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Today we have on the show the very talented writer/director Benjamin Cox. He is the founder of Red Square Pictures, a New York-based film production company. As creative head, Mr. Cox oversees all aspects of the company's development, production, and content-related activities. A producer, writer, and director, his Red Square Pictures projects include work for a wide range of commercial/fashion clients as well as narrative work in both television and feature films.

Film Distribution: Top 10 Rules for Success When filmmakers go out into the world to try to sell their indie film it can be a bit dangerous. The shark infested waters that make up film distribution can be brutal. Since I'm now going down the same dangerous road with my film This is Meg, I decided to write up a few rules I found useful over the years when it comes to film distribution. Split Up Your Rights The Bigger the Deal the Less Control You Have Cap Your Film Distribution Expenses The Middle Men - Beware of the Deal Nothing is Guaranteed Cost vs Sale or R.O.I. Film Festivals Help...Sometimes Beware of Exclusive 5 Year Distribution Contract Don't get caught with your pants down in Post Production E/O Insurance...gotta have it I go into great detail about the list below in the podcast episode so take a listen. I hope to have the transcript for this episode up by next week. Happy selling.

This week we have Rafael Diaz Wagner, co-writer, and producer of the new Cult Classic "Attack of the Killer Donuts." Yes, that is really the name of the film and it's glorious. He started making films with a Beta Camera when he was 10 years old. Since then Rafael has written or co-written over 15 screenplays I wanted to find out how this film was made, marketed and sold. It's a wonderful case study. Check out the trailer below and get ready to laugh. Here a quote from the Hollywood Report review of the : "If John Waters and George Romero dropped acid together and then spent the night at their local Krispy Kreme, they might have concocted something like Attack of the Killer Donuts. But the fact that such a film actually exists, and is exactly what it claims to be about, is something that even the best drugs can’t help explain." And here is the poster that got me interested in speaking to Rafael. They knew who their market was and marketed directly to them. 900 Enjoy my conversation with writer/producer Rafael Diaz Wagner.

How to Shoot Super 16mm Film with Egon Stephen Jr. So you want to be a filmmaker. You want to put the FILM back into FILMmaking. Well this episode is for you. Film is not dead. It has been quietly working in the background of the industry. Some of the productions that shooting film these days are: Mad Max: Fury Road Noah The Avengers The Bourne Legacy Captain America: The First Avenger Iron Man 2 The Magnificent Seven Westworld The Girl on the Train The Walking Dead Jack Reacher Batman vs Superman Star Wars: The Force Awakens Star Wars: Rogue One Spectre The Hateful Eight Jurassic World Wonder Woman American Horror Story Star Trek The knowledge to shoot film is dying. There's nowhere online where you can take a course on how to shoot Super 16mm film. The "workshops" available are extremely expensive and don't really give you practical knowledge from someone who has actually shot in the field. I wanted to put together an online course to preserve that knowledge for future filmmakers. Today's guest, Director of Photography Egon Stephen Jr, and I got together and shot The Definitive Super 16 mm Film Masterclass. So in today's show Egon and I drop some knowledge bombs on shooting film. So if you ever wanted to know if shoot "real" was an option for your indie feature or short film then perk up those ears. Enjoy my conversation with Egon Stephen Jr. super 16mm film, Kodak, 16mm film, 16 mm film, 35mm film, 35 mm film, filmmaking, film school, filmmaker, indie film, ARRI SR2 ARRI SR3, Bolex, Eclair film camera, film camera

Directing Actors & How to Become an Actor's Director with Per Holmes Directing actors can be one of the most difficult parts of wearing the director's hat. Actors speak a language that a director must understand if they are to pull and nurture an amazing performance. Unfortunately film schools do not teach this must need "foreign language" course. I've worked with every kind of actor there is. From Oscar® Nominated to fresh out of acting class. Pulling a good performance can be tough and I would get very frustrated sometimes because I couldn't speak there language. Then I met Per Holmes. Per created a gaming change course years ago called "Hollywood Camera Work: Mastering High-End Blocking and Staging." I loved this course and it's a must for any filmmaker. When I heard he was creating a "Directing Actors" course I was in. I was able to take the course right before I shot my first feature film "This is Meg" and it helped me immensely. I was able to speak the actor's language and nurture the performance I needed for the story. I asked Per Holmes to be a guest on the show because I've never taken a course where the instructor was so detailed, thought out and passionate about the subject. Directing Actors is INSANE. Here's a bit on the course. Years in the making, Directing Actors is the most comprehensive acting and directing training in the world. Created by Per Holmes, the course teaches a better way to be a Director, by having extremely strong technique, and the right philosophy and personality on the set. Through almost a thousand examples, we cover literally every acting and directing technique, every interaction between Actor and Director, and we cast, rehearse and shoot 9 scenes. Directing Actors is the result of Per Holmes' personal obsession with resolving once and for all the best way to work with Actors. Every known technique has been tested, and the results are surprising, sometimes shocking. Directing Actors has involved almost 150 people through 7 years of development and 3 years of shooting and editing, including almost a hundred talented Actors who have gracefully allowed us to show the process without any filters.

Secrets of Indie Film Producing with Suzanne Lyons This week on the show we have a returning guest, Indie Film Producing guru Suzaane Lyons. Suzanne Lyons is president/producer of Snowfall Films, Inc. and to date has produced or exec produced twelve feature films with budgets that range from $200,000 to $10 million. Suzanne has worked with talent that including Brenda Blethyn, Christopher Walken, Naomi Watts, Alfred Molina, James Caan, Dean Cain, Ariel Winter, Susan Sarandon, Donald Sutherland, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Tilly, Jon Lovitz, Asia Argento, Winona Ryder, Peter Fonda, Ed Begley, Jr. and more. Suzanne’s films have won a gamut of awards and festivals from the prestigious BAFTA award, a premier at the Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, best picture at Shockerfest, the UK Horror Fest and acceptance into the Toronto, Berlin. LA and Montreal Film Festivals. In addition to her work as a film producer, Suzanne designed and ran the film school, Flash Forward Institute, with a focus on marketing oneself in the industry. She has guest lectured at over 60 industry events, guilds and organization. In 2012 she published her book through Focal Press (Taylor and Francis) called “Indie Film Producing: The Craft of Low Budget Filmmaking.”

'Blue Jay' & Directing Mark Duplass with Alex Lehmann On today's episode I have the pleasure of interviewing first-time feature film director Alex Lehmann. And his first film is a hell of way to launch a directing career. His new film is called Blue Jay starring Mark Duplass (who also wrote and produced) and Sarah Paulson (recent Emmy Winner for The People vs OJ Simpson). Blue Jay just had it's world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews: "If the hour and a half spent inside this story seems fleeting, it's only because sometimes that's the best you can ask of a good nostalgia trip." - IndieWire "Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson have extraordinary chemistry, painting a cumulative portrait of the fragility and rareness of being truly in sync with a partner." - Slate Magazine Meeting by chance when they return to their tiny California hometown, two former high-school sweethearts (Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson) reflect on their shared past through the lens of their differently dissatisfied presents, in this tender, wise and affecting chamber drama from first-time feature director Alex Lehmann. Check out my conversation with Alex Lehmann and if you listen to until the end he promises to give out Mark Duplass' personal cell number. Apparently this is how Mark likes to be pitched. Enjoy!

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 such 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! I have found over the years that cinematography is one of the biggest technical issues in independent film. Someone borrows a friends RED Camera or Arri Alexa and thinks that's all you need. Cinematography is not only a mystical art but imperative in today's gluttony of indie films in the market place. Just because you own or have access to a RED Camera or Arri Alexa does not make you a cinematographer. Many first time directors get fooled by this time and time again. Good cinematography can really make your independent film project rise out of the gluttony of poorly produced indie films. Today on the show I interviewed Suki Medencevic ASC (American Society of Cinematographers).

How to Production Design Your Indie Film on the CHEAP! What if I told you you could production design an entire house with for a hundred bucks. Can't believe it? How about if I throw in labor, delivery, setup and guys will come and pickup all the furniture when you're done? I didn't believe either until I did it. In this episode I discuss the little loop hole/trick I used to furnish an entire house for my film BROKEN. You can get thousands of dollars worth of high end furniture, appliances, computers, televisions, lamps, tables, dining sets, bedroom sets and all sorts of accessories for pennies on the dollar. Now this solution is not for every film. If you are doing a period piece or drug den this ain't for you. This technique will work for contemporary decor and it works great. Are you drooling yet? Want to know the secret? Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most powerful ones. Take a listen to this short episode and find out. You won't regret it.

Dov Simens - American Greatest & Quentin Tarantino's Film Teacher I'm so excited to have on the show this week Dov Simens, founder of Hollywood Film Institute. He created the remarkable 2 Day Film School and has launched the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Chris Nolan, Spike Lee, Kevin Smith, Queen Latifah, Guy Ritchie & more. "Listened to Dov Simens, Shot Reservoir Dogs and became a director. - Quentin Tarantino Dov Simens' teaching style is entertaining, in your face and straight from the street. Real world, practical film education. "Took the 2 Day and launched my filmmaking career!" - Will Smith 14732691314937260438.jpeg When I took his course over 15 years ago I was floored. He spoke about things I never heard in "film school." He teaches you how to make a feature film, not how to be creative, not why you choose a camera or lenses, and not how to writer the great script. "Dov Simens has Revolutionized Film Education" - Roger Cormen (Legendary Indie Film Producer) Without taking his course I wouldn't have been able to make my first film BROKEN (Watch it FREE on Amazon Prime). He laid the foundation for my filmmaking career. It's sounds nuts that you can learn everything you need to know to make a feature film in 2 days but you can. Sit back and prepared to be schooled in the ways of Jedi Film Teacher Dov Simens. Right click here to download the MP3 LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Indie Film Syndicate - Filmmaking Community Dov Simens - Official Site Dov Simens - 2 Day Film School BROKEN - DVD BROKEN (Watch it FREE on Amazon Prime) FreeFilmBook.com (Your FREE Filmmaking Audio Book) Six Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE! Action Items: Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or via RSS. indie film syndicate, indie film hustle, filmmaking course, online film school, filmmaking, indie film, Enjoyed this blog post? 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

How to Record Audio for Your Indie Film on the CHEAP! I was lost when it came time to record audio for my film. So since my podcast on How to Build a Pimp'd Out BlackMagic Cinema Camera Rig on the CHEAP! was such a hit with the tribe I decide to put a list of the gear I used to record audio on This is Meg. I go into great detail on each piece of gear, how I used it and what worked and didn't work. The biggest tip I can give you is no matter how inexpensive the mic you have the key is to get that mic as close to the subject as humanly possible. The audio I recorded on This is Meg came out surprisingly great! Since I've never had the chance to record audio for any of my films this was a first. What saved my ass was taking an online course the explained everything I needed to know about the art of how to record audio on set and location. It's called Sound for Indie Film: Recording Audio Like a Pro. I not kidding you, this course was a life saver for me. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to anyone even thinking of recording their own audio for a film. I also recommend it to any director or producer as well so they can get a better understanding of what the sound man is doing. SOUND SML THUMBNAILS Below is a list of all the gear I used, tested and recorded with on my film.

Well, the first IFH Podcast episode went live September 2015. That’s a short time to be able to produce 100 podcast episodes, but what can I say I'm a hustler = ) I’m so glad I finally got around to launch Indie Film Hustle, because the podcast has done wonders for my brand, my career and my life. The results were far beyond what I had ever imagined. It allows me to reach more people than I could ever do with just my blog alone, and at the same time create a much deeper connection with them too. Beyond that, it has opened up doors to my filmmaking career, keynote speaking opportunities, potential book deals and more. THANK YOU TRIBE! Without you, the Indie Film Hustle Tribe, the IFH Podcast would had never reached episode 100 or become the #1 filmmaking podcast on iTunes! I owe you guys so much, and that's why I'm extremely excited for the next 100 episodes of this podcast. Your support means the world to me, and I appreciate each and every one of you! If you enjoyed this episode, or any of the other of the 99 episodes of the podcast, and you have not left a rating or review yet on iTunes, I would really appreciate an honest review and rating from you. It’s one of the most important parts of the ranking in the iTunes algorithm, but more than that, it’ll show future indie filmmakers that this is (or is not) worth their time. To quickly leave a review, open up iTunes and search for Indie Film Hustle Podcast and then leave a rating and review as shown below. You can do this on your mobile device as well, and even if you’re not subscribed, and even if you listen on another platform – this is where I’d love your review. This Weeks Special Guest - Aaron Kaufman & Brian Levin On this special episode of the show I have a chat with Aaron Kaufman. Not only was he Robert Rodriguez's producer on films like Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Machete and Machete Kills but he also directed a film called Urge starring James Bond Legend Pierce Bronson.

How to Write a Screenplay with FAST with Jeff Bollow Have you ever wanted to learn how to write a screenplay fast? I know I do. This is why I invited on the show award-winning producer/director, best-selling author, film festival organizer and public speaker, Jeff Bollow. He is the author of Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed. Jeff Bollow began as an actor at age 12 in his native Los Angeles (credits include Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead and TV's Columbo) before working nearly every job in production, from camera to sound to lighting — and including jobs in development, post-production and distribution. Jeff has worked on feature films, TV series, commercials, music videos, radio, and corporate productions for companies such as Universal, Castle Rock, Propaganda Films, DNA and the Oxygen Network. After migrating to New Zealand, where he directed television for TV3 and co-founded the Big Mountain Short Film Festival, he moved to Australia, where he launched Embryo Films. Through his company, Jeff has reviewed over 20,000 project submissions, and has edited, assessed and/or mentored over 350 projects. He has script doctored in Singapore, Australia, NZ and the US; and has conducted over 80 live weekend workshops to over 1200 writers in 9 cities in 5 countries, with a unanimous "recommend" approval rating. 14732691314937260438.jpeg His students have been optioned, produced and won (and placed) in competitions worldwide. He designed FAST Screenplay in 2004, and began officially building it in November 2009. It was finally completed in July 2016, nearly 7 years later. Alongside it, he created the FASTscreenplay YouTube Channel, which now includes over 30 detailed and insightful free videos to encourage writers and screenwriters around the world. In May 2015, Jeff Bollow delivered his first TED Talk, "Expand Your Imagination... Exponentially" (see video below) at TEDxDocklands in Melbourne, Australia, to prepare for the next phase of the larger plan. Jeff's aim is build an independent film studio that inspires creativity worldwide, to help prepare humanity for the dramatic changes our future holds. When he's not busy helping writers with FAST Screenplay, he is working on a new book, developing a television series, and planning two feature film projects. I've added below Jeff Bollow's TEDTalk and a series of amazing video on screenwriting. Enjoy! LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Jeff Bollow - Official Site Jeff Bollow - IMDB Fast Screenplay Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed Big Mountain Short Film Festival Screenplay.com.au SPONSORS VideoBlocks.com - (IFH Discount SAVE $50) Werner Herzog Master Class Aaron Sorkin 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!

When I began my filmmaking journey with my first feature film, This is Meg, I had no idea what camera I'd be shooting with. I had access to both RED Cinema and Arri Alexa Cameras for free if I wanted them but I choose against using them on this film for the following reasons: The infrastructure need to make those camera work was complicated and expensive (even if you are getting the camera bodies for free) I wouldn't have the freedom to shoot whenever I had the cast available. (we shot over 6 weeks) The "footprint" of those cameras do not lend themselves to run and gun guerrilla filmmaking. The Post Production workflow would be costly and drives are expensive. Production Insurance would be needed and that's pricey. So I looked around and settled on the BlackMagic Cinema Camera. "But Alex you are nutz! You could've shot on a RED or ALEXA and you choose a BlackMagic Cinema Camera?" Yes I did. For a few reasons: I could own the camera, play with it, test and experiment. No production insurance. Small footprint for those "guerrilla filmmaking" moment out in the streets. Amazing post production workflow (I edited and finish This is Meg on the DaVinci Resolve, more on that in the podcast) I could affordably pimp out the rig and customize it for my shooting needs. This is Meg is a small character driven indie film, shooting with RED or ALEXA would've been overkill. Shooting with the BMCC Now I've been a colorist for over 10 years and the image quality of RED or ALEXA is superior to the BlackMagic Cinema Camera but you need to choose the right tool for the project. The BMCC gave me the freedom that the other couldn't and the BlackMagic Cinema Camera is BY FAR the best bang for your buck. Speaking as a colorist and the director of photography of the film, the image quality is stellar. You just need to understand the camera's strengths and weakness. Here are some tips when shooting with the BlackMagic Cinema Camera 2.5k. The camera need a ton of light. Make sure you shoot at 400 ISO unless you are shooting nights. Try to always shot 400 ISO. The BMCC Image will like it better. Record with a minimum 240gig Card. SHOOT RAW, not ProRes 422 HQ! I also decided to shoot with the BlackMagic Cinema Camera because of its amazing RAW Cinema DNG file it produces. I shot with the BlackMagic Cinema Camera 2.5K not the 4k version. The 4k would've been nice but the cost in media and hard drives out weighted the extra pixel. I also knew I'd be mastering in 1080p and blowing up to 2k for the DCP deliverable. You can shoot ProRes 422 HQ but I'd suggest shooting RAW because if you don't light the scene perfectly having that RAW Cinema DNG file can really get you out of a pickle...trust me! I go into great detail on how I put this rig together in this weeks podcast. I share tips, tricks and real world stories of what worked and what didn't. I also talk about the post production workflow I went through editing in DaVinci Resolve. For links to all the gear spoken about goto: https://www.indiefilmhustle.com/blackmagic-cinema-camera/

Can you imagine having a front row seat to the start of the filmmaking careers of Will Smith, Bruce Willis and Michael Bay? Well this week's guest Screenwriter Doug Richardson did just that. In 1989 20th Century Fox hired Doug to adapt Walter Wager’s novel 58 Minutes into the first sequel to the hit franchise Die Hard. In 1990, it was released as Die Hard 2, Die Harder. Around the same period, Doug and his one-time writing partner, Rick Jaffa, garnered national attention when their spec screenplay, Hellbent…and Back was the first in Hollywood to sell for a million dollars. Doug has since written and produced feature films including the box office smash Bad Boys (1995), Money Train (1995), and Hostage (2005). In addition to writing for the screen and print, Doug posts a weekly blog on his website, dougrichardson.com, where he shares personal anecdotes and insight from his thirty-year showbiz career. The first collection of his blogs, The Smoking Gun: True Tales from Hollywood’s Screenwriting Trenches was published in 2015. I had a ball chatting with Doug and his stories from the set had been mesmerized. He dropped some major knowledge bombs in this interview. Enjoy!