A critically acclaimed actor, Tom Malloy wowed Hollywood with his stunning turn in the indie-cult favorite Gravesend in 1998, which was produced by Oliver Stone. Tom became a trend setter as one of the first successful triple-hyphenate Actor/Writer/Producers and made it his business to learn as much about the filmmaking industry as possible. Over the years, Tom has raised more than $25 million in private equity from independent financiers and has written, produced and starred or co-starred in nearly all the films that his company Trick Candle Productions has made.
Tom Malloy is the author of the book Bankroll that is a must read for filmmakers, actors and producers that want to finance their independent feature films. Tom has now turned Bankroll into a video course for filmmakers as a new approach financing feature films. Get the Course. In our interview you can hear Tom talk about his experiences financing films and the great stories he has to share from behind and in front of the camera.
Tom wanted to be an actor and thought that’s what he wanted to pursue
He was cast for the movie Gravesend in 1998 that was filmed in Brooklyn
Gravesend was picked up by Oliver Stone he thought he’d made it
When he didn’t become an overnight success he started learning every other aspect of the business
Tom Malloy has now produced 15 movies and written over 20 screenplays
The book Bankroll is considered the gold standard for film financing that he wrote in 2009
Being a Dancer
If you can do martial arts you can be a dancer
It’s similar to martial arts in learning patters, forms and moves
Tom took a job as a ballroom dancer when he was preparing for the movie Love N Dancing with co-star Amy Smart
Dancing is something he thinks anyone can do
Becoming a Producer
Producing became a means to an end
Tom discovered he was good at raising money by persistence and motivation
It took 6 movies before he was confident enough to produce
“If you do it long enough people start to trust you.”
How Do You Raise Money For Film
Network with people that are outside of the movie business
Act as a conduit for them to get into the movie business
Everyone wants to be part of the movie business.
They want to have celebrity friends. If you can be the person to bring that to the investor you’re in great shape.
The book Bankroll had two editions and Tom didn’t want to write a third. Working with Jason Brubaker, their video course contains 85 videos on funding a feature film. Get the Course. In this course Tom is giving away all of his secrets about how he personally raised $25 million to finance feature films.
This week’s guest is Jon Foley from the Las Cruces Film Office in New Mexico. We met Jon at the American Film Market in 2017 and decided to pick his brain on why filmmakers should contact a film office for their next movie. Many filmmakers don’t realize the benefits working with a local film office can have including incentives, locations and a local crew. Filming in a location like Las Cruces may surprise with its vast landscapes, mountains, deserts and miles of pecan trees.
Jon Foley began his journey into film & video production at the age of 11 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. His path has had many detours; Digital Video Content Manager for an online ethical hacking university, video production company owner, 1 feature and countless smaller projects as a Director of Photography, Producer of short films premiering at festivals like Festival de Cannes, Brussels Short Film Festival, and Hollyshorts, viral content creation (5+ million views across the web), landscape photographer, and the list goes on. Currently, he is the Film Liaison for Las Cruces and has his full attention on bringing more film and television productions to his area.
Have an interesting story about working with your local film office or film commission? Share it with us in the comments
The Las Cruces Film Office is about to be certified to become a film commission
Jon’s job is to market the city of Las Cruces New Mexico film producers, location scouts and anyone looking to shoot television, film, commercial work or anything video related that will get local crew members work and the area seen.
The film office also helps with permits, facilitating locations or working with local departments such fire and police.
What are the benefits of filming in Las Cruces?
One major benefit is not having to pay for permits and Jon usually turns them around in 1 to 2 days.
If you’re doing a non-union shoot, Jon has access to over 60 local crew members ready to work including camera operators, grips and production assistants.
Las Cruces has an abandoned court house / prison you can shoot at for free for the next year! Dona Ana Detention Center
Visit Film Las Cruces to see their database of locations available.
What are the qualifications for shooting in Las Cruces?
Jon helps everyone from the micro budget indie film to Hollywood sized budgets.
There is no minimum spend as long as you are willing to fill out the paperwork.
There is a 25% film rebate as long as you keep track of the money spent.
How does the film rebate work?
The rebate is processed through the New Mexico Tax & Revenue department.
As a filmmaker you’ll be buying the lumber, paying for locations, food, gas and transportation.
In 2016 there was $505 million spent on TV & Film in the state of New Mexico.
How do you acquire locations?
Jon drives around taking pictures of city property to add to the database regularly.
Who you know and how you get to know helps in acquiring private property.
Find locations across the United States using LocationsHub powered by Reel-Scout.
Fun Fact: The car crash in “Due Date” was filmed in Las Cruces
This week’s guest is actress and comedian, Jill-Michelle Melean was introduced to us by our good friend Alex Ferrari of Indie Film Hustle. Jill is known for her work on the sketch comedy show MadTV where she had memorable moments impersonating Hollywood stars such as Drew Barrymore and Britney Spears. You may have also seen Jill in Comedy Central’s Reno 911 and most recently in This is Meg which she co-produced and wrote with Alex Ferrari.
We talk about Jill’s family life growing up in Miami, her transition to Hollywood and her worst moments as a female comedian. She’s held her own on the road with the big boys of comedy such as Carlos Mencia and has a unique perspective as a white latina. Look out for her 1 hour comedy special, called White Latina coming soon.
Jill grew up in Miami with a strict Latin upbringing.
Fun fact: Jill and her family were season pass holders for the Miami Hurricanes football team.
She fell in love with TV & film at an early age but she had no idea how to get there.
Jill realized she could make her Grandma laugh by humping her leg at an early age
Not attending college wasn’t an option for her.
During college she thought she wanted to be in theater but soon realized film was where she flourished by creating a family for a few months and nothing is ever the same.
Jill believed in the power of laughter and moved to LA without knowing anyone.
Making the Cast of MadTV
Jill’s advice to those that want to do comedy is go to Second City in Chicago because now it is like going to University.
While doing stand-up comedy for a year and a half the folks at MadTV would follow her shows. At that time, female comics weren’t a big thing.
She wanted to audition for a sketch group when she got to LA but she had to pay her dues first.
Every time she would go back and audition for MadTV it would be like doing a one person show for an hour including impersonations.
When she landed the part on MadTV it took 6 auditions that resulted in an on-air test where she did Drew Barrymore and Britney Spears and they made her a cast member immediately after.
“Welcome to Hollywod!” Jill recounts having to get down to a skimpy outfit in her first role on TV.
Life after MadTV
After MadTV Jill landed the Latino Locos comedy tour with Carlos Oscar, Ralphie May and other big name comedians.
She hosted the tour and learned from them really developed her time.
From there Jill landed Reno 911 where she met Carlos Alazraqui who she became brothers with on and off screen. You can catch Carlos in This is Meg as well.
Jill was lucky to go from one tour to the next during that time for 7 years doing hardcore theaters.
Jill also talks about her time working with George Lopez on Reno 911.
Surving in Hollywood is hard work
Going over notes for a pitch recently Jill had to remind herself how grateful she should be for the position she’s in.
She’s never satisfied and still hungers to get to the next level. You’re never going to be done.
The game has changed and it’s going to change again. Either you change and keep playing or you get out.
When she booked MadTV, she thought she’d be done. The reality is you book a TV show, then you don’t work for 5 years.
Jill has done multiple pilots that haven’t been picked up, even with the producers from Curb Your Enthusiasm behind it.
The future of Hollywood
“It’s the craziest industry to get into, but it’s also the most rewarding.”
Even though there’s more outlets, it’s actually made it harder. You can’t centralize the marketing.
Jill believes a shift is coming and after a attending an industry meeting recently they had the following to say: “Comedy is the only thing that has longevity. Comics have a strong clear voice…That’s where TV shows are created.”
Advice for females in comedy
Link up with a bigger male comedian so it doesn’t become an all female show.
Bookers like to promote the “sexy female” comedy show but that’s not where you want to be.
Open up for a bigger male comedian and then it’s easier to transition later because all the bookers know you. Hold on to their business cards because you will have to network yourself.
This is Meg
This is Meg is streaming on Hulu and is also available on Amazon, iTunes & YouTube.
It was a passion piece based on true events.
Jill wanted to portray what it’s like to live as an actor in Hollywood and the relationships you experience, not just the business.
Involving her friends was important and there was no drama on set.
Normally directors will not let a producer be that involved, but Alex Ferrari was able to put his ego aside and get the best shots possible.
Watch This Is Meg on
Her First 1 Hour Comedy Special
Jill has done specials for Showtime and other networks but White Latina will be her first 1 hour comedy special.
Piggybacking off This is Meg, she wanted Alex to shoot the special at The Improv to keep it personal.
Hearing her discuss how it’s shot and her decision to not show the audience is especially an interesting point. In comedy, it’s all about material.
Comedian’s that inspire
Going back to her love for TV, Jill loves the work of Carol Burnett, Tracy Ullman and shows like the Golden Girls.
Jill also loves the stand-up of Ellen Degeners, Richard Pryor and George Carlin.
We also discuss her love for Louis CK and says he’s the kindest man and was completely shocked by the news circulating today.
In this episode, Wayne asks the all important question: Do you think people like the X-men could exist in real life? Wayne thinks he can set things on fire with his mind if he concentrates hard enough and Dan dares him to prove it.
Pyrotechnics and fire are always a serious matter on set. Joe explains how to start a fire with a battery and matches which is a useful technique for indie filmmakers to be able to start a fire off camera, from a distance. With some household supplies, this DIY practical movie effect can be effective and looks better than any CGI fire effects you would otherwise have to use as a frugal filmmaker.
Keep in mind, anytime you’re working with fire, safety is important and we recommend supervision while attempting this practical fire effect at home.
Materials To Start a Fire For Your Movie
Matches
Plywood
Copper Wire
Speaker Wire
Lighter Fluid
Battery Powered Drill
Duct tape
How To Start a Fire with a Battery
Start by drilling a hole in the plywood and laying it over a hole in the table you’re using.
Strip the copper wire and leave the metal exposed.
Strip the ends of the speaker wire leaving the ends exposed.
Tape several matches together.
Wind the copper wire like a spring. You can use a match stick as a guide.
Wrap the wire around the heads of the matches leaving room on each end.
Wrap one end of the speaker wire to the copper and secure with tape. Repeat on the other end.
Using your drill battery touch the end of the speaker wires to the leads on the battery.
This will light the matches from a distance.
Snake the wire through the hole and place the matches heads up in the hole.
Center your prop over the hole that you’re going to light on fire.
Douse in lighter fluid!
What is Hollywood Know How
Hollywood Know How is a resource for the frugal filmmaker to make cheap and easy to use practical effects for their indie films. If you’ve used one of our effects in your indie film, leave us a link to your work and we’ll share it!
Want us to figure out how to make an effect you’re struggling with? Tell us in the comments and we’ll get it done!
Gavin Michael Booth is a producer, editor and director who’s known for his indie horror film The Scarehouse. “The Scarehouse” was distributed by NBC/Universal (USA) and D Films (Canada) in early 2015 with international releasing starting August 2015. The Scarehouse was funded in part by Telefilm Canada and the film won Best Feature at the New York City Horror Film Festival in 2014.
Booth has worked with some of the top entertainers in the music industry including Music Videos and documentary projects for Eminem’s D-12, Third Eye Blind, The Tea Party, Our Lady Peace, Vanessa Carlton and The Afters.
In our interview Gavin talks about his extensive career and how he used to sneak into concerts that led to a career in music videos, feature films and more. He’s insightful, creative and has a ton of experience. Future filmmakers won’t want to miss this interview.
Born and raised in Ontario near the border of Detroit Michigan
Joe throws Gavin a curve ball when he asks about a childhood film “Indiana Jones & The Lost Remote Control”
Gavin talks about delivering newspapers to save up for his first camera so he can shoot movies with his friends
All of us reminisce over old school gear like Gavin’s first Fisher Price camera
Although he wanted to attend film school he couldn’t afford to come to the United States and ended up at WalMart to save up
After getting a hernia on the job, he started doing wedding videos and commercial work which took off and never looked back
Learning from Your First Film
“Leaving Town” was co-written and co-directed by Gavin with another amateur filmmaker
“Your first film might not be the best thing, it might not even be a watchable thing but it’s a thing you finished.”
He learned how to work with the different personalities and crew on set, what it means to be a director and be a producer.
After that first film you realize if you want to be a filmmaker or if you want to just dream about being a filmmaker.
“There are people that want to make films and there are people that want to be filmmakers.”
Check out Gavin’s recommended video called “I made a movie. It stunk.” by filmmaker Austin Mcconnell.
Making Music Videos Was His Big Break
Gavin has an intimate history with bands like Third Eye Blind
Living on the border of Detroit, they had all the good rock concerts
He’d make a fake media card and say he was part of the local media
Sometimes he’d be allowed to film the first three songs and sometimes he’d work up the courage to ask for an interview
That started the trend of breaking into more performances
Third Eye Blind never found out until years later but they loved his work nonetheless which led to more opportunities in the music business
Gavin produced the documentary for Vanessa Carlton on the making of her latest album
[bctt tweet=”If you’re not really breaking the law, if you’re not really causing anybody trouble the worst they can do is say no.” username=”hecklerkaneinc”]
Gavin’s latest music video, Where’s My Love for Syml has almost 8 million views!!
Shooting the World’s First Live Movie
Anyone with a cell phone can be their own broadcast network
Gavin had an idea for a found footage live event using Periscope and never tell the audience its fake
Fifteen is about a serial killer who is using Periscope video streaming app to film his grizzly murders live
The idea was to do something fun that was never done before
We are back from the American Film Market in sunny Santa Monica, California where we spent three days learning, pitching and meeting the film industries biggest players from around the world. The American Film Market hosts one of the industries biggest events for film makers, screenwriters and distributors. We also interviewed 8 film industry heavy hitters.
Our #1 tip for success at the American Film Market is preparation. Setup your meetings in advance, don’t wait for the last minute to schedule them because the likelihood of getting into a meeting without an appointment is very low. Even if you have an appointment the odds of it being on time may dwindle the later you wait to make that meeting. Not only do you have to prepared to schedule meetings with buyers and distributors, you have to be prepared with your pitch. You need to be professional and have a plan and understand why your film may be saleable and even more importantly what aspects of your film may not be saleable.
Tip #2 for success at the American Film Market is having a completed project. Nobody wants to hear about your concept or idea. Everyone has ideas. Distributors won’t even touch you if you don’t have a completed production. Screenwriters need completed scripts. Networking and building relationships take time. If you’re a first time filmmaker, nobody is going to hand you a check after a 15 minute pitch meeting. If they do, we’d love to hear about it on our podcast!
Interviews at the American Film Market
Pilar Alessandra
Creator of On The Page Script Consultation Company. Pilar is the director of the screenwriting and TV writing program On the Page®, host of the popular On the Page Podcast and author of the top-selling book “The Coffee Break Screenwriter. She was at AFM as the moderator of the Pitch Conference for the 2nd year in a row. The Pitch Conference at AFM was eye opening to us. If you’re a screenwriter her podcast is invaluable.
We submitted our pitch for Seymour the Unfortunate Vampire and while we weren’t selected to pitch live, we learned how to craft and deliver a pitch for the meetings we were about to take.
Alex Ferrari
Filmmaker and Creator of Indie Film Hustle. Alex shares what he’s learned over the years as a writer, director, producer and post production/VFX supervisor. We were excited to finally meet Alex in person after having him as a guest on our podcast. Alex was more than generous with his time and shared a ton of insights with us. Look for his interview with AFM Director Jonathan Wolf on Indie Film Hustle.
Jason is a Los Angeles based movie distribution executive specializing in direct to consumer distribution strategies. He is the Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Distribber. Jason is also the founder of Filmmaking Stuff, a professional resource for independent filmmakers and provides tips on screenwriting, producing, crowdfunding, directing, movie marketing and film distribution.
Branscombe Richmond
A Native American actor, stuntman and singer most known for his role in Renegade with Lorenzo Lamas. Branscombe stands at 6′ 3″ and has been on the receiving end of the fists of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando (1985), gotten pummeled by Carl Weathers in Action Jackson (1988) and tangled with Steven Seagal in Hard to Kill (1990). At the American Film Market we saw a different while he was there to represent the Southern Kentucky Film Commission.
The most fun about meeting Branscombe is that he is long time friends with Marshall Teague who was on our show as well. Check out our Interview with Marshall Teague.
Susan Yang
General Manager of Shanghai Pusheng Translation Co. Susan was there as a translator helping a producer navigate the film market.
Paul Ayre
Paul has been writing and creating comedy for 15 years now and has worked with some of the biggest names in comedy – including Jeff Goldblum, SketchShe and toured with The Umbilical Brothers through Germany, Denmark, Austria, Slovenia and Sweden. He won the biggest prize in webseries history: $70,000 for The Justice Lease in which he acted, wrote and produced. We caught up with Paul at the pitch conference where he delivered one of the most animated pitches at the AFM. Check out his work at http://severecomedy.com
Sean Crayne
Sean was another dynamic presenter at the AFM Pitch Conference where he asked the audience “Would you kill for fame?” For more on Sean and his film Twisted check out https://www.twistedthefilm.com/home. Sean also organized an indie horror filmmaker meetup on Saturday night which was a great place to meet other like minded filmmakers.
Mike Lippert
Michael Lippert is an Ontario-based Writer/Director/Producer. He was at the AFM shopping his debut feature film called Expecting. Mike had a great story to share about how managed to get Lloyd Kaufman to do a cameo in his film.
Mark Belasco
Mark is the Vice President of Sales & Acquisition at Adler & Associates Entertainment. They pride themselves on being a true indie company, one with a risk-taking spirit and an unbiased eye for new talent from around the globe. If you’re an indie filmmaker looking for distribution and a true partner we recommend a conversation with Adler & Associates Entertainment.
Share Your American Film Market Experiences
If you’ve attended the American Film Market and want to share your story, tell us in the comments. If you have questions about AFM and whether or not its right for you give us a shout on Twitter or Facebook and we will answer anything you want to know!
Have a question for our guests on this episode of the Imperfect Podcast? Leave it in the comments and we’ll make sure they answer it for you.
This week’s guest on the Imperfect Podcast is opera singer and actor Derrick Davis. Derrick is currently starring in The North American Tour of The Phantom of the Opera as The Phantom. The grueling pace of a touring Broadway actor is no joke. Derrick shared his journey with us including the intense audition process it takes to land a role on Broadway. Having been hand selected by Andew Lloyd Weber himself Derrick remains humble to his roots and is so thankful for the wonderful fans that have supported him along the way.
Other roles for Derrick Davis include the Broadway production of Disney’s The Lion King understudying the roles of Mufasa and Scar as well playing Mufasa in the National Touring company of The Lion King and the Las Vegas production. Derrick has 2 albums available online, “A Christmas Journey” featuring holiday favorites and his all original project “Life Music.”
Derrick’s parents were born in Panama and he was born in New York.
Family, God, school and sleep were the norm for his childhood.
Joe and Derrick reminisce about auditioning together at CW Post College.
After college he struggled with deciding whether to work in musical theater or opera or do something else completely.
Landing The Role of Mufasa in The Lion King
Quote: “Nothing in this industry is straight forward.”
Auditioning is grueling but the more he does it the more he understands the necessity of it.
The producers need to make sure they have people with stamina, drive and determination to get over all the hurdles the industry presents you.
By the time Derrick auditioned for the Las Vegas production it had become wildly popular and a much bigger production.
Derrick had 8 call backs and interviews before landing the role and each call back was between 5-10 days.
He recounts almost giving it all up before getting the call that he landed the role of Mufasa.
Auditioning for a Broadway Role
For Lion King there were 100s of people you’re competing against.
You get a sense of how you feel you did when you leave the audition but you never what they’re getting on their side of the table.
Derrick has learned that rejection may not be them rejecting you but rejecting the scenario.
Height, race and other factors all play into whether or not you may get a role.
“Part of the responsibility of our job is to audition. Whether you get it or not you’re going to continue to audition anyway.”
A low point for Derrick
Out of college Derrick auditioned feverishly but he never knew auditioning itself was a craft.
In a show you have 2 hours and if you make a mistake you have time to fix it.
In an audition you have 30 seconds to get in and out of the room and convince them you can do 2 hours.
“I wasn’t good at auditioning, I was good at performing.”
The rejection got to Derrick and he stopped auditioning for over 5 years. He took days jobs as a bank teller and real estate agent.
“When I realized that there was nothing else I wanted to do I had to accept rejection was going to be part of that.”
Favorite Roles
Mufasa because it was his first major role.
Scar because at the time it was so difficult and against his own character.
Phantom is a dream come true. It was the first musical his parents took him to.
“It’s a complete full circle to be able to stand on a stage and do for other generations what was done for me.”
“Phantom of the Opera is a beast”
Phantom of the opera is international unlike Lion King that started on Broadway.
The audition process was instantly intense. He had his first audition and his first call back was that night.
After days of auditions he walked into the audition center and there was a full camera crew with three cameras and lighting. They had to record it to send it back to Andrew Lloyd Weber.
“They were looking for something so specific and it was in those moments where I had to figure out what it was and create in my body instantly to prove not only could I perform the role but I was malleable.”
Life on the road
The ensemble is incredibly tight because they spend a lot of time together on and off stage.
The phantom is a very lonely track and he was warned about it from the beginning.
His dressing room is away from everybody.
He has to arrive 45 minutes earlier than everyone else because of the makeup process.
Everyone has left while he’s still taking his makeup off.
Being on the road has been a challenge but also find himself again.
The Fans
Derrick loves his fans. He’s had fans get on a plane to give him a gift.
Like people that love The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the fans of Phantom come dressed to shows.
The Applause
The only socially appropriate reaction to tell someone you appreciate their performance is applause.
“I don’t do it for the applause or for that instant gratification but I do like it because it’s the dynamic of live theater. I couldn’t do it without a live audience.”
Derrick the Song Writer
Derrick says he’ll never stop writing songs.
His music is very personally and he gets shy even talking about it.
His style is very eclectic but his next project will be a bit more cohesive.
Joe and Sal discuss their favorite indie horror movies to watch on Halloween. We may catch some flack for what’s included as a true indie horror movie. Companies such as Lions Gate are known for their big budget horrors. They hardest part for us was only being able to choose 5! We also find out Joe’s obsession with Bruce Campbell may be cause for concern.
All we can say in advance about the list is that Sal and Joe only agreed on two movies but not where they belong on the list. From classics to modern terror, let us know what horror movies you love or who’s picks you disagree with.
Sal’s Top 5 Indie Horror Movies
#5. Hush – Released in 2016 by Intrepid Pictures. Directed by Mike Flanagan.
Hush was an official selection at the SXSW Film Festival and it won Best Director at the iHorror Awards and Best Independent Film at the Rando Hatton Classic Horror Awards. After losing her hearing as a teenager, author Maddie Young (Kate Siegel) lives a life of utter isolation and becomes the prey of a psychotic masked killer. This movie is an intense game of cat and mouse as Maddie fights to survive the night! If you want an intense thrill ride that will leave you breathless, watch Hush!
Watch Hush the Movie
#4. The Blair Witch Project – Released in 1999 by Artisan Pictures. Directed by Eduardo Sanchez & Daniel Myrick.
There is no doubt this film deserves a spot on the list and was a pioneer of the found footage genre. It cleaned up at the box office and won many awards from Cannes Film Festival to the Razzie Awards. Let’s just say The Blair Witch Project isn’t for everyone but it definitely brings the terror. I’d personally stay clear of the sequel made in 2016.
In case you haven’t seen this classic here’s the synopsis. Presented as a straightforward documentary, the film opens with a title card explaining that in 1994, three students went into the Maryland back woods to do a film project on the Blair Witch incidents. These kids were never seen again, and the film you are about to see is from their recovered equipment, found in the woods a year later.
Watch The Blair Witch Project
#3. Halloween – Released in 1978 by Compass International Pictures. Directed by John Carpenter.
Made for an estimated $300,000, John Carpenter’s Halloween doesn’t need much introduction from us. In 1978 a psychotic killer was born, none other than Michael Myers. This movie is likely at the top of many horror best of lists and has been scaring the pants of audiences for decades! It won a number of awards and set the bar for what thriller horror movies should be. Plus, Jamie Lee Curtis!
Watch Halloween
#2. Shaun of the Dead – Released in 2004 by Focus Features. Directed by Edgar Wright.
Horror comedy is something that’s near and dear to our hearts. This isn’t going to give you the fright and fear of other horror movie classics but Shaun of the Dead holds it place in history as one the all time greatest. It won two awards for Best Screenplay and grossed over $13 million dollars at the box office. If you’re a fan of Evil Dead, Zombieland or other horror comedy classics, go watch Shaun of the Dead. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Watch Shaun of the Dead
#1 Saw – Released in 2004 by Lions Gate. Directed by James Wan.
Saw marks the directorial debut of James Wan and spawned a new type of horror thriller killer named Jigsaw. Mind bending psychological death machines haunted our nightmares. the Saw franchise of horror is still alive and well today with its latest release called Jigsaw. It combines the best elements of psychological thriller with a slasher film. It won a number of awards including Best Screenplay and took 3rd place at the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.
Watch Saw Directed by James Wan
Joe’s Top 5 Indie Horror Movies
#5. Nosferatu – Released in 1922. Directed by F.W. Murnau.
Black and white, silent films are not what one may think of when it comes to horror movies. To completely understand the genre we must first understand and appreciate where it all began. The performance of actor Max Schreck as the vampire set the bar for all vampire portrayals to come.
Watch Nosferatu
#4. The Blair Witch Project – Released in 1999 by Artisan Pictures. Directed by Eduardo Sanchez & Daniel Myrick.
The found footage classic landed in the same spot on the countdown for both of us. Is the Blair Witch real? At the time, that was a question that was being legitimately asked. Now that the thrill is gone, reboots and sequels haven’t held as much sparkle with audiences. What the directors accomplished with the original film was a major achievement. Shot for a measly $60,000 this horror movie scared the dollars out of many wallets to the tune of $248 million dollars!
If you’re desperate for a thrill here’s the underwhelming Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
#3. Evil Dead – Released in 1981 by Newline Cinema. Directed by Sam Raimi.
Who can argue with Evil Dead? What’s not to love? Shot for $350,000, Bruce Campbell and the directorial feature debut of Sam Raimi it has all the elements of a zombie movie you could ask for and more. Arguably, more people fell in love with Evil Dead 2 which is rare for any sequel but Joe loves his classics and you have to give him kudos for making sure Evil Dead got their props. Now if we could only get Bruce Campbell on our podcast! Which do you like better? Evil Dead or Evil Dead 2?
Watch Evil Dead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72nlQp9xe5o
#2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Released in 1974 by Bryanston Pictures. Directed by Tobe Hooper.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a game changer in the slasher horror movie genre. Leatherface and his thirst for human flesh paved the way for horror legends and psycho killers including Michael Myers, Jigsaw, Jason, Freddy and many others we didn’t get to include in our list. If you’ve missed out on this classic, you’re missing out. Period.
Watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs3981DoINw
#1. Halloween – Released in 1978 by Compass International Pictures. Directed by John Carpenter.
Halloween is the classic horror movie that has been the inspiration for many horror filmmakers. Already mentioned in Sal’s list, I don’t think anyone can argue putting Halloween in the top spot. As discussed on the podcast, we’ve both watched the Rob Zombie Halloween remake and think he did a phenomenal job capture the horror and nuance of this psychological slasher thriller. I’ve been a big fan of Rob Zombie’s film work and The Devil’s Rejects is one of the films that got an honorable mention from Sal.
Cupids is the latest comedy short film from Angelo Calarco. Cupids is currently on its festival run and was recently featured at the Soho International Film Festival and will be in New York again at the Gold Coast Film Festival. We discuss the challenges of filming dialogue with 4 people on screen and how to not make it feel boring. Angelo has a unique perspective using visuals and sound, crossing from fantasy to reality to keep the audience engaged.
Angelo Calarco is an Italian freelance Producer/Director living in London operating under the name of Beware Of The Dog Films. His career started as a comedy writer and an award winning stand-up comedian. Angelo moved to London in 2010 and learned the art of filmmaking by working as a Production Assistant, Marketing Assistant, Assistant Producer and Assistant Script Editor for several Film Production companies in London such as JetSet Films, Wo-Ho! Productions and One Eyed Dog Films while also experimenting with his own passion projects.
This week’s guest is your humble host, Alex Ferrari, known for his film making blog and podcast Indie Film Hustle. With his 20 years of experience in the industry Alex dishes the straight line on making it in the film business. He shared his experiences with us as a film maker, making the rounds at every film festival imaginable and why film festivals may or may not be a good idea for film makers. This year he put his money where is his mouth is and shot the micro budget feature film This is Meg starring Jill-Michelle Melean who also co-wrote the film with Alex.
Indie Film Hustle Roots And Why Alex Started the Popular Film Making Blog
Alex talks about escaping Miami to Hollywood and cutting his teeth as an editor. Remember what cutting ¾” tape was like?
He talks about running garage sales as early as the age of 10 and walking around with a wad of cash
Listening, watching, reading for a year Alex studied the business of an online business, creating content and SEO
His rise was quick his content on Indie Film Hustle was resonating because Alex wasn’t afraid to tell filmmakers the truth.
Providing value is his number 1 priority because he was tired of seeing filmmakers get beat up and ripped off in the film industry.
Where do You Find Time To Create That Much Content?
Alex admits he has 150 unpublished blog articles and 50 videos just waiting!
“There’s a lot of time in the day”
Over the course of 2 years he’s learned how to process all of the content efficiently. Alex says he can put together a podcast in 2 to 2.5 hours.
If he didn’t have a family, Indie Film Hustle might be even be bigger.
Alex puts in 10 to 12 hours a day and rarely works weekends. When he does work, Alex says he’s efficient. He stops every day at 6:30.
Ask most high achieving entrepreneurs and they’ll admit what Alex did to us. He says, “I feel like I’m a slacker, I feel like I’m not doing enough. I feel like I could do better, like I could do more.”
How Do You Feel About Film Festivals For Film Makers?
Alex has been to every film festival you can imagine totally upwards of 500 festivals including Sundance.
Quote: “If you’ve never gone through the experience, it’s magical. The first time you go to a festival and see your film projected, it’s the most amazing thing ever.”
When do you that 500 times and spend a lot of money you realize what its worth.
Alex doesn’t like the cost to many film festivals and feels like they are ripping off the film makers.
After spending $1000 on 35 film festivals he learned how to get into festivals for free and his movie Broken ended up in 150.
If you live in a small town, do it every year because it’s the only place you are going to connect with other local filmmakers, producers & investors.
Watch the Interview with Alex Ferrari on YouTube:
Sundance Film Festival: Alex recounts his experience
His first time at Sundance he had just finished Broken and walked around with a laptop asking people if they wanted to watch a movie
Sundance was like Disneyland. He would just take pictures with every celebrity he could.
Name dropping time!!
What is your opinion of The American Film Market?
This is Meg is going to be screened at The American Film Market
Alex has been to AFM once before but this is the first time he’s heading upstairs with the big boys.
Right now AFM is still the way to do international sales. It’s all about relationships.
Quote: “You can sense that energy when somebody comes up to you and they just want to take and suck from you.”
The bottom line is give more than you get.
Where did the concept for your feature film This is Meg start?
Find out what a scriptment is and why film makers use them.
Alex was tired of waiting for permission to make his first feature film.
He called his co-producer Jill-Michelle Melean and said, “I wanna make a movie and we are gonna do it this way and this is story I want to tell. I wanna tell your story as a comic and actress who is not 21 anymore and who’s been a little famous but is not a household name and what it’s like for you.”
1 week later Jill had a scriptment for This is Meg, 3 days later they locked up the cast and were shooting a few weeks later. This is Meg was shot in 8 days total over 6 weeks.
Alex talks about how much he loved the process because he put absolutely no pressure on himself about the outcome of the film. And never even shot more than 6 to 8 hours.
This is Meg was the most effortless project he’s ever been involved in.
What the trailer for This Is Meg
What was the distribution plan for This is Meg?
Alex admits This is Meg is a dramedy that’s may not be for everyone.
We have wonderful actors that you’ll recognize but we have no bankable stars.
I created a lot of content around the process of making it so I’d be able to sell it to my audience which brings in revenue.
I made a relationship with Distribber to be able to self-distribute the film which can now be seen on Hulu, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, Google Play & Vudu.
Oddly enough, it sold to China, South Africa and have a pending UK deal. Little by little it’s made some money and was a great proof of concept.
If you don’t have an audience there’s no point in self-distributing with something like Distribber.
Alex made a movie within the resources that he had. A lot of filmmakers become too ambitious too early.
