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

Want to learn how to make it as a working actor? Well studying actor, producer and director Yancey Arias would not be a bad start. I met Yancey Arias years ago and since have worked on several projects together. I've always admired how Yancey was able to always keep working.To date Yancey Arias has over 70 acting credits in film, television and Broadway. His credit list is kind of nuts:CastleNCSI: New OrleansThe SopranosBonesHawaii 5.0ElementaryBlue BloodsCSI: NYNCIS: Los AngelesBurn NoticeThe ShieldI just got tired of typing, his credit list is impressive to say the least. He's also worked on huge studio tentpoles live Live Free or Die Hard, Time Machine and the Hands of Stone starring Robert DeNiro.I sat down with Yancey while he was in between setups on the hit show Marvel's Agents of Shield. He'll be popping up on the show in 2016. I really wanted to get a seasoned actor's perspective on what it takes to make it in Hollywood.We also discuss his work on indie films, his new life as a director and producer

Getting into film festival is getting tougher and tougher everyday. Indie filmmakers can end up spending thousands and thousands of dollars submitting to every film festival around, and there are a ton. At last count there was over 3000 film festivals around the world. That’s a lot of submission fees.When I was doing my rounds with my films I learned a few things. A few tricks that I put into a FREE eBook: “Six Tips to Get into Film Festivals for cheap or FREE.”This eBook was such a success that the Indie Film Hustle Tribe kept reaching out to me to create some sort of “master class” on film festivals. Well I heard the call and teamed up with arguably one of the leading voices in film festivals Chris Holland from FilmFestivalsSecrets.com.We got together and create a one of a kind resource for any filmmaker even thinking of submitting to a film festival. We call it Film Festival Hacks!In this episode I give you a SNEAK PEEK at Film Festival Hacks and let you listen to a FREE lecture from the course. So get rea

How does a film geek turn his love for movies into a media empire? Ask Todd Brown from Twitch Film. I met Todd Brown over ten years ago when I was promoting my short film "BROKEN." He did a killer review of the film and we became fast friends.His movie review site Twitch Film.com was just starting out then but it has grown into a leading voice in global cinema. Twitch Film focuses on more obscure, independent and international films; something that was missing from the movie review site blogosphere.Twitch Film's focus on those kind of films made it stand out and over the years has grown into a mega movie website. My advice, always be nice to people you never know when you paths will cross again.Todd leveraged his knowledge and access to great international and independent films and joined forces with XYZ Films.XYZ Films is an integrated content company whose mission is to empower visionary storytellers from every corner of the planet. As an independent production company and worldwide sales agency, the compan

The one thing more difficult than actually making an indie film is marketing and selling that film. I get asked all the time the same question:"How can I make CASH, MONEY, DINERO with my film?"So I decided to put together this very dense podcast with suggestions on multiple revenue streams for independent films. This podcast is probably one of the most info packed episodes I've ever done.So get your iPad ready to take some detail notes cause this episode is worth MUCHO DINERO for the filmmaker who wants to put in the work.LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEIFH 023: How to Crowdfund Your Film Like a Pro w/ Emily BestIFH: 025: How t Get a Theatrical Release for Your Indie FilmIFH 017: Guide to Selling Your Film to VODIFH: Filmmaking HacksTwitter Hacks: 10,000 True Fans in 10 WeeksUSC Film School's ONLY On-line Course: Directing the ActorFreeFilmBook.com (Your FREE Audio Book)Six Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE!Kung FuryTurbo KidVimeo ProVHX.tvSeed and SparkTuggIndie Rights

Want to hear a crazy story on how one filmmaker used a hybrid distribution and marketing strategy to sell his film Bomb It. May I introduce Jon Reiss.  After hearing his story I had to have him on the show so he can tell his story to the IFH Tribe.Jon Reiss was named one of “10 Digital Directors to Watch” by Daily Variety, Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker whose experience releasing his documentary feature, Bomb It with a hybrid distribution and marketing strategy.This strategy inspired him writing Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution and Marketing for the Digital Era, the first step-by-step guide for filmmakers to distribute and market their films. Two years ago he co-wrote Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul and last year co-wrote Selling Your Film Outside the U.S.: Digital Distribution in Europe.Jon Reiss teaches in the Film Directing Program at California Institute of the Arts. He created the course "Real World Survival Skills: Everything I Wish I Had B

Social media is a mystery to most filmmakers. It's really easy to get lost in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Youtube, Snap Chat, Periscope, Meerkat, or any of the hundreds of other social media platforms available online.With so many choices and platforms to learn many of us just don't even bother but for those that take the time to educate themselves on social media and it's power the rewards can be HUGE.Marketing an indie film today without including social media is crazy. To watch how Star Wars: The Force Awakens leveraged social media in their marketing campaign was like watching Bobby Fisher play chess...masterful.In this episode I give you a few tips on how to use social media to build your brand, sell your product or promote your film.

The Indie Film Hustle Podcast has been around for five short months. I have not had the same guest on twice, until now. Paddy Bird from Inside the Edit. Last time he was on Paddy Bird dropped some major post production knowledge on the IFH Tribe. I had to have him back.Just as a refresher, Paddy Bird  is one of television’s most prolific and accomplished editors. For the past fifteen years he has edited dozens of prime time documentary, entertainment and reality TV shows for British and American television. He has even worked in war zones, spending time editing news stories on location in Iraq.He also created Inside the Edit, the world's best course on creative editing...period. You can get more info on Inside the Edit and listen to our last podcast here: IFH 013: Inside the Edit.This time around we discuss how to build a career as an editor and a freelancer. Paddy goes into a ton of detail and as always delivers the goods. You may need to listen to this episode more than once. Enjoy my conversation with Padd

So I know working in the film industry can be tough. Breaking in is even tougher. Many people tell you you have to work for free or intern somewhere to get a foot in the door. Now those people aren't totally wrong. The question is when do you work for free? When is trading your time, energy and effort really worth it? In this episode I break down when you should work for free or cheap and when you need to stand your ground and get paid. This episode is not just for film students. I tell you my story of when I got to Los Angeles and what I choose to do and why even after having 10 years of experience, credits and work under my belt. Enjoy this eye opening episode. 

We've all read in Variety or The Hollywood Reporter of some no name screenwriter selling his or her screenplay for a million bucks. Ever wonder how they did it? What structure did they use? What tricks of the trade were employed?May I introduce Paul Castro, the writer of one of my favorite films August Rush. Paul Castro is a produced, award winning screenwriter and world-renowned screenwriting professor."Structure...is the canvas on which we paint with words." - Paul CastroHis project, August Rush was produced by Warner Brothers and starred the late great Robin Williams, Keri Russell, Freddie Highmore, Danny Glover, Kelsey Grammer, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The film took Paul Castro into the belly of the Hollywood beast.

OK, I wanted to start off the new year on the right foot. Over the course of my career I've seen so many filmmakers obsess over film gear, to a paralyzing end. They focused so much on gear that they never make actual films.No one is saying you shouldn't keep up to date on the latest film gear. You need gear, without it you can't make films but cameras, lenses, drones, and grip equipment are just tools.Do you think Chris Nolan, Martin Scorsese, or Quentin Tarantino obsessed about film gear? No. They learned to tell stories first and then grabbed the tools available to them to tell those stories. Sure now they play with all the latest toys but I can guarantee you Quentin Tarantino worked on The Hateful Eight script first before he thought of shooting it on 70mm.You can pay $1 for a hammer or $100 but both will put the nail in the wood. It’s the master carpenter who practiced and took the time to learn how to hit that nail just right, with one swing, that is the craftsman.Don’t rely so heavilyly on film gear to

Happy New Year! I has been ana amazing 2015 for Indie Film Hustle. We launch five short months ago and have grown at a alarming rate. Thanks to the IFH Tribe the Indie Film Hustle Podcast has become the #1 filmmaking podcast on iTunes, just three months after launch...CRAZY!The Indie Film Hustle Youtube Channel is closing in on over 1000 subscribers and I was able to gather over 23,000 followers throughout all the IFH social media platforms. Again I have all of you to thank. This is a special New Years 2016 edition of the the show. I want to let you know what to expect from IFH in 2016 and wanted to give you a little motivation as well. Sit back and get ready to be motivated! Keep that hustle going in 2016 and beyond. 

Surviving the Hollywood Implosion with Scott McMahonIs 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."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 McM

Have you been confused and frustrated when directing actors? I think every director and actor has been frustrated with each other at one or more points in there career but don't worry Nina Foch is here to help. I'll get to who she is in a moment.For a filmmaker, directing actors can be a daunting task. Actors seem to have a language of their own which us directors have a very hard time understanding. For those masters like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese, directing actors is second nature.They are able to understand the language of the actor. They are able to make a scene come alive. No matter how well a scene is written, if the direct can not communicate with his or her actors then all is lost.What to do? Enter Nina Foch, the legendary film teacher from the gold standard of film schools, USC School of Cinematic Arts. As I was looking for filmmaking courses on-line I came across this gem of a course that I couldn't believe was available to us mere indie film mortals. A master class fr

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" staring 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 a "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.Take a listen...

How can a VFX Supervisor make your indie film's VFX shine? I've been a VFX Supervisor on multiple feature films, shorts, commercial and music videos. My job was to get the shots the director wanted done at a high standard and on budget.I've seen many independent films come through my doors at Numb Robot with VFX dreams in their eye but also with no understanding or budget on how to achieve them, that where a good VFX Supervisor comes in.In this episode I breakdown what a VFX Supervisor does and also the things indie filmmakers need to understand before creating Jurassic World in their backyard.

So how can a Post Production Supervisor save your butt? Well I've been a Post Production Supervisor for over 15 years and have seen a lot of indie filmmakers get beaten up, taken advantage of and just plain ripped off in the post production process.In short the Post Production Supervisor is there to protect the film or project from going over budget, ripped off and making sure everything is done on time and budget. Here is the official definition of a Post Production Supervisor:Post Production Supervisors are responsible for the post production process, during which they maintain clarity of information and good channels of communication between the producer, editor, supervising sound editor, the facilities companies (such as film labs, CGI studios and negative cutters) and the production accountant. The Post Production Supervisor has a pivotal role in ensuring that the film's post production budget is manageable and doable, and that all deadlines are met. Take a listen!

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.Take a listen to this master class on screenwriting with Linda Seger and get ready to take notes!

So you want to make music videos. Want to follow in the foot steps of David Fincher, Mark Romanek and Spike Jonez? It's not a bad plan at all. Many filmmakers start off in music videos. It's a great place to get experience, learn the tools and experiment.I've directed a few music videos in my day and have worked in some capacity on hundreds over the years. I wanted to do an episode where I breakdown my process for making a music video. The music video in question is for the band Ozomatli and the stand up comic Gabriel Iglesias aka Fluffy.Gab and I have done a few projects together over the years, two of which were music videos, Hey It's Fluffy and Stand Up Revolution.I had an absolute ball shooting both. Today we will be dissecting Stand Up Revolution, which was for his Comedy Central show "Gabriel Iglesias Presents: Stand-Up Revolution." It was a large production for me and I learn a ton.Take a listen!

Blueprint to Make it in the Film Business with Stage 32Have you ever wanted an easy blueprint to make it in the film business? I know I have. Well you are in for a treat. I had an amazing interview with Richard "RB" Botto from the online film community Stage 32.com.Stage 32 is a US-based social network and educational site for creative professionals who work in film, television and theater. Stage 32 links professionals in the entertainment industry including directors, writers, actors and entertainment staff.It caters to film industry professionals with featured bloggers, online education taught by industry professionals, news from Hollywood and filming locations around the world, Stage 32 meetups page, an online lounge and a film business jobs page that allows members to connect with others on film ventures, along with standard social media functions.

Ah, the good ol' digital vs film debate. Well you won't get any of that in the article or podcast. With Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight coming out Dec 25, 2015, and it being shot in "Glorious 70mm," there has been a lot of chatter about film again.With filmmakers like Christopher Nolan shooting 35mm and IMAX on his latest film and JJ Abrams shooting Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 35 mm, film seems to still be an art form that many filmmakers are not ready to let go of just yet.What Quentin Tarantino has done with The Hateful Eight is unique. He has brought back to life the Ultra Panavision 70 technique along with anamorphic 65mm lenses that haven't been seen since the 60's.Here are some specs:Camera: Panavision 65 HR Camera and Panavision Panaflex System 65 StudioLenses: Panavision APO PanatarFilm Stock 65mm: Kodak Vision3 200T 5213, Vision3 500T 5219Aspect Ratio: 2.75:1Listen to the episode for the rest.