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Please note: Throwback Fridays are archival episodes from the Indie Film Hustle Podcast. After many requests from the IFH Tribe to bring back some of the show's best episodes, I decided to create Throwback Fridays. These episodes will not be posted every week but at least twice a month...if not more. There's so much amazing info and knowledge bombs in many of these past episodes and I don't want them to be lost in the sea of IFH Content so I'll be putting a spotlight on them in Throwback Fridays. Enjoy! Linda Seger - How to Make a Good Script Great Linda Seger is a legend when it comes to screenwriting coaching and script consultanting. She's been couching for over 30 years and pretty much invented the job title. After reading her best selling book, "Making A Good Script Great" I had to have her on the show. She's best known for her method of analyzing movie scripts, which she originally developed as her graduate school dissertation on "What Makes a Great Script." She founded the script consulting industry, becoming the first entrepreneur who saw script consulting as a business, rather than an offshoot of seminars or books. Linda Seger has consulted on over 2000 screenplays and over 100 produced films and television shows including Universal Soldier, The Neverending Story II, Luther, The Bridge (miniseries,) etc. “When I arrived I had an idea. Three days later the idea had become a complete and rich outline. Linda’s warmth, guidance and insight helped me structure my story and discover the layers that made it come alive.” Sergio Umansky Her clients include Oscar® winning writer and director Peter Jackson, Sony Pictures, and Ray Bradbury. Unlike other screenwriting gurus, Linda Seger is not a screenwriter, but has focused exclusively on consulting and teaching. Linda Seger has written 13 books, 9 of them on screenwriting, including the best-selling Making a Good Script Great, Creating Unforgettable Characters, and Writing Subtext. (FREE AUDIO BOOK VERSIONS HERE) Ron Howard has endorsed Making a Good Script Great, saying he uses the book when making all of his movies beginning with Apollo 13. Not a bad recommendation. Take a listen to this master class on screenwriting with Linda Seger and get ready to take notes!

If you were a kid of the late 80s or early 90s then today’s guest definitely had an impact on your life. Larry Wilson is the co-creator of the cult classic Beetlejuice (directed by Tim Burton), writer of Addams Family and worked on the legendary television show Tales from the Crypt. Larry wasn’t always a screenwriter, he worked on the studio side of things as well as an executive. In this interview, he tells the story of how he championed a young and pre-Terminator James Cameron to be the writer/director of Aliens. Great story!

Please note: Throwback Fridays are archival episodes from the Indie Film Hustle Podcast. After many requests from the IFH Tribe to bring back some of the show's best episodes, I decided to create Throwback Fridays. These episodes will not be posted every week but at least twice a month...if not more. There's so much amazing info and knowledge bombs in many of these past episodes and I don't want them to be lost in the sea of IFH Content so I'll be putting a spotlight on them in Throwback Fridays. Enjoy! What Happens After You Win the SXSW Film Festival? Have you always wonder what happens to indie filmmakers who win HUGE film festivals like the SXSW Film Festival? Well, wonder no more. I've invited one of my oldest friends onto the show, Brant Sersen, the writer, and director of the SXSW Audience Award-winning film "Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story" starring Rob Corddry. Some other films he's directed are Release, Splinterheads, and Sanatorium. Over the years I've heard Brant tell me all sorts of stories about his misadventures in Hollywood. So if you are expecting an "Entourage" style story you're on the wrong website. What I try to do with Indie Film Hustle is to give you the no BS info, stories, and experiences you can only get by being in the heat of battle. Brant Sersen's story is no different. Brant shares his ups and down on the Hollywood roller coaster, what it takes to make it as a working filmmaker and shares behind the scenes stories of working with big name talent. Enjoy the podcast!

Cinema Lenses MasterClass with Matthew Duclos Today we are going deep down the cinema lenses rabbit hole. I was lucky enough to sit down and speak to the "Yoda" of cinema lenses Matthew Duclos. Matthew has been working on lenses for most of his life. Most cinematographers in Los Anges (and around the world) consider him an expert in the field. I was hearing Duclos' name on set as far as I can remember so it was a thrill to get to speak and grill Matthew on all things lenses Here's some info on Duclos Lenses: Duclos Lenses is the premier destination for high-quality motion picture optics. We strive to provide quality service to the industry's professionals who own and rent top-of-the-line cinema optics. We have the test equipment and experience required to optimize and maintain all of your lenses. We're a family owned and operated business who not only appreciate and respect customers in a way only a small business could, but also thrive off of our customers satisfaction and repeat business Enjoy my conversation with Matthew Duclos of Duclos Lenses. Right click here to download the MP3 Download on iTunes Direct Watch on IFH YouTube Channel LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Duclos Lenses Matthew Duclos - Facebook This is Meg SPONSORS Directing Actors Master Course – (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE) Get Your Film on Netflix, Hulu & Amazon & Keep 100% off the Revenue - Distribber Hollywood Camera Work: Mastering High-End Blocking and Staging (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE) Aaron Sorkin Screenwriting Master Class FreeFilmBook.com (Download Your FREE Filmmaking Audio Book) KILLER RESOURCES!!! INDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking Community IFH's Online Film School Six Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE! Action Items: Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or via RSS BONUS: TOP TEN Online Filmmaking Courses Werner Herzog's Filmmaking MasterClass How to Become a Working Director MasterClass Filmmaking Hacks: Filmmaking Master Course USC Film School's ONLY Online Course: Directing the Actor Film Lighting MasterClass Recording Sound for Indie Film Cinematography MasterClass Film Festival Hacks: Submit Like a Pro Enjoyed Cinema Lenses MasterClass with Matthew Duclos? Please share it in your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, email etc) by using social media buttons at the side or bottom of the blog. Or post to your blog and anywhere else you feel it would be a good fit. Thanks. I welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the comments section below... Get Social with Indie Film Hustle: Facebook: Indie Film Hustle Twitter: @indiefilmhustle Instagram: @ifilmhustle YouTube: Indie Film Hustle TV Podcast: IFH Podcast Podcast: Film Festival Hacks Podcast IFH: Filmmaking Hacks

Please note: Throwback Fridays are archival episodes from the Indie Film Hustle Podcast. After many requests from the IFH Tribe to bring back some of the show’s best episodes, I decided to create Throwback Fridays. These episodes will not be posted every week but at least twice a month…if not more. There’s so much amazing info and knowledge bombs in many of these past episodes and I don’t want them to be lost in the sea of IFH Content so I’ll be putting a spotlight on them in Throwback Fridays. Enjoy! Surviving the Hollywood Implosion with Scott McMahon Is there an implosion coming to Hollywood? Film Trooper Scott McMahon thinks so and he’s not alone. Think its crazy, think again. Listen to what the king of the blockbusters Steven Spielberg had to say, “There’s going to be an implosion. Mega budget movies are going to go crashing into the ground and that’s going to change the paradigm.” If the Hollywood implosion does come to fruition, then where do aspiring filmmakers go to make a living? Step in Film Trooper Scott McMahon. Scott created a book entitled “How to Make and Sell Your Film Online and Survive the Hollywood Implosion While Doing It.” (FREE AUDIO BOOK VERSIONS HERE) Directing Actors, Directing Course, Per Holmes, Hollywood Camera Work, Hollywood Camera Work Coupon, Nina Foch There are a lot of books on how to make a movie and how to be part of the Hollywood machine; but this step-by-step guide will show you, the über independent filmmaker… …how to bypass all of that and get to the heart of making and selling digital products (your film) directly to an online audience and survive the Hollywood implosion while doing it. I’ve known Scott McMahon for a while now and he’s a wealth of information. He’s truly trying to help the “über independent filmmaker” make it in the film business. His site Film Trooper is a perfect extension of his mission.

It’s a been a long journey but This is Meg finally had it’s World Premiere at the Cinequest. I was fortunate enough to have a bunch of the cast make the trek up to San Jose, CA from Los Angeles. We had an amazing time. Cinequest really loves and supports filmmakers. They treated us like royalty. So in between screening, parties, and meetings I grabbed the cast: Joseph Reitman, Jill-Michelle Meleán, Lahna Turner, Holly Wortell and Ruben Dario and did an impromptu podcast in our hotel room. We discussed the festival, their experiences working on This is Meg, what the state of the biz is and much more. This episode is educational and funny but a bit “blue” in its language so if you are a parent you’ve been warned. Enjoy my conversation with the cast of This is Meg.

Please note: Throwback Fridays are archival episodes from the Indie Film Hustle Podcast. After many requests from the IFH Tribe to bring back some of the show's best episodes, I decided to create Throwback Fridays. These episodes will not be posted every week but at least twice a month...if not more. There's so much amazing info and knowledge bombs in many of these past episodes and I don't want them to be lost in the sea of IFH Content so I'll be putting a spotlight on them in Throwback Fridays. Enjoy! Theatrical Self Distribution of Indie Films Made Easy with Tugg I know it's most indie filmmaker's dream to have their film screen theatrically around the world. I know I always love seeing my work on the big screen. There's a magically thing about the silver screen but alas that dream was out of reach for most indie filmmakers until now. If you haven't heard of the remarkable "game changing" company TUGG, you are in for a treat. TUGG is cinema on-demand for indie films. The web-based platform allows you to self-distribute you feature film around the country with no money upfront. That's right no upfront costs. You only pay when you have a screening booked. TUGG has created a remarkable way for moviegoers to experience the films they love in a theatrical setting. Through this platform, indie filmmakers are empowered to submit a film, create a screening time and find nearby movie theater, then spread the word to their local and online community. Once a necessary amount of people commit to attending, the event will be confirmed, and TUGG will reserve the theater, manage ticketing and ensure delivery of the film; allowing the audience to sit back and enjoy the show while the indie filmmaker counts the cash. "Every film speaks to a different person, and the most exciting thing about TUGG is that it allows for audiences to find their films and films to find their audiences. We are eager to offer a platform that enables studios, filmmakers and exhibitors to have unprecedented interaction with communities and influencers," ...said co-founders, Gonda and Gonzalez. You might ask: "What kind of movie theaters does TUGG have in its network?" Directing Actors, Directing Course, Per Holmes, Hollywood Camera Work, Hollywood Camera Work Coupon, Nina Foch TUGG has access to over 90% of ALL the screens in the United States. Theater chains like: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema AMC Theatres Bow Tie Cinemas Cinemark Theatres Goodrich Quality Cinemas Rave Cinemas Regal Cinemas Just listen to this what Alamo Drafthouse CEO/Founder Tim League had to say about TUGG: "As the creators were first showing me TUGG, I had the same sensation I had when I first started using Facebook. This was a brilliant, well-executed concept that could really change things for our business in a significant way," In this episode, we speak to Felicia Pride, Director of Independent Film LA at TUGG. She sits down with us and discusses all things TUGG, theatrical distribution and indie film. Be prepared to have your mind ROCKED!

How to Make $250K Indie Film Look Like $25 Million Blockbuster with Gaelan Connell Every once in a while I come across a filmmaker who is just a bit crazier than I am. This is true for writer/director Gaelan Connell who's film Blood Sand and Gold is a true indie film miracle. This mad man decided to raise $250,000 (much of which was out of pocket) and go off and make a big budget action film, just one problem he didn't have a big budget. Yes, I know $250K is a lot of money but it's not enough for what Gaelan Connell was attempting to do. Check this out, Blood Sand and Gold was shot over the course of 58 days across 5 countries and 4 continents! It has Jason Bourne/James Bond style action. I mean it's nuts. Check out the trailer below: I had to have him on the show to reveal his secret sauce on how he was able to accomplish this crazy mission. Not only did he jump on the podcast and drops some MAJOR knowledge bombs, he also wrote up an article laying out his top 5 filmmaking tips. Take a listen to the podcast, then read Gaelan Connell 's article. Enjoy and get ready to be inspired!

Have you ever wish that you could avoid pitfalls and mistakes that other filmmakers made before you? Today's guest does just that. Reed Martin is the author of the best-selling book The Reel Truth: Everything You Didn't Know You Need to Know About Making an Independent Film. Reed Martin is a former adjunct professor at NYU's Stern School and Columbia Business School. Previously, he has worked as the Director of Marketing at Independent Pictures, the New York-based production company of producer Cary Woods ("Swingers," "Scream"). Martin is also a former research associate at Harvard Business School, where he created class materials for the senior faculty.

So as filmmakers we all want to make the best films we can. Sometimes filmmakers think that a bigger budget is the answer, that bigger is better. This is what I thought when I went down the road and create my short film Red Princess Blues. After going down this road once before with my first short film BROKEN, I thought bigger had to be better. If $8000 was good (budget of BROKEN) then with $50,000 I could blow everyone away. BROKEN opened a ton of doors for me as a filmmaker. I was contacted by studios, executives, producers, agent, you name it. BROKEN was an ambitious short film, to say the least. You can listen to that story here: How I Made Over $90,000 Selling My Short Film. In this episode, I discuss the mistakes I made when I made a $50,000+ short film. Mistakes with Budget Crew Choices Size of Crew and Cast Production Design Distribution Plan ROI (Return on Investment) Who is the end user (audience I'm trying to reach)

Lessons Learned from Running Indie Film Hustle I wanted to put together this episode to share with the IFH Tribe the amazing lessons I've learned over the past year and a half running both IndieFilmHustle.com and the IFH Podcast. I wanted to show you how these lessons can be applied to your filmmaking or screenwriting journey. When I started IFH I really had no end game. I knew I wanted to reach as many filmmakers and artists as I could but that was it. The key for me was just focusing on the day to day tasks and not the monstrous mountain I wanted to get to the top of. BTW, I'm nowhere near the top of that mountain, I'm still at the bottom at base camp =) In this episodes I go into the 5 Lessons I used every day in my creative, professional and personal life. These are: Consistency Learning How to React and Adjust Patience Hustle I break down each lesson and go deep down the rabbit hole on how you can apply these to you filmmaking and creative life. Enjoy and keep on hustlin' Right click here to download the MP3 Download on iTunes Direct Watch on IFH YouTube Channel Directing Actors, Directing Course, Per Holmes, Hollywood Camera Work, Hollywood Camera Work Coupon, Nina Foch LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE This is Meg - Cinequest Tickets This is Meg - Official Site How to make a $1,000 Feature Film with Jay & Mark Duplass Joe Swanberg: How to Shoot & Sell Six Feature Films in a Year! RocketJump SPONSORS Directing Actors Master Course – (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE) Get Your Film on Netflix, Hulu & Amazon & Keep 100% off the Revenue - Distribber Hollywood Camera Work: Mastering High-End Blocking and Staging (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE) Aaron Sorkin Screenwriting Master Class Hans Zimmer Film Scoring MasterClass Kevin Spacey Acting Master Class FreeFilmBook.com (Download Your FREE Filmmaking Audio Book) KILLER RESOURCES!!! INDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking Community IFH's Online Film School Six Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE! Action Items: Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or via RSS BONUS: TOP TEN Online Filmmaking Courses Werner Herzog’s Filmmaking MasterClass Filmmaking Hacks: Filmmaking Master Course Directing Actors Film Workshop USC Film School’s ONLY Online Course: Directing the Actor Film Lighting MasterClass Recording Sound for Indie Film The Art of Micro-Budget Filmmaking Cinematography MasterClass Film Festival Hacks: Submit Like a Pro Self-Distributing Your Film Online If you liked 6 Mistakes To Avoid Your First Day On a Film Set, take a look at this: filmmaker, indie filmmaker, filmmakers, indie film hustle, alex ferrari, filmmaking podcast Joshua Caldwell, Josh Caldwell, Layover, Nervous, Being Somebody, South Beach, Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF, RESIGNATION, Dig Michael Polish, mark polish, the polish brothers, for lovers only, Stana vatic, Canon 5D Mark II, no budget filmmaking Enjoyed 6 Mistakes To Avoid Your First Day On a Film Set? Please share it in your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, email etc) by using social media buttons at the side or bottom of the blog. Or post to your blog and anywhere else you feel it would be a good fit. Thanks. I welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the comments section below... Get Social with Indie Film Hustle: Facebook: Indie Film Hustle Twitter: @indiefilmhustle Instagram: @ifilmhustle YouTube: Indie Film Hustle TV Podcast: IFH Podcast IFH: Indie Film School

I speak a lot on IFH on how filmmakers should create their own ecosystem and revenue streams, today's guest has done just that. Shaked Berenson is Co-Founder of Epic Pictures Group, a film financing, production, and international/domestic sales company based in Beverly Hills, CA. Shaked has produced films like the cult hit Turbo Kid (SXSW Audience Award), Entertainment (Official Sundance Film Festival Selection) and the animated film Space Dogs: Adventure to the Moon. What is great about Shaked is that he has created his own ecosystem. From financing to production to distribution, all under one umbrella. This way he cuts out the middle man and he can keep more of the profits. Shaked came to my attention when I found out he was one of the producers of the internet darling Turbo Kid. The way that film was marketed, sold and distributed is something all filmmakers should study. Here's the Synopsis of Turbo Kid: Set in the post-apocalyptic year of 1997, TURBO KID is a retro-futuristic nostalgic tribute to 80’s action-adventure films follows a teenager who goes on an adventure to save the girl of his dreams. "Mad Max on a BMX: 'Turbo Kid' is an '80s adventure with added gore, and it looks nuts." - CNET Also if you want to study an amazing crowdfunding campaign check out what the Turbo Kid filmmakers did on IndieGoGo. We go deep down the rabbit hole all things Turbo Kid, indie filmmakers, building your own revenue streams and much more. Directing Actors, Directing Course, Per Holmes, Hollywood Camera Work, Hollywood Camera Work Coupon, Nina Foch Here's a bit about Shaked Berenson: Prior to Epic Pictures Group, Berenson served as Renegade Pictures’ Director of Sales as well as the Director of Technology and International Relations for the Giffoni Hollywood Film Festival. Before Renegade Pictures, Berenson was in the Israeli Defense Force for four and half years where he served in managerial and educational roles as a project consultant to Elbit Systems, and worked as a program developer for NetVision, an Internet solutions company. He holds a degree in economics and business from UCLA. - IFTA-Online.org Enjoy my conversation with Shaked Berenson.

6 Mistakes To Avoid Your First Day On a Film Set 1. Arriving Late If you’re not early, you’re late. I aim to get to work at least 15 minutes early each day on a film set. This gives me time to setup, read my call sheet and sides, cram in some extra breakfast and make my boss a coffee. If you are late on day one you instantly create a bad reputation for yourself and this industry is built on reputation and relationships. Set your alarm early for the first day, pick out what you need to wear the night before and make sure you’ve had a look at where you need to get to so you don’t get lost. 2. Forgetting Names No one will remember your name but don’t let that be an excuse to forget theirs. It’s great if you can remember as many names as possible on your first day on a film set, at least those in your department. This will make you stand out and give you the best chance of them remembering you. I sometimes even write down people’s names in a notebook or phone when they aren’t looking so you can refer back to it. Alternatively, you can also ask the production office for a crew list to help you remember who’s who. 3. Asking An Actor What They Do You’ll be trying small talk with whoever is standing around. It’s pretty embarrassing when you ask an actor what department they are in or what they do. Embarrassing for them I guess, as they expect that you’ll know them from the seven short films they released on Vimeo last year. As long as you are polite I’m sure they’ll get over it. I’ve asked Mel Gibson’s son what his last name was. He politely replied ‘Gibson’. That makes sense, I thought. Directing Actors, Directing Course, Per Holmes, Hollywood Camera Work, Hollywood Camera Work Coupon, Nina Foch 4. Phone Ringing During A Take This is even more embarrassing than when you wet yourself in kindergarten and had to go to sick bay to get some spare clothing. Don’t let your phone ring on set, especially during a take. At least have it on silent or even better, just turn it off if you don’t need it for some kind of emergency calls. Your Facebook and Instagram updates can wait until you get home. If your phone does ring during a take I can guarantee the crew will remember who you are and be hassling you each day until you provide a case of beer for your sins. 5. Walking Through The Back Of Shot Film sets can be a daunting place at the best of times with crew members rushing about knowing exactly what to do and where to be. You’ll find it hard on day one to even find a place to stand that is out of the way. Have a good look at where the cameras are pointing and make sure you don’t settle in the back of the shot. It’s always embarrassing when you hear “Cut!” and the director berates the person that was standing in the shot only to realize that was you… A safe bet is near all the equipment trolleys. Usually, this is fairly close to set but enough out of the way until you discover your place on set. 6. Standing In The Actor’s Eye line An eye line refers to where an actor is looking in the scene. It may be directly at the other actors, it could be out to the horizon or it could be an imaginary moving car that is driving in the distance. So, why should you stay clear of it? Actors are performers and they need to feel secure during filming. You’d likely not love fifty people gawking while you feign ‘true love’ and awkwardly kiss your sweaty co-star in a claustrophobic studio. Such a kiss could only be made worse by a wandering PA aimlessly ambling into their line of sight. If you need to be close to the action during the scene, try and hide yourself behind some equipment or set dressing so that you remain inconspicuous. Alternatively, turn your back to them or simply look down at the ground while the scene is played out. Don’t move around and fidget.

I’ve been editing features, shorts, commercial, and everything else shot on film or video for over 20 years. Editing on almost every non-linear editing system you can imagine I know what I want and like in an NLE. When it came time to edit my directorial feature film debut, This is Meg, I knew my good old Final Cut Pro 7 wouldn’t cut it. So I decide to give Davinci Resolve 12.5 a try. I’ve been color grading on DaVinci Resolve for years and always jumped over the “edit tab” on my way to the color tab. Once version 12 came out I was blown away. So powerful, so intuitive and it just plain worked! I have to tell you, “DaVinci Resolve is what Final Cut X should’ve been.” The good folks over at Blackmagic Design invited me to speak at the Slamdance Film Festival 2017 to discuss my experience editing, color grading and finishing on Davinci Resolve. Enjoy!

Today's guest cracked open a door to a part of the industry I had no idea about, television. Matthew Doyle is a television lit agent at the Verve Talent and Literary Agency. He's an up and comer in the industry and definitely a hustler. My co-host Sebastian Twardos and I wanted to get an "in the trenches" perceptive on the television market and Matthew delivered. He tells a great story on how he got promoted to an agent with a prank by the partners at Verve. Here's a bit on Matthew Doyle: Doyle joined in January as Verve’s first off-desk TV lit coordinator. He implemented a new system for information flow and tracking, redesigned current grids, and helped lead Verve to its most successful staffing season ever, with 80% of clients staffed on broadcast and cable shows. He has been an aggressive recruiter, interviewing and training new employees. Worked with up-and-coming clients such as Arkasha Stevenson and Kirk Sullivan on the television side, and has played an important role in signing clients staffed on upcoming series such as “Pitch” and “Riverdale.” Challenges of the job? “Recognizing that everyone is the protagonist of their own story, and treating them accordingly,” Doyle says. - From Variety - 10 Assistants to Watch 2016 All of these Sundance Series episodes are co-produced by Sebastian Twardosz from Circus Road Films and Media Circus.