This episode Darren and Garrett have Mason Mac on the show to talk about his new book "Deliverables Playbook". A collection of all the lessons, tricks, and tidbits that he's learned over his indie filmmaking career.
Links to Deliverables Playbook:
Amazon

Filmmakers United

In this episode Darren and Garrett smack the hot button issue regardless of the burn and tackle their opinions on Ai generation in the independent filmmaking space and how it can be helpful and what ways it could be harmful.

Garrett and Daren walk through the various different avenues of film distribution and what to avoid and what to look for when considering distribution decisions. From the role of a producer to the benefits of self-distribution and all that falls in between.

00:00-02:43 Intro
02:44-06:19 Young Washington 
06:20-11:20 Distribution Wants
11:21-18:49 Who’s Who and What’s What
18:50-23:49 Distribution Differences
23:50-28:39 Self Distribution
28:40-33:00 The Real Cost
33:01-35:50 Producer’s Role
35:51-37:02 Outro

Garrett and Daren discuss director scouts and how they differ from full location and tech scouts, using examples from their films Brotherhood and The Carpenter. Garrett is preparing to travel to Romania for an early-stage international scout for a film set in 1960s–70s East Germany, after doing extensive remote research, building a lookbook, and working with a potential local fixer/location partner. They explain how scouts begin with a location manager compiling options from the script, then a director scout tests story fit and feasibility while producers assess logistics, budget, access, parking, sound issues, and scheduling constraints. They share six practical tips: scout with shot lists in mind, bring the DP or capture detailed video, look for deal-breakers, know must-have vs flexible locations, think aloud to collaborate, and document everything (including map pins).

00:00 Season Sponsor Message
00:26 Welcome Back Update
01:17 Romania Scout Preview
02:38 What Is A Director Scout
03:34 Scouting Workflow Basics
05:30 Vision Lookbook Research
08:19 Scout Day Logistics
11:10 Solving Location Count
14:29 Open Mind No Commitments
18:07 Six Scout Tips Start
18:54 Tip One Shot List
21:14 Tip Two Bring DP
21:35 Phone Scout Workflow
22:22 360 Camera Walkthroughs
23:53 Spot Dealbreakers Early
25:42 Sound And Hours Checks
26:40 Hero Vs Flexible Locations
28:36 Locations Tell Character
29:58 Think Out Loud Together
31:49 Document Everything
35:32 Producer Reality Check
40:25 Wrap Up And Sponsor

What does it take to spend six years, $300K+, and countless sleepless nights making your first feature? Boston McConaughey and Renny Grains break down exactly how they pulled off Alien Country — the funding, the festivals, the ransomware scare, and why the drive to make a movie isn't something you can will into existence.

What does it actually take to make a feature film for under $25,000 — and then shoot the sequel in Ireland? This week Garrett and Daren sit down with filmmaker Rob York (Magellan, Curse of Crom) to talk about how he got his start editing for Aero Storm, why post-production is where low-budget movies go to die, and the scrappy decisions that turned a YouTube web series into an Amazon top-3 streamer.

Rob gets into the real economics of micro-budget filmmaking: writing to your assets, building trust with actors over time, choosing locations that do the heavy lifting, and why going over budget on visual effects isn't always a disaster.

Topics covered:
→ How Rob's first feature Magellan was greenlit for $20K
→ Writing scripts around locations, actors, and assets you already have
→ Why budgets above $250K change the entire distribution equation
→ Filming in Ireland on a shoestring — and shooting dialogue scenes on the actual plane
→ Distribution deals, minimum guarantees, and a theatrical run in Afghanistan

Curse of Crom 2 is coming soon. First film is streaming free on Tubi.

Truly Independent is produced by Three Coin Productions and supported by the Help Them See Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to feature films that inspire faith, hope, and connection. Learn more at helpthemsee.org.

Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of Season 3 — all about getting from script to screen.

What happens when your director shows up on set and the costumes are completely wrong? Or the set decorator built the wrong thing entirely? Garrett Batty and Daren Smith break down the tools that prevent those nightmare moments — lookbooks, vision boards, director statements, character tone guides, and the creative summit they just ran for Brotherhood.
This week, Daren is 5 weeks out from production and Garrett is 3 weeks from Romania — and they're both doing this in real time. You'll hear exactly what went down at their all-day creative summit, why it might be the most important money spent on the movie, and how a director's statement got them access to a location that had turned down every film before them.
Whether you're a first-time filmmaker or a seasoned indie vet, this episode is packed with practical tools to align your team before the chaos of production begins.
Subscribe and follow along as Garrett and Daren chart their paths on two brand-new independent films — from page to production.
Truly Independent is supported by the Help Them See Foundation — visit HelpThemSeeFoundation.org to learn more.

This week Garrett and Daren sit down with line producer Willem Kampenhout of Mystery Box to break down one of the most misunderstood roles in independent filmmaking. Willem walks through when to bring on a line producer, what a script breakdown actually looks like, and why that "key assumptions" document can make or break your budget.

In this episode:

• When in the filmmaking process to hire a line producer (hint: ~80% through your script)
• What a script breakdown covers — cast, locations, props, background, and more
• Why your "key assumptions" define everything about your budget
• Production company vs. assembling your own team — how to decide
• Filming internationally and when to hire a fixer
• The director/producer trust dynamic and why it matters on set

Whether you're prepping your first feature or your fifth, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom that can save you serious time and money.

🎬 Find Willem Kampenhout: mysterybox.us | @WillemCampenHout

🙏 This season is supported by the Help Them See Foundation — learn more at helpthemsee.org

Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the journey.

Independent filmmaking is changing — and the box office proves it.

In this episode of Truly Independent, Darren and Garrett break down one of the most fascinating film industry stories of the year: Iron Lung, the self-financed movie from YouTuber Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) that turned a $3 million budget into over $43 million worldwide.

No traditional studio.

No distributor.

Just an audience.

They explore how building an audience first might be the most powerful strategy for independent filmmakers today.

But that’s not the only story.

They also discuss the success of Angel Studios’ Solomon Six and what both films reveal about the future of theatrical releases, marketing, and audience-driven filmmaking.

Then the conversation shifts to something every indie filmmaker struggles with:

The hidden cost of doing everything yourself.

Topics covered in this episode:

• How Iron Lung succeeded without Hollywood
• Why audience building is the new distribution model
• The surprising box office success of Solomon Six
• Why independent filmmakers burn out
• The opportunity cost of doing everything yourself
• Delegation, focus, and building a real filmmaking business

If you’re an indie filmmaker, creator, or entrepreneur trying to build something meaningful, this conversation is packed with insight.

🎬 Listen to Truly Independent for real conversations about building sustainable careers in filmmaking.

What really happens at film festivals and major industry conventions?

In this episode of Truly Independent, Garrett Batty and Darren Smith break down their real-world experience attending the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention in Nashville — and how filmmakers actually build relationships with distributors, investors, and industry decision-makers.

They reveal the exact strategies used to:

• Identify the right distributors and partners

• Use AI to prioritize networking opportunities

• Turn short conversations into real film deals

• Build long-term industry relationships

• Maximize your time at conventions and festivals

• Avoid the biggest mistakes filmmakers make

They also discuss the importance of momentum, positioning, publicists, and creating your own opportunities instead of waiting for them.

If you’re a filmmaker, producer, or creative entrepreneur trying to get your project financed, distributed, or produced — this episode gives you a real inside look at how the industry actually works.

This season of Truly Independent is supported by the Help Them See Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting films that inspire faith, hope, and connection.

Learn more:

https://helpthemseefoundation.org

Subscribe for weekly episodes covering film financing, production, distribution, and the real business of filmmaking.