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

We I have a MAJOR treat for the tribe this week. I have no other than Jim Uhls, the master screenwriter behind David Fincher's "Fight Club", one of the greatest films in my generation, in my humble option.When Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club was making the rounds in Hollywood, it was a tough sale to be adapted for the screen. But then Brad Pitt got involved; add David Fincher and Ed Norton, throw Jim Uhls into the mix and you've got a modern classic.Jim’s sceenwriting credits include of course the modern classic “Fight Club” the feature-film "Jumper" the NBC television film "Semper Fi" and the SyFy miniseries "Spin".In this remarkable discussion Jim Uhls breaks the first rule of Fight Club: He talks about it, working with David Fincher, why he hates outlines and why you should interview your characters. Step inside the mind of the man who figured out how to conquer Hollywood as he lays down knowledge bomb after knowledge bomb in this eye opening interview.Towards the end of the interview Jim gives easily the GRE

I'm truly PISSED OFF guys and am tired of seeing my fellow indie filmmakers and artist struggle to make a living doing what they love. I decided to put together a lists of steps that every indie filmmaker needs to do in order to thrive in the film business.Since this website is call INDIE FILM HUSTLE the terminology I'll be using will be aimed at filmmaking or screenwriting but all of these concepts can be applied to any art form.PLEASE NOTE: If you were to ever listen to a podcast of mine, this is the one. I'll be laying out the steps in the article but I go MUCH DEEPER into each one on the podcast. 

You knew it was bound to happen. Well the time is here. Please welcome the talented Jill-Michele Meleán to the Indie Film Hustle Tribe. Jill is the star of my debut feature film "This is Meg". She is one of the most talented actors/comedian I've ever worked with and we have worked on a ton of projects of the years. Jill-Michele Meleán, “Jilly” was born and raised in Miami, Florida (aka Cuba). She declared at a young age that she wanted to be like Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Benny Hill. Jilly started in Theatre and toured with The Coconut Grove Playhouse (which is the Broadway of Miami). In 2000, she moved to Los Angeles and needed to be on stage.She took her natural comedic timing to the Standup Stage, headlining across the country while continuing her Acting career. After many years of hard work, she’s made a name for herself in the Comedy Television world with memorable performances on FOX’s “MadTV” and Comedy Central’s “Reno 911”. However, her first love is her dramatic acting career. As she continues h

What do you get when you add a stand up comedian, a fearless actress and a great personality? You get today's guest Jenica Bergere. This is one of the reason we cast here in my debut feature film This is Meg as the bitchy nut job Ruby. Jenica Bergere began her career as a stand up comedienne becoming a paid regular at The Comedy Store as well as the Improv when she was barely old enough to vote. Jenica credits Russell Simmons for discovering and representing her as the only “crazy white girl” on his Def Jam slate. Since then she has continued to hone her craft becoming an accomplished writer, actress, comedienne and now award winning director with her feature film Come Simi for which Jenica co-wrote the screenplay with Doc Pedrolie (2010 Jack Nicholson Award for Screenwriting). Filmed ‘guerilla style’ in only 6 days, Bergere brought the film in for $10,000 and sites being a micro budget filmmaker as something she actually enjoyed. Distributors have called the film “brave”, a word that also defines Jenica Berg

Why You Don't Need a Screenplay to Make an Amazing FilmAs indie filmmakers we throw a lot of obstacles on our own path to creating a feature or short film. No obstacle is larger then the almighty screenplay. How many screenwriters and filmmakers do you know that have been working on the movie script for 3, 5, or 7 years? They keep chipping at it in hopes of cracking that nut or it gives them an excuse for not actually making a feature film.I was no different. One of the biggest things that slowed, if not stopped my filmmaking journey was "the screenplay." I decided to see if there was a different way to approach making a movie with my first feature film This is Meg.In doing my research I came to  realize that in the last few years, some of my favorite films happen to be (almost) entirely improvised. No structured screenplay. Some were huge tent pole studio movies, Oscar winners (Ironically for best screenplay) and small indie films. It certainly seemed to be a more prolific style among independent filmmakers

How Filmmakers & Artists Should Deal with Haters!Haters, a problem that artists, filmmakers or anybody who puts themselves out there have to deal with. I know of many filmmakers who are crippled by what other people think or say about them. The fact is that you are going to create anything; a poem, writer a novel, make a movie, write a song, cook a meal or build a house, there will be people who have opinions. Now opinions are fine. As they say ever has an opinion and the internet has given everyone with an opinion a voice. Now there is constructive, mature opinions and there are straight up haters. People who want to bring you down for a myriad of reasons. I decide to shine a bit of light on this topic because it is so important on your filmmaking journey to be free of the good opinions of others, as the late Wayne Dyer used to say. You can not allow other peoples opinions or thoughts bring you down or stop your forward momentum when making art of any kind. Take a listen to my experience with haters I've

11 Golden Rules for Filmmakers on Social MediaWith social media taking over the world it is more necessary than ever to use it to get the word out on yourself, you film project or your production company. Most indie filmmakers have no idea on how to build an audience or how to use social media to promote and engage with that audience.In this podcast I go into great detail on each of the 11 Golden Rules for Filmmakers on Social Media.

So I entitled this podcast "How to Work with a Music Composer" because it is a mystery to many filmmakers. As visual storytellers we focus so much energy and effort to the moving image. For many of us music is an after thought.What would Jaws, Indiana Jones or Star Wars be without the musical score? With technology it has become more and more affordable to have a beautiful score added to your indie film. A computer can't do it alone, you still need a maestro to compose that music for you.A good score can add a great deal of production value to your little indie film. This is why I invited composer Cris Velasco on the show. Cris and I have worked on many projects together. His music has definitely elevated my projects.Here's some info on the man:Cris Velasco is a multiple award-winning composer of epic orchestral, dark experimental and modern hybrid music scores for video games, film and television. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in Music Composition, Velasco pursued his passion to write music for vi

Film Crowdfunding CampaignSo today is the day. The THIS IS MEG Film Crowdfunding Campaign is LIVE! Click here to check it out: Down the Filmmaking Rabbit Hole. I've been working for months on the campaign and am very proud of what I and the team has done. So below I wanted to share the Top ten tip I have learned from the many experts, guest and successful campaigns I've reviewed in prepping for my launch. I'll be going in greater detail on all these topics in the podcast so definitly take a listen: Top 10 Tips to Launch a Film Crowdfunding CampaignTop 10 Tips to Launch a Film Crowdfunding CampaignAssemble a Team Ahead of Time: You are not an island! You need a group of amazing people who are willing to help you on this journey. Check out our Launch Team for THIS IS MEG - Click here30 day campaigns works best: Of all the film campaigns that met their goals, 32.71% of them ran their campaigns for 30-39 days, while only 13.87% of successful campaigns ran for 60 days.Keep your campaign page updated: On average, s

Why I Choose Seed & Spark.com to Crowdfund THIS IS MEGWith all the choices out there to crowdfund your film, it can get kinda crazy! Kickstarter and Indiegogo are the two Goliath's in the arena with Seed&Spark.com play David. If you know the story the two Goliaths don't fear David but this David has a hella of a punch. I choose Seed and Spark to crowdfund my new feature film THIS IS MEG, because of a few reasons.They have a 75% Success Rate (2 times any other platform)The average raise is $17K (2.5 times any other platform)There average fee is only 3% (40% Less than anyone else)They guarentee distribution if you hit a certain benchmarkHow is this possible because they focus on one thing...FILMMAKERS. They don't crowdfund for the next transforming coffeemaking pen. Seed and Spark is all about indie filmmakers and creating independence for film artists. Take a listen to this episodes and find out how we are putting our crowdfunding campaign together for THIS IS MEG. When you're done listening to the epi

From Micro Budget to Million Dollar Budget Films with Christian SesmaMany indie filmmakers dream of going from micro budget to million dollar budget films. Well my friends on this weeks episode I've got a guy who not only did exactly that but also had fun doing it. Christian Sesma is a indie film writer/director based in Palm Spring, CA. I've know Christian for probably over 10 years now and I've watched him grow from a small $15,000 horror film (On Bloody Sunday) to his latest action blood fest Vigilante Diaries starring Paul Sloan, Michael Madsen, Michael Jai White, Jason Mewes and UFC legend Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson. Take a look at the trailer below.Vigilante Diaries will hit select theaters and be available on iTunes on June 24, 2016.Synopsis:Jason Mewes of CLERKS and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK stars as an in-your-face filmmaker known for his web videos of an urban avenger known only as ‘The Vigilante’ (Paul Sloan). But when The Vigilante terminates a creep with deep connections, it’ll trigger a live

Follow Your Passion, No Matter What!This is a special episode of the podcast guys. I recently had a good friend of mine pass, Allan Wertheim. He was a legendary First Assistant Director and Unit Production Manager. Allan and I worked together almost 20 years ago on one of my first directing gigs. This is by far the most difficult project I have ever worked on and Allan was kind enough to mentor me and protect me from the siutation. He passed a few days ago at the age of 72 and my friend left it all on the field. He worked with legendary directors like Martin Scorsese and David Fincher but more importantly lived a happy life with his family. I wanted this episode to spotlight the fact that you can't leave with the music still inside of you. Take a listen to this special episode. I hope it inspires you a bit. Right click here to download the MP3LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEAllan Wertheim - IMDBRaging BullSe7enLove StorySaturday Night FeverAction Items:Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes,  Stitche

Acting & the Art of Being Yourself with Adrian MartinezBeing yourself in any situation in life is hard for many people. Actors do make a living playing other people but the art of being comfortable in your own skin is a lesson we can all learn. I invited on the show Adrian Martinez, a actor, writer, producer, and soon-to-be-director, with nearly 100 film and TV credits.Adrian's career began as a high school track star on NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries". Some in casting have called Adrian, "the sidekick to the stars," as evidenced by his recent sidekick trifecta-- Will Smith's sidekick in Warner Bros' "Focus," , Ben Stiller's sidekick in his Fox remake of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," Will Ferrell's sidekick in Lionsgate's "Casa de mi Padre," to name a few.Mr. Martinez's TV work includes over forty guest spots, including a recurring guest star in CBS' "A Gifted Man," opposite Patrick Wilson, FX's "Louie" opposite Louis CK, HBO's "Flight of the Conchords," "Sex and the City," and is recurring on Comedy Cent

How to Blaze Your Own Path in the Film IndustryHave you been banging your head against the wall trying to figure out what you need to do to break into the film industry? Me too. This episode  is dedicated to all the indie filmmakers out there trying to make a living as a filmmaker. After studying so many success stories of directors, writers, producers, and actors who finally broke through and made it into the exclusive party I found one common denominator among every single one of them. I discuss that truth and make a major announcement to the Indie Film Hustle Tribe about what I'll be doing over the next year and how it applies to the topic of "Blazing Your Own Path in the Film Industry."If your a bit lost or just keep running into walls trying to make it as a filmmaker then this is the podcast you need to listen to. I hope you find some value in it. Good luck!Right click here to download the MP3LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEIndie Film Hustle's FULL ACCESS MembershipTHIS IS MEG Launch TeamJil

Every once in a while we all need to get a gut check. A "gut check" is when some new situation, or in this case knowledge, that tests your belief on what it takes to achieve your goal.I invited Sebastian Twardosz to give us that gut check and lay down some major knowledge bombs on the Indie Film Hustle Tribe. Now Sebastian has been playing the Hollywood game for close to two decades and has ranked up some major experience. Hollywood and the film business in general is a "relationship business". Here's what Sebastian said:"Some of you will be successful and some of you will be less successful—it’s a numbers game, but regardless of the stats, you will likely fail if you don’t help each other."Sebastian Twardosz’s first production job was from 1995-1999 for Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner’s Paramount-based company where he started as an assistant and was promoted to executive, actively participating in the making of Mission Impossible 1-2 and Without Limits.Like many hopefuls wanting to get into the film biz, Sebast

We making money selling your short film, feature film or web series just got a whole lot easier. Amazon.com has thrown it's hat into the Independent creators VOD ring with the launch of Amazon Video Direct.This move is designed to go head to head with Google's YouTube for video-ad dollars. as well as going after other juggernauts like Facebook and Vimeo.Amazon Video Direct has four distribution options for its creators.Filmmakers can make their films available to Prime Video subscribers and receive a per-hour royalty feeFilms or Series can be sold as a subscription through the Streaming Partners ProgramFilms can be made available for digital rental or purchaseFilms can be made available to ALL Amazon customers for free with ads, and filmmaker would receive a 55% share of the ad revenue (exactly as they do on YouTube).Take listen for the lowdown. 

Film Gear in Cinematography Today with Ernesto LomeliOh, the dilemma! What film gear should I use for my film? Which camera will give me the look I want for my project? What gear can I afford? Well as I've said before:"Film gear does not make a movie, the story does. No one ever won Sundance or an Oscar® because they used the latest and great film gear. They won because of, you guessed it, story."With that said choosing the right film gear for your film is important. You need to have the right paint brush and not nesseraly the most expensive or newest paint brush to create your opus. I thought it would be interesting to have cinematographer Ernesto Lomeli  on the show. He's one of the most technical film geeks I know. Ernesto shares a bunch of knowledge bombs with us in this interview and discusses what film gear to get and what you really need to make your project sing!

How Marketable is Your Film Idea or Screenplay?So how marketable is your film idea or screenplay? I know so many screenwriters and filmmakers who spend months and sometimes years on an idea that is cool to just themselves. Depending on what you are attempting to achieve with your story, you should always figure out if you idea is marketable or if you have a fighting chance of selling the screenplay or final film. Paul Castro, the writer of the Warner Brothers feature film August Rush (Starring Robin Williams) shares with us his thoughts on how to test and find marketable ideas. 

Why would you want to ‘Save the Cat’? If you are a screenwriter or aspiring one you should of heard by now of Blake Snyder’s game changing screenwriting book.In his 20-year career as a film producer and screenwriter, Blake Snyder sold dozens of scripts, including co-writing Blank Check, which became a hit for Disney, and Nuclear Family for Steven Spielberg — both million-dollar sales. Named “one of Hollywood’s most successful spec screenwriters,” Blake sold his last screenplay in 2009.His book, Save the Cat!® The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need, was published in May, 2005, and is now in its 24th printing. When I read this book it really had an impact on my storytelling and screenwriting.Thankful Blake was not done and apparently it was not quite the last book on screenwriting you’ll ever need, as the eagerly awaited sequel, Save the Cat!® Goes to the Movies: The Screenwriter’s Guide to Every Story Ever Told, was published in October, 2007 — shooting to #1 in the Screenwriting and Screenplay catego

So this week I'm doing something different. I occasionally get asked to be guest on other people's podcasts. In these podcast I go over topics I might not of spoken about on the IFH Podcast in the past so to mix things up, with the permission of the hosts,  I'll be uploading bonus episodes with these interviews.In my effort to bring you more value I think you'll enjoy these interviews. First up is my interview with Doc Kennedy from the Filmmaker's Focus Podcast. This interview was a ton of fun.