Independent Filmmaker's Guide | IFG

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You know the slogans, get it done, just do it, shoot what you have…

Emly Bennett and Justin Brooks put it all to the test when they decided to shoot their feature on their own during the pandemic.

Today hosts Steven Pierce and James Allerdyce discuss with these resourceful artist about how they stopped wanting to make a film and actually made it happen. From concept, to execution, to a recent distribution deal…this episode is a great up-close guide for any filmmaker.

Alone With You

As a young woman painstakingly prepares a romantic homecoming for her girlfriend, their apartment begins to feel more like a tomb when voices, shadows, and hallucinations reveal a truth she has been unwilling to face.

- IMDb.com

Independent Filmmaker’s Guide | How Movies Get Made

IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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We’ve heard news bytes about the horrors and tragedies in Venezuela, but most of us don’t have a clear idea of what has and continues to transpire.

Today hosts Steven Pierce and James Allerdyce sit down with the daring filmmakers, directors 

Maxx Caicedo and Nelson G. Navarrete and producer Shawna L. Brakefield as they layout their 5+ year journey, giving both us in the film community and the world at-large a close and very real picture of what is happening not only in Venezuela, but what could easily happen in our own backyard. This is A La Calle.

The documentary features interviews with prominent figures opposed to the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. - IMDb.com

Independent Filmmaker’s Guide | How Movies Get Made

IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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Being resilient, able to bounce back from failures. Seeing possibility in unexpected places.

This may be a main thread in the storyline in the film Lorelei, but it also applies to every indie film and filmmaker.

Today, hosts Steven Pierce & James Allerdyce sit down with the writer-director of Lorelei, Sabrina Doyle. While breaking down the entire process and experience of making this beautiful drama, we cover topics ranging from philosophical to practical - working with children, building a family dynamic without rehearsal, cancelled festivals, finding the optimum fps for shooting under water. And as our guest reminds us, we don’t talk about failure enough. It is simply part of your journey to success.

“A working-class fable about a biker, a mermaid and three shades of blue.” - IMDb

Opening in theaters and digitally, July 30th

Independent Filmmaker’s Guide: How Movies Get Made

IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was hosted and directed by Steven Pierce & James Allerdyce, and produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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With the rise of high-quality documentary filmmaking in recent years, the importance of the documentary colorist has come to the forefront.

In this episode, Steve sits down with filmmaker and colorist, Robert Arnold. Robert is the founder of Lateral Films where he works extensively on documentary features, including 2020’s Stray “following the world of Zeytin, a stray dog living life on the streets of Istanbul” (- IMBDb.com). Be sure to check it out on Hulu.

Today’s discussion runs deep, from debates on resolution vs. color science, utilizing degraded footage, to how working remotely has now become an integral part of the daily workflow.

Independent Filmmaker’s Guide | How Movies Get Made

IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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In the independent film world, “why does your story need to be told?” is one of the most important questions to answer early on. And the film THE GOD COMMITTEE is a great example of how you answer this can have a huge impact on your film’s potential success and impact.

Today, hosts Steven Pierce and James Allerdyce sit-down with writer/directer Austin Stark to discuss his powerful answer to that question. And as always, we dive deep into the entire process, including how to work with high profile actors such as Kelsey Grammer, Julia Stiles, Colman Domingo, and Janeane Garofalo, how were decisions made about distribution given today’s landscape, shooting on location in a working hospital, and of course how they technically achieved the specific look and feel of their film.

An organ transplant committee has one hour to decide which of three patients deserves a life-saving heart. Seven years later, the committee members struggle with the consequences of that fateful decision. 

-IMDb.com

Independent Filmmaker’s Guide: How Movies Get Made

IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was hosted and directed by Steven Pierce and James Allerdyce, and produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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Meyer Lansky is as instrumental to The National Crime Syndicate as Harvey Keitel is to legendary cinematic performances.
In writer/director Eytan Rockaway’s second feature, he brings them both together, with an all-star cast in order to tell the true and personal story of the most infamous gangsters you’ve never heard of in the movie LANKSY.
In today’s episode, hosts Steven Pierce and James Allerdyce walk through each step of the process with Rockaway, from financing, to choosing locations, production design in two separate time periods, distribution, as well as technical aspects of running the set each day.

“When the aging Meyer Lansky is investigated one last time by the Feds who suspect he has stashed away millions of dollars over half a century, the retired gangster spins a dizzying tale, revealing the untold truth about his life as the notorious boss of Murder Inc. and the National Crime Syndicate.”
- Lansky IMDb

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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Producing an indie pilot for a potential series is almost like making half of a feature film, but with its own unique challenges. In addition to the usual hurdles, it also entails conceiving hours and hours of future content and story arcs, selling those ideas to potential buyers or investors. It is a different fork of the same river as features, but many times involves a very large creative and financial commitment, with less time and fewer resources overall. 

Today our host, Steven Pierce, talks with writer and director Blake McWilliam who assembled a very talented group for his pilot, the comedy “Timberwood”.

At the end of today's episode, be sure to catch fellow host and colleague, James Allerdyce, who joins Steven for detailed and practical takeaways about Blake's experience.

"A hilarious new comedy series about what it’s really like to be a summer camp counselor. This summer camp TV show stars Michael Trevino, Giullian Yao Gioiello, Jessie Komitor, Ariane Rinehart, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, AJ Vaage, Ian Fisher, David Reale,  Layla Khosh, Jeremy Holm, Melissa Italiano, and Nancy Miguelez. "
- Camp Timberwood



At the time of this release, Timberwood has received the “Best Independent Comedy Pilot” Award at New York’s NORTH FORK TV FEST, and has been nominated for “Best Ensemble”, “Best Comedy”, and “Best TV Pilot”, at the British Columbia TV FEST

IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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Many filmmakers spend their lives learning to create, rewrite and refine their visions into something personal and meaningful. And for most, distribution is that step where they look for someone else to take that film and shepherd it to success.

Today we speak with Michelle Shwarzstein, Vice President of Marketing and Acquisitions at Brainstorm Media. She oversees all their film acquisitions and marketing strategies for all kinds platforms and a variety of genres.
Visit them at brainmedia.com


IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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When host Steven Pierce started working with SNL he met Josh Bohoskey, an amazing colorist who also works with The Mill in NYC. In addition to coloring multiple pieces a week for SNL, Josh colors everything from commercials, feature films, to music videos, and is a recent recipient of the AICE Colorist of The Year.
In today’s episode, Steve and Josh explore the critical nature and importance of the often overlooked and misunderstood process of color correction. Budgeting for it early on, building relationships early, and knowing exactly how color correction will separate your film- elevating it from professional to award-winning.


IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org

IFG | How Movies Get Made

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A movie poster can be the difference between a successful movie and a failure.
After designing posters for films like Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Y Tu Mamá También, Ocean's 11, Training Day and countless others, James Verdesoto of Indika Entertainment Advertising has made key art for films of all size budgets. In this episode we talk through many of the considerations and calculations made to help successfully bring the audience to the filmmaker's hard work. 


IFG is created by Framework Productions. This episode was directed by James Allerdyce, produced and edited by Matt Mundy & Audrey Rae McHale, and hosted by Steven Pierce. The music is by Glass Boy. Find his music on freemusicarchive.org.

IFG | How Movies Get Made