To celebrate the launch of my new members community for filmmakers The Backlot, I am publishing this special solo episode to help spread the good news.

For some context, The Backlot is a community designed to give filmmakers the tools, resources, and connections needed to bring their feature films to life.

Members are on a shared journey to create a feature film of their own this year (optionally), and The Backlot provides the structure, education, and accountability needed to ensure the successful completion of each movie. You can think of it like an incubator for micro-budget feature films... But it can really be used however you see fit - whether for networking opportunities, feedback on your work, collaborations, or just as an educational experience. 

Over the course of the show, I share the purpose behind this community, explain how it can be used make your feature film a reality, and touch on other fun details relating to guest speakers, giveaways, and more.

To sign up for The Backlot click here.

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Today I am joined by filmmaking duo Sandy Sternshein & Brad Riddell, here to talk about their feature directorial debut Later Days which was shot for just over $1MM and is currently gearing up for distribution.

For some quick background - Brad came up through the studio system, writing films like American Pie: Band Camp, and producing features for studios like Paramount, MTV & Universal. Sandy’s background is in the independent world, with writing credits on films like Pushing Forty and Back to the Grind (an upcoming project for Tony Hawk Productions). Both Sandy & Brad have also taught screenwriting for years and have collaborated since meeting in film school at USC.

Throughout the interview, we take a behind the scenes look at Later Days, exploring exactly how the film was pulled off from a creative and financial standpoint. We cover almost the entirety of the process, with special attention paid to development and fundraising. During this section, Sandy & Brad share some fantastic advice on raising money for a film, and outline each critical step they took along the way. All this and much more on today’s episode.

Links from the show:

Sandy - Twitter

Sandy - Instagram

Brad - Twitter

Brad - Instagram

Wry Mash Media - Website

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On this episode, I’m joined by acclaimed filmmaker and editor Mike J. Nichols, known for his amazing work on countless documentary features like Last Play At Shea, Echo In The Canyon, and (most recently) Zappa.

Mike generously shares his wealth of knowledge gained through an incredible career in post-production, leading off with a wild story about how he broke into the business by creating an unofficial edit of a Star Wars film. We also take a behind the scenes look at many of the iconic projects he’s worked on, his creative process, technical workflow, gear setup, and so much more. This is essential listening for documentary and narrative editors alike.

Links from the show -

Mike on Twitter

Mike on Instagram

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Many would-be filmmakers dream of leaving their day jobs to make films, but few ever take the leap. Today’s guest is certainly an exception to the rule.

Michael Rekola spent years working as a lawyer in the political world, and even served as the Communications Director for the U.S. House Of Representatives in 2014-2015, before leaving it behind to pursue a career independent film.

Throughout our chat, Michael outlines exactly what it took to jump ship and make such a drastic career change, while sharing invaluable insights for others who may be looking to do the same. We also chat all about the Capitol Hill Film Festival, why he decided to launch it, how it’s helped the industry come to him, what it’s taught him about filmmaking, and much more.

Links from the show - 

Capitol Hill Film Festival - Instagram

Capitol Hill Film Festival - Twitter

Capitol Hill Film Festival - Website

Special Code: Anyone who uses "NOAM" at checkout will save 25% and only pay $5.99 to watch 70+ great short films on a 30 day virtual pass. 

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On this episode, I’m joined by Mihai Crasneanu (CEO) and Tess Fenn (Director of Communities & Impact) to hear all about their incredibly innovative streaming platform - Beem. Unlike SVOD or TVOD platforms like Amazon and Apple that offer viewers an endless library of film titles, Beem is focused on creating special live virtual events for films, in a sense mimicking the in-person theatrical experience.

This solves a major issue for filmmakers looking to monetize their film through self-distribution, as virtual events can be far more profitable than releasing your film to an SVOD/TVOD library. Over the course of our interview, Mihai and Tess speak to this at some length, outlining best practices for filmmakers looking to leverage Beem as a mechanism to bring their title to an audience, and generate revenue in the process. They also share the story behind Beem, touch on marketing and distribution tips for filmmakers, and much more.

Links from the show -

https://www.watchbeem.com

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Joining me today is actor turned auteur, Chris Riggi - here to talk all about his debut micro-budget feature film Good Luck With Everything. This film was shot in just 5 days on a shoestring budget of $1300, with Chris not only stepping in as the writer/director, but also DP’ing, producing, and editing the film.

Chris is also an acclaimed actor, with leading credits in shows like Gossip Girl and movies like Vampires Suck. Throughout the episode he shares his journey from actor to filmmaker, while breaking down his process making a feature film that was fully produced from start to finish during the pandemic. We also talk about why Chris likes to DP his own work, what it was like to work from a scriptment, how he captured dynamic shots with minimal shooting time, why he released the film without waiting on festivals, and much more.

Links from the show:

Chris Riggi - Instagram

Good Luck With Everything - Amazon

This episode is sponsored by Film Local - http://filmlocal.com

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On this episode, I am joined by Steven Pierce - a multi-hyphenate filmmaker with a wealth of experience in both tv & film well as advertising/commercial production. Steven's career has led him to edit four seasons worth of material for Saturday Night Live, direct content for brands like Hulu, Amazon & Jaguar, and direct live shows for artists like Ed Sheeran, Twenty One Pilots, and Sheryl Crow, just to name a few highlights. He also hosts the Independent Filmmaker's Guide podcast, which I was fortunate to be on earlier this year.

We cover a lot of ground over the course of the interview, with special attention paid to Steven's time at SNL, working as an editor and visual effects artist. He walks us through his technical and creative process, and shares his insanely demanding weekly post-production workflow that you'll need to hear about to believe. All this and much more on today's show!

Links from the show:

Independent Filmmakers Guide

Framework Productions - Website

Framework Productions - Instagram

Steven Pierce - Instagram

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In this special crossover episode with the Filmmaker's Corner podcast, I chat with writer/director Michael Bachochin and producer Brooke Lorraine about their micro-budget sci-fi feature film Parallax.

Over the course of our discussion we touch on the entire creative process behind this ambitious feature, go into detail on the business strategy behind the movie, and discuss the unique distribution angle being explored by the producing team.

The Primal Group - Production Company

Parallax - Movie Website

Parallax - Facebook

Parallax - Instagram

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Joining me on this episode is documentary feature filmmaker Josh Tsui, whose new film Insert Coin premiered earlier this year at SXSW and is out everywhere this week! The film tells the amazing behind-the-scenes story of one of the greatest video game studios of all time – Midway Games.

This is one of the most fascinating documentaries I’ve seen in a long time, and learning how it was made only made it more compelling. Throughout the interview Josh details his workflow for cutting down hundreds of hours of footage, outlines why he edited most of the film on a MacBook Air, and shares his decision to turn down an offer to screen an early cut of his film at SXSW 2018 - which is just the tip of the iceberg. The ingenuity behind this movie is truly impressive, and is sure to inspire documentary and narrative filmmakers alike. 

Links from the show:

Insert Coin - Alamo Drafthouse

Insert Coin - Instagram

Insert Coin - Twitter

Josh Tsui - Twitter

For more content like this be sure to visit www.noamkroll.com

On this episode, I am joined by Noam Tomaschoff (yes, another Noam!), to talk about his upcoming debut feature film Tankhouse. While many filmmaker's first features are bootstrapped on a micro-budget using DIY tactics, Noam was able to defy the odds on Tankhouse by raising a large enough budget for a 30 - 40 person crew, and strong ensemble cast featuring known actors like Christopher Lloyd and Richard Kind.

Throughout the interview, Noam walks us through each critical step of his process - from fundraising to post-production and beyond. He also generously shares some tough lessons he learned on set in the first week of production that offer invaluable insight to virtually any first time filmmaker.

Links from the show:

Tankhouse - Instagram

Noam Tomaschoff - Instagram

Noam Tomaschoff - Website

For more content like this visit www.noamkroll.com