Filmmaker Freedom

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, an interview with Jason Zink.

Jason's directed several micro-budget, DIY features, all in the realm of horror and punk rock. His latest is called Straight Edge Kegger, which looks awesome.

He's also experienced first hand just how predatory some traditional distribution deals can be.

So in our wide-ranging conversation, we go deep on Jason's ethos for making cool, grungy flicks that he and his team can be proud of, what to watch out for when offered distribution, his plan for staging a DIY tour for his current film, and a whole lot more.

It's a fun conversation, and I hope you dig it.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, an in-depth interview with Mike Dion.

Now, Mike's not a household name in the film community, but to my mind, he's one of the real pioneers of indie film entrepreneurship.

In fact, since 2010 Mike's put out a handful of features that appeal to an extremely small, niche audience. But despite the size of the niche, Mike's managed to make a good living for himself—without film festivals, distributors, sales agents, or any middle men whatsoever.

Instead, Mike has figured out how to sell directly to fans, put on his own theatrical tours, create cool physical products, and lots more. He even created something called the Whole World Wide Premiere, where you create an amazing in-person event for your film, but then livestream it to the world and charge for access.

Point is, Mike has been on the cutting edge of direct distribution for a long time. And today, you're going to hear his story, and get the inside scoop on some of the strategies he's used to make the films he loves, and make a living completely independent of the industry.

So let's get to it.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, an in-depth interview with Mike Dion.

Now, Mike's not a household name in the film community, but to my mind, he's one of the real pioneers of indie film entrepreneurship.

In fact, since 2010 Mike's put out a handful of features that appeal to an extremely small, niche audience. But despite the size of the niche, Mike's managed to make a good living for himself—without film festivals, distributors, sales agents, or any middle men whatsoever.

Instead, Mike has figured out how to sell directly to fans, put on his own theatrical tours, create cool physical products, and lots more. He even created something called the Whole World Wide Premiere, where you create an amazing in-person event for your film, but then livestream it to the world and charge for access.

Point is, Mike has been on the cutting edge of direct distribution for a long time. And today, you're going to hear his story, and get the inside scoop on some of the strategies he's used to make the films he loves, and make a living completely independent of the industry.

So let's get to it.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, we’re going to kill one of the sacred cows of indie filmmaking culture. Film festivals.

We’re going to dissect, point by point, why festivals aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, especially if your goal is to make money with your work.

In fact, by the time we get to the end of this episode, you might just be convinced, as I am, that the vast majority of festivals are a waste of time and money.

So let’s get to it.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, an in-depth interview with Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque.

Clara and Jonathan are the co-founders of Coat of Arms, a full service production and post studio that's created work for some of the biggest companies on earth. Think Google, Microsoft, Land Rover, Marriott, WebMD, and way more.

They also take their passion projects very seriously. They've made short animated films and documentaries. They made a web series that was nominated for a Webby award. They've done music videos. And currently, they're in the process of releasing their first feature length doc.

Oh, and they're married to one another.

Anyhow, over the course of this wide-ranging interview, we talk about the mechanics of building a successful production company, working directly with large corporate clients without having to go through an ad agency, pursuing passion projects in the midst of a running a business, creating work that you can be proud of, and quite a bit more.

It's a damn good conversation, and I hope you dig it.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, the three types of audiences you’ll need to understand if you want to make a living selling directly to your fans.

We’ll also dig into one of the biggest mistakes I see again and again from indie filmmakers who want to create content, reach people online, and sell their films. Problem is, they do it in the most ineffective way possible. We're gonna fix that.

So by the end of this episode, you’ll have newfound clarity on how to use your energy for maximum impact when reaching online. audiences and selling your films.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Liz Manashil is pretty prolific when it comes to writing and directing micro-budget features.

I actually found out about Liz a few years ago after her first feature, Bread and Butter, recouped its budget, and she wrote a great article for MovieMaker transparently sharing those numbers and revenue streams.

These days, Liz just finished her second feature, Speed of Life, and is taking it around the festival circuit, hammering out a unique distribution deal for it, and planning a DIY theatrical run that includes a David Bowie cover band, all of which we talk about in our conversation.

And finally, she's in the early stages on a new feature called Lady Parts, that's honestly got one of the funnier crowdfunding pitch videos I've ever seen.

Anyhow, here's a rundown of what we talk about in this interview.

• The totally awesome name of Liz's dog (and the not-quite-as-awesome name of our cat)
• What Liz learned from conducting the largest ever survey of distributors to find out what they look for in a film.
• How Liz makes sure she doesn't get screwed when negotiating a distribution deal.
• Why and how Liz is booking her own short theatrical run for her latest feature, and why she's hiring a David Bowie cover band to play those shows.
• How Liz attracts and attaches big name talent to her micro-budget features.
• Liz's history with crowdfunding, and how she consistently manages to raise money for her films through that channel.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Today on Filmmaker Freedom, a crash course in what it really means to build an audience, and how to approach this process in a way that will lead you to a profitable, fulfilling business selling your films directly to fans.

Trust me, there are a lot of misconceptions out there about audience building, and it's easy to spend months or years going down a rabbit hole that leads nowhere. So buckle up, because today we're going to set the record straight, and build a strong foundation for all future episodes of this podcast.

Also, you can find the written version of this episode here:

www.filmpreneurshow.com/fundamentals

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Alex Ferrari is the founder of Indie Film Hustle, one of the most popular indie film podcasts and blogs around.

He's also got a streaming platform called Indie Film Hustle TV and a book called Shooting for the Mob about his insane early experiences in film.

Not to mention he's made two micro-budget films in the last 3 years, and both have been profitable.

So here's a rundown of the fun stuff we cover in this wide-ranging conversation.

• Alex's "stranger than fiction" true story of almost making a feature film for a mobster.
• How many filmmakers hold themselves back through limiting beliefs and stories, and how to get out of your own way.
• The various ways that filmmakers shoot themselves in
• How Alex made $90,000 selling a short film (yes, really).
• The improvisational techniques Alex used to make his first two feature films quickly and cheaply.
• What to look out for when you get offered a distribution deal so that you don't get taken advantage of.
• The one item to include in every distribution contract you sign.
• What Alex has learned from the entrepreneurial filmmaking guests on his podcast.
• And plenty more good stuff.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

Chris Sakr and Mike Hall are the founders of Shohawk Media, and the creators of Generation Freedom, a documentary about online business that's being distributed using online business principles. Pretty meta, right?

But it's working, as the film has already broken even, and these two are just getting started with the process of monetizing it.

Here's just a sampling of the fun stuff we covered in this conversation.

• What Chris and Mike learned from their fairly disastrous first attempt at making a feature film.
• The story behind their new film Generation Freedom, and why it's often a good idea to follow your curiosity and make the films you would want to see yourself.
• How the film breaks free from commodity pricing by providing significantly more value to its niche audience than other films.
• The innovative tiered business model that's helping them earn more from every sale of the film than they would otherwise.
• How they're using their many hours of raw material for the documentary to add additional value to their audience members.
• Their approach to email marketing that's driving even more revenue.
• How Mike and Chris reached some of the biggest names in online business to appear in their film and give it massive credibility within the niche.
• A handful of tactics they're currently using to promote the film and build a business around it.
• And plenty more.

So I hope you're excited, because this is a damn good conversation with lots of useful takeaways. Enjoy.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy