ROADMAP TO A $700,000 FILM $700,000 is by far my favorite budget range for an indie film! You can achieve so much at this level. This is a more personal post because I’m currently packaging two $700,000 films: one is a horror project, and the other is a Christmas family Read more…
ROADMAP TO A $300,000 FILM Last week I wrote about the Roadmap to a $150,000 film. This week we are covering a $300,000.00 film. Script Notes At $300k, your script should be no more than 95 pages. Every page has a price tag, and costs compound quickly. Keep it contained—Dramas, Read more…
ROADMAP TO A $150,000 FILM A few weeks ago I wrote that every filmmaker and screenwriter should have multiple scripts in different budget ranges. The main indie film budgets are $150k, $300k, $700k, and $1 million. Script Notes When crafting a $150,000 film, self-contained scripts are key. Think horror, intimate Read more…
IS PITCHING OVER IN 2025? Do you think Netflix is going to option your screenplay? Los Angeles is at a standstill—COVID, strikes, dwindling film incentives, and now the fires! Should screenwriters start thinking more like producers? This article is from Stacey Parks, one of the original pioneers in distribution and Read more…
GenX Filmmaker Rant of the Week This week, I had two conversations that left me rethinking everything I thought I knew about filmmaking: A DP and Producer friends of mine are working on a vertical feature film (yep, iPhone framing). Low six-figure budget. It’s targeted at an Asian market, but guess Read more…
Why every filmmaker needs a slate of films for 2025! If you want your screenplays to be produced and financed you need to have a slate of scripts in different budget ranges. Your goal is to have your film funded! Here are the SAG indie film budget tiers. Read more…
Film Development Funds: Your Startup Budget Think of film development funds as your startup cash. Without them, it’s tough to get your project off the ground. You’ll want to aim for 5-10% of your total budget to cover some key early costs like: Entertainment Attorney Fees– To handle contracts and Read more…
Limited Theatrical Release Case Study After some research here are some standout films that had a budget of $1,000,000.00 and under that did extremely well with a limited theatrical release. Did production have a budget set aside for marketing and a theatrical release or did the distributor cover the cost? Read more…
What are you more afraid of? Pitching film investors or not having your film made? It’s a serious question… No one wants their screenplay to go into obscurity. So you have to make a choice. Do I raise the money myself or pitch it to an established film producer? Regardless Read more…
Hey Crew! What’s the difference between a pitch deck and a lookbook? My version of a pitch deck is a mini business plan combined with a production lookbook. Pitch Decks are what you present to your production financiers and lookbooks are what you share with your crew. A pitch deck Read more…