Watch This Episode On YouTube
I haven’t done a how much I love New York City episode in a couple weeks, so the indie smash, OR SOMETHING (2024), and the film’s director, Jeffrey Scotti Schroeder, makes for the absolute perfect guest. Why is the film being extended at Quad Cinemas? What does it say for indie filmmakers that the Substack crowd got so behind this film? Is it repeatable? Let’s hope so. And if you haven’t seen it at the time this airs, go see it through September 4th. Or later, if we keep talking about it.
In this episode, Jeffrey and I talk about:
- The word of mouth success of OR SOMETHING (2024), whose theatrical run was extended through September 4th;
- His origin story — a true OG throwback to William Morris mailrooms;
- What makes a great agent?
- What to expect when you watch OR SOMETHING;
- How he wound up attached to the film, written by comedy stars Kareem Rahma and Mary Neely;
- What the six day, ultra-low filmmaking process was like and how filmmakers get the knowledge of avoiding dudes in golf carts in New York City;
- How the film blew up on blogs + NYC social media and whether it’s repeatable in cities with a clear sense of place (warning: some Los Angeles indie film bashing in this answer);
- Whether there’s infrastructure to make more of these films in NYC;
- How much it matters making investors whole to make your next film;
- Whether local government could get behind a gritty NYC film like this;
- What’s next for him — it involves surfing and Rio.
Jeffrey’s Indie Film Highlight: THE SWEET EAST (2023) dir. Sean Price Williams
Memorable Quotes:
“The good agents would have a really hard and fast rule that they’d return everybody’s call at least the same day.”
“If you like your classic New York City walk and talk film and if you don’t mind two people talking the entire movie….then you’ll like it. If you don’t like that type of movie, you’re not gonna like this film.”
“Hey, do you wanna do this ultra low budget feature? They were, what’s the rate? And I told them…like..nothing.”
“Whereas New York people are just mind your fucking business on both ends, like we’re filming. And then we’re in their space, excuse me, can you, they’re like, mind your business. It’s New York City.”
“If you’re leading with the idea of profitability, it might not come to fruition.”
“Word of mouth is definitely the only way because we have a $0 marketing budget.”
Links:
Follow Jeffrey On Instagram
Follow OR SOMETHING On Instagram
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