The MAKE IT Podcast

328 - Brandon Rhiness, Screenwriter And Filmmaker - Making Horror On A Budget, How To Get Paid Selling A Screenplay, and The Democratization Of Filmmaking

 

Hello, Hello!

 

In this episode of the MAKE IT Podcast, we have a conversation with Screenwriter and Filmmaker, Brandon Rhiness. We cover the following: 

 

• How he sold his first screenplay
• His tips, tools, and methods for raising capital
• Why Hollywood coverage scores don’t help writers 
• The best software, apps, and websites for screenwriters 
• His new Horror film, ‘Grotesque’ 
• The democratization of filmmaking 
• Importance of Key Art and Font Use in Indie Film Marketing 
• What it takes to reach professional benchmarks of quality

 

And much more… Enjoy! 

 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: https://www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

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The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

 

 

More On Brandon @brandonrhiness

 

Watch Grotesque:

 

Tubi: tubitv.com/movies/695937/grotesque

 

Amazon: us.amazon.com/Grotesque-Brandon-Rhiness/dp/B0B8NXZJSJ

 

Brandon Rhiness is a screenwriter and director from Edmonton, Canada. He also writes and publishes comic books and graphic novels through Higher Universe Comics, a company he co-founded. Brandon has written in various genres and mediums, including film, TV, reality, and web series. He is most known for the movies Hot Box and Grotesque, as well as the comic book Chainsaw Reindeer.

 

Upcoming projects: The feature-length horror movies Horrorshow, I'm Haunted 2, and Grotesque 2.

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Hello, Hello! 

 

In this edition of Industry Insights, borrowing from Calgary International Film Festival Director Brian Owens, Nick walks us through the steps to consider before embarking on a fight that could affect your career. Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: https://www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

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Hello, Hello! 

 

In this edition of Indie Talk, Chris and Nick discuss the following:

 

• The Potential WGA Strike (And Why It Might Be A Nothing-Burger)

 

• Pros and Cons Of Unions

 

• Hollywood Accounting 

 

• The Complexity Of The Upcoming Streaming Contract Negotiations 

 

• Why Intellectual Property Is The Best Play For Indie Filmmakers   

 

• Why Everyone Should Love Vin Diesel (Even If They Don’t Love The Fast & The Furious Series Of Films) 

 

• What We Can Learn From The Latest Indie Unicorn ‘Blood & Honey’

 

• The Virality of Cocaine Bear 

 

• And We Return With Our Segments “Culture Check” & “Friendly Advice From…”

 

Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: https://www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

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Hello, Hello (and Happy Valentines Day)!

 

In this edition of Mistakes In The Making, we hear from Episodic Writer Priscilla Wise. Priscilla expounds on her experience with being unprepared for film industry opportunities and how she learned to overcome that through self-reflection and honesty. Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: https://www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

 

 

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Hello, Hello! 

 

In this episode, we have a conversation with Director, Writer, and Actor Nell Teare. We talk about  her film Boliver, her predictions for the film industry in 2023, why she shot her feature on Film, when to call it quits in a relationship, her process for getting a top score remotely, and the ripe world of cinematic book trailers. Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: https://www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello! 

In this edition of Indie Talk, Chris and Nick discuss the recent Academy Awards nominations, which films got snubbed, and which films might not belong, the inconvenient truth about how Black women are marketed by corporations, what it looks like to embrace your imperfections as a creative truly. Finally, we play “Things We Should Know About The Movies” once again. Enjoy! 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

 

Shownotes:

Sundance Jury Walks Out of Film (article)

Jonathan Majors (actor)

Women Talking (film)

Sarah Polley (Actor & Director)

12 Angry Men (film)

Village of the Damned (1960 film)

Titanic (film)

The Power of the Dog (film)

Benedict Cumberbatch (actor)

Tár (film)

CODA (film)

Everything Everywhere All at Once (film)

Decision to Leave (film)

Park Chan-wook (producer)

A24 Films

 

Chinonye Chukwu post

Till (film)

Abbott Elementary (tv series)

Viola Davis (actress)

The Woman King (film)

Cate Blanchett (actress)

Denzel Washington (actor)

Halle Berry (actress)

Parasite (film)

Nomandland (film)

Sound of Metal (film)

Riz Ahmed (actor)

Requiem for a Dream (film)

Chloé Zhao (director)

Francis McDormand (actress)

 

The Best Man (film)

Black Panther (film)

Moonlight (film)

Harlem Nights (film)

Shavvon Lin Conversation

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (film)

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Hello, Hello! 

In this episode, we have a conversation with Producer, Director, and Writer Christin Baker. We talk about her new streaming service DIVABoxOffice.TV, her new film 'Merry & Gay,' her secrets to longevity in filmmaking, what qualifies as a Lesbian film, using screenwriting contests as a development force-multiplier, why short films aren't worthy of outside investment, practical knowledge versus academic knowledge, and the problem of Google, Bing, and other search engines conflating LGBTQ films with porn. Enjoy! 

 

Follow Christin's work:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Tello Films

Diva Box Office

 

 

I Hate New Year’s (film)

Season of Love (film)

Christmas at the Ranch (film)

Merry & Gay (film)

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: www.bonsai.film/donate.

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

 

 

—

 

More On Christin Baker

An award-winning director and Emmy-nominated producer, Christin Baker is passionate about telling relevant and meaningful stories. Most recently, Christin partnered with DIVA Media Group for the Dec. 1, 2022, relaunch of the LGBTQ+ streaming network DIVABoxOffice.tv. As CEO of the company, she will also premiere her fourth queer holiday romcom, Merry & Gay. 

Since the age of 13, when her family purchased their first VHS camcorder, Christin has been playing with storytelling, directing music videos and SNL parodies with neighborhood kids. In 2009, she launched her own production and digital distribution company, Tello Films, and the first streaming channel to make movies and other programming for the queer female community. TelloFilms.com was the first lesbian network to receive an Emmy nomination in 2017 for the series Secs & EXECS. In 2019, the series Riley Parra, which she produced and directed, was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards. 

Under Christin’s guidance Tello Films was the leader in creating original queer content as well as creating a platform for monetizing niche entertainment. Passionate about directing, Christin was awarded Best Director for her work on Maybelle at the 2016 London Raindance Film Festival. 

She is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has had the pleasure to work with such film icons such as Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman), Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troy, Star Trek), Amanda Righetti (The Mentalist), Archie Kao (CSI, Chicago Med, the Blue Power Ranger) and Janina Gavankar (Big Sky, The Morning Show). 

 

Shownotes:

Richard Overton Secrets to Life (video)

Nancylee Myatt (producer)

Cowgirl Up (tv series)

Diva Magazine

Making Movies is Hard Podcast

Kali Bailey (writer)

Passion Flix

Patty Jenkins (director)

Wonder Women (film)

Greta Gerwig (actress)

Little Women (2019 film)

Taika Waititi (director)

Jojo Rabbit (film)

Thor: Ragnarok (film)

Blue Ocean Shift by W. Chan Kim (book)

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Hello, Hello! 

 

In this edition of Indie Talk, we discuss the year that was 2022. To help us do that, we enlisted the help of Director Traci Hays, Author and Documentarian Dr. Mark Goulston, and Emmy-Winning Filmmaker, Fr3deR1ck. We talk about the people we lost last year, why losing Twitch Boss hurt so much, new projects on the horizon, the advice that stuck with us in 2022, what children understand about creativity that adults forget, the Tyler Perry problem, and predictions for the year to come. Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello! 

 

In this episode, we have a conversation with Actress and Singer Shavvon Lin. We talk about how she sold her Chinese parents on being an artist, approaching auditions like a job, surviving the trauma of living through “one-child” laws in China, how she protects herself from the character’s trauma, why good work is a fix for the appropriation in film problem, her experience dubbing a $700M box office film, and the challenge of feeling like she’s not American enough for audiences. Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

#MAKEIT

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Hello, Hello! 

 

In this episode, we have a conversation with the Founder of AJ Feuerman Communications and Publicist, AJ Feuerman. We talk about the best bang for your buck across social media platforms, the power of podcasting and YouTube for Filmmakers, issues with Rotten Tomatoes, branding, and marketing obstacles for Filmmakers and Producers, the Jewish experience in modern America and the effect Kanye West has on broad anti-Semitism, and her PR advice for the MAKE IT Podcast. Enjoy! 

 

The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

 

If you like what we're doing, please donate here: www.bonsai.film/donate.

 

How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:

 

Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe.

 

The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy