Filmmaking Sucks

This week Manny and Lindsay sit down with filmmaker, and long-time collaborator Louie Cortes. Together, the three of us as written, produced and directed our first feature film, Blood Slaughter Massacre, our web-series-turned-featurette, The Attack Of The Brain People, and a number of short films, including Louies' web series Holidays Of Terror. When we began working separately, creatively, Louie produced Good Day with us on crew, and we produced Theta States, with him on crew.

Last week, we discussed how to Micro-Budget your script, and we mentioned how one of the biggest assets in doing low/no budget films is having a crew that you collaborate with regularly. These people will be there on your sets, and you will be on their sets. Rather than you paying them $200 per day, and then they paying you $200 a day right back, you work, indebted to each other, with the combined purpose of getting your projects done and out into the world. All of our films began from simply seeing each other on the subway one day, and talking. That's all there is to networking and building your creative group. 

Today we'll discuss the ways we have met the many members of our regular crew, and the multitude of other places you can find filmmakers, actors, and other creatives! 

Check out Louies work and films at www.newneedleproductions.com 

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We're back! Our computer unfortunately died on us (we did discuss it during the recording, but that turned into a 20+ minute discussion, so it was cut. we'll cover the issue we had on a future episode discussing hardware and software you can use!) so we've been away trying to sort that all out, install the new PC, and get everything up and running.

Two weeks ago, Lindsay was on one of our favorite Filmmaking podcasts, Making Movies Is Hard, and she discussed their prospects of making their own first feature film and how to re-work their budget to affordable levels. So, this week, we give you our response to that interview, and talk about how we keep our budgets down for our films. 

We discuss our own methods and experiences producing the films Blood Slaughter Massacre, Theta States, Good Day, Attack Of The Brain People, Zombie Hunters: City Of The Dead, and the countless short films we've worked on over the past 12 years. The people who we've worked for free for, the favors we've asked for, and fulfilled, bartering your services for assistance, supporting other filmmakers, finding locations for cheap or free, and most importantly, getting your film done at a price you can afford. 

Check out the links below for some of the films, podcasts and videos we discussed in this episode, and get to making your first film!

Making Movies Is Hard! Podcast (Lindsay can be heard on Episode 104)
Mark Duplass - SXSW Keynote
Zombie Hunters: City of the Dead
Madison 48 Hour Film Project

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Manny and Lindsay take on a subject that many independent filmmakers are unaware of this week, and that is Development Funds. This area of your budget is not always necessary, and it depends on what your film budget is actually going to be. 
What are development funds? Where does this money come from? When do you pay it back (if at all)? How does this affect your films budget as a whole? Where do you investors fit into this fund?
As part of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Women Filmmakers series, we sat in on the "Working Above the Micro-Budget Level" Workshop with Naomi McDougall Jones and Sarah Wharton where this was discussed. So we got this straight from two sources who have done it themselves, and we are here to share what we learned with you. 

Catch us at the Severed VHS Trade and Short Film Night, this Saturday May 27th, where we will be premiering our new short film, Knock Knock, and we will have a table for the day. Grab tickets here: www.shermantheater.com/?e=event&eventId=21952&rDate=5/27/2017
And Sunday May 28th, you can see our new film Theta States at the First Contact Film Festival at 2:40pm, along with a full day of other indie horror and scifi films. Tickets are $10 for the day, and you can get them here: filmfreeway.com/festival/firstcontact/tickets

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This week on Filmmaking Sucks, Manny and Lindsay sit down with author Loren Molloy to discuss the differences between writing a book vs a script. Besides the obvious format differences, when writing a novel, the creator tends to be less restricted in their story writing, but there still must be some level of constraint. With a script, you must be stricter with your writing, but more can be left open to interpretation, so it can be left available to create on set. 

We also get into the hot debate of the movies vs the novel/comics and discuss a few other subjects regarding them. 

You can find Loren Molloys books at lorenmolloy.com and see her at the upcoming shows Scare A Con and Grindhouse Night at Cafe Z!

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This week on Filmmaking Sucks, Lindsay and Manny discuss what is like working the convention circuit. Many indie filmmakers, especially those in the horror genre, decide to forego the traditional distribution route, and opt instead to sell their films themselves by running tables at conventions like Monster Mania, Chiller Theatre, Horrorhound, Texas Frightmare, Cinema Wasteland, and more. 
Here on the North-East coast, the convention circuit filmmakers are like a family, and these events are like a reunion to us. We love doing the shows, seeing each other, sometimes filming in the hotels, and hanging out with everyone. We'll discuss many of the perks, and the not-so-perks of choosing this path. The costs involved, the legalities, and the benefits of building relationships within this community. 
We also discuss how working conventions differ from doing film festivals, and our personal feelings on the two venues. 

You can catch us vending at the Severed Film Fest at the Sherman Theater on May 27th in Stroudsberg, PA and for the screening of Theta States at 2:40pm at the First Contact Film Festival on May 28th, at Camp Jefferson in Lake Hopatcong, NJ!
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Profile Image credit to Todd Staruch

This week, Scott W. Perry joins Manny and Lindsay again to discuss his series "In Fear Of." 

Producing a TV or Web Series is a long process and big commitment. With many moving parts and different directors on each episode, the production can balloon very quickly and just as quickly it can go off the rails. With the success of In Fear Of behind him, Scott tells us many of the pitfalls he experiences, from running out of money, pitching to producers, directors walking off set and the fallout from the burning of friendships.

This is one episode that truly lives up to the title of "Filmmaking Sucks" and proves that time, patience, and perseverance are your greatest assets. If you've experienced a bad shoot, or a failed production, then this discussion proves you're not alone and that giving up is not an option. 

You can find Scott W. Perrys web series In Fear of on Facebook at facebook.com/InFearOf and on twitter at @scottwperry1977. 

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Every writer has a process, and it's different for each one. This week, Manny and Lindsay sit down with writer/producer/director Scott W. Perry and discuss the process of completing a script. 

Scott is the producer of the web series "In Fear Of" where he worked with over a dozen directors and writers. In a situation like that, you learn the art of collaboration, and in that comes the true form of filmmaking, but it all begins with the script. 

There are also certain guidelines that can be used when writing a script, which can help you move your screenplay forward when you're stuck. There are also other things which producers will look for when reading a script, and we will discuss what some of these guidelines are, and how you can get a producers attention, without them actually reading your script. 

From the writing of Joseph Campbell and Syd Field, to finding inspiration, knowing your characters, creating a world, setting your themes, and writing for TV vs film, there are many parts to a good screenplay, and we discuss each of them on this in-depth episode of Filmmaking Sucks!

You can find Scott W. Perrys web series In Fear of on Facebook at facebook.com/InFearOf and on twitter at @scottwperry1977. 

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We're back! This week, in what is possibly our least structured episode yet, we have a conversation with teenage filmmaker, Anthony Edward Curry. Anthony, who began making his first feature film at 13 years old and completing it at 15, has since gone on to working on numerous indie projects with many of the NY/NJ Indie Filmmakers, including a number of other young filmmakers he came up with. 
Throughout the conversation, we talk with him about his first film, Movie Night, as well as his current film, other projects he is working on, how he finds new work, networking, and staying busy.
Discussing some of our own personal on-set horror stories, we prove that you're never too old (or young) to make mistakes. Fighting to make your indie film perfect, buying blood vs making blood, and someone close to Anthony was in The Warriors!
You can find Anthony on Facebook and Instagram, as well as his production companies Mayhem Films and Ouroboros Films.

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Hiring a good producer is so important to you film, we needed two weeks to explain it. The day-of filming is the most important moment for your film, and if you're directing, the only thing you should be concerned with is getting what you need on-screen. We're sure you're setting up lights, working with actors, telling your cameraman what you want, running scenes, etc. The producers key responsibility is to create an environment where everyone can do their obs properly. Whether it be negotiating extra time with your location owner, making sure the food arrives when you need it to, getting talent or crew to set (or home) if a problem arises..

The producer is your problem solver for the day. We will explain all of this to you, with a few nightmare stories of our own, and hopefully we can convince you that you do in fact need a producer for your film.

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Hiring a producer can be expensive, so many indie filmmakers write and direct their own films, which is just fine. But then, they decide "I'll do it myself" when it comes to producing, and they don't realize how much they have actually hurt their film by making that decision.

The truth is, it's because most don't actually know what the producer is supposed to do, and how much work truly goes into their job. Maybe you cant afford a real producer, but you do need to find someone to work as your producer. This week, we will cover the many things a producer does to get your film up off the ground and running during Pre-Production. 

From creating your production bible, to character breakdowns, to equipment and props lists, hiring department heads, breaking down the script, location scouting, casting, budgeting, scheduling and so much more. 

Listen in as we discuss everything a producer does for your film during the pre-production process on Filmmaking Sucks!

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