Indie Film Hustle® Podcast: Filmmaking | Screenwriting | Cinematography | Film School | Film Production | Independent Film

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone in the IFH Tribe and beyond. I wanted to do an episode on this subject for a long time."You are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with." - Jim RohnI wish I had someone to tell me this early on my filmmaking journey. In this episode, I go over what happened to me when I was starting out, how my friends affected me and my ability to move forward in my career and what happened to me when I moved to Los Angeles over a decade ago. I discuss how the people around you affect you on a personal, professional and even spiritual level.I really hope you find some value in this episode. Happy Holidays and keep on hustlin'.

If you ever wanted to learn how to get your local town, group or community behind your indie film this is the show for you. Today's guest did just that, writer/director Josh Doke got his entire town of Goodland, Kansas to support his film through crowdfunding, production resources and finally distribution.Goodland was filmed in his hometown of about 4,000 people in Western Kansas and he included as many locals as he could in order to help bring the project to life. We used all practical locations, had vehicles, tractors, props, and costumes donated. He was able to buy a 1990 Crown Vic for $1 from a local car dealership who wanted to help out, and then he repainted it to be a cop car - complete with a donated light bar from the local sheriff's office. The City of Goodland shut down streets, turned electricity on in abandoned buildings, and pretty much gave him free rein over the town while he was in production.Off-screen, people donated meals, lodged cast, and crew, and in return, everyone was welcome to come

Today on the show I have iPhone filmmaking master and TEDTalk Speaker Jason Van Genderen. I've wanted to have Jason on the podcast for a long time. He is a true inspiration to anyone who wants to pick up a camera and tell a story. He has made an industry out of professional shooting with iPhones for corporate clients, on commercials, music videos, and short films. Here's some more info on our guest.No script, storyboard or crew. No exposure to focus controls. A resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and a total memory of just 160MB. That was Jason’s unexpected entry into the global filmmaking stage back in 2008.‘Mankind is No Island’ went on to win numerous prestigious accolades at film festivals around the globe and was one of the very first exemplary​ films to champion a whole new emerging medium of iPhone filmmaking.With screenings and awards from Tropfest NY, Aspen Shortsfest, Palm Springs, San Francisco Short Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival right through to Sundance London, Jason’s made mobi

Today's guests are Oscar® Nominated writer/director Paola di Florio & and producer Peter Rader. They worked on one of my favorite documentaries in recent years called AWAKE: The Life of Yogananda.The film is an unconventional biography about the Hindu Swami who brought yoga and meditation to the West in the 1920s. Paramahansa Yogananda authored the spiritual classic “Autobiography of a Yogi” which has sold millions of copies worldwide and is a go-to book for seekers, philosophers, and yoga enthusiasts today. (Apparently, it was the only book that Steve Jobs had on his iPad.) By personalizing his own quest for enlightenment and sharing his struggles along the path, Yogananda made ancient Vedic teachings accessible to a modern audience, attracting many followers and inspiring the millions who practice yoga today.The story of how they self-distributed the film from booking theaters to SVOD is remarkable. They did it all on their own and the film has been viewed by millions. I wanted to bring them on the show

First off thank you for all the support that the IFH Tribe has given to IFHTV. It has been overwelling and that's why I'm so busy acquiring​ and producing amazing new content for you every month.I'll be doing these posts one a month to tell you all about the new releases I have in store for you on Indie Film Hustle TV. I've been a busy beaver and December will have over 20 hours of new content for your streaming pleasure. Also, I'd like to announce IFHTV is now available on Apple TV, Roku and Amazon TV Apps. Just go to the platforms and do a search for "Indie Film Hustle TV" and our app will pop up.Let's get to it.

Well, it's that time of year again when filmmakers around the world get that dreaded rejection letter from the Sundance Film Festival. Below is my rejection email:RE:  On the Corner of Ego and DesireDear Alex,On behalf of the entire Programming team for the Sundance Film Festival, thank you for allowing us to consider your film for the 2019 edition of the Festival. Unfortunately, we were unable to include it in our program this year. Ultimately, we are forced to make many difficult decisions throughout our process, and we consider ourselves lucky to have the opportunity to view the latest work from the independent creative community.We received a record number of submissions this year (over 14,200), and the number of worthy projects submitted to us is far higher than the number of slots available in our Festival program. The level of quality displayed in the projects we receive is higher each and every year, so it is never an easy process. We wish you the best of luck with your film going forward and we are e

Today's guest is returning champion writer/director Diane Bell. Diane and I go way back. I had the pleasure of working on her first feature film OBSELIDIA, which won two awards at Sundance. The film makes it's IFHTV Premiere this week. Here's a bit about Diane.Diane Bell is a screenwriter and director. Made for less than $150k, her first feature film, OBSELIDIA, premiered in Dramatic Competition at Sundance and won two awards. The film went on to win further awards at festivals around the world, and to be nominated for two prestigious Independent Spirit Awards. Her second film, BLEEDING HEART, a drama starring Jessica Biel and Zosia Mamet, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and is widely available. She is currently in post on her third feature, OF DUST AND BONES.She has written numerous commissioned and optioned scripts, including two with renowned director John McTiernan (the director of Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October). In addition to writing and directing films, Diane with her producing partner C

Today's guest is actor/writer/director James Morosini. His film Threesomething is a micro-budget film that he jumped off a cliff to make. With this being his first feature film as a director he definitely had some misadventures. In this interview,​ we go into the details of his journey making and distributing his film. We also discuss how he made a clip from the film go viral on YouTube. Zoe, Charlie, and Isaac spend a night flirting with the idea of a threesome... until it finally happens and all hell breaks loose. While two fall deeply in love, two test their sexual limits. They each discover fantasies they never thought they had and try things they never thought they would. This sexy comedy will make you squirm with its hilarious awkwardness and challenge your ideas of sex, love, and friendship.In the show notes James wrote an amazing article detailing his misadventures so when you are do listen to the interview the article is required reading.Enjoy my conversation with James Morosini.

Today's guest is returning champion Brad Olsen, director of the documentary Off the Tracks. This time we discuss his misadventure in distribution. After meeting over 40 traditional distributors Brad decided the best path for his film was self-distribution​. I've always said that self-distribution​ is not for everyone but with Off the Tracks it makes perfect sense. We discuss how he got the word out of his film, got in the press that was in his niche and how he engaged with the audience he was trying to reach. We talk numbers, success, ​and failures. It's a pretty eye-opening interview. So if you are thinking of self-distributing​g your indie film take a listen to this episode first. Enjoy my conversation with Brad Olsen.

Black Friday week is finally here. I wanted to do something special for the IFH Tribe this week so I decided to create a special sale for you guys. Between Today and Cyber Monday, if you sign up for Indie Film Hustle TV receive another FREE MONTH to give to someone else at no additional charge.All you need to do is sign up for IFHTV and we'll email you a nice e-gift card you can give to your friend, colleague, family or anyone you like.Head over to Indie Film Hustle TV and sign up. We have a TON of new feature films, docs, courses, and interviews. I'll be releasing a December IFHTV Update soon with all the new content we have planned for you. Happy Black Friday week and Turkey Day! 

Today's guest is Brad Olsen, director of the documentary Off the Tracks. If you don't know the story about the major debacle that was the release of Apple's Final Cut Pro X get ready to jump into the deep end of editing lore. In 2011 Apple ended Final Cut Pro as we knew it and started over with a brand new video editing application: Final Cut Pro X. The disruption from this change is still being felt by the film, television, and video industries to this day. With misinformation running amok, Off The Tracks aims to clear the air once and for all. Industry insiders discuss Apple's controversial decision to redesign the video editing application Final Cut Pro.This documentary explores why the release of Final Cut Pro X upset video editors and how the software is being used today. Off the Tracks features exclusive interviews with the creative professionals who use the software and the developers who created it. Why did Apple make Final Cut Pro X?I love this documentary about Final Cut Pro X so much I had to have

So many members of the IFH Tribe always ask me on what my daily routine looks like. I decided to not only share my daily routine but also give you tips on how to create your own daily routine. I found that once I created this routine my life started to change. I wanted to share with you what I do every day to make Indie Film Hustle and IFHTV going and growing.4:30 am - Wake up and get ready for the day4:45 am - Drink my protein shake and drink water5:00 am - Hit the Gym for 1-2 hours of working out (most days just one hour)6:30 am - 8:00 am: Help my wife with the morning routine8:00 am - 6:00 pm: Start my IFH dayAnswer EmailsPrep for interviewsInterviewsWrite BlogsCreate IFHTV ContentSocial Media MarketingWithin the day I set aside 2 hours for meditation (extremely important)6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Family Time8:00 pm - 9:30 pm: TV and Wife Time9:40 pm - SleepTip: I drink over a gallon of water a day. This helps with so many things I can't even tell you.In this episode, I go into great detail on my routine and give

Today on the show we have an author, filmmaker and screenwriter Willaim Dickerson. William is the author of the book DETOUR: Hollywood: How To Direct a Microbudget Film (or any film, for that matter).William Dickerson is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and author, whose debut feature film, Detour, was released theatrically and On-Demand worldwide. He has a Master of Fine Arts from the American Film Institute and teaches Directing at the New York Film Academy.William and I had a great conversation on how he put together his micro-budget feature. We go deep into the process so get ready to take notes.Enjoy my conversation with Willaim Dickerson.

Today is the day. IFHTV is LIVE! Go check it out at www.indiefilmhustle.tv. It's taken me months getting this ready for you and I hope you love it as much as I do. It has been a dream of mine to have a place where filmmakers, screenwriters and content creators could go to get their "fix" of filmmaking behind the scenes, interviews, documentaries, online education, and feature films. This has truly been a labor of love. Here's what you can expect from Indie Film Hustle TV.IFHTV will be the world's first Netflix meets Masterclass style streaming services dedicated to filmmakers, screenwriters and content creators. Thousands of videos to help you on your filmmaking and screenwriting journey. IFHTV is available worldwide and will be accessible on over 1000 devices including, MACs, PCs, streaming media boxes such as Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, and Nexus Player. Coming soon iOS devices and Android devices Apps.So what are you waiting for? Head over to www.ifhtv.com, kick the tires and let me know what you think. Pl

Today on the show we have returning champion Linda Nelson from Indie Rights. I wanted to bring Linda back to discuss how much the distribution game has changed in the three years since she was last on the show. We also discuss the American Film Market and how to work it properly.Nelson Madison Films/Indie Rights was founded by Michael Madison and Linda Nelson because they believed that the future was bright for independent artists and that there was a better way to produce and distribute movies.  They have been in business since 2000, when they produced their first film, NSYNC BIGGER THAN LIVE a Giant Screen Movie that played to sold-out crowds worldwide.Known for innovation.  SHIFTED, their first digital feature,  was the first movie on Amazon's UnBox (the predecessor of Amazon Video)  and was used by Amazon to promote their platform for over five years.  DELIVERED was the first independent feature to edit and master a 4K movie using Adobe CS5.   Articles in Variety, HDVideoPro and an Adobe Success Story fol

Are movie theaters dead? Every summer there is a barrage of articles announcing the death of the movie theater experience. Those articles state the new generation is not interested in going to the movies anymore, that they stream everything.This kind of rhetoric has been spouted off since television was invented. Then it was VHS, then DVDs and not streaming. Movie theaters have always been able to find a happy home and compliment the new movie screening technology of the day. Today on the show we have Phil Contrino from N.A.T.O,  the National Association of  Theatre Owners. Phil and I discuss the movie-going experience. What theaters are doing right and where they can improve. We also discuss what place indie films have in the modern day movie theater experience.I've always had a ​love for the movies. It's like a church for me. Whenever I've been in a tough place in my life I go to the movies to escape, think and see what comes to me. It's almost meditative. I truly hope they'll always be a form of the commun

For years now I've been preaching how filmmakers need to create ancillary products for their indie films. (listen to this episode for more on that.) Today's guest has done an amazing job at doing just that. Drew Marvick is the writer/director of the 80's style horror indie film Pool Party Massacre.Drew not only made his film, which took over a year to complete, but decided to target his core audience and sell amazing assortments​​ of products based on his film. The audience ate it up. Drew and I break down how he came up with his marketing plan, how he sources his classic VHSs, where he had that killer poster made, his sales numbers and how the hell he had an action figured made for a low budget horror film. BTW, check out the amazing artwork he had designed for Pool Party Massacre.Enjoy my eye-opening conversation with Drew Marvick.

Today's guest is writer/director Natalia Leite. This director is one of the bravest filmmakers I've ever met. Her work on the VICE documentary ‘Life as a Truck-Stop Stripper was breathtaking. Not only did she direct the piece but one of the subjects in the film as well.Enjoy my conversation with Natalia Leite.

Today on the show we have documentarian, Susan Kucera. Here new film Living in the Future's Past stars Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges.

The wait is over! This is what I've been working on for months. May I introduce you to IFHTV (Indie Film Hustle TV), the world's first streaming service dedicated to filmmakers, screenwriters, creatives and content creators.I wanted to create a place where film creatives and storytellers could be informed and inspired, no matter where you lived in the world. When I was younger I would hunt for any content on filmmaking, behind the scenes, screenwriting, etc. Combing through DVDs, Laserdiscs and even VHS.IFHTV is the natural evolution of Indie Film Hustle. My mission is to help as many creatives, filmmakers and screenwriters on their artist path. I hope to grow the platform into a Netflix-style place for people to learn and be inspired.IFHTV will not only be an educational platform but it will also stream content covering the film business, acting, filmmaking, post-production, screenwriting, storytelling:Feature FilmsDocumentariesSeriesDocumentary FilmmakingSocial Media and MarketingDistributionCinematographyF