Bulletproof Screenwriting™ Podcast

Running Indie Film Hustle I hear story after story about predatory film distributors screwing over, taking advantage, and just plain stealing from filmmakers every day. I either get emails or read about them in our Facebook Group Community: Protect Yourself From Predatory Film Distributors/Aggregators.I'm so sick and tired of this. These parasites need a light shined on them. The only way we as filmmakers can stop these predators from continuing to hurt filmmakers and devastate lives is to make their actions known. Predatory film distributors continue to screw filmmakers because their actions are performed in the shadows. They bank on that filmmakers will not fight back, that they will keep quiet and just take it. Well, ladies and gentlemen that ends here.I broke the Distribber story around the same time last year.

They were able to take advantage of filmmakers for a long time until someone finally brought their actions to the surface. That is the only weapon we as filmmakers have against predatory film distributors. Our Facebook group has helped thousands of filmmakers not get taken advantage of. I know that the podcasts and videos I put out have helped as well but it's not enough. I'm only one voice.We as a community need to stand up and demand change. The traditional film distribution system is BROKEN. I was just consulting with a filmmaker yesterday that told me that he too was screwed over by a film distributor. This distributor told him on the phone, once he confronted him about the theft of his film, and I quote,"I'll see you in the court of who gives a f**k."This distributor was in the UK and the filmmaker was in the US. The distributor knew that the chances of the filmmaker taking him to court in another country were slim to none. The filmmaker's lawyer advised him to let it go because the cost would be too much. THIS CRAP NEEDS TO STOP.

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I am excited to have back on the show legendary writer, director Alex Proyas.The last time he was here, we discussed his career, working within the studio system, dealing with insane interference in his creative vision, why he was shooting short films. At the time, his movie, The Heretic Foundation, and his misadventures in Hollyweird had just been released.I've been following all the cool stuff he's been working on social media, his shorts, etc. I'm thrilled for him. It's nice seeing an artist creating and not waiting for someone to permit them to make.For those of you who are not familiar with Alex Proyas's work, he is the filmmaker behind The Crow, Dark City, The Knowing, Gods of Egypt, iRobot, and Mask of the Evil Apparition.iRobot was directed by Proyas, written by Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Vintar. The 2004 Box Office $346 million grossed film received mixed reviews. It starred Will Smith and was a technophobic cop in 2035 who went on to investigate a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, which leads to a larger threat to humanity.

Today, we are talking more about his new streaming platform VIDIVERSE. I really wanted to promote what you're doing because I know it's coming from a great place. I need to promote what you're doing because I know it's coming from a great place.VIDIVERSE is a new streaming platform that offers a non-exclusive destination for streaming curated content of all kinds. In time, the platform will partner with creators to help produce content.Most independent filmmakers are getting away from Youtube, and that was the inspiration behind Proyas's VIDIVERSE. YouTube seems to have developed stricter policies about who derives any income from content. Even though a few people manage overtime to beat the algorithm, most creators get very few views. Independent creators to continue building through the platform. Vimeo, and others that similarly target filmmakers ease the streaming challenge. Still, there's nothing between those two ends of the spectrum because YouTube seems to soak it all up through advertising. So, someone like Proyas, who has moved effortlessly between helming TV commercials and music videos to feature films, understands the demand for more targeted platforms and fair revenue distribution models. This is what he intends to develop with VIDIVERSE.Alex also gave us an EXCLUSIVE UPDATE on the development of his Dark City streaming series. This was a fun conversation.

Please enjoy our guest, Alex Proyas.

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Alex Lehmann is the writer, director, and producer of “Acidman” starring Dianna Agron and Thomas Haden Church. He also directed the highly anticipated Black List feature, “Meet Cute,” produced by Weed Road, and starring Pete Davidson and Kaley Cuoco.A narrative and documentary filmmaker, Lehmann's films include Netflix's dramatic comedies “Paddleton,” starring Mark Duplass and Ray Romano, which premiered at Sundance in 2019, and “Blue Jay,” his narrative feature debut, starring Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass. It premiered at TIFF in 2016 to critical acclaim. His HBO docu-series, On Tour with Asperger's Are Us is an extrapolation of his original feature doc Asperger's Are Us.Lehmann’s work explores the themes of selfless love, friendship, and how a little vulnerability can connect us all.

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Steve Kaplan is a renowned comedy consultant and author of "The Hidden Tools of Comedy," a book that delves into the mechanics of comedy and the psychology behind humor. He has adapted Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey framework to comedy writing in a way that helps writers understand how to create engaging and funny stories.

In Steve Kaplan's approach to Comedy's Hero's Journey, the focus is on using humor to engage the audience and enhance the storytelling process. This framework helps comedy writers understand how to create funny and relatable characters and situations while still following the classic Hero's Journey structure.

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I can’t tell you how excited I am about today’s guest. I sat down with the legendary and Oscar® Winning Cinematographer Russell Carpenter ASC. Russell has been shooting blockbusters for over 40 years and has shot films like Ant-Man, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Charlie’s Angels, The Negotiator, True Lies, Monster-in-Law and classic 90’s action flicks like Hard Target, The Perfect Weapon, and Death Warrant.

He won the Oscar® for his cinematography on the second highest-grossing film of all time, Titanic. We go down the rabbit hole on shooting Titanic, working with James Cameron, crazy Hollywood stories, how he approaches each project and much more. This episode is a treasure chest of behind the scenes stories and cinematic techniques from the highest levels of Hollywood.Get ready to be entertained and have your mind blown.

Enjoy my epic conversation with Russell Carpenter A.S.C.

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Pat McGowan is a longtime Film & Video Creator from Ottawa, Canada. As with many in the “biz”, his career started as a musician, moved into audio post and then into directing, producing, shooting and editing. Until recently Pat was the owner/operator of inMotion.ca, a video production company in Ottawa & Toronto. Pat has a passion for wildlife videography and can be found in the Canadian Arctic looking for Polar bears, Narwhals, and Bowhead Whales.

After a successful career spanning over two decades, Pat had an epiphany, and that led to the idea and creation of BlackBox Global. He wants nothing less than to change the relationships that creators have with each other and the global market so they can have better lives. He invites his fellow film & video peeps to join BlackBox and make the world a place where creators can be free to do what they love, own the content they make, and be fairly compensated.

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Today on the show we have a true legend from the film business, director John Badham. John has directed some of the most iconic films in history. From the decade-defining Saturday Night Fever to 80’s hits like War Games, Short Circuit & Stakeout to 90’s action classics like Bird on a Wire, Point of No Return, Nick of Time and Drop Zone.

John Badham has not only continued directing but is involved with some of the most cutting-edge television show being made today. John is also the author of two books John Badham On Directing: Notes from the Set of Saturday Night Fever, War Games, and More and I’ll Be in My Trailer: The Creative Wars Between Directors and ActorsHe’s also is a Tenured Film Professor at Chapman University in Los Angeles. I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to sit down and pick John’s brain. He’s been directing for close to five decades. His wealth of knowledge and experience is remarkable.Sit down and get ready to take a TON of notes on this epic conversation with John Badham. When you are done listening to the episode take a listen to the video below.

It’s awesome and very helpful to ANYONE who wants to direct.

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Ever wanted to learn the dark craft of being able to pitch your story idea successfully? Stephanie Palmer has made it her life’s mission to help people do just that. Stephanie Palmer is a former MGM Pictures executive and best-selling author of the book “Good in a Room: How To Sell Yourself (And Your Ideas) And Win Over Any Audience”Stephanie Palmer was the Director of Creative Affairs for MGM where she supervised the acquisition, development, and production of feature films.

During my time at MGM, she was named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the “Top 35 Executives Under 35.” Prior to MGM, she worked at Jerry Bruckheimer Films.She has heard thousands of pitches. She knows how to and how not to pitch your screenplay or story idea. She worked on films like Legally Blonde, Armageddon, Con Air and was even on an intern on Titanic, there’s a very inserting story there.Learn how to pitch your screenplay like a pro with Stephanie Palmer.

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Today's guest is a filmmaker and Filmtrepreneur Michael Gallagher. Michael is one of the co-founders of Makers Studio. Makers Studios was the largest independent YouTube network in history. YouTube channels under Maker Studios have also collectively earned over 90 million subscribers and accumulated over 1.1 billion views monthly. On March 24, 2014, Maker Studios, Inc. agreed to sell itself to The Walt Disney Company for $500 million, rising to $950 million if financial milestones were met.

Michael has leveraged his success as a YouTube filmmaker to become a full-blown feature film director. His latest film is Funny Story, a dramedy about a well-intentioned father who inadvertently wreaks havoc on the life of his estranged daughter when she invites him to her woodland wedding. Michael went on to direct smash hit films on Youtube like The Thinning Series and InstaFamous. He talks about the big mistakes he made distributing his first feature film Smiley, self-marketing his films, and lessons learned from building an audience on YouTube.

Enjoy my conversation with Michael Gallagher.

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In this episode, we have Racer Max and Rebel Rodriguez. The sons of the legendary filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and film producer Elizabeth Avellán. Racer, Rebel, and I had an amazing conversation about what it was like being raised by two master filmmakers, what it was like to be on set, but also what they've learned along the way, what they are doing differently than their predecessors have, and the amazing work that they're doing on big projects like Hypnotic, We Are Heroes, and the latest in the Spy Kids franchise, Spy Kids: Armageddon.

Spy Kids: Armageddon: The children of the world's greatest secret agents unwittingly help a powerful game developer unleash a computer virus that gives him control of all technology, leading them to become spies themselves to save their parents and the world.

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