No Budget Film School

09/24/2021

No Budget Film School's Guest Expert Series is back with another must-attend event, this time with filmmaker/financier Naomi McDougall Jones. The Indie Film Game has always been nearly impossible to win, but with recent changes to the business, it is now clearly broken. We'll discuss the nature of the game, how you can avoid getting crushed, and ways we all might be able to change the game in the future. This is a FREE event, but space is limited. 9/28 at 5pm PDT. Register:

Why the Independent Film Business is broken and how to fix it - with Filmmaker/Financier Naomi McDougall Jones

09/07/2021

No Budget Confidential is back! Don't miss this deep dive exploration of one of the best no-budget films made in the past several years. Robert Machoian joins Mark Stolaroff to discuss the making (and selling) of his hit indie arthouse film The Killing of Two Lovers, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically earlier this year by Neon. Shot for a paltry $30k in 12 days with a 5-man crew, the film was nominated for the Cassavetes Award at this year's Spirit Awards. We'll take you through every aspect of the planning, shooting, and selling of this astonishing film, showing clips and BTS photos all along the way. Then you can ask your questions. Oh, and it's FREE! Space is limited. Register today!

No Budget Confidential--off the record interviews with no-budget filmmakers. This episode: Director Robert Machoian

05/19/2021

No Budget Film Club is back with a hilarious new comedy by Abe Schwartz called "Engaged in Vegas." Shot with a 30 page "scriptment" and a 5-person crew in crowded Las Vegas hotels and casinos, this completely improvised feature was picked up by Random Media and released on VOD May 4th. Ticket holders will be able to screen the film in a virtual screening window and then we'll have a live discussion with the filmmakers on June 7th to learn how they pulled off shooting in public all over Vegas, (so what happened in Vegas will definitely NOT stay in Vegas!). Use promo code FBMS and save 30% on tickets. See you there!

Watch (virtually) the hilarious, new no-budget feature "Engaged in Vegas," then meet the filmmakers and learn how they pulled it off.

05/04/2021

My next Guest Expert seminar is on the current state of distribution for no-budget narrative features. A lot has changed in the past year, because of COVID and the addition of a bunch of big, new streaming platforms. Don't be caught flat-footed, relying on old assumptions about what works in the marketplace. Join distribution strategist Jerome Courshon and I on May 4th in this FREE Zoom event and we'll get you all caught up!

The new distribution reality for no-budget filmmakers - with Distribution Strategist Jerome Courshon

03/29/2021

Learn how to apply valuable Hollywood screenwriting tips and tricks to your next no-budget film in this free workshop, with guest expert Brooks Elms. You'll be better prepared, you'll save money, and you'll make a better movie! April 6, 6pm PT.

Leverage Hollywood Writing Tips For Your Next Indie Film with Successful Screenwriter Brooks Elms

02/27/2021

Don't miss our fabulous No Budget Film Club event this Monday, March 1st. We're inviting you into our virtual theater, along with a bunch of other filmmakers, to watch the landmark documentary about Independent filmmaking, "The Heck With Hollywood!" (1991). Then we'll invite the filmmaker, Doug Block, up, along with all the filmmakers he followed 35 years ago, to talk candidly about their experience. Then industry vets Sam Kitt and Peter Broderick will come up to talk about the state of the Independent Film Industry then and now. We'll have trivia, prizes, networking and a lot of fun! Visit the link to register. Use promo code FBMS and save $3. https://bit.ly/NBFC_030121

02/10/2021

No Budget Film Club presents the 30th Anniversary Virtual Screening and live Discussion of the seminal documentary about the independent filmmaking, "The Heck With Hollywood!". In the late 80's director Doug Block followed three first-time, low-budget filmmakers as they tried to get their feature films made and distributed. One of those filmmakers was documentary legend Jennifer Fox, then just a newbie trying to figure it all out. Relive the early days of the burgeoning No-Budget Filmmaking Movement and then meet all the subjects 35 years later, as we discuss the film, these filmmakers' subsequent careers, and the Industry then and now, with two industry veterans. Tickets are only $7 with Promo Code FBMS. Register today for the March 1st event!

Revisit the early days of the Indie Filmmaking Movement with this special screening & discussion of the documentary that captured it all.

02/03/2021

If you're a documentary filmmaker, trying to figure out how to get your film out into the world, you MUST register for this free workshop! Discover the techniques and strategies that will work for the coming year (and what won't work anymore). Friday, 2/5 11am PST. It's filling up fast, so register now:

Discover invaluable opportunities to maximize your film's distribution in the extraordinary year ahead.

01/26/2021

Join Film Fatales for a private workshop on Tues, Jan 26th 2pm PT about amplifying your personal brand with Social Media Expert and Influencer, Dionna Chambers, who has more than 95k engaged Instagram followers. Instagram is now the top tool industry professionals use to look up filmmakers, both to understand a person more and to see their marketing influence. This workshop will help you understand the basics of the platform and how to use it as a branding tool, as well as increase your visibility and connect with like-minded industry professionals, in order to attract more gigs!
RSVP:

You're invited to the next Film Fatales workshop!

12/19/2020

Frequent No Budget Film School guest speaker Peter Broderick has dropped a GREAT article on his website. Virtual Screenings are a terrific way to bypass distributors and take your film directly to your audience--and make good money and collect email addresses along the way. This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to do it!

11/27/2020

Join Film Fatales and Women Creating Change on Sat 11/28 at 11am PT for a discussion about bringing Middle Eastern and North African stories from script to screen with Maytha Alhassen (Staff Writer, Ramy), Rola Nashef (Director, Detroit Unleaded) Sahar Jahani (Writer, 13 Reasons Why) and Dana Eden (Executive Producer, Tehran). Moderated by Film Fatales and WCC member Natasha Kermani (Director, Lucky). This panel will explore the filmmakers' processes from the early stages of script development all the way through distribution, as well as the challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome them in order to create compelling, truthful and pioneering narratives. RSVP:

You're invited to the next Film Fatales webinar!