80's action cinema. I sat with an iconic 80s & 90s action film director, writer, and producer this week - Sheldon Lettich brought to our screens some epic actors and fighters like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sylvester Stallone. He’s the trailblazing director and writer of Lionheart (1990), Bloodsport (1988), Rambo III (1988), and the Cold War drama, Russkies that first introduced us to the phenomenon that is Joaquin Phoenix.  An Ex-French Soldier begins participating in underground street fights in order to make money for his brother's family.  Lettich’s experience as a Vietnam veteran has inspired much of his films and plays throughout his career. Paired with his academic background in photography and cinematography, he bulldozed the action film scene with other classics like The Order, Double Impact, and The Last Patrol. Between 1983 to 1987, Lettich wrote and directed a couple of short films that did not pick up as much. The following year, he wrote and the martial arts classic, Bloodsport - inspired by tall tales from Frank Dux that Lettich became a famous name in Hollywood.  The film also launched Jean-Claude’s career, the star of Bloodsport who played Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur. If you love Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat then you have Sheldon to thank. Bloodsport was the first time you have multiple fighters, from around the world, with unique styles fighting in a tournament. The commercial success of Bloodsport, which grossed $50 million on a $2.3 million budget catalyst more trailblazing films. Lettich signed an overall deal immediately with White Eagle Productions that led to his collaboration, co-writing Rambo III alongside Sylvester Stallone in 1988. The movie was a HIT for the Box office. It outperformed his previous project, grossing $189 million on its $63 million budget.  One thing I discovered speaking to Sheldon is that Bloodsport was NOT A TRUE STORY. The person that the film was based on, Frank Dux, was apparently a brilliant storyteller. There were lawsuits, books written, just and absolute mess. Either way the film is a masterpiece of 80's action cinema. Another classic in Sheldon's canon was the highly anticipated sequel, Rambo III starring Sylvester Stallone. Rambo mounts a one-man mission to rescue his friend Colonel Trautman from the clutches of the formidable invading Soviet forces in Afghanistan. Lettich reunited with his friend, Jean-Claude in 1990 for the fan-favorite, Lionheart. This time directing and as a co-writer. He approached the project to allow Jean-Claude to display versatility, compassion, and rises beyond the "Karate Guy", now that he had become a household name. The film made $24.3 million on a $6million budget and became popular amongst his films. The two, Lettich and Van Damme, immediately followed up with their third of several collaborations, Double Impact in 1991 with Jean-Claude playing a set of twin brothers who were separated when their parents were murdered but 25 years later they re-unite in order to avenge their parents' death. Like their initial projects, this one too became a critical and commercial hit. It was a nostalgic thrill chatting with Sheldon about these movies that are part of the beautiful tapestry that is 80's action cinema. Enjoy this throwback entertaining conversation with Sheldon Lettich.