indie spunk: UNFILTERED

This is Part One of a three part series recorded LIVE at Production Connect’s indie film night, co-hosted by Izzy and award-winning filmmaker & founder of Production Connect, Andrew Sandler. Featuring Brandon Dermer, Quinn Shephard and Izzy Stevens.

In part one, Izzy and Andrew chat to Brandon Dermer about his path to becoming an indie filmmaker.

Brandon’s debut feature “I’m Totally Fine” stars Jillian Bell (Brittany Runs a Marathon, GodMothered) and Natalie Morales (No Hard Feelings, Parks & Rec). The film, written by American Dad!‘s Alisha Ketry and produced by Kyle Newacheck (Murder Mystery, What We Do In The Shadows, Workaholics), is now streaming exclusively on Hulu. From directing music videos for The Jonas Brothers, Diplo, and Panic! At the Disco, to commercials for Intel, T-Mobile, and Youtube, Brandon’s extensive experience has garnered him features at SXSW, MTV's VMAs, Vimeo Staff Pick, Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, and many more.

In this episode Brandon covers:

— the importance of limiting locations in indie film development and budgeting

— how a smaller budget necessitates ingenuity

— building and maintaining relationships with collaborators/mentors

— how papa roach and frosted tips lead him down a path of success

P.S. If you’re interested in attending a Production Connect event, CLICK HERE to hop on their mailing list for upcoming events.

Resources for This Episode:

Brandon's Website

Brandon's Instagram

Production Connect LA

Hop on the waitlist for Micro-Budge Bootcamp quick if you want early discounted access: https://indiespunk.com/bootcamp

Meditation starts at 4:11.

Listen: We have to get out of our own way.

Take a peak at micro-budge bootcamp & hop on the waitlist here 🚀

I hate to break it to you, but your current project is NOT the be-all-and-end-all. It is NOT make-or-break to your career. It's a just a puzzle piece. The whole puzzle is so much larger.

But our ego can do some funky shit when we're 'new' to a film role or a trying a new creative process... We have to just dive in, show up, do our best and be okay if we get it wrong.

In this episode, Izzy talks about a recent mistake she made as a script supervisor on set, and why she's glad it happened. +

Like this ep? Take a sec to Rate & Review and make our whole dang day (plus, your review helps more filmmakers find the podcast and get this support. Thank you!)

Download Izzy's brand new Movie Money Mini-Masterclass for free, right here (+ access a PDF sample budget for a 6k short film)

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Let's get technical! In this episode, Izzy is joined by the brilliant minds behind Cinematography for Actors, founders Indeana Underhill and Haeleigh Royall, and CFA partner Breanna Wing.

CFA are focused on the technical side of performance, and are dedicated to bridging the gap between talent and crew, so that effective storytelling can take place practically, creatively and technically.

You'll hear how to

Guests featured on this ep are:

Indeana Underhill is an accomplished cinematographer and graduate of AFI with over a decade in the industry and upwards of 40 credits on films internationally.

Haeleigh Royall is a working industry actor with experience on Network TV and appearances at renowned film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, and Slamdance. 

Breanna Wing is an actor who has appeared in Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood", Aaron Sorkin's "Being the Ricardos”, and Adam McKay's "Don't Look Up", as well as behind the camera in the art department of multiple blockbuster films. 

In today’s episode, Izzy answers a common question from her indie spunk club members: How to transition from working for free to getting paid as a creative? 

Our money mentality can be one of our biggest creative blocks.Through sharing her own story of getting paid as a director for the first time,  Izzy goes into detail on the mindset shifts that need to happen, as well as some practical advice to help you move towards the kind of person and creative you want to be, including how to:

P.S. Finally ready to make a film this year and crave empathetic, industry-savvy mentorship? Apply for coaching & schedule a chat with Izzy ⁠right here⁠.

In this episode, Izzy chats with actor, podcast host, and communications coach, Michelle Miller. As the host of the Mentors on the Mic podcast, Michelle engages with industry veterans and emerging talent to uncover the stories, insights, and lessons that have shaped their successful careers.

From her journey as a working actor to deciding to become a communications coach for creatives to interviewing Creator and Showrunner Marta Kaufman on her podcast, Michelle shares actionable tips for networking, pitching, and communicating for actors and filmmakers, including how to:

Most of all, Michelle shares tangible tips and offers valuable guidance for professionals in the entertainment industry and showcases her passion for empowering others.

Resources Mentioned:

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Want more? Check out ⁠the indie spunk club⁠ for bonus content, pop-up workshops, networking, and more! And don’t miss all the content on IG (⁠@indiespunk⁠) and as always at ⁠indiespunk.com⁠

And if you’d like personalized 1-on-1 support from Izzy, you can apply for coaching & schedule a chat with her ⁠right here⁠.

Join Micro-Budge Bootcamp [DOORS CLOSE IN 2 DAYS]

Couldn't make it to Izzy’s free class ‘Money Doesn't Make Your Film’ last week? Press play to hear a key lesson from the class. 

In this episode: Izzy shares her #1 scriptwriting tool when working with a micro budget short film, and how it helped her turn a failing short into a festival success.

Micro-Budge Bootcamp kicks off on June 28th – a month-long intensive program focusing on giving you the tools to write, budget and self-produce a festival-worthy short-film on a baby budget. 

Resources Mentioned:

Snag a spot to Izzy's free Masterclass Here >>>.

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In today's episode, Izzy gets a lil sassy about the oft heard phrase creatives hear: "Why don't you just make your own work?"

But is it really that simple?

Don't feel obligated to create a film cuz it's what you "should" do. But if you have a project noodling around in your brain and actually DO want to get filming, we've got some tips and tricks in this ep, including:

— where to find the exact blueprint you need to get your project made

— why you don’t need money to make your film

— focusing on taking one step at a time

— how to go from script to screen this summer

Cuz we ain't going to let the strikes, a limited budget, or a lack of time and resources stop you from making your film. You can make your film without the hefty price tag. 

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

P.S. During this intro class to ⁠Micro-Budge Bootcamp⁠, you'll gain 3 actionable steps you can take today to get your film finished this summer. 

Snag your spot to the FREE upcoming masterclass >>> Money Doesn't Make Your Film [an introduction to Micro-Budge Filmmaking].

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In this episode, Izzy sits down with actor, creator, and host, Sarah Pribis. Sarah has amassed over 200k followers across her social media channels for her working actor life videos (If you're on Tik Tok you've probably seen her there!).

From her journey through sobriety to being featured on The Ellen Show to deciding to join TikTok and share what her life is like as a full-time working actor, Sarah shares sound advice on how to authentically build your social media following as an actor and filmmaker, including:

— the amount of time and experimentation it takes to evolve

— finding your niche by getting messy

— getting inspired by other creators

— the importance of being consistent

— navigating the path less traveled

Most of all, Sarah shares tangible tips on how to grow your following on social media in a real way and maintain a schedule as a working actor.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Sarah’s TikTok

Sarah’s Instagram

UGC How-To Playlist (TikTok)

In this episode, Izzy is breaking down 3 actionable tips to managing your time and creativity wisely – without causing burnout. From setting intentions for each project to visualizing progress and avoiding calendar fatigue, listen up to feel more confidence in your creativity and managing your workload effectively, including:

Most of all, this episode is here to remind you that you were born to be creative, to express yourself, and to connect with people using the skills that you have. Those things are fully possible for you even in the moments of overwhelm.

P.S. Wanna get be in the know of all things indie spunk? Sign up for our newsletter here and get your free Script-to-Screen Roadmap!

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Want more? Check out ⁠the indie spunk club⁠ for bonus content, pop-up workshops, networking, and more! And don’t miss all the content on IG (⁠@indiespunk⁠) and as always at ⁠indiespunk.com⁠

You can also hop into the full⁠ Crowdfund Hero⁠ course where you'll be guided to pitch, launch & raise funds with a magnetic campaign that builds your audience & dazzles the industry.

And if you’d like personalized 1-on-1 support from Izzy, you can apply for coaching & schedule a chat with her ⁠right here⁠.